The problem it solves.
WHAT THE PROBLEM IS
Businesses depend on knowledge held in people's heads, and it leaves when they do.
WHAT ELSE IT CAUSES
Work done differently by different people The same questions answered repeatedly Delays while someone who knows is found Errors when the person who knows is absent Training that takes far longer than it should
WHY IT PERSISTS
Documenting feels like overhead and the cost of not doing it is invisible.
WHEN THE COST BECOMES VISIBLE
Someone resigns Someone is unavailable during a problem The business tries to grow A customer asks how something works A buyer or auditor examines the business
WHAT DOCUMENTATION PROVIDES
Consistency Faster training Resilience when people are absent The ability to delegate Evidence of how things are done
WHY DELEGATION DEPENDS ON IT
You cannot hand over what exists only in your head.
WHAT IT DOES NOT PROVIDE
A substitute for capable people Guarantee that anyone reads it
WHAT MOST DOCUMENTATION FAILS AT
Being found, being current, and being usable.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH FIRST
What is worth documenting.
WHY
Documenting everything produces a volume nobody uses.
WHAT TO TREAT THIS CATEGORY AS
Practical guidance, scaled to your size.
