Tools Needed to Take Documentation to the Next Level
As a business grows, so does the need for documentation. This applies not only to the software used but also to workflows, networks, services, users, and practically everything used to support commercial activities.
The thing is, you shouldn't just collect documentation using a word processor or spreadsheets. Of course, in the early stages, this may be perfectly acceptable, and you could even use this rudimentary system by saving documents in a shared directory or cloud service. But over time, your business is guaranteed to outgrow such a simple process. When that happens, your company will need the right tools to ensure the documentation process evolves with you.
Fortunately, you won't have to spend a lot of money on such a system, as there are many tools available to take your documentation workflow to the next level. Of course, if you have a budget, you can always hire an external development team to build your own documentation system. However, if the budget is limited, here are several tools (most of which can be used for free) that are quite capable of giving your documentation the much-needed boost.
Let's take a look at these tools.
Internal Wiki
Wiki is one of the simplest solutions for creating documentation. Moreover, there is even a Wiki platform designed specifically for documentation called DocuWiki, which can be used for documenting software, creating knowledge bases, keeping personal notebooks, and project workspaces.
Wikis are a great option for documentation because they are easy to use, easy to deploy, and do not have a lot of features that complicate the workflow. You can deploy a wiki in your own data center or with third-party cloud hosting, and even make it accessible only to employees or to the general public.
Git
You may wonder why a version control system is included in the list of tools for documentation. That's because Git is a great way to share documentation among development teams. The main reason you might consider Git only for such teams is that its learning curve can be too steep for non-developers.
But for documenting development workflows, using Git is an excellent option. And since you can even create internal Git repositories, you don't have to worry about sensitive documentation falling into the wrong hands.
CMS
A CMS is several steps ahead of a Wiki. Why choose a full-fledged CMS for documentation over a simpler Wiki? The main reason is that you may need more features or want to integrate documentation with other types of content.
Another reason to choose a more traditional CMS is that these tools are typically not only extensible but also very user-friendly. Most people are familiar with WordPress (which can be built as a document management system), so the learning curve will be quite short.
There are even special document management plugins for WordPress (such as Document Library Pro) that can turn the CMS into a powerful documentation platform.
Project Management
It may seem like another out-of-place tool. However, as you build your documentation system, you need to track how things are progressing. For this, you can use a project management system. For example, you can create a kanban board and add cards for each documentation item that needs to be created. With such a "kanban board", you can easily track the progress of each document from creation to publication.
But don't think that the project management tool will only be used at the initial stage of the documentation management project. In fact, this documentation will be constantly evolving. This is especially true if your company documents software that is either sold or used internally. Every time a new version of the software is released, the documentation needs to be updated. Why not track this process with a kanban board?
Cloud Storage
If you haven't decided to use a CMS, Wiki, or Git, you should at least consider cloud storage for your documentation. At a minimum, it will allow your teams to access shared documentation and make changes.
For this, you can use simple solutions like Google Drive or DropBox. With either of these tools, your employees can easily work on the documentation that your company needs.
Specialized Document Management System
If you don't like the idea of building your own system, you can always turn to a ready-made document management system or have it built by an external development team.
If you prefer ready-made solutions, you will be offered many options such as Docufree Document Cloud, HotDocs, DocuPhase, Conga Document Generation, and OneHub.
Conclusion
If you have been putting off serious work on documentation, now is the time to tackle it head-on. Without proper documentation, your employees and teams will not be able to work efficiently. And when new employees are hired, onboarding them can become a real problem without proper documentation.
By using the tools listed above, you can create an excellent documentation platform that will help you move forward.