kumar: managing documentation projects

20
Managing Documentation Projects Kumar Dhanagopal tcworld India March 12, 2011

Upload: akashjd

Post on 19-Jan-2015

581 views

Category:

Documents


4 download

DESCRIPTION

 

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Kumar: Managing Documentation Projects

Managing Documentation Projects

Kumar Dhanagopal

tcworld IndiaMarch 12, 2011

Page 2: Kumar: Managing Documentation Projects

© Kumar Dhanagopal, 2011 tcworld India 2

The process1. Plan2. Execute, monitor, and control3. Close

OR…

1. Execute2. Lose control3. Stop4. Plan, execute, …

Page 3: Kumar: Managing Documentation Projects

© Kumar Dhanagopal, 2011 tcworld India 3

Challenges• Getting started• Scoping• Estimating effort• Scheduling• Baselining• Communicating• Following up!• Managing reviews• Reporting

Page 4: Kumar: Managing Documentation Projects

© Kumar Dhanagopal, 2011 tcworld India 4

• If I can do it, anybody can

• Each one of us is a project manager

Page 5: Kumar: Managing Documentation Projects

© Kumar Dhanagopal, 2011 tcworld India 5

Getting started• Engage early

– Is it ever ok to engage late?– Engaging early ≠ writing from day 1

• Participate in the project initiation phase• Take charge• Set aside time for doc planning

Getting startedScopingEstimating effortSchedulingBaseliningCommunicatingFollowing up!Managing reviewsReporting

Page 6: Kumar: Managing Documentation Projects

© Kumar Dhanagopal, 2011 tcworld India 6

Scoping• Use data from all sources

• Consider lifecycle use cases• Prioritize use cases• Look for opportunities to reuse content

Getting startedScopingEstimating effortSchedulingBaseliningCommunicatingFollowing up!Managing reviewsReporting

Page 7: Kumar: Managing Documentation Projects

© Kumar Dhanagopal, 2011 tcworld India 7

Estimating effort• Plan at as granular a level as possible

Use case / task Topic Type Potential for reuse

Effort (person days)

Overview of clusters Concept Low 1.0

Server lifecycle Concept Medium 1.5UC1-Manage the server lifecycle

NoneUC0-Set up a cluster

Configuring a cluster Procedure None 0.5

None

Creating a cluster Procedure 0.5

Starting and stopping server instances

Procedure 0.5

Getting startedScopingEstimating effortSchedulingBaseliningCommunicatingFollowing up!Managing reviewsReporting

Page 8: Kumar: Managing Documentation Projects

© Kumar Dhanagopal, 2011 tcworld India 8

Estimating effort (contd.)

• Avoid calculators– G-I-G-O– Result not really objective

• Keep a buffer!

It takes more to write less than to write more!

Getting startedScopingEstimating effortSchedulingBaseliningCommunicatingFollowing up!Managing reviewsReporting

Page 9: Kumar: Managing Documentation Projects

© Kumar Dhanagopal, 2011 tcworld India 9

Scheduling

• Look beyond the math!– Task divisibility– Task sequence– People: skills, availability, interest

Effort estimate: 50 person days

Writers available: 2

Calendar days to complete the task: ?

Getting startedScopingEstimating effortSchedulingBaseliningCommunicatingFollowing up!Managing reviewsReporting

Page 10: Kumar: Managing Documentation Projects

© Kumar Dhanagopal, 2011 tcworld India 10

Baselining

• How much analysis is enough?

95

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Data available (%)

Relia

bilit

y of

the

plan

(%)

Getting startedScopingEstimating effortSchedulingBaseliningCommunicatingFollowing up!Managing reviewsReporting

Page 11: Kumar: Managing Documentation Projects

© Kumar Dhanagopal, 2011 tcworld India 11

Baselining (contd.)

• Practice progressive elaboration• Get the plan reviewed• Keep a running list of “opens”• Commit only what’s feasible• Minimize the unknown unknowns• Be prepared to re-plan!

Getting startedScopingEstimating effortSchedulingBaseliningCommunicatingFollowing up!Managing reviewsReporting

Page 12: Kumar: Managing Documentation Projects

© Kumar Dhanagopal, 2011 tcworld India 12

Communicating• Recognize communication channels

2 people 1 channel, 3 3, 4 6n x (n-1)/210 45!

• Communicate bad news early• It’s ok to over-communicate• Include all stakeholders• Know your champion• Listen!

Getting startedScopingEstimating effortSchedulingBaseliningCommunicatingFollowing up!Managing reviewsReporting

Page 13: Kumar: Managing Documentation Projects

© Kumar Dhanagopal, 2011 tcworld India 13

Following up• Use all possible means• Keep a running to-do list• Push for an ETC date• Set reminders, flag email

Getting startedScopingEstimating effortSchedulingBaseliningCommunicatingFollowing up!Managing reviewsReporting

Page 14: Kumar: Managing Documentation Projects

© Kumar Dhanagopal, 2011 tcworld India 14

Following up (contd.)Getting startedScopingEstimating effortSchedulingBaseliningCommunicatingFollowing up!Managing reviewsReporting

Page 15: Kumar: Managing Documentation Projects

© Kumar Dhanagopal, 2011 tcworld India 15

Managing reviews

• Plan– Identify reviewers up front– Define expectations, schedule, and process

• Execute– Watch reviewers’ priorities– Reiterate expectations– Monitor progress– Facilitate reviews: doc walkthrough,

incremental review, piecemeal review

Getting startedScopingEstimating effortSchedulingBaseliningCommunicatingFollowing up!Managing reviewsReporting

Page 16: Kumar: Managing Documentation Projects

© Kumar Dhanagopal, 2011 tcworld India 16

Reporting

• Report regularly• Report w.r.t the plan• Flag issues, early• Focus on the future

Getting startedScopingEstimating effortSchedulingBaseliningCommunicatingFollowing up!Managing reviewsReporting

Page 17: Kumar: Managing Documentation Projects

© Kumar Dhanagopal, 2011 tcworld India 17

Reporting (contd.)

Task Planned effort (days)

Work done (%)

T1T3Total 20

10

?

505010

Work remaining

78

15

Revised plan

121325

Getting startedScopingEstimating effortSchedulingBaseliningCommunicatingFollowing up!Managing reviewsReporting• Report on the future

Work remaining: 15 / 25 = 60%

Work done: 100 – 60 = only 40%

Page 18: Kumar: Managing Documentation Projects

© Kumar Dhanagopal, 2011 tcworld India 18

Reporting (contd.)Getting startedScopingEstimating effortSchedulingBaseliningCommunicatingFollowing up!Managing reviewsReporting• Track the “burn” rate

0

20

40

60

80

100

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Time

Wor

k re

mai

ning

Plan Actual Forecast

Page 19: Kumar: Managing Documentation Projects

© Kumar Dhanagopal, 2011 tcworld India 19

Think big picture

• Take the project seriously, not project management

• There’s life beyond the project

Page 20: Kumar: Managing Documentation Projects

© Kumar Dhanagopal, 2011 tcworld India 20

Thank you!

Questions?

[email protected]