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📝 Documentation Guide

A lean, practical guide for a 3-person startup team. Keep it simple, actionable, and valuable.

Core Principles

Write for Action, Not Process

  • Document decisions and why we made them
  • Focus on what to do, not extensive background
  • Keep it short - 1-3 pages max for most topics
  • Make it scannable - use clear headings and bullets

Avoid Enterprise Theater

  • No multi-layer approval processes
  • No complex governance frameworks
  • No fabricated metrics or percentages
  • No premature optimization

What to Document

✅ Document These

  • Business decisions with clear rationale
  • Technical architecture choices and trade-offs
  • Feature specifications before building
  • Integration guides with actual steps
  • Customer processes that directly add value

❌ Skip These

  • Extensive process documentation
  • Theoretical frameworks
  • Future possibilities without concrete plans
  • Documentation about documentation
  • Anything that doesn't drive action

Writing Style

Language

  • Use simple words (use, not utilize)
  • Active voice (we build, not is built by)
  • Direct instructions (Create X, Update Y)
  • Real examples over abstract concepts

Structure

## Clear Title

Brief purpose statement (1-2 sentences).

## Key Points

- Bullet point 1
- Bullet point 2

## Implementation

1. Specific step
2. Another step
3. Final step

## Next Steps

- Clear action item

Metrics and Claims

Use These Instead of Fake Numbers

  • [To be measured] - for future metrics
  • Target: X - for goals
  • Industry benchmark: Y% - with source
  • Based on pilot feedback - for early insights

Example Replacements

  • ❌ "Reduces compliance overhead by 73%"

  • ✅ "Target: 50% reduction in compliance tasks [To be measured]"

  • ❌ "92% of directors prefer our approach"

  • ✅ "Based on initial pilot feedback from 3 directors"

Quality Checklist

Before publishing any document, ask:

  • Is it necessary? Does it serve a real need?
  • Is it actionable? Can someone do something with it?
  • Is it concise? Under 3 pages?
  • Is it current? Reflects our actual stage?
  • Is it honest? No fake metrics or timeline?

File Organization

  • Use kebab-case for filenames
  • Include frontmatter with title
  • Group related docs in subdirectories
  • Keep navigation simple and flat

Remember

We're a 3-person startup. Every hour spent on documentation is an hour not spent on product or customers. Make it count.

Last updated: May 2025