1
Why documentation goes stale
- No clear owner means nobody is responsible for updates when systems change.
- Docs written after the fact miss details; documentation created during delivery stays accurate.
- Review triggers are missing: docs should update when the system they describe changes, not on a calendar.
2
Treat documentation as part of delivery
- Make 'docs updated' a definition-of-done criterion for any infrastructure or process change.
- Write for the person who will follow the steps at 2am during an incident, not for the person who built it.
- Keep docs close to the systems they describe: version-controlled repos, internal wikis, or tool-native docs.
3
Use lightweight formats that stick
- Checklists and runbooks beat long-form prose for operational tasks people repeat under pressure.
- Use screenshots and annotated diagrams sparingly but effectively for setup procedures.
- Short, structured pages with clear headings are easier to maintain than monolithic documents.