Data Quality Does Not Equal Documentation Quality: 5 Super Standards to Test Your Program

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In recent articles, I’ve talked about new ways to assess, improve, and leverage your information management and documentation processes. I’ve offered ideas on the 5 Stages of Documentation, developing a documentation philosophy, and the importance of a documentation “skill stack.” Now, let’s dive into another key benchmark (or “litmus test,” if you will) — the 5 Super Standards that can give you insight into what is working or not when it comes to your documentation and how to focus your energy on the right areas. 

Too many Information Management and Knowledge Management programs put the emphasis on data quality to achieve better results. But that’s not enough. Information—no matter how good—is useless without driving action, changing behaviors, and engaging with its users. 

What Is Data Quality? And Why We Need a Broader Metric

In Information Management circles, we talk a lot about data quality. Your organization has strong data quality if you can depend on your data. While in practice this looks different depending on how your organization uses and accesses its data, typical metrics include:

• Accuracy
• Completeness
• Consistency
• Integrity
• Timeliness
• Duplication
• Accessibility and availability

But organizations today need more than just clean data. They need a method to assess the overall effectiveness of how users are interacting with their documentation, information, repositories, reports, and systems. 

The 5 Super Standards for Evaluating Your Documentation

One of the challenges that organizations have in developing and maintaining excellent documentation is the lack of a robust standard to measure their documentation against. I developed 5 Super Standards of Dynamic Documentation — Re-Performance, Clarity, Findability, Use, and Engagement — to fill that gap.

These standards draw from the best practices of myriad professionals and professions that I have worked in — including audit, internal controls, business analysis, information management, organizational design, and corporate communications. The standards are designed for everyone, no matter your profession, industry, level, or role in your organization.

1. Re-Performance Standard: The ability of a stand-alone document or system to allow a user to perform the related task or process again. Can the user perform his or her job using the documentation? Is it easy for a new employee to get up to speed?
2. Clarity Standard: The ability of the stand-alone document to clearly explain the intended use of the document to the intended audience. Does the reader understand the document without someone explaining it?
3. Findability Standard: The ability to easily and quickly find a document or other piece of information using the stand-alone system, setup, or process. Can a user find documentation without asking others?
4. Use Standard: The frequency of use of your documents or document systems.  Did anyone use the document or documentation system after it was developed?
5. Engagement Standard: A measurement of whether the user was able to grasp the key concepts quickly and efficiently, and their ability to recall the messages and information in the document. Does your documentation or systems have recollection, impact, reaction, thinking, or emotion?

The Operative Word: Stand-Alone

The important criteria to underline in these standards is “stand-alone.” Your documents, processes, and guidelines need to work in a “stand-alone,” self-explanatory way. You can’t assume that your audience will have someone to help them find the information they need or interpret the content. Retirement at 65 with a gold watch is a thing of the past. Job hoppers, the gig economy, outsourcing, and the Great Resignation are the new reality. In today’s work world, we need information and content that can stand on its own in the absence of the people who developed them or who manage them day to day. 

So, ask yourself, Can your documentation and documentation systems stand on their own without the person who built the documents or the system or repository?

The 5 Super Standards will help you assess your documents to see if they add value, drive change, support your next project, and contribute to the ongoing operations of the company. Ask yourself, Are people actually using and engaging with your training materials, reports, dashboards, and new SharePoint site?

When you complement your assessment of data quality with the 5 Super Standards, you can watch your Information Management, Knowledge Management, and Content Management programs and strategy truly contribute to your goals and momentum.

How do we change our focus from what we KNOW to what we DO with what we know? 

If you liked this article (and I’ll assume you did if you’ve made it to the end!) I think you’ll love my new book, The 24-Hour Rule and Other Secrets for Smarter Organizations that’s now available for preorder! You can think of it as the first “mass market” book on documentation – a resource that will help you discover the hidden power of “documentation” to turbocharge your effectiveness and convert ideas, plans, meetings, and proprietary knowledge into action. Learn more and preorder your copy for limited-time bonuses at The24HourRule.net.