Web-help for Project.net

  1. Web-help for Project.net
    1. Summary
      1. Phase I - Move to Web-based documentation
      2. Phase II - Bring current documentation up to snuff
      3. Phase III - Improve usability by restructuring documentation
    2. Phase I - Move to Web-based documentation
    3. Phase II - Bring current documentation up to snuff
    4. Phase III - Improve usability by restructuring documentation
Project.net documentation has traditionally consisted of on-line help, PDF forms of Quick Start, Users and Administrators Guides, along with various tutorials and training materials. This project is designed to bring those documents together and make them accessible on the web, either from a website or directly from the Project.net application.

Summary

Phase I - Move to Web-based documentation

  • Establish a one-stop, document shop for Project.net documentation (i.e. set up a Wiki to house Project.net documentation).
  • Convert existing Project.net Users Guide from PDF to on-line, Wiki format
  • Make the Quick Start Guide, Administrators Guide, tutorials and training materials available for download from the document Wiki.
  • Switch Project.net from using "built-in" on-line help to reference the document Wiki.

Phase II - Bring current documentation up to snuff

  • Correct inaccuracies and ommissions in existing content
  • Add content for new 8.3 functionality
  • Enable Project.net community to edit on-line documentation

Phase III - Improve usability by restructuring documentation

  • Design the "ideal" framework for the Project.net documentation
  • Map existing materials to new framework
  • Fill in the holes

Phase I - Move to Web-based documentation

  1. Get MediaWiki ready for public consumption
    1. Move to stable server
    2. Branding
    3. Configure user account access
  2. Move existing User Guide to MediaWiki format
    1. Spell-check
    2. Illustrations & Figures
      1. Consistent naming of figures
      2. Thumbnails in right margin, click-to-view full-size
      3. Make sure arrows, lines and highlights are included
      4. Erase or blur copyright year, if editing illustration for another reason.
      5. Don't worry about old dates in tasks or meetings
    3. Consistent formatting
      1. Lists vs bullets
      2. Margins and spacing
      3. All pages with ToC on top right
    4. Make the Quick Start Guide, tutorials and training materials available for download from the document Wiki.
      1. Create a "download page" on MediaWiki
      2. Upload PDF files
      3. Remove document download page from Community Wiki
    5. Switch Project.net from using "built-in" on-line help to reference the document Wiki Project.net help topic/sub-topic requests mapped to MediaWiki page
      1. Compile list of topic/sub-topic requests
      2. Develop mapping to MediaWiki pages
      3. Set up the mapping

Phase II - Bring current documentation up to snuff

  1. Correct inaccuracies and ommissions in existing content
  2. Update the on-line User Guide to match 8.3 functionality
    1. Document how to set up and use a workplan
    2. MS Project import and export
    3. Add iCalendar functionality to Calendar module
    4. Add zipfile upload into Document module
    5. Additional project properties
    6. Organizing projects into portfolios on the Projects tab

Phase III - Improve usability by restructuring documentation

  • Organized toward user type and what the user is trying to accomplish
    • Upper management
    • Project manager
      • Planning projects
      • Managing projects
    • Team member
    • Company administrator
    • Server administrator
  • Types of materials
    • Getting started
    • How-to/tutorial
    • Reference materials
    • Administration/Advanced
  • Sources of materials
    • Quick Start Guide
    • User Guide
    • Administrators Manual
    • On-line help
    • Tutorials
    • Training materials