Establishing a documentation process

[geoff-h -at- MTL -dot- FERIC -dot- CA]

 After months of nagging, I've finally convinced Management
 to create a structure for producing documentation for our
 software... not to mention for the software development
 itself! (Our previous effort shipped without documentation,
 and the user survey turned up a surprising <FeFeFe>
 consensus: "We'd love to use the software, but can't figure
 out how. Have you considered providing a manual?")

 Now it's time to put up (since I didn't shut up). I know
 the basic theory of integrating software and documentation
 development, but I want to get the process nearly right the
 first time... a large project is rolling downhill at me
 with ever-increasing speed, and I want to impose some
 structure on the process in self-defence.

 Here's the simplistic outline that I'd like you folks to
 help me fill in, modify or otherwise debug (I'll try to
 participate in each stage, right from the start):
     1. Define product features
     2. Create mockup of user interface
     3. Begin documentation of features and interface
     4. Freeze features/interface (if not already done)
     5. Complete documentation
     6. Begin beta testing
     7. Revision and final distribution

 Notes: The documentation itself will follow our existing
 review procedures, which work well, and we'll assemble a
 style guide of some sort before we begin writing. Audience
 analysis is already complete: we have a limited, captive
 audience (the folks who fund our research), and both the
 programmers and managers know their needs and
 characteristics inside out. On the other hand, there isn't
 a hope in hell of getting formal usability testing added to
 the program on this first go around; I'm hoping to slip it
 in unnoticed as part of the beta testing.

 Please respond with a copy of your comments directly to me
 so I can compile the results, summarize them, and forward
 them back to the list. (I'm on digest, and it's nasty
 trying to extract text... so please send me a personal copy
 if you post to the list. Thanks.)

 --Geoff Hart    @8^{)}
 geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca

 Disclaimer: If I didn't commit it in print in one of our
 reports, it don't represent FERIC's opinion.