Don't relax standards in order to cuts costs or shorten a schedule. Relaxing standards tends to introduce errors into the project, and optimum project cost and schedule both depend on eliminating errors. Relaxing standards can also have a demotivational effect. Most developers are quality oriented, and a relaxation of standards sends the message that the customer or upper management doesn't care about quality. Don't assume that a large amount of documentation ensures success.
Different projects require different kinds of documentation support.
Determine the amount and kind of documentation required based on the project size, schedule, and expected lifetime of the system. This book is a software survival guide. You might think of it as the first aid kit you carry in your backpack or car. Just as hospitals are medically better equipped than the back of your car, the universe of other software development resources will provide you with many more survival tools than this short guide presents. Books Here are some books that provide especially good insights mixed with practical advice.