[CREATE] LGM11 panel proposal: attracting new devs

[Mushon Zer-Aviv]

Well,
There are methodologies that are already being used. Basically, the whole field of information architecture and the whole process of wireframing/prototyping/testing is all about documenting strategy. Coding (should) happens only after that.

We need open tools for interface prototyping. If possible, they should be web based & DVCS (as in Git) enabled. This is something I discussed with Dave Crossland last summer at Debconf. Dave has some cool ideas in this subject.

So yes, I would say the pre-manual should be prototype based. Should we start thinking of focused prototype-sprints?

This is short but has a nice example:
http://www.azarask.in/blog/post/write-the-manual-first/

Mushon Zer-Aviv
Mushon.com | Shual.com | @Mushon

On Feb 21, 2011, at 7:41, "jon at rejon.org" <jon at rejon.org> wrote:

> I totally agree Mushon. Totally. Manuals are dead. Atrophied. Even
> worse when they get printed.
> 
> Yes, totally, make future manuals, then fill in the blanks to them.
> 
> That is totally the approach I took in participating in the open web book:
> 
> http://openweb.flossmanuals.net/
> 
> There is a book sprint in Toronto by adam on the web from the 7 -
> 12...should talk with adam to see if possible to do one at LGM before
> or after.
> 
> So what would the future manual look like? Ideas for that?
> 
> Jon
> 
> On Sun, Feb 20, 2011 at 11:30 PM, Mushon Zer-Aviv <mushonitp at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> On Feb 21, 2011, at 4:17, Gregory Pittman <gpittman at iglou.com> wrote:
>> 
>> All fodder for discussion at LGM. Certainly we need to get out of the dark
>> ages of documentation as an afterthought.
>> 
>> Greg
>> 
>> This is actually a huge issue I recently discussed with Adam Hyde of Floss
>> Manuals. FM was initially established to address a blind-spot for Floss —
>> documentation. It developed the book sprint documentation methodology which
>> I am sure you guys are familiar with.
>> Last year I participated in "Collaborative Futures" the first book initiated
>> by FM that was not documenting a procedure but describing the past, present
>> and future of open networked collaboration. It was much much harder, but
>> there was something there that really clicked. And after a second sprint on
>> the book I actually think it's a quite recommended read. (and it is always
>> available for further editing)
>> What I proposed to Adam is that FM could start experimenting in writing
>> manuals for software that was not developed yet. Basically asking "how would
>> we like it to work?" before we say "this is how do you need to use it." This
>> would actually be addressing another blind-spot for Floss which is
>> strategy.
>> I know Adam is really excited about this idea and maybe LGM could be the
>> first place to try it out. Do consider it would probably not work the first
>> time and would need some iterations but it could be a much needed
>> intervention into a process that we all agree needs some challenging.
>> The infrequent lurker,
>> Mushon Zer-Aviv
>> Mushon.com | Shual.com | @Mushon
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>> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Jon Phillips
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