For a long time, I treated documentation like homework. I knew I was supposed to do it, but it always felt less urgent than the next ticket in the queue. When things were busy, notes became an afterthought. When things were calm, I assumed I would remember the fix next time.

I was wrong. Repeatedly.

It did not take long to learn that memory is unreliable and turnover, time, and stress erase details faster than you expect. Good documentation is not about perfection or formality. It is about being useful when you need it most, which is usually during a bad day.

Write for the Worst Possible Moment

The best documentation is written when someone is tired, distracted, and under pressure. That someone might be a coworker. It might be your replacement. Most often, it is your future self.

When I write notes now, I assume the reader has two minutes and zero context. If they cannot figure out what to do in that time, the document needs work. Clear titles, short steps, and plain language matter more than fancy formatting.

I avoid long explanations at the top. Instead, I start with what problem this solves and when to use it. If someone opens the document, they should immediately know if they are in the right place.

Capture Decisions, Not Just Steps

Early on, my notes were basically click-by-click instructions. They worked, but they were fragile. The moment a screen changed or a menu moved, the document lost value.

Now I focus on documenting decisions. Why this setting matters. What breaks if you skip it. What symptoms tell you this is the right fix? Steps can change. Reasoning lasts longer.

For example, instead of “Check this box,” I write “This setting prevents users from being locked out after a password reset.” That single sentence saves time and prevents mistakes.

Keep It Close to the Work

Documentation that lives far away from daily tools rarely gets used. If it takes more effort to find a doc than to guess, people will guess.

I keep notes where the work happens. Linked in tickets. Stored next to onboarding checklists. Referenced in runbooks. When I solve something tricky, I add a link right in the ticket before closing it.

This habit turns documentation into part of the workflow instead of a separate task. It also means the notes evolve naturally as systems change.

Short Beats Complete

One of the biggest myths in IT is that documentation has to be comprehensive to be useful. In reality, short and accurate beats long and outdated every time.

I would rather have a half-page guide that works than a ten-page manual no one trusts. If something changes, I update the doc the next time I touch that system. Small edits keep things alive.

Living docs are never finished. They grow with use. If a document has not been updated in years, it is probably lying to you.

Use Real Language, Not IT Theater

Documentation is not the place to prove how much you know. Big words and vendor jargon slow people down and make them second-guess themselves.

I write the way I would explain something to a coworker standing next to me. Simple sentences. Clear actions. No assumptions. If an acronym is not common knowledge, I explain it once.

The goal is confidence. When someone follows your notes, they should feel guided, not tested.

Make It Easy to Improve

Good documentation invites improvement. I leave room for comments, suggestions, and corrections. If someone finds a better way, that is a win, not a threat.

I also document known gaps. “This works for most cases,” or “This does not cover remote staff yet.” Being honest about limits builds trust in the rest of the doc.

Over time, this turns documentation into a shared resource instead of a personal stash of notes.

Why This Becomes a Career Advantage

Being good at documentation does not always get applause, but it gets results. Fewer repeat tickets. Faster onboarding. Smoother handoffs. Less stress when something breaks.

People notice when systems run quietly and problems stay fixed. They notice when you can step away and things still work. That is what good documentation does.

I have been called annoyingly good at writing things down, and I take that as a compliment. It means I am building systems that last beyond me.

Documentation is not busywork. It is an investment in your time, your team, and your sanity. Write notes your future self will thank you for, especially on the days when everything else is on fire.