Project documentation

Project documentation (PDO, occasionally also final project report) is in accordance with DIN 69901 the

Compilation of selected, essential data on configuration, organization, use of resources, solutions, process and achieved goals of the project.

The project documentation should therefore provide information about which problem was to be solved (current situation) and which solution was used (target concept). In addition, it should also be clarified why this approach was taken, as well as where the profit lies and the costs of the project (project progress). It is indispensable for complete, meaningful documentation, as it takes on a very important information function. It is advisable to write the PDO parallel to the project execution.

Note the delimitation to the project manual , project file .

In the literature, a distinction is often made between two types of documentation:

• Process documentation : Documentation of the course of the project
• Product documentation: Documentation of the project result

The PDO has a special meaning for architects and engineers , since in the fee schedule of these disciplines ( HOAI ) the PDO is defined as a separate, well-paid phase.

In the PMBoK (= Project Management Body of Knowledge, PMI ) a complete and structured collection of project documents is required as a result of the project completion, which is referred to as "project archives", the most essential part of which is the "product documentation".

Typical structure

• Project run-up (as-is analysis)
  • Task (target concept)
  • conditions
• Project goals (TARGET-ACTUAL COMPARISON)
• Time planning / milestone (project management)
• economics
• Project progress
• Outlook / follow-up activities
• Conclusion
• Attachments / Appendix: (actually part of the project file )
  • Specification book
  • offer
  • Price calculation / utility analysis
  • Customer briefing
  • Acceptance and test protocol
  • invoice

layout

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perspective

Even if project documentation is often written in "first-person" form, this should be avoided as far as possible. On the other hand, we recommend a person-neutral, passive display.

Layout specifications

If there are no specifications for the layout - such as the IHK - the following rules are recommended:

• Font size 10–12
• 1.5 lines
• Body text , justification , serif font (source code and shell excerpts are displayed with a fixed-width font (mono-space font) such as Courier or Monaco, so that indentations are below each other.)
• Left 3.5 cm margin, right 2.5 cm

On the part of DIN 69901, no specifications are provided in this regard.