Buying process

We offer both fixed fee work and day rate work. The processes that are shown here apply to fixed fee work, although we recommend that you conform to the processes for day rate work also.

Initial estimate

The process that we use to estimate a project fee has these steps:

1. If you have not already done so, read these documents:
   • Documentation project metrics tells you about the duration of typical projects
   • Getting information tells you about your team's commitment to the project
   • Terms and conditions for software documentation projects.
2. If you have not already done so, contact Mike Unwalla for an informal discussion.
3. If you want to use a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), use your NDA, or use TechScribe's NDA.
4. In an initial telephone conversation, TechScribe learns about your business requirements and your documentation requirements.
5. Optionally, we meet you and your team and discuss the possible solutions to your problem. (If you use TechScribe, we do not charge you for the meeting. If you do not to use our services, we charge you for the meeting.)
6. As a result of on the answers you supply, and if we can help you, we do these things:
   • Give you an estimate (an expected lower and upper value) to create the type of documentation you requested. (Typically, project fees range between approximately £4,500 and £18,000 plus VAT.)
   • Discuss possible alternative solutions.
7. You tell TechScribe to create a documentation plan.

Documentation plan (project plan)

Typically, to create a documentation plan, between three days and ten days (project days, not calendar days) are necessary. We create the documentation plan for a fixed fee.

1. You supply:
   • A purchase order for the documentation plan
   • A copy of your software (or give us access to a web-based system or through a VPN)
   • Source materials such as documentation, specifications, and marketing brochures.
2. We use your software to get a general understanding of how it works and of the tasks that users do. (Typically, you give a demonstration.)
3. We design the structure of the documentation set: what to include, what to exclude, what goes in printed documentation and what goes in online documentation. For each item, we specify the structure and the high-level tasks.
4. We give you a fixed-fee quote (or a set of options) to create the specified documentation.

© TechScribe, Sheffield, South Yorkshire. Page updated 2016-06-14