The Agile Methodology is a project management methodology that puts emphasis on iterative development. While Agile Methodology does stress software development over providing comprehensive documentation, doing so is important as more organizations are embracing Agile methodology over Waterfall methodology. This article outlines the basic principles of technical writing in Agile environments.
Strategically Plan Your Project
The first order of business when it comes to project planning is to understand the scope of the document. Understanding a project’s scope will involve knowing what the basic objective of the document is and the audience it is being written for. It will involve knowing what you want the document to achieve. Interviewing Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) is a very useful way of understanding what you are writing about, as well as doing internal/external research.
It is also good practice to develop a list of tasks and create user storis in Agile. This is how the progress of your document will be tracked. It will also serve as your document’s timeline. Sometimes, the scope of the document can change, and adding comments to the user stories will help to develop a timeline.
Structure the Document
The next step will be to determine what type of document this will be. One way of doing this is by meeting with your lead/supervisor to understand what kind of document is being requested. Making use of internal document templates is a good way of maintaining consistency within your organization’s environment.
Reviewing and Editing the Document
Report your document’s progress during daily stand-up meetings or one-on-one meetings with your lead. It is also a good idea to set up weekly progress report meetings to go over the document. The scope of the document may change during these meetings as well.
If you have built a solid relationship with the SME(s) who helped you with your initial research, it is good practice to reach out to them for feedback. Sometimes getting feedback from SMEs can be difficult, depending on their day-to-day work. Be persistent when reaching out, but also be respectful of their time.
Most agile environments utilize built-in tracking software such as the Track Changes feature in Microsoft Word. It is good practice to encourage SMEs and others reviewing your work to use this feature.
Conclusion
Agile Methodologies allow technical writers to focus on users’ needs by creating only necessary documentation instead of comprehensive documentation that can become outdated. By using efficient project planning, efficient document design, and utilization of feedback, technical writers can make meaningful contributions to an Agile team’s success.