Definition (Great Personal Documentation System)

An great documentation system is defined as one that provides you with the best results with the fewest drawbacks and the most rewards.

How

Repeat the following actions. Every iteration cycle, drive up the quality.

1. Design your system. Or, improve your present system.

2. Apply your system. Concurrently, pay attention to what is working and what causes concerns.

3. Growth. By using reflective thinking, change your documentation system so you get better results, fewer drawbacks and more rewards.

Design

To design or improve your system take the following actions. Limit you time on this step to between 5 and 60 minutes.

1. Describe your present documentation system. Identify concerns.

2. Figure out the results you want, the drawbacks you wish to minimize, and the rewards you wish to optimize.

3. Figure out how to build or improve a documentation system:

   1. Purpose: Figure out the most important reasons why documentation can benefit you.

   2. Methods: List all possible methods of personal documentation and select those that are best for you.

   3. Concept: Figure out how you will build your next iteration of document system.

   4. Building: Build your system. Get the parts in place that you need.

Application

Use your system for your day to day work. Pay attention to what is working, what is not working, and concerns you have.

Growth

Take the following actions. Do this infrequently. Once per year if your documentation system is really good. Once per week if you are just starting out.

1. Strengths: List the practices and methods that are helping you get what you want out of your documentation system. Limit this to the three or four most useful actions.

2. Improvements: Figure out the most useful concern to address. Then figure out a future action to take and how to take this action. Limit this to one or two actions that will improve your system.

3. Insights. List the most important facts that you have learned about documentation during your last iteration cycle. Limit this between zero and three items.

Summary

Effective documentation (ED) refers to a system for documentation that gives you the best results with the fewest drawback.

The ED method involve three connected actions.

1. Design: Figure out the best system for yourself.
   1. Present State: Prioritize strengths and improvement.
   2. Goal State: Describe the conditions of your improved documentation system.
   3. Method: List many methods and ideas for reaching your goal state. Select the best ones.
   4. Concept Design: