Prepare for Productive Documentation
Increase your chances of success by doing some groundwork before starting your project.
Before beginning a documentation project, set yourself up for success by doing some advance thinking and planning. First, it is important to consider the need for the documents. If the motivation for the project is coming from the end-users, you are already halfway there! If it is driven by management, take the necessary steps to gain acceptance and participation among the end-users before you do anything else. Otherwise, there is a high risk of investing resources into documentation that will not be used. Consider the situation from the perspective of the end-users, approach one of them with your idea and ask for their candid feedback—make adjustments to the project if the feedback indicates you should. When you are ready for the next step, open up the discussion to the rest of the end-users. Unless you are constrained by policy or legal requirements, negotiate the need for the documents and the content and format.
Remember that a document is a means to an end—not an end itself. Use whatever method gets you to the desired end. Maybe that is not the document you envisioned—or perhaps it is not a document at all! Be open to other possibilities.
Proper preparation is the key to productive documentation. For more background info on this subject, see the Services pages on my website. If you need help with efficiently and effectively implementing or updating task-related documentation for your technical or industrial business, contact me today for a free 1-hour consultation!