Conference 7.286::digital

1738.0. "Documentation in SI Projects" by BOOKS::HAMILTON () Thu Jan 23 1992 11:40

I have a couple of questions for the folks out there executing systems
integration projects.

What might be the value add of technical writers in systems integration
projects?  Are you using technical documentation folks to:

  o Help structure SI proposals?

  o Develop documents describing the "before" and 
    "after" pictures of the customer's systems environment?

  o Develop documents/training for systems managers in
    the post-integration enviroment (i.e., to help the
    customer's employees manage the "integrated" environment)?

  o Develop documents around the cost/benefit analyses of
    an integration project?

  o Develop documents for users in the "newly integrated"
    enviroment?

Are the folks selling SI work also selling documentation and
training services, or is that function considered to be a "give 
away" service to get the contract?

Is there a market for documentation and training in SI projects?  
Is there a place for *new* documentation/training in the customer's
newly integrated environment that goes beyond the product documentation 
provided with the segregated systems -- documentation or training that 
is *customized* and *specific* to the particular customer?  Is
that documentation/training something the customer would pay for?

If there is a market, how large would you estimate it to be?  What 
kinds of skills/experience/education would be needed by writers 
in the SI environment?

Writers: I'd also like to get a sense of your experiences in this
environment.  Have you been involved with SI projects, and if
so to what extent?  Were your experiences positive?  If not, why not?
Would you do it again?

Thanks for any help.

Glenn

  Not to discourage anyone from continuing the discussion here, but there is
a SYSTEMS INTEGRATION notes conference on YUPPIE::SYSTEMS_INTEGRATION that may
be of interest to you.  You might ask the same question there...

Al