IT documentation is often outdated, fragmented, and useless, but well-structured documentation in IT projects simplifies work and saves time. It can be done! The key is to rethink the documentation process—leading to optimal IT documentation.
On this page, you will find
What is IT documentation and why is it important?
IT documentation includes all project-related materials that collectively describe business logic, processes, requirements, and system architecture.
Well-structured, up-to-date, and clearly documented information helps to:
- Speed up software development by reducing miscommunication and confusion.
- Ensure knowledge accessibility, even when team members change.
- Improve decision-making by providing clarity on system architecture and requirements.
Unfortunately documenting — and especially updating it—is often inconsistent in IT projects, resulting in fragmented and outdated information. Common myths suggest that documentation is useless, always outdated, or simply unnecessary in IT projects. I have debunked these myths. I believe, and have demonstrated in many organizations, that always up-to-date documentation is possible and highly valuable.
There’s no need for unnecessary work, nor is there a single rule dictating what must be included in IT project documentation. Optimal IT documentation means recording enough information in an appropriate format, and keeping it up to date.
Good documentation is:
- useful – it supports both developers and business stakeholders at every stage of development;
- optimal – The necessary information is recorded in a way that is easy to understand;
- up-to-date – always reflects the actual state of the system;
- convenient – easily accessible, readable, manageable, and archivable.
In my experience, creating and maintaining optimal IT documentation that meets the above criteria is entirely possible and not overly complicated. I have explored this topic in detail and even written a book about it.