Agile Documentation 2/2

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3.0 Factors to Ensure Effective Agile Documentation

• There should be consistency and accuracy in the information provided in the document.
• The document should be written keeping the customer in mind, as well as their knowledge about the software, technical skills etc.

4.0 Timing of Agile Documentation

You have read that in the case of agile methodology, the planning, requirement capturing and software requirements specification are done at a high level at the beginning of the project management life cycle.

As the project proceeds, the agile requirements evolve and sprints are taken up one after another. Iterations continue until one sprint is complete. In the same manner, lean documentation starts with the beginning of high level planning and creating a project plan. As each sprint is completed, the documentation should also be updated with the changes made.

Towards the end of the project, user documents and system overview documents should be produced and the language of the whole document polished to make it understandable and consistent to the various project management stakeholders.

5.0 The Parts of an Agile Document

Normally, there are 9 parts of the manuscript produced during agile documentation.

1. Contract models- describes how the new system with interact with the other external system.
2. Design description- gives brief of the design related decision
3. Vision statement and team overview-describes the vision behind the software and summary of the team members.
4. Operations document- explains how the new system interacts with the other software and the list of people one needs to contact in case of any challenge.
5. Project detail- gives the information regarding the tools and technologies used for system development.
6. Requirements documentation- explains what the system is expected to do, the business rules and related definitions.
7. Support documentation- includes the training material for troubleshooting by the support staff.
8. System documentation- describes the system in totality, the technical as well as business architecture and design.
9. User documentation- consists of user manual and the training material for the end users.

Agile Documentation - Tip

It is crucial to keep a balance between the agility and the usability of the agile documentation. Therefore it is better that the developer and the business analyst team up throughout the project to produce a consistent, accurate and understandable document.

Obviously in order to do this you need to ensure your BA has the necessary business analyst skills otherwise you can easily find your agile documentation unusable and your project in complete disarray. Sadly this happens a lot more than you might think where agile is concerned as a direct result of this.