Document Plan Assignment

The first step in creating your “minimal manual” (“mini-manual” for short) is to create a Doc Plan. Your textbook, Technical Writing 101: A Real-World Guide to Planning and Writing Technical Documentation, has a “sample doc plan” in Appendix D from pg. 263-269. The Doc Plan is in letter format, which, in your case, you will address to me, at my office, the university, and the town, just as you would any letter, and then the date submitted. Below I list the following parts that must be included and may be included:

Background for the Project/Client Information

· Include names, phone numbers, etc, as well as a description of your first meeting with the client

General Description of Documentation Needed

Audience for the Documentation

Deliverables

· as complete a description of the written product as you can give at this time

· the various components of the documentation you will provide (manual, quick reference sheet, web site, pdf format, etc.)

· type of formats

Receivables

· what you will need from the client (and other parties) to complete the project

· include a review from me somewhere in there

Tools

· Describe what machines you will use for most of the work, both your primary machines (e.g., your laptop) and your secondary machines (e.g., client’s computer)—be specific about the model, what its limitations are, etc.,

· Describe the kind(s) of software you plan to use for the project

Location

· Describe where you will be doing most of the work, its limitations, advantages, etc., perhaps where else you may do the work, how you will transport files back and forth if needed

Deadlines

· Consider a midterm progress report due in the week of Oct. 13

· Consider another progress report due in the week of Nov. 10

· Realize the final copy is due to me by Dec. 15

· Mention what deadlines the client has, separate from these

· Include as an attachment a schedule chart, and refer to it here (while attaching it at end)

Intellectual Property

· You should negotiate (with the client) for ownership of the written documentation, at least for your own display purposes; however, you may want to relinquish actual ownership of the product, so that client always has his/her copy, but you retain the right to display it as your work. Consider a Creative Commons License as an alternative to traditional copyright.

Financial

· Estimate the cost to the client for any materials, such as binding, color ink, etc.; if clients are unable or unwilling to provide any financial help such as these, designate who is paying for what, at least.

Payment

· Although for this section, we know the client will not be paying for this project, please estimate how much it would cost, if they were getting this done by a non-student technical writer or firm. This will indicate both to you and the client how much value your work has.

Potential Obstacles

· Instead of the “Cancellation” section, you should include here the types of and description of the obstacles you may face in completing this properly. Include mention of your job/work commitment, if you are working, other classes you are taking, family or club involvements, etc., that may interfere with your time. Mention also your concerns about learning curves, etc. In upcoming progress reports, you will mention these again, how they are being overcome, what other ones you are encountering, how they are changing, etc.

Agreement

For this section, just copy something similar to what’s on pg. 269 applicable to our situation and put lines for both you to sign and myself, along with spaces for dates.

Attachment: Schedule Chart

This Doc Plan should look professional, use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, usage, should follow this format, and should be stapled. You will receive a letter grade that serves as ¼ the weight of the entire “mini-manual” grade. This Doc Plan is DUE Friday, Sept. 19.

How to Make a Schedule Chart with Word 2007 Tables (Word 2003 similar)

1. First, decide on all the tasks you will have to do on this project that you know of at this time. Don’t forget revising, editing, and proofreading time, or even binding time.

2. Count all the days you will really work on the project between now and when it is due.

3. Decide on a title for your schedule chart and type it in across the top of a page (or you can make it as a header)

4. Change Page LayoutàOrientation to Landscape and change Margins to Narrow (.5” all way around) so you have plenty of room.

5. Count up the number of days you will work and add one more for the tasks column. This number will be the # of columns you need for the table.

6. Count up the number of tasks you will have and add one more row for the row of dates. This number will be the # of rows you need for the table.

7. Create a table by going to InsertàTablesà Insert Table. At this point, a dialog box appears and wants you to put in the number of rows and columns (See Step 5 and 6). Do that. Under AutoFit Behavior, choose Autofit to Contents. Immediately, your table will appear.

8. Type in the Tasks (starting with that word as a header) down the first column, and type in the dates you will work in the columns across the top. Print out a copy. If it is too big for the page, make the table fit to one page.*

9. Use your printout to consider when to begin and end the tasks you have planned. Color or pencil in these time-bound tasks on the printed copy.

10. Now you will fill in these work dates with “shading,” using your choice of color or texture. Go to the first task and put your cursor in the column/cell when the task would begin, and scroll across cells until you come to the column containing the date you will end that task. Right click to get a dialog box.

11. Choose Borders and Shading. Click on the Shading tab. Under Fill, go to No Color and the down arrow. Pick a color, any color. Make sure under “Apply To” it says “Cell” and not Table or something else.

12. Right click to find Table Properties and under Alignment, choose Center.

*If you have trouble doing this, let me know so I can help.