Excellent adaptations: Managing projects through changing technologies, teams, and clients

Whether working for one or more companies, information developers must adapt to changes in both the planning and implementation stages of product development. These changes include product and document delivery technologies, varying levels of process maturity, and changing demands of internal and external customers. We examine selected project management models and apply them as part of an adaptation strategy to demonstrate how information developers introduce ongoing quality improvements. This paper presents the results of a documentation project management survey, a departmental initiative program for producing cost-efficient documentation and addressing customer requirements, and an analysis of how information developers can adapt project management practices in companies at different process maturity levels. Well-considered and applied project management methodologies such as those discussed in this paper help us define, measure, and achieve success.