Documentation/Dashboard/Project Plan

Documentation Project 2009/10

The OOo Documentation Project needs some planning and guidance. There is a lot of work that can be done, but exactly what is unclear.

This is a first draft of ideas (initial input is based on an email conversation with Valden L.).

Identifying the gaps and problem areas

1. Identify the duplication of effort. Exactly how many different Doc projects exist? How many are active? How many are producing docs that are duplicates of existing docs? Are any working with or in parallel with the main OOo Doc Project?
   • http://ooodocs.sourceforge.net/index.php
   • http://oooauthors.org/
   • http://wiki.services.openoffice.org
   • http://en.flossmanuals.net/OpenOffice
   • Others
2. Licenses that each of the many docs are released under. (PDL and CC-BY)
   • Are they compatible? or do they conflict with each other?
   • Other?
3. What manuals are currently available?
4. What manuals are missing? For example, is there an OOo Math Guide?
5. What communication channels are we using?
   • The dev@documentation mailing list?
   • The OOoForum?
   • The Wiki discussion pages?
   • Other?
6. Doc process? Is there any definition of what to do, and how to do it? All on the Wiki? Offline in another process?
7. Where can new authors or community members get started?
   • This is one of the biggest gaps in my opinion... new Doc Project members don't know where to go, or what to start with.
   • There is a Wiki Category of documents that need attention, but it's not really clear what actually needs to be done or what the priorities are.
8. Languages? The OOoDocs are being translated into multiple languages. Are the needs of the translators being met? Link to the translation process?
9. Publication?
   • On the Wiki only? Is the Wiki meeting the needs of the users?
   • Provide "Wiki Books" ( eg Documentation/Wiki Books)
   • Other?
10. Identify the possible Doc Project roles, with descriptions:
    • Writing
    • Reviewing
    • Editing or proofreading existing documents
    • Research (what user questions are not covered, or hard to find)
    • Maintenance (keep pages up to date with changes in OOo)
    • Screen captures and other artwork
    • Others? For example more technical roles, Wiki maintenance/admin, website maintenance etc. Important to identify where new members can contribute.. make it easy for them to find things they can do for the Doc Project (bite sized chunks).
11. Explain were different documentation is written/developed (simple and concise description... with links?)

Proposed Plan to fill the known gaps and focus on some of the problem areas

TBD