TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
"Steven J. Owens" wrote:
>
> Humbird, Len - CFC writes:
>
> > ... having difficulty managing their own I.S./I.T. department.
> > There is virtually NO formal process to manage, coordinate or
> > control software projects and resources here! ...
>
> No idea on documentation layout, but two places I'd suggest you start
> looking are:
>
> The SEI (Software Engineering Institute) at www.sei.cmu.edu,
> which has done a lot of the groundbreaking theory & research on
> large-scale software development practices.
>
> Steve McConnel's books on software project management,
> specifically _Code Complete_ and _Rapid Devleopment_. ...
Good suggestions, but you missed the one that would be at the top of
my list.
Fred Brooks, "The Mythical Man-Month". A 20th or 25th anniversary
re-issue with some added chapters came out a year or two ago. I'd say
this is required reading for anyone in either software development or
project management.
Brooks managed OS 360 development for IBM, one of the first really large
software projects and, like its contemporary Multics at GE, one of the
first great software project management disasters. Since no-one had
done a software project that large before, many of the difficulties
were unexpected.
After leaving IBM, he wrote the book on how projects (especially large
projects and especially software projects) go wrong.
