LifeCycle Documentation

System documentation has different audiences because it is responds to differing stages of development, from concept to sales.

Requirements have to be a bit broader in scope than design specifications—think of a requirement for your arm: Grasp a hammer.

The resulting design specifications are much more minute in scope since each synapse and each muscle and each movement must be described in detail. There probably will be no user guide for “Grasp a Hammer;” instead, a manual may be offered that explains the appendage and its uses. (The user will determine the usefulness of the “arm.”)

System documentation demands clarity and consistency much beyond the normal scope of daily life. I have the background and expertise with system analysis and documentation to help your development teams ensure a successful product.

Audience

The three primary audiences for system documents are:

• Managers
• Developers
• Users

Management does not usually delve into the detail that engineers and programmers require. However, they need to know and understand the scope of a project to support it adequately. This explains the existence of a Concept of Operations as well as the ubiquitous "Executive Summary" in most other system documents.

What Are System-level Documents?

 Concept of Operations

 Requirements Analysis

 Design Specifications

 Unit, Application, and Acceptance test plans & Test Results analyses

 System training

 Administration and User Guides

There is no system lifecycle document I have not written—successfully.