Standards and Documentation

Abstract

The twin problems of consistency and continuity trouble every systems department that exists. There is no known cure but there are two medications which, though not welcomed by systems staff, have a significant effect on the problems. These are standards and documentation. Standards are concerned with who does what, how it is done and when. They must be established to ensure consistency without cramping style. This is not a simple feat and has tested the ingenuity of systems managers for many years. Documentation deals with the need for careful records to be retained of what has been done, with the reasons and philosophy concerned. No two systems designers or programmers approach a problem in the same way. Without documentation there can be no continuity.