How much documentation should come with a newly-developed website?
I’m an information architect, not a programmer, but I do try to keep up with my own documentation, both because I think it’s good manners and also so that I can go back to my own work and understand what’s going on after any length of time (whether the project is in utero or already developed). I started out as a copywriter (and now write for magazines for fun), so I take a less technical approach. For a corporate e-newsletter I needed to hand off, I started by discussing how the files are set up and where to file and find assets. When I got into the guts of how to set up the newsletter (“first do A; next go here and do B…”) I found it was helpful to insert comments that stated “At this point, you may want to do X — but don’t worry — you’ll get to that later, when you set up the Z”… These “head them off at the pass” statements allow users to feel like their instincts aren’t crazy, and lets them know that you’ve worked through the steps in a logical order. Of course, hopefully you
I think you’re on track with the training, but the written documentation seems a little light. The number of pages isn’t the issue, but it should cover, at a minimum: * Thorough documentation about how the system was built, and using which tools. * Information about how to use the CMS and edit other assets. * Information about dealing with the ISP and web hosting space (assuming you haven’t dealt with all that internally) Plus, he/she should commit to doing two other things: * Provide you with a CD containing a complete copy of the site, all original assets with layers preserved (e.g. PSD and AI files), and backup copies of all his paper-based documentation, including training notes. * Comment the site code so that if you need a revamp in a year and he/she has moved to Burkina Faso, another developer can pick up the project with a minimum of detective work. And yes, you should get committments for all this in writing. Best of luck…
For all the web development industry likes to pontificate about usability, it often surprises me how atrociously poor most web folk are at documentation. Usability includes all stakeholders, including the site owner. Documentation is a core part of that. Everything that the owner can’t reasonably know that they need to know should be documented in some form. Documentation is not a bonus extra or an enhancement. [/rant] Having got that off my chest, there might not be so much you can do about it after the event if documentation was not itemized in your contract deliverables. One page isn’t going to hack it and you are guaranteed problems down the road if you don’t get more. If the developer is reluctant to do more, you might consider getting someone from your organization to carefully record any training and kill a couple of birds with one stone, as it were. Developers turn over quickly, you can’t expect them to still be around in a few months, so the more you get now, the better. Never
Related Questions
- So, the website is free unless I want documentation. What is required to receive documentation of my participation?
- Am I allowed to redistribute/translate the contents of the InterWorx website and documentation?
- Why isn feature X developed, the documentation on the website complete or my email answered?
