In this digital world, everything is based on software and technologies. We all depend upon the technologies, which make our life easier. So to build reliable software and maintain their workflow, there are various project management techniques, The techniques that are used by a variety of software development firms are as follows: 

• Traditional waterfall Model
• Critical Path Method (CPM)
• Agile Methodology
• Extreme Programming
• Kanban and many more.

This article involves an in-depth understanding of the Agile methodology used in software development and project management. Popularity of Agile methodologies is growing in this highly competitive business environment. Let us review Agile methodology, its advantages and, its implementation in detail.

What is Agile Methodology?

Agile software development is a way to manage a project by breaking it up into several phases. It involves constant collaboration with the stakeholders and continuous improvement at every stage. When the work begins, the product owner, scrum master, and the teams cycle through a process of planning, executing, and evaluating.

Some of the features of Agile software development are as follows:

• Follows an iterative approach.
• Works on the microservices model.
• Follows a focused approach with specific requirements.

Agile Software Development Values

The core values of Agile software development as stated in the Agile manifesto are as follows: 

• Individuals and interactions over process and tools.
• Working software over comprehensive documentation.
• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation.
• Responding to change rather than following a project plan.

Agile Software Development Principles

The manifesto of Agile software development is based on the following principles:

• Customer satisfaction and continuous delivery of valuable software.
• Welcome changing requirements even in late development.
• Deliver working software frequently.
• Interaction between the stakeholders
• Projects are built around motivated individuals.
• Face to Face communication.
• Working software is the primary measure of success.
• Maintain a constant pace.
• Sustain technical excellence and good design.
• Keep it simple.
• Empower self-organizing teams.
• Reflect and adjust accordingly.

Agile Software Development Methods

The Agile software development method supports a broad range of software development life cycles. Some methods focus on practices while some focus on managing the workflow. Some support requirements specification and development while some seek to cover the full life cycle. We will cover some of the points mentioned below.

Scrum Methodology

Scrum is a framework that manages the workflow of the software development life cycle. It is an iteration of Plan, Build, Test, and Review. The majority of software firms primarily implement scrum in their software development life cycle. Scrum practices allow teams to self-manage, learn from experience, and adapt to change. Software teams use Scrum to solve complex problems.

The scrum-implemented teams consist of the following:

• Product Owner (Manager): Holds the responsibility that the application has been deployed and built exactly the way it has to be built. All the accountability for a product lies on him.

• Scrum Master (Team Leader): Holds the data and handles day-to-day operations such as meetings, handles tasks, and so on.

• Teams (consists of Developer and Tester): Consists of a developer and tester, and depending upon the requirements, it might have a few more roles.

The scrum development consists of the following: 

• Product Backlogs: Product backlog is a prioritized list of work for the development team which contains roadmaps, requirements, and a to-do list within a scrum development framework.
• Sprint Backlogs: Sprint backlog is a list of work your team plans to complete during the project sprint.

Advantages of Agile Methodology

• Persistent software delivery
• Increased stakeholder satisfaction
• Inspect and adapt
• Changes are done at any stage
• Design is important
• Daily interaction

For any business to grow and prosper, documentation plays a vital role in almost every product development life cycle stage. That is why each document creation involves a systematic process that includes a series of tasks, proper layout, audience analysis, technical writing, editing phase, reviewing phase, and so on.

For every document creation, the content writer and subject matter expert undergoes research analysis about the product and conducts different phases of the document development life cycle to create valuable and vibrant content. This article involves an in-depth understanding of the document development life cycle to help you create a user-friendly and high-quality documentation process.

What is Document Development Life Cycle?

Similar to the software development life cycle (SDLC) the document development life cycle (DDLC) process involves a step-by-step procedure to produce error-free content. It is a systematic process that enables document creation in a specific order to create easy-to-understand for complex topics and communicate directly with the users. 

The content creator understands the DDLC for the target audience and aligns the entire documentation process with the software development life cycle to produce high-quality rich content. So the technical writers assemble the document development process in the following phases.

1. Requirements Analysis
2. Audience Analysis
3. Design Phase 
4. Development Phase
5. Review Phase
6. Publish the document
7. Maintenance Phase

Let us look at each document development phase in detail to ensure the delivery of relevant information with high technical accuracy.

Requirement Analysis

This is the first step in the document development life cycle to gather the relevant information required to be developed, analyzed, and documented. In this phase, the technical writer understands the product features and have a word with the technical team and SMEs to get well acquainted with the product’s specifications and self-review.

Audience Analysis

After the requirement analysis, the next phase in the document development life cycle is to determine the target audiences. The target audiences or users of the document are categorized as internal or external users. 

The external users are those who have zero technical knowledge about the product but at the same time, internal users are those who have some knowledge about the product and know how the product works.

So the audience analysis is done based on internal and external users.

Design Phase

In the design phase, you need to create a content outline after thoroughly understanding the product. The content outline acts as your guide to developing a structured document.

In the design phase, technical writers also need to design the content by using the proper layout, format, and style. This is a very important part of the document development phases in which the presentation of the document is specified.

There are various document designing tools that will help the writer to format the documents in the desired manner. Tools like MS Word, Adobe FrameMaker, RoboHelp, and XMetal are some of the widely used designing tools in the market.

The following tools are used for technical design and graphics –

• Snag IT
• Visio
• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Illustrator

Development Phase

The development phase of the document involves creating, editing, and managing the content to provide valuable content to the users. In this phase, writers complete the process of developing the content in which they outlined the content in the designing phase. The content is created through visual representations including screenshots, images, and flow charts for better understanding of the users. 

Review Phase

The main purpose of the review phase is to make the content free from any errors. This is done through editing, proofreading, peer-to-peer review, technical review, and editorial review. 

Publish the Document

After the reviewing process, the document is ready to be published online or offline. Depending upon the product and services the technical documents are available in the form of user manuals, user guides, API documents, Press releases, and many more. so, many technical documents are published online because of easy accessibility, easy updating, and timely maintenance.

Maintenance Phase

The market demands, user needs, and product features are constantly changing after the new releases of the product. So to upkeep the maintenance work a well-defined plan of regular updates needs to be implemented. So after publishing the document the maintenance phase of the document is required in the document development life cycle.

Key Takeaway

The document development life cycle is the complete process of creating high-quality technical content for internal and external users. It involves requirement analysis, designing phase, content creation, reviewing, publishing, and maintenance phase to ensure all aspects of technical writing that are free from plagiarism.

In today’s digital age, the world has become more dependent on technology than ever before. With the internet and social media dominating our lives, there is a growing demand for content that can help us understand and make use of technology effectively. Technical content writing is one such career option that has emerged as a popular choice among writers and content developers. In this article, we will discuss why technical content writing is a better career option as compared to other forms of content development.

High Demand for Technical Content

There is a growing demand for technical content in various industries, including healthcare, finance, education, and technology. With the increasing use of technology in our daily lives, people need technical content that can help them understand and use it better. Technical content writers create content that is clear, concise, and easy to understand, making it a valuable resource for people who are looking for information about technology.

Better Career Growth Opportunities

Technical content writing offers excellent career growth opportunities as compared to other forms of content development. With the increasing demand for technical content, companies are always on the lookout for skilled technical content writers. Technical content writers can work as freelancers, in-house writers, or even start their own content development business. Moreover, with the constant advancements in technology, technical content writers can continuously learn and expand their skillset, which opens up new career opportunities.

Higher Pay Scale

Technical content writers are in high demand, and as a result, they can command higher pay scales than other forms of content development. Technical content writing requires a specific skill set and knowledge base, which makes it a specialized field. Companies are willing to pay a premium for high-quality technical content, making it a lucrative career option.

Diverse Range of Topics

Technical content writing covers a diverse range of topics, including software, hardware, electronics, artificial intelligence, and robotics. Technical content writers can specialize in any of these topics, which allows them to have a more diverse range of opportunities. Technical content writers can work for companies that produce software, hardware, or electronic products, making it a versatile career option.

Easy to Learn and Get Started

Technical content writing is relatively easy to learn and get started. Unlike other forms of content development, technical content writing requires a specific skill set and knowledge base, which can be learned through online courses or self-study. Additionally, technical content writers can start with smaller projects and gradually build up their portfolio, making it an accessible career option.

Exciting and Challenging Work

Technical content writing is an exciting and challenging career option that requires continuous learning and growth. Technical content writers are required to stay up-to-date with the latest advancements in technology, which makes their work challenging and exciting. Moreover, technical content writers are required to write about complex topics in a clear and concise manner, which makes their work intellectually stimulating.

In conclusion, technical content writing is a better career option as compared to other forms of content development due to its high demand, better career growth opportunities, higher pay scale, diverse range of topics, easy to learn and get started, and exciting and challenging work. As technology continues to evolve, the demand for technical content will only increase, making it a lucrative and satisfying career option for aspiring writers and content developers.