Shikha SaxenaJul 7, 2020·4 min read

Fast and accurate delivery of prototype and final documentation product

Agilism can be described as a concept, a doctrine, it is a philosophy, based on tenets of Agile manifesto and Agile principles, as applied to Software Product Development. Agilism -Tenets of Agile on Path of Documentation enhances rate of delivery and steer documentation product in right direction through iterative feedback and updates.

Agile Methodology

It is interesting to share that Agile principles when applied to any product development process, enhance the rate of product delivery in general, with simple, working prototypes produced early in the project life cycle.

Early prototypes ensure customer satisfaction and encourage them to actively collaborate in shaping the product according to need and required functionality.

It provides with opportunity to give directions, make changes according to need and ultimately, help the team to interact develop a product with value and maximum Return on Investment (ROI).

Customer feedback helps the team to respond to changes, iterate and re-iterate the product in a continuous manner and help in fast, simple, and better product delivery. Cross-functional and self-organizing teams work best in this environment.

To create such an environment and mindset, self-motivated individuals, who really want to make difference in smoother, faster product delivery and contribute in agile transformation, should take the task of learning Agile methodologies.

Shu-Ha-Ri Model

Agile mindset can be best adapted with the following Shu-Ha-Ri model — the Japanese Martial art concept of training and learning:

Shu– Learn and then perform actions to become the showstoppers and role models for others to follow.

Ha-Innovate new styles of product delivery, improvise, and apply Agile rules.

Ri– Transcend finally with unique style to a different level and establish own niche.

As an Agile document developer, I can state that, effective agile documentation is a balancing act, the goal is to write just enough documentation, just in time and just for right audience.

Agile Documentation Style

Application of Agile, to product documentation in general, while working on an Agile project enabled me, to align my documentation, with the developing software product.

I worked with an Agile software product team, with continuous product delivery, after each feedback and continuous iteration. To catch-up with such a team and document the features of working product, it was necessary to know their working styles.

It was when, I began learning from the basic training in the area of Agile methodology meant for software engineers. Enrolled myself in Agile awareness and training program in organization and started Agile journey.

Application of Shu Ha Ri model — the Japanese Martial art concept of training and learning, which describes stages of learning from beginner to mastery, helped, in learning Agile principles and gaining the skills, required to create, agile documentation.

Agility is part of daily routine now. I find myself somewhere between Shu — Ha stages where I have learned the principles of agility, and strictly and honestly follow them in my style of agile documentation, with spikes(issues or blockers), taken care of, as and when required.

This enables to gain customer confidence and produce faster, simpler, and better documentation with maximum ROI!

Tips for Agile Technical Communicators

This is a step taken to encourage the technical communications community, practitioners, as well as the young aspirants, to learn and apply the Agile methodologies to their style of Technical Communication and Writing during project and product documentation.

• Learn the need of continuous iteration of the documentation product through continuous customer/stakeholder feedback and fast document delivery, according to customer requirements.
• Produce incremental, quality documents, with minimum or no defects, with just enough, minimum writing, as required, and also the precise documents, which are light, simple, and easy to refactor.
• Know the nuances of writing in Agile, its advantage and they would like to innovate on their own, improvise, and apply agility to their styles of writing.
• Learn to be on edge all the time, catch-up fast, know the advantages of learning new tools and technologies, mold themselves along with, emerging technologies, and adjust to the changing requirements frequently.
• Pick up new writing techniques and methodologies, innovate and leverage them to enjoy maximum writing benefit.

With a hope to enhance the quest for learning Agile methodologies, creating a mindset for faster and simpler documentation, I urge the aspiring technical writers to take a plunge in lake of agility, hone the skill and gradually apply it to their document deliveries, while adding a dash of technology and creativity.

Increase expertise, share knowledge and become the trailblazers……..Shikha Saxena

As published in Medium:

https://medium.com/data-library/agilism-tenets-of-agile-on-path-of-documentation-626034d4c2f2