3 - Researching the Project

Abstract

This chapter discusses the information that is needed about the audience and product, and the method to find that information. Digital sells products to people who purchase, use, or maintain those products. Members of an audience use a product to accomplish similar tasks or solve similar problems. Analyzing the audience helps to identify the users' skills, characteristics, and resources. It also helps to identify the tasks that the users do to perform their jobs. The product is anything that needs to be documented in some way for one or more audiences. Products can be hardware, software, integrated systems, policies, standards, or services. The technical experts on the project are main sources of information and can help to understand product dependencies and interrelationships. It is important that one establishes a strong relationship with experts from the beginning of the project so that one can share information and feel comfortable in asking questions and raising problems.