This document supports the needs of users for consistent, complete, accurate, and usable information. It provides requirements for strategy, planning, managing, staffing, translation, production, and quality and process-maturity assessment for managers of information for users. It specifies processes and procedures for managing information for users throughout the product- or systems-development life cycle. It also includes requirements for key documents produced for managing information for users, including strategic and project plans.

This document provides an overview of the information-management processes that are specific for the management of information for users. It addresses the following activities:

— developing a comprehensive strategy for information development;

— assessing user information needs;

— planning and managing an information-development project;

— staffing and forming information-development teams;

— reviewing and testing information for users;

— managing the translation process;

— publishing and delivering information for users;

— evaluating customer satisfaction and information quality;

— measuring productivity, efficiency, and costs; and

— evaluating organizational maturity.

The guidance in this document applies to multiple project management approaches, including both agile and traditional practices. Traditional practices can encompass predictive, waterfall, or other top-down management methods. Where certain practices are common in agile project management, they are noted.

This document is applicable for use by managers of information for users or organizations with information developers. This document can also be consulted by those with other roles and interests in the process of developing information for users:

— managers of the product and system development process;

— acquirers of information for users prepared by suppliers;

— experienced information developers who prepare information for users;

— human-factors experts who identify principles for making information for users more accessible and easily used; and

— user interface designers and ergonomics experts working together to design the presentation of information.

This document can be applied to manage the following types of information for users, although it does not cover all aspects of them:

— information for user assistance, training, marketing, and systems documentation for product design and development, based on reuse of user information topics;

— multimedia marketing presentations using animation, video, and sound;

— information developed for virtual and augmented reality presentations;

— computer-based training (CBT) packages and course materials intended primarily for use in formal training programs; and

— information describing the internal operation of products.