This STC 2008 session shared the processes and tips used by NetIQ writers, who straddle multiple sprints and products.

Terms:

• Scrum = agile development approach that emphasizes close communication through daily stand-up meetings.
• Scrum master = team member who facilitates scrum meetings, communicates outside the team, and works to solve blocks.
• Iteration = 1-4 week stretch during which a full software development cycle occurs; begins with planning and ends with a demo.
• Backlog = repository for all requirements and wish list items. (tool to manage tasks = Xplanner)
• Capacity = maximum amount of hours a team member can work during one iteration.

No more specs:

This STC 2008 session by Daniel Wroblewski of SAP Israel introduced writers to API documentation, and he offered this minimalist approach to structuring it:

• Introduction (1 page)
• Who needs this
• What can I do with this API (main use cases)
• How guide is organized
• Quick Tutorial (1-2 pages)
• “I want to see it working”
• How to install or reference
• Concepts (2-3 pages, more if needed)
• Reference
• List of all APIs (e.g., Document! X, Javadocs)
• Other lists (syntax, types of windows, packages …)

Common goals of API users:

This STC 2008 session by Jane Bozarth offered alternatives to the methods taught in academic settings and techniques for persuading stakeholders to reconsider their demands and assumptions. Here are my key take-aways:

• Needs analysis on a napkin: assign performance problems to four quadrants, axis "wants to" versus axis "knows how to", low and high:
• doesn't want to + doesn't know how to = change job position or fire
• doesn't want to + knows how to = motivation issue
• wants to + knows how to = remove obstacles (bad process, bad management, etc.)
• wants to + doesn't know how to = TRAINING will help here, and nowhere else!
• Task analysis on a napkin: to find the critical 20%, draw a set of 4 concentric rings:
• Outer ring: call it "Everything about the domain"
• Next ring: call it "What we have time to teach"
• Next ring: call it "What learners will be able to recall"
• Inner ring: call it "What learners will be able to use"
• Mark the inner ring as 20% of all possible content, and ask the SME what few things should go in that inner ring.
  

This STC 2008 session reported findings of an STC-funded study of distance education and a case study for producing online courses from nothing (no materials or experience). The first study (by Rensselaer Polytechnic and New York Life) offered concrete tips for improving distance learning:

• Tag team: Use a course host/MC for every class, to set up, manage chat channels, direct group exercises, and record/archive, offloading the instructor.
• Plan for pain: Expect a third of the problems to be technical (media technology) and another third to be poor use of interactive channels.
• Control eyeballs: Best results come from 100% participation, by preventing/discouraging multi-tasking.
• Be fair: Use round-robin technique to ensure onsite and remote participants are equally involved (fear also heightens attention).
• Use the best: Use media in this order of effectiveness (ease and reliability): conference call (best), video conference, chat, whiteboard.
• Avoid all-in-1: Tools that bundle teleconferencing with video and more prove unreliable; move voice to Skype or similar, and push video to YouTube or similar services.
• Peer power: Seek technology that makes it easy for learners to help each other and interact -- it's effective and they want it.

The case study shows how Credence System jumped into remote learning, to meet customer demands for training when and where they need it. They tackled it with risk-management in the driver's seat:

I'm sure the message I've outlined in red makes sense to someone on the Vista team, but I find it useless.  I have no idea how to recover.

SQL Manager is a good product, but searching Help could be improved.

Hi,

I've been browsing all the blogs, wikis and other content that this wonderful community habeen creating looking for tips and details about customising the Home tab which displays on Logon to IMIS. Unfortunately, informations seems to be scarce other than a hint that it could also be referred to as a 'Dashboard'.

Details in the IMIS Customer Management Manual are sketchy.

Ideally what we are ooking for is to put links direct to commonly used queries or reports on the homepage.