Crafting Documentation That Actually Works

How to strike the right balance between clarity and concision

Introduction

I was recently criticized for providing overly detailed documentation to my teammates. At first, this feedback stung—I thought I was just being thorough. But it made me realize that while I might find those details helpful, others could feel overwhelmed. That led me to rethink what makes documentation “good,” especially when you’re writing for your own internal team.

In this post, I’ll share the insights I’ve gained about how to right-size your documentation, separating the key details from the nice-to-haves, and ensuring your readers get exactly what they need—no more, no less.

Why Documentation Matters

When your team relies on internal documentation, it often serves two main purposes:

1. Reference: Quick lookups on how to perform a task, troubleshoot, or follow a procedure.
2. Context: Understanding why certain decisions were made so everyone can maintain and improve systems effectively.

Documentation done right saves time, reduces confusion, and preserves institutional knowledge. Documentation done poorly either drowns readers in irrelevant details—or is so skimpy that people still need to poke around or ask questions to find what they need.

Identify Your Audience

A key lesson I learned when I was told my documentation had too much detail is that I wasn’t distinguishing who exactly I was writing for. Before you write a single sentence, ask:

• Who is reading this and why are they reading it?
• What do they need to be able to do or understand after reading?

A useful way to break things down is by audience and detail level:

1. High-Level (Architects/Managers):
   • Focus: The “why” behind decisions. Overall vision, architecture choices, and design principles.
   • Use Case: Guiding big-picture decisions and keeping everyone aligned.
2. Mid-Level (Maintainers/Operators):
   • Focus: The “how” of day-to-day. Step-by-step instructions, branching strategies, and troubleshooting guidance.
   • Use Case: Practical reference for the people who interact with the system regularly.
3. User-Level (End-Users/Clients):
   • Focus: Results-oriented tasks. Simple instructions, minimal jargon, and direct “how to get it done.”
   • Use Case: Quick answers for those who just need to accomplish a specific task with minimal overhead.

How to Keep Docs from Getting Overly Detailed

My personal stumbling block was putting all my thoughts into one place, thinking more detail was always better. Here are some strategies I’ve adopted since getting feedback:

1. Start with a Personal Brain Dump:
   If you need to get every tiny detail down so you understand it, go for it—in your own private notes. This is your sandbox for exploration.
2. Condense for the Team:
   From your in-depth personal draft, extract the essentials that your colleagues really need. This trimmed-down version is what you share.
3. Use Linking and Layering:
   If you’re worried about losing important info, create optional deep-dive documents. Keep the main page concise and link out to more detailed sections or appendices.
4. Separate the How from the Why:
   • The “how” belongs in step-by-step guides and reference docs.
   • The “why” (design reasoning, architectural decisions) fits in high-level or decisions-specific docs.
     Mixing these can create confusion or bury the truly important points.
5. Prune Regularly:
   Documentation is rarely “done.” Revisit it periodically to remove outdated details and ensure everything still applies.

Real-World Example: Car Documentation

One helpful analogy is to think of how manufacturers handle car documentation:

• Owner’s Manual: Short, practical info for the everyday driver.
• Mechanic’s Manual: Detailed schematics for repairs and maintenance.
• Manufacturer’s Internal Docs: Highly technical data used by engineering teams.

Your team’s documentation can be similarly tiered: each “manual” for a different audience and a different purpose.

Final Thoughts

While being thorough is admirable, throwing every detail into a single doc can backfire—trust me, I’ve been there. The good news is that by focusing on your audience and carefully separating content into the “how” and the “why,” you’ll make it easier for people to find what they need and get context when necessary.

• Draft Verbosely, Then Edit Ruthlessly
• Tailor to Audience and Use Case
• Layer Your Information
• Review and Update Often

By making these changes, I’ve found my documentation is more accessible, my teammates are happier, and my own knowledge is still captured—just in a place that doesn’t overload others. If you’ve been critiqued for having too much detail, don’t sweat it. Just use that feedback as a springboard to improve your docs. Your future self—and your colleagues—will thank you.

This post will explore what makes documentation “good,” especially when your primary audience is your own team. We’ll dig into different documentation types, audience needs, and the importance of clarity.

Why Documentation Matters

When your team relies on internal documentation, it often serves two purposes:

1. Reference: So people can quickly look up how to perform a task or troubleshoot an issue.
2. Context: So your team understands why certain decisions were made and can maintain or build upon systems effectively.

When done right, documentation saves time, reduces confusion, and helps preserve institutional knowledge. Done poorly, it can overwhelm with irrelevant details—or be so sparse that no one knows how to proceed.

Identify Your Audience

One of the biggest mistakes people make is mixing all information into one doc. As you write, ask:

• Who is reading this and why?
• What do they actually need to learn or do after reading this?

A useful way to break things down is by level of detail and purpose:

1. High-Level (Architects/Managers):
   • Focus: The “why”—the vision, architecture choices, and overarching design principles.
   • Use Case: This helps guide big-picture decisions and keeps the team aligned.
2. Mid-Level (Maintainers/Operators):
   • Focus: The “how”—step-by-step operational details, standards, branching strategies, and troubleshooting guidance.
   • Use Case: Day-to-day reference for people directly interacting with the system.
3. User-Level (End-Users/Clients):
   • Focus: Getting things done—simple instructions, minimal jargon, quick pointers.
   • Use Case: Task-oriented needs, focusing on outcomes rather than behind-the-scenes complexities.

How to Keep Docs from Getting Overly Detailed

It’s natural to write down every thought when you’re first exploring a new topic or process. But what makes sense to you—in the thick of problem-solving—can overwhelm colleagues. Here are some tips:

1. Start with a Draft for Yourself:
   Jot down all the details you need to remember. This can be messy and verbose—think of it as your personal knowledge dump.
2. Create a Concise Version for the Team:
   From your personal notes, distill the most important pieces for a shared document. Focus on the essentials your teammates need to succeed.
3. Use Linking and Layering:
   If you worry about losing valuable details, consider a “layered” approach. Write a short, concise page for the main doc, but link out to more in-depth pages or personal notes if someone needs the deep dive.
4. Separate the How from the Why:
   • The “how” belongs in runbooks, quick guides, and maintenance docs.
   • The “why” fits best in higher-level architectural or design decision docs.
     Mixing the two can create confusion, making it harder to find quick answers or understand decisions.
5. Revisit and Prune:
   Documentation is a living entity. Over time, some information becomes outdated or irrelevant. Schedule periodic reviews to keep it fresh and concise.

Real-World Example: Car Documentation

One helpful analogy is how car information is split:

• Owner’s Manual: High-level usage and troubleshooting (for the average driver).
• Mechanic’s Manual: Detailed schematics and procedural steps (for repairs and maintenance).
• Manufacturer’s Internal Docs: Even more technical data for design and assembly.

Similarly, your team’s documentation can follow a tiered approach—each “manual” serving a different audience and purpose.

Final Thoughts

Documentation doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing affair. By clearly defining your audience and their needs, you can create more targeted, effective docs—whether that’s an executive summary for architects, a runbook for maintainers, or a simple how-to guide for end-users. Remember:

• Start Verbose (Privately), Then Filter
• Keep Audiences Front and Center
• Separate the “How” from the “Why”
• Periodically Prune and Update

In the end, good documentation is about improving team understanding and productivity. If your team can quickly find answers or context without digging through a giant wall of text, you’ve nailed it. And if someone wants more detail, they can always follow a link to that personal knowledge dump you’ve refined in the background.

Happy documenting!