| 8 Steps to Successfully Managing your Documentation Projects |
| Step 1: Scope the Project |
| by Jan Johansen |
| |
Our first article in this series offered a high-level
overview of the 8 steps for successfully managing
your training & documentation projects. In
this article, we'll zero in on
Step 1 - Scoping the
Project. |
| |
| Your project scope is the foundation of a successful project. In our overview article, we listed three tips for scoping your
projects: |
|
| |
|
Interview the people requesting the project to clarify their expectations. |
| |
|
Identify your audience and define the purpose your materials are intended to fulfill. |
| |
|
Decide exactly what kind of materials you will develop. |
|
| |
| Let's look at each of these in more detail... |
|
| Project Expectations |
| The accuracy of your project scope depends on how well you understand the expectations for the project. |
|
| |
|
Get as much input as you can from the people who requested the project. Ask them what information they want to cover, how they want it presented, when they want it completed, and how much they have budgeted. |
| |
|
Do you have the right resources - writers, editors, designers, developers? Or will you need to outsource some or all of the work? If so, do you know where to go for help? |
| |
|
Is the deadline reasonable? Do you have enough manpower to complete the project on time - or do you need to add more resources? |
| |
|
Is the budget realistic? If not, you may need ask for an increase or reduce the scope of the project. |
|
|
