<aside> <img src="https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/7f34524d-9389-4bb8-b803-8796988dd464/Web_logo_(256__256px)_(2).png" alt="https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/7f34524d-9389-4bb8-b803-8796988dd464/Web_logo_(256__256px)_(2).png" width="40px" /> What we love about this handbook section
đ¤Â We fell head over heels in love with this page đ. Any business that works hybrid/remote and potentially async lives or dies on itâs ability to document information. And we are ALL about open documentation here at Open Org. This page from Remote is just brilliant at setting expectations for how they work with documentation internally. ** ****Check out their entire handbook for inspiration here: đRemote's full handbook
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Documentation refers to anything written down in a place that other people can read, learn from, and further build upon. Youâre reading documentation right now! It could be argued that the majority of remote work is reading and writing documentation.
This simply means we must all participate in transmission and capture of important information, and that our success depends on the ongoing care + feeding of our collective memory space. We want it to be useful, tidy, and current. If there are errors, we fix them. If something important is missing, we add it quickly. Donât forget that we operate asynchronously. The person you were going to ask might be asleep when you need an answer. Maintaining solid documentation eliminates blockers like this. Finally, a Culture of Documentation reduces noise. Noise for our purposes is any communication that interrupts a personâs personal flow and requires a response. Noise isnât Noice. It creates friction and slows deep work. In other words, âSearch first, ask questions later...â All of our major software tools have search functions built into them. If you can't find what youâre looking for, only then ask about it. A quick post in #questions is a good place to start for general queries. Let us know what you are looking for and where you've already looked. But remember, if the answer to your question could benefit others, it's up to you to make sure it is documented properly.
Here is a breakdown of the documentation types at Remote and where you can find them. Remember that Notion is the Single Source of Truth(SSoT) for most data, unless otherwise specified.
| Type | Purpose | Includes | Location(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Documentation | Provides useful (non-proprietary) information to customers, potential customers, partners, investors, employment candidates, etc. | Remote Website, Country Explorer, Blogs, Remote Handbook, Job Postings | Notion, Prismic, Greenhouse | |
| Product Documentation | Provides detailed technical information about | |||
| our products. | Codebase, Manuals, API specs, integration guides | GitLab, Notion | ||
| Progress Documentation | Provides framework for progress tracking and accountability of work, help requests, and people performance. | Team request boards, candidate progressions, helpdesk ticketing | Greenhouse, Zendesk | |
| Process Documentation | Provides information about internal policy/procedures, onboarding, tech support guides, updates and reporting, customer relationship and marketing info. | Department pages, Loom videos, sales leads | Notion, Google Workspace, Loom, Salesforce | |
| Legal & Transactional Documentation | These are documents in the literal sense, i.e. those required for routine business. Includes contracts, employment agreements, service agreements, charters, entity records, etc. | Legal, Contracts, Employment Agreements | Juro, DocuSign | |
| Localized Documentation | Local parameters. Collected wisdom gained by conducting business in each country. Includes local languages (other than Business English) | Country Onboarding Guides, TCE | Everywhere in various forms |
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Whenever there is a sync meeting, there should be a relevant documentation, even if it is just a 1:1 call. Building habits of documenting is vital as it enables you to refer and recall, and most importantly it enables collaboration and coverage.
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Some documentation is easy, automagic even. For example, Kissflow and Zendesk create detailed logs of what steps were taken, when they were enacted, and the comments and responses related to each; when you use the tool, the record is generated for you, very nice. Where we can, we strive for documentation to be this easy. But other knowledge capture opportunities arenât as clear, so please take a proactive approach. You never know when the answer to your question will help others. Chances are youâre not the first person to go searching! So be a friend, amigo, mate, comrade! Document when:
Sync Meetings - Meetings are disruptive, so be sure to make the absolute most of the premium time. Check with your team leader, as there is most likely an established way of taking notes for each team. Some teams like to create new meeting agenda pages for each meeting. Others like to have a single long document that can be referenced without clicking away. Regardless of which format, meeting notes should at least include:
New Data - You learned something new that isnât written down already. Be sure to search first. There is probably a place for it
Error/Omission/Bugfix - You discovered a problem/error with a process or procedure. These in particular are incredibly important to document/bring to the attention of others.
Customer Issue -A customer reached out to you with a problem directly. Hopefully theyâre using Zendesk tickets, but if not, you need to make sure their needs are documented and a handoff is made to the proper Customer Experience team member.
Productivity & Pro-Tips - If youâve discovered something cool that makes your day easier, please share with the other children.
Fun Stuff - Weâre not all business around here. Our culture of documentation includes culture as well. Remoter suggestions, food, hobbies, etc.
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