Quality / How-to
Keep documentation useful after publication
Use ownership, feedback, and version context to keep pages current.
Assign an owner
Record who is responsible for a page and what product changes should trigger review. Use a review date as a prompt, not proof that the content is correct. Retire or redirect pages when their task is no longer supported.
Connect docs to releases
Include documentation impact in change review. Keep instructions aligned with the supported product version. When several versions remain supported, make the reader’s version context visible and maintain the appropriate pages.
Measure outcomes
For a critical task, observe completion, time to first success, and the points where readers need help. Search terms, failed searches, support questions, and page feedback can reveal gaps. Traffic alone does not show that a document worked.
Make one improvement at a time
Choose a high-impact problem, record a baseline, revise the guide, and repeat the same task observation. Interpret small samples cautiously. Keep a short change log so the team can connect feedback to the revision.
Sources & further reading
Original guidance and examples by TechWriter, informed by these resources.