Humanizing Your Documentation
summary
Argues that documentation should start from user goals rather than implementation and can be designed alongside features, with concrete practices: write use-case-driven docs, aim for about a grade‑8 reading level using Hemingway, avoid words like easy/simple and omit estimated read times, follow an inclusive checklist and use Cupper for accessible docs, prefer descriptive headings and links, and cite Apache Subversion and Apple II manuals as practical examples of error‑aware, goal‑focused documentation.
AI-written summary · about
chapters (10)
- 0:00Introduction
- 0:22Why do we write documentation
- 1:02Use case driven documentation
- 1:31Power drill example
- 1:48Standard instructions
- 2:15Focus on the job
- 2:59Diagram
- 3:51Examples
- 4:26Tips
- 5:13Accessibility
