Making it happen.
WHY IT DOES NOT HAPPEN NATURALLY
It has no immediate benefit and the cost is immediate.
WHAT MAKES IT HAPPEN
Time allocated Expectation that it is part of the work The habit of writing while doing Recognition
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
That documenting a task is part of completing it.
WHY AS PART OF THE TASK
Documentation deferred is documentation not done.
WHAT SMALL PRACTICES WORK
Writing the procedure while performing an infrequent task Adding to the knowledge base when a question is asked twice Recording decisions as they are made Updating a document when you notice it is wrong
WHY WHILE PERFORMING
It is the only moment the detail is available.
WHAT TO ASK PEOPLE
To write down anything only they know.
WHAT TO PROVIDE
Time, and a place to put it.
WHY TIME SPECIFICALLY
Asking for documentation without time produces nothing.
WHAT TO AVOID
Large documentation projects Requiring a standard nobody can meet Criticising imperfect documentation
WHY THAT LAST POINT
It stops people contributing.
WHAT TO ACCEPT
Rough documentation that exists beats perfect documentation that does not.
WHAT TO RECOGNISE
People who document, visibly.
WHY
It signals that it is valued rather than tolerated.
WHAT TO MEASURE
Whether questions reduce Whether absence causes less disruption
WHY THOSE
They are the actual benefit.
