What is Agile Technical Documentation?
Agile Technical Documentation is an approach to creating and managing technical documentation that aligns with Agile software development methodologies.
Key aspects include:
Iterative development: Documentation is created and updated incrementally alongside software iterations.
Just-in-time documentation: Focus on creating only necessary documents when they're needed.
Collaboration: Writers work closely with developers, testers, and other team members.
Flexibility: Documentation adapts to changes in software requirements and features.
User-centric: Emphasis on creating content that directly addresses user needs.
Continuous documents: Provide continuous updates and improvements to keep documentation set current.
Lightweight processes: Focus on simplicity and effectiveness, reducing unnecessary overhead to provide valuable, relevant customer-centric documentation.
Difference Between Agile and Waterfall approaches
Agile technical documentation differs from traditional Waterfall documentation approaches in several key ways:
1. Timing
- Agile: Created incrementally throughout development
- Traditional: Often created at the end or in large batches
2. Scope
- Agile: Focuses on essential information
- Traditional: Tends to be comprehensive, sometimes including unused details
3. Flexibility
- Agile: Easily adaptable to changes
- Traditional: More rigid, harder to update
4. Integration with development
- Agile: Closely integrated with the development process
- Traditional: Often separate from development
5. Audience focus
- Agile: Prioritizes immediate user needs
- Traditional: May include information for various stakeholders
6. Collaboration
- Agile: Writers work closely with developers and other team members
- Traditional: Sometimes created by dedicated technical writers in isolation
7. Tools
- Agile: Often uses the same tools as developers (e.g., Jira can be used to create draft release notes)
- Traditional: May use specialized documentation tools
8. Review process
- Agile: Continuous review and updates
- Traditional: Often has formal, lengthy review cycles
9. Release cycle
- Agile: Frequent, small updates
- Traditional: Large, infrequent releases
Last updated
