why documentation is important
More recently, I’ve begun to think about the transfer of knowledge and information. Especially when working with multiple people/teams where tasks will inevitably be repeated by someone else or if that knowledge will be useful in the future, it’s important to store that information somewhere so it can be accessible later on.
To me, documentation was always an annoying task to complete. What if something changes and that documentation becomes obsolete and never used at all? What’s the point of spending time to write it then?
Well, the opposite scenario can occur where there is little to no change and the documentation becomes extremely useful to people in the future. I’m someone who likes writing extremely detailed documentation so it’s definitely a laborious process, but here are some reasons why thorough documentation is important:
1. Preserving Knowledge
When team members leave or move to different roles, documentation ensures that their knowledge isn’t lost and can be passed on to others. It provides a timeline of decisions, changes, and progress, making it easier to track the evolution of a project or system.
2. Increases Efficiency
By having documentation to look back on, others can replicate processes without having to waste time figuring things out on their own.
3. Collaboration
Everyone involved has the same understanding and expectations. Standardization and guidelines also allow for consistency amongst everyone.
4. Improves Quality
Documentation can include sections for suggestions or logs of issues, which are valuable for iterative improvement. Good documentation also helps users utilize a product or system effectively.
5. Supports Scalability
When systems or teams grow, documentation acts as a guide to ensure that expansion aligns with existing principles and practices. It provides a foundation for adapting processes or systems to new challenges or environments.
In summary, documentation is a worthy investment in all scenarios. Whether you’re a teaching assistant documenting a process or at work documenting the functionality of your project, there’s no doubt that documentation you write will potentially save hours of labor and suffering. WRITE GOOD DOCUMENTATION!!