Project documentation is essential for any software project, but it can also be time-consuming, confusing, and inconsistent. How can you select the best project documentation templates for your team that suit your needs, standards, and preferences? In this article, we will explore some tips and criteria to help you make this decision.
Before you choose any template, you need to clarify what you want to achieve with your documentation. Do you want to communicate your project vision, scope, and requirements? Do you want to document your design, architecture, and code? Do you want to track your progress, risks, and issues? Do you want to provide user manuals, training materials, and support documents? Different goals require different types and levels of documentation, so you need to define them clearly and prioritize them accordingly.
Before selecting a template, clarify your documentation goals. For instance, in software development, you might prioritize architecture diagrams for design documentation or Gantt charts for progress tracking. Tailor templates to specific needs, integrate them into workflows, promote collaboration, and maintain a feedback loop to adapt as projects evolve. For instance, code review templates aid collaboration in code documentation, while user feedback templates help refine user manuals based on real-world usage. Prioritize and customize templates based on your project's unique objectives and adapt them as needed.
In my journey building Rally, I've learned that selecting the right project documentation templates isn't just about ticking boxes—it's about empowering your team to communicate effectively. Start by flipping the script: instead of asking, "What should we document?" ask, "What decisions need to be made?" This subtle shift focuses your documentation on enabling action, not just recording information. I've found that the best templates evolve with your project. Your templates should be fluid, allowing teams to adapt them as the project unfolds. This keeps docs relevant and used rather than gathering "digital dust." LOL
Another factor to consider is how you create, update, and manage your documentation. What are the roles and responsibilities of your team members regarding documentation? What are the tools and platforms that you use or integrate with? What are the standards and guidelines that you follow or comply with? How often and how much do you document? How do you review, approve, and distribute your documentation? Your documentation process should be aligned with your project methodology, quality criteria, and stakeholder expectations.
When looking for suitable templates to match your documentation goals and process, you should consider many sources, such as GitHub, Atlassian, Microsoft, and others. You can also create your own or customize existing ones. When comparing different templates, make sure to evaluate their content to ensure it covers all the information you need to document, is relevant, clear, and concise. Additionally, assess the style of the template to ensure it reflects your tone, voice, and branding; is consistent, professional, and appealing; and is easy to read, understand, and follow. Lastly, check the functionality of the template to ensure it works well with your tools and platforms; is compatible, adaptable, and scalable; and is easy to use, edit, and share.
After you have selected some potential templates, you should test them out with your team and stakeholders. You can create some sample documents using the templates and solicit feedback from your peers, clients, users, and managers. You can also measure the effectiveness and efficiency of the templates using some metrics, such as document quality, completeness, accuracy, timeliness, usability, and satisfaction. Based on the results and comments, you can refine your templates to improve them or discard them if they don't work for you.
Finally, you should review and update your documentation templates regularly to ensure that they remain relevant, useful, and consistent. As your project evolves, your documentation needs and preferences may change as well. You may need to add, remove, or modify some sections, headings, fields, or formats in your templates. You may also need to adopt new tools, platforms, or standards that affect your templates. You should always keep your templates up to date and aligned with your project goals and process.