This article is about technical writing and discusses how to tailor the writing process to accommodate the different stages of software development life cycle (SDLC) needs and requirements.

Although there are many steps in SDLC, this article lists only the important stages of SDLC. they are

1. Gathering requirements

2. Analysis and Design

3. Coding

4. Code review and test phase

5. Release (Alpha and Beta versions)

6. Maintenance

Each software project has its own custom SDLC framework.

All proprietary framework versions depend on the basic structure of the older SDLC framework.

Just as every software project depends on the SDLC, in the same way, every documentation project also depends on the Document Development Life Cycle (DDLC). The DDLC framework is divided into the following steps.

1. Understand the product/project requirements

2. Do audience analysis

3. Decide on the output formats (.PDF, online help) and documentation deliveries

4. Zeroing in documentation and graphical tools

5. Compilation of the base or source documents

6. Template Design

7. Time frame and estimation

8. Identification of subject matter experts (SMEs) and points of contact

9. Identification of peer, technical and editorial reviewers

10. Creating the Documentation Plan

11. Draft Table of Contents (TOC)

12. Do content development

13. Management of review cycles

14. Incorporation of review comments

15. Final Exit

All of the above steps of the DDLC framework can be summarized into five subcategories, which in turn can be mapped to each SDLC step. The five summarized subcategories are

1. Preparation of the Documentation Plan

2. Writing the content

3. Review of content

4. Delivery of documents

5.Document maintenance

Since each Documentation project in the field of software depends on the corresponding project/product, the SDLC framework of the same must be mapped with the DDLC of the corresponding Documentation project.

SDLC vs. DDLC

1. Analysis and Design Preparation of the Documentation Plan

2. Coding Writing the content

3. Code review and test phase Review the content

4. Launch (alpha and beta versions) Publication of the document

5. Maintenance of maintenance documents (incorporation of improvements and functionality modifications)

As you can see in the mapping above, each process in SDLC is mapped with the corresponding process in DDLC. Most companies, particularly product companies, want documentation to be ready by the time the product is released.

For companies that follow the Agile methodology, when the product is in the development stage, there will be frequent improvements, fixes, etc., during each iteration. Just as changes are incorporated in the code, in the same way changes must be made in the corresponding documentation to keep the deliverables updated according to the requirements of the client/market.