Using the wiki to deliver paperless software documentation

Abstract

A study was conducted to evaluate the delivery of software documentation as a dynamic paperless wiki to the customers of a software development company. The advantages and disadvantages of using a wiki to write and deliver software documentation were researched. Training modules were developed to teach the company employees effective techniques for using the company wiki to collaboratively write software user documentation. Evidence was also provided in a white paper that could be delivered to the customers to show that receiving their documentation as a wiki would be better for them than receiving traditional static hard-or soft-copy documentation. The goal of the project was to enable the employees to provide the customers with superior software documentation in the form of a wiki, which can be continuously updated and kept current as the software product evolves and eliminates the need for printing and maintaining a hard-copy library of the user documentation.