Documentation Audiences

An overview of the audiences for documentation and the types of documentation required.

New user
Description: people who have decided to use status.net and are new to micro blogging

Key requirements:
 * How to get started - using the basic features

Documentation to support requirements:
 * Quick tour
 * Screen shot with description of main elements
 * Getting started - task orientated, how to perform basic tasks

User
Description: people who are familiar with micro blogging and know how to use the basic features of status.net or other micro blogging services

Requirements:
 * Differences between status.net and other micro blogging services
 * How to use some of the more advanced features of status.net

Documentation to support requirements:
 * Comparison between status.net and other micro blogging services
 * User handbook - task orientated
 * Tutorials, videos of major features

System administrator
Description: person responsible for installing and administering a status.net service

Requirements:
 * How to install the system
 * How to configure the system
 * How to maintain the system

Documentation to support requirements:
 * Administration guide covering installation, configuration and maintenance
 * Technical articles on aspects of the system
 * Video demonstrations
 * How tos
 * Cookbooks

Contributors - developers
Description: developers (coders) - status.net, plugins/service integration

Requirements:
 * How to contribute to the development
 * How to contribute code
 * How to develop plugins

Documentation to support requirements:
 * Developers guide
 * Plugin development guide
 * Blogs by core developers
 * How tos
 * Function reference/API documentation
 * Release notes (include human readable feature list!)

Contributors - documentation
Description: contributors to the documentation for the system

Requirements:
 * How to contribute
 * How to contribute to translation

Documentation to support requirements:
 * Style guide
 * Translation guide
 * UI text
 * Inline help

Implementers
Description: people who are responsible for implementing a status.net service

Requirements:
 * Best practices
 * Things to consider
 * Marketing

Documentation to support requirements:
 * Implementation guide

Potential adopters - organisations
Description: organisations considering implementing a microblogging service

Requirements:
 * What is it
 * Why should I use it
 * How can I use it
 * How can I get support to implement and maintain it
 * Convincing your organisation to adopt it

Documentation to support requirements:
 * Fact sheet
 * Case studies and examples
 * How status.net can be used
 * Marketing documents
 * Presentation
 * Quick tour
 * Video guides
 * Promotional material

Potential adopters - individuals
Description: individuals considering microblogging

Requirements:
 * What is it
 * Why should I use it
 * How can I use it

Documentation to support requirements:
 * Quick tour