SOFTWARE SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION PROCESS KEY PRACTICES

 In Version 1 the model consisted of 18 key practices, in Version 2 the number of key practices increased to 19 and in Version 3 the structure was modified to consist of 9 key practices and 26 subpractices. Finally in Version 4 the number of key practices increases to 11 and the number of key practices to 32.  In all cases the key practices associated with a particular level describe the expected behavior from an organization operating at that level, in terms of major documentation process areas.

For full details about the evolution of key practices (for first three versions)  click here.

Version 1

Version 2

This second version was released in September 1995. The next table shows the model in terms of levels and their associated key practices.
 

Level	Key Practices
1	1.	Consistent creation of basic software development documents
	2.	Documentation generally recognized as important
2	3.	Written statement or policy about importance of documentation
	4.	Adequate time for documentation
	5.	Existence of documentation policy or standards
	6.	Adherence to documentation policy or standards
	7.	Mechanism to check that required documentation is done
	8.	Use of simple documentation tools
3	9.	Accuracy and reliability of documentation
	10.	Mechanisms to update documentation
	11.	Methods to monitor quality of documentation
	12.	Methods to assess usefulness of documentation
	13.	Use of common sets of documentation tools
	14.	Use of advanced documentation tools
	15.	Documentation-related technology and training
	16.	Documentation is traceable to previous documents
4	17.	Measures of documentation process quality
	18.	Analysis of documentation usage and usefulness
	19.	Process improvement feedback loop

Version 3

This third version was released in September 1996. The next table shows the model in terms of levels and their associated key practices and subpractices.
 
 

Level	Key Practices/Subpractices
1	---	None ·Consistent creation of basic software development documents ·Consistent creation of basic software quality documents ·Documentation generally recognized as important
2	2.1           2.2	Existence of documentation policy or standards ·Written statement or policy about importance of documentation  ·Written statement or policy indicating what documents must be created for each development phase ·Written statement or policy describing the contents of documents that must be created for each development phase Mechanism to check that required documentation is done ·Use of check-off list
	2.3	Adherence to documentation policy or standards ·Monitor adherence to documentation policy or standards
3	3.1	Existence of a defined process for creation of documents ·Written statement to prescribe process for creation of documents  ·Mechanism to monitor adherence to prescribed process  ·Adequate time to carry out the prescribed process ·Training material or classes about the prescribed process
	3.2	Methods to assure quality of documentation ·Mechanism to monitor quality of documentation  ·Mechanism to update documentation ·Documentation is traceable to previous documents
	3.3	Assessment of usefulness of documentation ·Personal/group perception of usefulness of documents used  ·Mechanism to obtain user feedback about usefulness of created documentation
4	4.1	Measures of documentation process quality and usefulness ·Collection of measures about usefulness of documentation ·Tracking of documentation errors and problem reports to solutions  ·Recording of documentation process data ·Recording of documentation error statistics
	4.2	Analysis of documentation process quality and usefulness ·Analysis of documentation error data and root causes  ·Generation of documentation usage profile
	4.3	Process improvement feedback loop ·Mechanism to feedback improvements to documentation practices or standards  ·Mechanism to incorporate feedback on usefulness of documentation  ·Mechanism to incorporate technology advances to the documentation process

Version 4

This third version was released in December 1998. The next table shows the model in terms of levels and their associated key practices and subpractices.
 

Key Practices/Subpractices

1. Creation of basic software documents Consistent creation of basic software development documents Consistent creation of basic software quality documents

2. Management recognition of importance of documentation Documentation generally recognized as important

3. Existence of documentation policy or standards Written statement or policy about importance of documentation Written statement or policy indicating what documents must be created for each development phase Written statement or policy describing the contents of  documents that must be created for each development phase

4. Monitor implementation of policy or standards Use of a mechanism,  such as a check-off list, to verify that required documentation is done Monitor adherence to documentation policy or standards

5. Existence of a defined process for creation of documents Written statement to prescribe process for creation of documents Mechanism to monitor adherence to prescribed process Adequate time to carry out the prescribed process Training material or classes about the prescribed process

6. Methods to assure quality of documentation Mechanism to monitor quality of documentation Mechanism to update documentation Documentation is traceable to previous documents

7. Assessments of usability of documentation Person/group perception of usability of documents created Mechanism to obtain  user  feedback about usability of created documentation

8. Definition of software documentation quality and usability measures Definition of measures of documentation quality Definition of measures of documentation usability

9. Collection and analysis of documentation quality measures Collection of measures about quality of documentation Analysis of documentation quality measures Recording of documentation error data Tracking of documentation errors and problem reports to solutions Analysis of documentation error data and root causes Generation of recommendations based on analysis of quality measurements and error data

10.Collection and analysis of documentation usability measures Collection of measures about usability of documentation  Analysis of documentation usability measurement Generation of recommendations based on analysis of usability measurements Generation of documentation usage profile

11. Process improvement feedback loop Mechanism to feedback  improvements to documentation process Mechanism to incorporate feedback on quality of documentation Mechanism to incorporate feedback on usability of documentation