Fool's mission

[OwlHoot]

I'd just envisage what the business process should/must involve, based on your experience, and then fit the scraps of actual "process" to this, like doing a jigsaw.

[NickFitz]

1. Gather together all the little pieces of process
2. List them in a document, spreadsheet, web page - anything that can be made dynamic
3. Add a bit of code that randomises the order of the list, maybe hiding bits, each time the document is viewed

When they ask why it changes randomly each time they view it, point out that they wanted their processes documented, and they change randomly each time too.

[suityou01]

What are the legal issues of telling the client about their own data?

Can't really get into it bud. Let's just say there is a vendor turf war going on and the phrase "intellectual property" has been bandied around a lot.

How can there be no business processes? They may not be formal, but they must be there. User doesn't simply enter record into the system because they feel like it.

Actually that's about the size of it, gangnam style.

There are business processes that lead up to the "process" process I am supposed to document. An analogy.

I have been asked to document the process of taking a sip of a cup of tea, from the moment the tea enters the mouth. I cannot refer to the process of making the tea or of lifting the cup as it is not relevant. I also cannot document the internal processes of sipping, swallowing or digesting as these are vendor specific and I get warned off as it's their IP.

1. Gather together all the little pieces of process
2. List them in a document, spreadsheet, web page - anything that can be made dynamic
3. Add a bit of code that randomises the order of the list, maybe hiding bits, each time the document is viewed

When they ask why it changes randomly each time they view it, point out that they wanted their processes documented, and they change randomly each time too.

This I like

[jmo21]

I have been asked to document the process of taking a sip of a cup of tea, from the moment the tea enters the mouth. I cannot refer to the process of making the tea or of lifting the cup as it is not relevant. I also cannot document the internal processes of sipping, swallowing or digesting as these are vendor specific and I get warned off as it's their IP.

1. Does tea exist? If Yes, goto 2, else goto 3
2. Drink tea.
3. Goto 1

Give them something stupid with all the caveats and why you cannot document the other bits. I don't really see what else you can do.

[mudskipper]

I have been asked to document the process of taking a sip of a cup of tea, from the moment the tea enters the mouth.

So first thing is to get determine (with input from user) start and end points of the process that you are documenting.

[doodab]

Go to staples and buy some blank paper, bind it and hand it to him with your invoice.

Don't forget to write 'this page intentionally left blank' on every page.

[suityou01]

So first thing is to get determine (with input from user) start and end points of the process that you are documenting.

Nobody knows. When I set up meetings they no show or don't reply to the meeting invites. If you're going to patronise you need to have this background detail petal.

It's a big ball of mud that people have tried and failed to document countless times over. It's fine if you are a paper pusher and can churn out reams of bollcks and invoice for it, but to be honest I get bored really quick. I'm not very good at outputting meaningless pap, I have to have tangible deliverables otherwise I lose interest, get fed up and depressed.

Go to staples and buy some blank paper, bind it and hand it to him with your invoice.

Don't forget to write 'this page intentionally left blank' on every page.

This I like too.

[mudskipper]

If you're going to patronise you need to have this background detail petal.

Fook off then - I won't try and help.

[suityou01]

Fook off then - I won't try and help.

Whoops

Sorry MS.

I'm just trying to say that there is nothing to document, so telling me how to document something that isn't there isn't much comfort. Also a teensy weensy bit patronising.

[eek]

Whoops

Sorry MS.

I'm just trying to say that there is nothing to document, so telling me how to document something that isn't there isn't much comfort. Also a teensy weensy bit patronising.

There is something to document

stuff happens*
     |
  Decision**
   |         |
insert    update
  |             |
background process begins (across other systems)***

* see appendix 1 - awaiting information from x,y,z,a,b,c for information request
** see appendix 2 - awaiting information from x,y,z,a,b,c for information request
*** see appendix 3 - for details reason why not documented

You just need to flesh out appendix 1, 2 and 3 but you can draw a diagram (granted its as much use as a chocolate teapot / MF but its still a document)