How to Get Your Team on Board with Documentation

Scriptorium Team
7 days ago
4 min read

We get it. Documentation can be time-consuming. When you're in the weeds of projects and deadlines are fast approaching, documenting your processes for project management and the deliverables is usually the last thing on everyone’s minds. At times, projects hit one after another, leaving your team members with no time to breathe, let alone catch up with fine-tuning their last project’s documentation. This form of documentation is then rushed, often missing the details needed for future projects, or placed on the back burner with the details left in notes, videos, and even meeting minutes.

An organization's team is sitting at a desk, working, with a bulletin board in the background with multiple sticky notes attached. The title, "How to Get Your Team Involved in the Documentation Process."

The task of getting your team on board with documentation starts with a well-designed plan from management and senior team members who know the processes. Below are 7 tips to help management establish a plan to help team members get comfortable with documentation.

7 Tips for Getting Your Team on Board with Documentation

Invest in a Document Management System

Document management systems allow you to access your documentation in real-time. Use this tool to hold templates, forms, and live documentation by establishing an intuitive organizational system that works best for your company.

Create Templates

Create standard templates to use for quick access. Depending on the task, templates can be 1 to 2 pages long. This can include creating forms that allow your team members to accurately and quickly insert information pertinent to your project without wasting time.

Live Documentation

Create live documentation using the above templates to ensure the document is always current. Establish a system where a document must be checked out for viewing and editing, and ensure users track changes when inserting any new information.

Documentation Review Process

Set up a documentation review process. Designate one or two senior team members who have experience in the documented process to review all live documentation to ensure all updates are accurate.

Create New Habits

Insert documentation habits into your team’s routine. A good start is right at onboarding. Help new hires understand your documentation process and how important it is for them to document their tasks as they work. Show your new team members how you implement this practice through the use of templates, live documents, and a document management system.

If you’re starting a new documentation process with established team members, it’s going to be hard at first. But implementing new habits one step at a time and with clear communication will ease the change management flow.
If your company has the resources, consider creating an ad hoc committee to run through how inserting the documentation process would work best for your team. This includes asking questions on what should be documented, when, and whether specific documents are prioritized (deliverables versus internal).
If you don’t have the resources, start with weekly team meetings to introduce the new process and perform check-ins. If you’re noticing some employees are having a difficult time implementing this new process into their routine, meet with them one-on-one to understand their viewpoints and work towards creating that process together.
You can also create daily reminders for team members, encouraging them to take notes of their tasks/processes while they’re doing it. Then, establish a time when they can merge all notes into a template.

Documentation as Deliverables

Remind your team that, at times, documentation is part of the deliverables. Depending on what your company provides to your clients, documentation for your services can include everything from hard copies to electronic versions or even video procedures. If documentation is part of the package you include for clients, it’s a requirement that must be addressed.

Hire Externally

Hire documentation experts to manage your team’s documents and document management system.

An open binder with a large stack of paper within. A quote rests on the page, stating, "When contractors, like Scriptorium, step in to help your team, we rely on the information you provide us and create a partnership with your team to ensure the information is correct."

Documentation Contractors

A shift has occurred with many companies hiring contractors for managing and creating documentation. Occasionally, companies do not have the capacity to create these documents—even though the need is there—or do not have the budget to hire someone strictly for this role. To save on time and budget, contractors have become an extended arm of a company, allowing team members to focus on their specialties while contractors handle the company’s documentation. Documentation experts are here to take the weight off your team members’ shoulders.

When contractors, like Scriptorium, step in to help your team, we rely on the information you provide us and create a partnership with your team to ensure the information is correct. While it may sound like a lot of time to invest in at first, the reality is that a meeting or 2 (depending on your company’s needs) is all that is needed to get your documentation off the ground and running. And if you find that you're doubting how to invest in documentation, whether internally, externally or at all, remember the key saying: “Anything that is not documented is a meeting you’ll have to be in.”

Scriptorium’s team of experts have experience in all forms of documentation and documentation management systems. Curious about how we can help your teams out? Contact us!