You may not want to write documentation for your latest writing project. It can be tedious, time-consuming, and sometimes you just want to get the project done and move on to the next one. But trust us, taking the time to document your writing project will save you time and money in the long run. Here are three stories that illustrate why.
A product owner begins a new writing project with a team of developers. The product owner knows what they want the end result to look like, but they don't bother to write down any requirements or provide any kind of documentation for the project. After all, it's just a small writing project, so how much could really go wrong? Besides, the product owner figures they can always give guidance if needed along the way.
Fast forward two months later and the project is barely half done. The product owner is now getting frustrated with the developers because they feel like they're not making enough progress. Communications break down and tempers flare. It quickly becomes apparent that there was a disconnect between what the product owner wanted and what the developers were working on. If only there had been some documentation outlining the requirements for the project, this situation could have been avoided entirely.
A development team is working on a writing project and things are going great. They're making good progress and sticking to their timeline. But then, one day, a new idea pops into the head of one of the developers. This new idea is so good that they just have to add it to the project! So they do, without consulting anyone else on the team or getting approval from the product owner first.
This seems like a harmless enough decision at first, but it soon snowballs out of control. More and more features are added with each passing day, and before long the scope of the project has tripled. The development team is now working around-the-clock trying to get everything done, but they're falling further and further behind schedule. And all because of that one unplanned feature creep! If only there had been better documentation from the beginning detailing what was supposed to be included in the project, this whole mess could have been avoided.
A group of developers is engaged in a heated debate over how to approach a particular writing task assigned to them. Each developer has their own opinion on how it should be done and they're not afraid to voice it — loudly! The debate goes on for hours with no resolution in sight. Sound familiar? This is common when teams don't take the time to document their processes and procedures ahead of time.
In this case, it wasn't just frustrating for everyone involved — it was also costly. The longer the debate, the more billable hours racked up for everyone involved. In addition, because nothing was documented beforehand, there was no easy way to refer back to a previous decision or solution if needed later on down the road — wasting even more time (and money) in those cases where arguments crop up again over an already settled issue!
As these stories illustrate, taking some time upfront to document your writing project can save you a lot of headaches — and money — down the road. So next time you're feeling tempted to skip this step, remember how much easier (and more affordable) your life will be if you just take some time to do it right from the beginning!