Documentation
What is documentation?
Documentation is a written or electronic description of any product or service. It helps the end users in understanding the different characteristics, features, and attributes of a physical or intangible product. Other than this, users can get help from documentation to follow a set of instructions in achieving a task.
The instructions that come along when you’re buying a new TV, sofa set, software, or drug, all come with an instruction leaflet on how to use the product. This instruction leaflet is also a piece of documentation.
Source: Technical Writer HQ
Why is documentation important?
Documentation plays a crucial role in a technical team as it helps to ensure that everyone involved in a project is on the same page and has a clear understanding of what needs to be done. It serves as a reference for team members to go back to when they need to refresh their memory about a particular aspect of the project.
Moreover, documentation helps new team members to get up to speed quickly and understand the project's scope, requirements, and design. It also helps to avoid misunderstandings and miscommunications among team members, which can result in costly delays and errors.
Documentation can take many forms, such as technical specifications, user manuals, design documents, project plans, and code comments. Each type of documentation has its own purpose and audience, but all of them help to ensure that the project is well-documented and easy to understand.
In summary, documentation is essential in a technical team as it helps to ensure that everyone is working towards the same goal and has a clear understanding of what needs to be done. It saves time, reduces errors, and helps to avoid misunderstandings, making it a critical part of any successful project.
📖 Read this Linkedin blog post on the importance of documentation
How to Write a Good Documentation
📺 Watch this video by Beth Aitman on how to write an effective documentation. (9:50)
>📺 Watch this video on documenting using Asana. (7:35)