Managing a Help project is similar to managing other types of projects. Here are some tips to get started.
Define the plan. Like the old adage says, "No one ever planned to fail. They simply failed to plan." A plan communicates your vision for the Help system - like the blueprint for a house. It defines the intended audience, the purpose of the Help system, and the Help system's content and design. A good plan also includes ways to measure the effectiveness of the Help system, including how you plan to test your Help system. If you're working with a team, it's a good idea to spell out the roles and responsibilities of each team member, including those who are providing subject matter expertise.
Estimate the work effort. Before implementing your plan, you need to know how long it will take and how much it will cost. You should also know what resources you need and how many are required to meet the deadline. You'll also want to have a plan to track the progress and manage the resources and costs.
Implement the plan. Begin developing and authoring your Help system, following your plan. This is where the planning, designing, and managing come together. Create the Help project, write the topics, create windows and links, and integrate the design elements you've planned. Once you've compiled the Help system, test it to assure it meets your stated quality goals and communication objectives. Then distribute the system to your audience.
Evaluate the project. Last, assess what you did and how well you did it. Did you create the Help project on time within budget using the allocated resources? What factors affected the development process? What did you learn? This can be an internal evaluation of your Help authoring process or it can include feedback from your audience. Evaluation is an important step. It allows you to learn from your experience and adapt your process.