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Operational documentation across multiple teams

Building Documentation People Actually Use

Documentation should reduce confusion, not create it. I focus on creating a single source of truth with clear ownership, regular reviews, and information people can actually find and trust.

Process ImprovementOperationsProgram Management

The Problem

Documentation had grown organically over time. Multiple teams had created pages covering the same topics, often without realizing similar documentation already existed. The result was duplicate content, conflicting guidance, and uncertainty about which version people should follow. As documentation became less reliable, people increasingly relied on tribal knowledge instead.

Approach

Create a single source of truth

I started by identifying duplicate documentation and consolidating it wherever possible. Rather than maintaining multiple pages that covered similar information, I focused on creating one trusted source that teams could confidently reference.

Establish ownership

Every important document needs an owner. I made sure documentation had a clearly identified owner responsible for reviewing it on a regular cadence, whether monthly, quarterly, or annually. Documentation shouldn’t be written once and forgotten. It should evolve alongside the work.

Measure whether it was actually useful

Good documentation isn’t measured by how many pages exist. It’s measured by whether people use it. I reviewed page traffic and usage patterns to understand what teams found valuable, what they couldn’t find, and what could be archived or improved.

Results

  • Consolidated duplicate documentation into a clearer single source of truth.
  • Established ownership and review cadences to keep documentation current.
  • Improved discoverability so teams could find the right information faster.
  • Treated documentation as an operational asset rather than a one-time deliverable.

Each one is written the same way: the problem as it appeared, the approach I took, what resulted, and what I would carry forward.

  • The biggest lesson wasn’t about writing more documentation. It was about making documentation easier to trust. When information has a clear owner, regular reviews, and one place to live, people stop asking where the right answer is and start using the documentation with confidence.

Summary

Role
Program Manager
Business
Multiple Business Teams
Duration
Ongoing
Focus
Documentation • Process Improvement • Knowledge Management
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Laura Barry — Operations & Program Management