Technical documentation in software engineering as the word suggests in the process that lets you have all written documents and materials dealing with software product development in one file, at hand. Starting from requirements then design, development to delivery and release notes, every step is documented and is an important activity. All software developments, no matter was done by a small company or a larger organization they all have the product capabilities, use cases, design, technical and test documentation, release notes, significant questions arising between stakeholders and developers and a technical documentation doesn’t just help to save them but also helps with keeping all the knowledge which is done in verbal conversations.
In short, technical documentation holds every information: verbal or written, that is required and spoken of during the entire process.
Types of technical documentation
- For programmers
- For non-programmers
- For internal usage
- For external usage
- Process documentation
- Product documentation
- Technical documentation
- End user documentation
- Requirements documentation
- Abstract acknowledgment
- Or detailed guides.
The purpose of all these documentation is no doubt different but the main core service they provide is the same i.e. provide easier understanding of the software that is yet to be developed at the beginning and can be used as a reference in the future.
Purpose of technical documentation
So the main purpose of technical documentation is to communicate with custom software development company who needs to understand the product: its requirements, the idea behind it, technologies, processes, development, and testing, etc. a well written technical documentation provides the answers of a layman who’s trying to understand the product like what the product is? How it is assembled or installed or used? Or how tell users how to use and administer the system according to their needs?
Importance of technical documentation
• Easier reuse of previous designs and methods.
• In-depth information about separately integrated modules.
• Helps with code efficiency: inspection, testing, correlations, and improvements.
• Helps at software development: Easier reuse of previous designs and methods, in-depth information of separately integrated modules, makes it easier to transfer projects.
• Helps with the software system: testing a previous software system, learning a new one, problem-solving, software maintenance, in-depth information about the software system.
• Facilitates effective communication: regarding the system between the technical and the non-technical users, training new users, solve problems like troubleshooting, evaluation process, and quantify the financial ramifications/footprint of the system and as a communication medium between members of the development team and probably the clients.
• Used for maintenance.
• It provides a bigger picture of the software system.
• Provides information about planning, budgeting and scheduling a similar software development project if needed in the future.
• Providing procedures that are known to work for specific and challenging problems.
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