Client Documentation
dthomas32308
Independent Developer
I?m in the process of redoing my client handover package as well as system documentation and figured I?d invoke/poke the minds of the greats to see what they provide clients as far as documentation/manuals.
Comments
In addition, the client usually requests some kind of documentation such as a users manual or whatnot. In this area I've found that it's best to create a framework the client can then take and pretty up with their corporate graphics and styles. So, I might just create a users manual in Word that they then will edit for style.
It really varies from one contract to another.
I find that creating large 3-ring binders is not a good use of time as the client usually throws them in some filing cabinet and never looks at them. However, the sing-sheet laminated instruction guides get used all the time. This fact also supports the idea that your system should be easily explainable on a single laminated sheet.
Then there are the ones who ask for a comprehensive book... which they wave once at their manager or spouse to justify the purchase, and put away forever...
I tend to work on the documentation concurrently. I have the doc writing app open and use it as my check list. For example: for source selects I will write a quick instruction set for selecting the source and how it works. Then I write the code. I'm essentially making my notes look pretty. And, of course, since I don't really change how I do source selects much, it's just a matter of copying and pasting into my documentation.
Like Eric, I do my documentation concurrently and actually start my documentation before I type the first bit of code to ensure I?ve thought all the way through the task. That said I wrote an internal document and customer facing document for each function so that I?m not rushing at the end of the project.