[Qgis-community-team] Why the QGIS docs team is struggling

[Paolo Cavallini]

Thanks Cameron for your analysis. Could you please work out a budget
according to your proposal?
Cheers.

On 05/10/19 21:58, Cameron Shorter wrote:
> Hi qgis-developer folks,
> 
> With the support of the qgis docs team, I've done a deep dive into the
> state of QGIS docs. I'm keen to receive a wider review and suggestions
> on how to approach resourcing the roles I suggest are required.
> 
> Comments are welcomed, either in this thread, or in the doc. Please
> restrain from using track-changes (as it makes the doc difficult to read).
> 
> Full paper here:
> https://docs.google.com/document/d/11N5d1aBgkdQ80I7RKBlt_jx9Uk1RGsvOTeq_TSFeljA/
> <https://docs.google.com/document/d/11N5d1aBgkdQ80I7RKBlt_jx9Uk1RGsvOTeq_TSFeljA/edit#>
> 
> **
> 
> 
>     *Summary*
> 
> *
> 
> Many have tried to help QGIS docs, with limited success. I’ve collated
> insightful quotes from a bunch of their stories and then postulate
> solutions. Surprisingly, the biggest problem isn’t a lack of tech
> writers or our complicated tools (although they are factors).
> 
> Problems people have identified centre around:
> 
>   *
> 
>     Poorly capturing community good-will and offers of assistance;
> 
>   *
> 
>     A lack of direction;
> 
>   *
> 
>     Struggling to keep up with a rapidly evolving software baseline;
> 
>   *
> 
>     Documentation and training being generated outside of the core project.
> 
>   *
> 
>     Insufficient writing expertise;
> 
> This leads to a case for:
> 
>   *
> 
>     Engaging a community evangelist / coordinator;
> 
>   *
> 
>     Defining a vision and roadmap;
> 
>   *
> 
>     Implementing an information architecture review;
> 
>   *
> 
>     Engaging a trained technical writer; and
> 
>   *
> 
>     Attracting external docs back into the core.
> 
> While acknowledging the great work done to date, I feel the QGIS docs
> team has insufficient capacity, and availability of the skill sets
> required to drive this agenda. Targeted and sustained investment should
> be applied to bring the quality of QGIS docs up to the quality of the
> QGIS software.
> 
> *
> 
> -- 
> Cameron Shorter
> Technology Demystifier
> Open Technologies and Geospatial Consultant
> 
> M +61 (0) 419 142 254
> 
> 
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> 

-- 
Paolo Cavallini - www.faunalia.eu
QGIS.ORG Chair:
http://planet.qgis.org/planet/user/28/tag/qgis%20board/