The importance of documentation (because it’s way more than a formality)
Put an end to information hoarding and set the stage for open communication.
Your team is starting a project that’s new to all of you. You heard through the grapevine that your company successfully tackled something similar just a couple of years ago. The only problem? Nobody on your current team was actually around during that time.
Those people have since moved on, and now you’re left wondering how to bridge this knowledge gap. It feels an awful lot like closing your eyes and throwing a dart at a board.
Now, imagine instead if you had resources that you could turn to. What if that previous team had kept detailed records like project timelines and plans, meeting summaries, step-by-step processes, sketches, roadmaps, and more?
If that was the case, you’d be equipped with a well of valuable information that you could draw from. Even if you ended up doing things somewhat differently, at least you’d feel like you had an educated starting point. Suddenly that new project wouldn’t seem quite so daunting.
This is just one of many examples that speak to the importance of documentation on your team. Yet, despite the fact that stressful situations like these happen all the time, many organizations still view documentation as an optional formality. According to a BPTrends survey, only 4% of companies claim that they always document their processes.
Only 4% of companies always document their processes
We get it – documentation feels like yet another thing to add to your team’s to-do list. However, it offers a slew of advantages that make it well worth the time and effort.