Documentation Philosophy

My approach to technical documentation is informed by 17 years of building production systems before transitioning to documentation. Here's what that looks like in practice.

Core Principles

1. Documentation as Product

Documentation isn't an afterthought or checkbox—it's a product that needs:

• Clear information architecture
• Performance optimization
• User experience design
• Continuous improvement

2. Clarity Over Cleverness

Technical writing isn't about showing how smart you are. It's about making complex concepts accessible without dumbing them down. Balance precision with clarity.

3. Developer Experience First

Good documentation answers these questions:

• Can I get started in 5 minutes?
• Can I find what I need?
• Does this actually work?
• What do I do when it breaks?

4. Systems Thinking

Documentation exists within systems:

• Version control
• CI/CD pipelines
• Content management
• Team workflows
• Business objectives

I think about all of these, not just the words on the page.

What This Looks Like

Before me:

• Docs live in Google Docs
• Engineers write when they have time
• No clear ownership
• Outdated information
• Developers frustrated

After me:

• Docs-as-code workflow
• Clear ownership and process
• CI/CD for docs deployments
• Versioned with product releases
• Developers actually use them

Collaboration Approach

With engineers:

• I ask questions to understand, not to be spoon-fed
• I read the code myself first
• I test everything before documenting
• I flag technical issues I find during documentation

With product:

• I understand business goals
• I identify documentation gaps that impact GTM
• I advocate for developer experience in product decisions

With leadership:

• I communicate progress and blockers clearly
• I prioritize ruthlessly
• I understand resource constraints