Information Development: Managing Your Documentation Projects, Portfolio, and People (Paperback)

~ JoAnn T. Hackos (Author)
Key Phrases: information developers report, information architecture team, localization coordinator, Information Model, Task Changing, Best Practice-Developing (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A revolutionary new resource that brings documentation product management ideas up to date

The 1994 bestselling classic Managing Your Documentation Projects set the industry standard for technical documentation. However, since then, much has changed in the world of information development. With this new title, JoAnn Hackos looks beyond the structured project of the 1980s and 1990s. Instead, she focuses on the rapidly changing projects of the 21st century and addresses how to introduce agile information development without neglecting the central focus of planning information design and development around the needs of information users.

As an information-development manager, you are expected to reduce costs and project time, do more work with fewer resources and less money, and increase the value of the information you deliver. Recognizing this, Hackos has carefully designed this book to help you do precisely that. She helps you make strategic decisions about information development and directs the discussion of project management toward smarter decision-making.

An update of the original 1994 Information Process Maturity Model (IPMM) presents you with a method by which you can compare the state of your organization to others, evaluate your current status, and then consider what is necessary in order to move to the next level.

Information Development offers a completely new look at best practices for all phases of the document development lifecycle, including:

• Managing a corporate information portfolio
• Evaluating process maturity
• Partnering with customers and developing user scenarios
• Developing team effectiveness and collaboration
• Planning and monitoring information projects
• Managing translation and production
• Evaluating project performance
• Managing for quality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness

The companion Web site includes electronic versions of the templates and checklists featured in the book.

Wiley Technology Publishing Timely. Practical. Reliable.

Visit our Web site at www.wiley.com/compbooks/

From the Back Cover

A revolutionary new resource that brings documentation product management ideas up to date

The 1994 bestselling classic Managing Your Documentation Projects set the industry standard for technical documentation. However, since then, much has changed in the world of information development. With this new title, JoAnn Hackos looks beyond the structured project of the 1980s and 1990s. Instead, she focuses on the rapidly changing projects of the 21st century and addresses how to introduce agile information development without neglecting the central focus of planning information design and development around the needs of information users.

As an information-development manager, you are expected to reduce costs and project time, do more work with fewer resources and less money, and increase the value of the information you deliver. Recognizing this, Hackos has carefully designed this book to help you do precisely that. She helps you make strategic decisions about information development and directs the discussion of project management toward smarter decision-making.

An update of the original 1994 Information Process Maturity Model (IPMM) presents you with a method by which you can compare the state of your organization to others, evaluate your current status, and then consider what is necessary in order to move to the next level.

Information Development offers a completely new look at best practices for all phases of the document development lifecycle, including:

• Managing a corporate information portfolio
• Evaluating process maturity
• Partnering with customers and developing user scenarios
• Developing team effectiveness and collaboration
• Planning and monitoring information projects
• Managing translation and production
• Evaluating project performance
• Managing for quality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness

The companion Web site includes electronic versions of the templates and checklists featured in the book.

Wiley Technology Publishing Timely. Practical. Reliable.

Visit our Web site at www.wiley.com/compbooks/

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 624 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 2nd edition (December 26, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471777110
• ISBN-13: 978-0471777113
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.2 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #197,497 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #64 in

  Books > Reference > Writing > Technical

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Author has nothing to say and takes too long to say it, January 5, 2007

By	Mark Stewart (Jacksonville, FL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I bought this book because I liked the table of contents. I assumed this book would present concrete, actionable specifics on the subjects presented in the table of contents. I was disappointed.

Under information planning, this book only tells you that you should do it. Gee, thanks. Under estimating and scheduling - you should estimate future project resources and you should request new resources and fund innovation. Oh, boy. Yippee.

This book is an exercise in stating the blatantly obvious. I expected to see information on the nuts and bolts of producing technical documentation...I expected to see examples of budgets, examples of ways to create efficient systems for document production using single-sourcing, and to see examples of specific, important techniques for planning a document production process that allows for easy translation, revision, re-usability and transfer to different mediums. I expected to get a reference that would become well-worn on my desk. This book is as far from such a tome as it could possibly get while still being written in the English language.

I want to improve the efficiency of my documentation projects. I'd like to know about technologies (XML?, VBA?) that might help me with separating content from layout and improving reusability. Is that here? Nope. But you do get way too much talk about how you should acquire good tools that support your business goals. There is nothing about what those tools should be or what specifically would make them good.

One page tells you the difference between a "traditional" project and an "agile" project...things like: An agile project "responds to change" and has "minimal process documentation" as well as "reduced development schedules". That's nice. Who cares?

Implementing a Topic Architecture is the only section that even makes a move in the direction of specific, concrete, useful material. But even it leaves you thinking, "Well, duh...yathink?"

To sum up, this book tells you all the obvious things you ought to do...but that's it. It doesn't have anything to say about HOW you would actually do those things. I doubt the author has the foggiest idea how because I doubt she has a single hard skill to speak of. She definitely didn't write about any.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A truly recommendable read, June 14, 2007

By	MurphysLaw (Germany) - See all my reviews

In this book, JoAnn T. Hackos has compiled a great amount of useful information, "decorated" with many illustrating sample cases.
Well-structured, intelligible and applicable, "Information Development" is a welcome asset, although with 600 pages, it is nothing you read - least of all SHOULD read - overnight. :)

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Admit that you are a wasteaholic, August 1, 2007

By	Todd Eric Kelsey "strategic developer" (One Laptop Per Child) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Any organization, large or small, that wants to get serious about growth should read this book, breathe it and master it. The first step is to admit you have a problem. "Hello, my name is Bob. I'm a wasteaholic."; "Hi Bob".

I used to HATE process. HATE HATE HATE. I didn't want to be constrained; I rationalized saying "well it is a waste of time to invest time in process, it is just needless bureacracy". I was a creative person, still am. Then 10 years later I realized I was wasting a lot of time because things weren't organized, there wasn't accountability, the projects were driving me, instead of me being on top of things.

Are you a wasteaholic? Answer this question: Do you feel on top of things?

If answer = yes, close browser window. If answer = no, order book.

Book is dead on.

Several years ago I interviewed for a staff position at Cornell University, in a dept. run by a guy who had spent a number of years in industry; I wanted to impress him, so I asked, "are there any books you'd recommend, out of all you've come across, about project management and content?" And he said "Managing Documentation Projects" -- which is the precursor to this book.

It rocks.