I'm looking for some tips on how to create good documentation. Throughout my career, I've frequently encountered colleagues who believe that documentation is a waste of time, which left me without much experience in developing proper documentation practices. Now that I'm in a position to change that, I'm not sure where to start. What should I include in my documentation? What does good documentation look like? Any advice or examples would be incredibly helpful!
5 Answers
I tend to utilize tools like Claude for generating documentation. It saves so much time by formatting everything properly, and I only need to fill in the actual content. It’s super handy for streamlining the process and avoiding unnecessary repetitive work.
Totally agree! It’s like having a personal assistant for documentation.
Using a wiki system like Bookstack or Confluence is great for collaborative documentation. Each document can cover the subject, details on what it does, and links to related topics. Just make sure to keep it organized and keep updating it regularly for it to truly be effective!
My team uses a GitHub repo with Markdown files for our documentation. We treat documentation as code, which allows for versioning and collaboration through pull requests. It's easy to publish the Markdown as a website, and if we switch services, the docs can transfer pretty smoothly.
If you're just starting, consider using a simple Word document or even OneNote for personal notes. My previous role required me to create a handbook detailing all the functions I carried out, which was incredibly useful for training new techs. Just write clear, concise instructions and add screenshots where needed.
Honestly, the best documentation is straightforward and visual—think of it as explaining things to a five-year-old. Include lots of images and make no assumptions! Getting someone else to review it can also help ensure it's clear and comprehensive.
That's a great approach! Automation can seriously speed things up, especially in tech-heavy environments.