Document Under Development

There are various presentation methods in use on the wiki. Two dominant modes are the DocumentMode and the ThreadMode. Both have strengths and weaknesses in the expression and capture of new knowledge. This page proposes a DocumentUnderDevelopment Approach which would combine the strengths of both approaches while minimizing the weaknesses. While some think the DocumentMode is the highest expression of wiki's potential, others think that the wiki is best expressed in the combination of the two modes since they are inseparable sides of the same coin whereby true knowledge is captured in the document mode aas well as the thread, and should include the questions, the criticisms, the minority positions, different experiences, even the misunderstandings and how they are resolved.

Here suggested is a Dynamic Document Development Process whereby a document is created to develop an idea, object, process from its inception,(Starting perhaps at first with a single sentence) and is in the process of becoming. Factoring is applied periodically with the intent of maintaining a clear, presentable, well-formed document based on all content encountered up to the time of each factoring. Factoring should occur as needed (which in some discussions could be as frequent as weekly). It would be divided into two parts:

At the Top - DocumentModePresentation? (Under Development)
Below a separating line - Thread mode discussion (In Process)

The two parts are separated by a DiscussionsLine?. Comments are made below the line. Refactorings of the content of the DocumentModePresentation? would occur as points of agreement/disagreement, summaries of approaches, etc. reach consensus, or are introduced to the document from expert sources.

Both parts of the page are dynamic, The top moving toward mutual understanding and acceptance, the bottom part the place where argumentation and point-making is carried out. If a strong point is made on a subject under development, it should be factored into the document part of the page. As the essential points or material is factored into the document, The redundant or repetitive components of the thread mode conversation are removed. This keeps the document AsShortAsItCanPossiblyBe? at the time. Twenty or so lines in thread mode might be factored to one or two lines in document mode when factored. This would have the added effect of reducing the size and increasing the utility of the page).

The conversion of dormant thread mode pages to document mode is covered elsewhere. (A static process - one time conversion) is found in: DocumentModeConversion

Related to Xp Process - PiecemealGrowth

Earlier Conversations on this Topic (This Is not a new idea) - SeparateThreadsFromContent ThreadModeConsideredHarmful AcceptableRefactoring HowToWriteAndEditThreadMode ThreadModeCorrected

Discussion:

Let's look into TheChanceForSuccess? that such an approach might have. Here is where the discussion or thread mode begins, Above this double line, the refactored document develops. This could be the WikiEquivalent? of Brainstorming for some topics.

If, like me, you think that DocumentMode is the highest expression of wiki's potential, and that ThreadMode is an often necessary but always transitional step towards DocumentMode, is there much difference between DocumentUnderDevelopment (incremental) and DocumentModeConversion? (after thread completed - one time)

How different from TentativeSummary The idea of summarizing and refactoring is the same, but in the TentativeSummary page the original comments seem to be retained. This does not reduce page size as does the process described here, where the summary replaces the threads it summarizes.

Two Sides of a Coin

I think that's what the wiki is all about. The two modes are inseparable sides of the same coin. True knowledge is not captured in document mode alone, it must enclose the questions, the criticism, the minority positions, different experiences, even the misunderstandings and how they are resolved. When we transferred and reworked the wiki technology and communication culture to build German communities (see DseWiki, ProWikiEngine) I put it that way and it seems to work, because the unnatural pressure towards a pure document is reduced, conflicts are avoided. We even have subtitles that work as aesthetically pleasing separators (See e.g. http://www.wikiservice.at/dse/wiki.cgi?VieleKleineTeile or http://www.wikiservice.at/dse/wiki.cgi?PseudoCode). BTW I think that this is in sync with basic ideas (of ExtremeProgramming) like PiecemealGrowth: so I would prefer to name this a LivingDocument. -- HelmutLeitner

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