Documentation of a software solution

Project and User Documentation

A project documentation contains 4 parts, which are:

• Planning

• Testing

• End-user documentation

• Handover

The first part, planning, have high level requirements and design documents, which state what the system is planned to do, and how to perform the required actions

This an example of a software design documentation on the left. The purpose of a software design document is to give a description of the product. A software design documentation should contain the following information:

• data design - describes a program structures, then uses information to map it out

• architect design - design a program structures, then use information to map it out

• interface design - describes the internal and external design interfaces

• procedural design - uses graphical and textual notations to describe structural programming concepts

The second part of a project documentation is testing the product. The project should be tested throughout. Testing plans should include: the methods of testing, and what part of the program is being testing. All this information should be recorded down as test documentation. Advantages include:

• The use of testing, in the purpose to remove and ambiguity of questionable areas of the development of a program

• Good marketing strategy to showcase a mature testing process

• Helps offer quality products to clients within a set amount of time

Disadvantages include:

• Time consuming, and may not be worth the potential value of time put into the software

• Poor documentation may lead to a bad reputation of the program.

The third part of the project documentation involves the creation of user documentation. User documentation is a guide that assists the user of the software they are using areas such as, how to use to program, what is does and how to install it, as suggested by the name. The main idea of user documentation is to aid the product user, which it is design solely for them. It should not require any extra form of knowledge of the development side of things, meaning that an average person is to be able to understand what is going on, step by step. Common solutions for problems should be quick and easy to resolve for the user if they do run into any problems. Formats of user documentation include the following:

• FAQs

• Video tutorials

• Embedded assistance

• continuously obtaining customer feedback

• User manuals

• Installations guides

• End user guides

The final step, hand over is a plan which displays the project results, showing the satisfaction of meeting all requirements. This part of the project documentation needs to be well documented in terms of its performance and criteria met. It does not allow for doubt and ambiguity, as it should have been clarified during the testing process of the project. Main areas to be documented are:

• Document requirements

• Complete diagrams and drawings

• A final report on project

• Identifying key stakeholders of the project

• Changes and problems, and how it should be resolved

Practice HSC Questions

2018