Documentation as Technical Debt: Why Writing It Down Isn't Always the Solution

In the world of software development and business operations, documentation has long been seen as a virtuous practice. Teams pride themselves on meticulously crafted wikis, elaborate process guides, and comprehensive step-by-step instructions.

But what if I told you that this approach might actually be a form of technical debt disguised as a best practice?

The Hidden Challenges of Documentation

Documentation suffers from several critical weaknesses:

1. The Communication Conundrum

Creating truly unambiguous documentation is incredibly challenging. You must:

• Write in a language that is clear and interpretable across different skill levels and backgrounds
• Eliminate technical jargon that might confuse non-experts
• Ensure precise, step-by-step instructions that leave no room for misinterpretation

2. The Discoverability Dilemma

Documentation is only useful if people can find it. Organizations struggle with:

• Effective knowledge management systems
• Ensuring new team members are aware of existing documentation
• Creating intuitive navigation for complex documentation repositories

3. The Engagement Trap

Once people read documentation, they often:

• Assume they've mastered the process completely
• Fail to revisit and stay updated on changes
• Develop a false sense of expertise
• Become resistant to process improvements

4. The Partial Execution Problem

Human nature leads to inconsistent documentation usage:

• People tend to skim rather than read thoroughly
• Critical steps are often overlooked
• Partial understanding leads to fragmented process implementation

A Real-World Example: The Docker Installation Nightmare

Consider a prominent big tech company with a massive 50,000+ employee documentation page for Docker installation. The page included multiple complex steps like:

sudo systemctl stop docker
sudo ip link set docker0 down
sudo ip link del docker0        

Along with intricate instructions for updating /etc/docker/daemon.json and navigating various installation scenarios. The documentation spanned multiple sections with at least 9 different command blocks, and a huge troubleshooting section.

The reality? These elaborate instructions were a clear sign of a broken process. By contrast, a simple automation script could resolve all these complexities in minutes.

The Power of Controlled Entry Points: Nudging Through Automation

One of the most overlooked advantages of automation is the ability to strategically guide user behavior at the point of entry. When you control the entry point of a process, you gain unprecedented power to:

• Seamlessly introduce new tools
• Deprecate legacy systems
• Ensure consistent, up-to-date practices
• Reduce friction in organizational transitions

Strategic Process Steering

Imagine a documentation page telling 50,000 employees to manually upgrade a tool. The result? Chaos. Inconsistent adoption, support nightmares, and significant productivity loss. In contrast, an automated entry point allows you to:

• Automatically prompt for upgrades
• Validate and enforce minimum version requirements
• Provide seamless migration paths
• Track and report on adoption rates
• Eliminate manual intervention

The Alternative: Continuous Simplification

Instead of documenting, focus on:

• Automated workflows
• Self-explanatory interfaces
• Reducing process steps
• Creating intuitive systems that require minimal explanation

Conclusion

Technical documentation isn't inherently bad. But treating it as a primary solution rather than a last resort is a form of technical debt. True innovation comes from simplification, automation, and creating systems so intuitive that they require no explanation.

Thoughts? ??

Have you encountered similar documentation challenges? How are you transforming complex processes in your organization?

Share your experiences in the comments! Let's challenge the status quo of over-documentation and push towards more intelligent, automated solutions.

#TechnicalDebt #ProcessAutomation #SoftwareDevelopment #OrganizationalChange