Getting involved early in the software development process

The author notes that in the last few years there has been much talk about the changing role of the technical communicator from writer to information developer: a user advocate who is involved early enough in the planning phase to help create more usable products and information instead of merely reporting about them. She suggests meaningful ways that information developers can contribute during early phases of the software development process and describes, from her recent experiences, the ways that this changing role affects the process itself. She also describes the support necessary from management to make early involvement possible.<>