Documentation: Less is more

Let’s face it, documentation is boring. I’ll be the first to admit it, and I make a living writing it. Nonetheless, its insipid nature doesn’t diminish its worth.

Documentation—which, for the sake of this article, includes marketing materials, newsletters, help materials, internal processes, email notifications, etc.—provides immense value. Although the content can be dull, documentation compiles crucial information for the audience to consume whenever needed.

Despite how vital documentation is for any workplace, product, or service, the target audience does not actually read it very often. People overlook documentation ALL the time.

Every time you buy new gadgets, games, unassembled furniture, etc., you receive documentation explaining how it all should work and more, yet rarely anyone gives these slips of paper a second look once they’ve taken the product out of the box. Even email campaigns and marketing flyers garner little interaction.

 

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