documentation

Teach, Don’t Tell / Steve Losh

TLDR: Steve Losh's blog post emphasizes the importance of teaching in writing technical documentation for programming languages and libraries instead of merely stating facts. Good documentation should transform novices into experts by guiding users through a structured learning process. It should include clear, organized sections like First Contact, The Black Triangle, The Hairball, and Reference, avoiding ineffective methods like directing users to source code, tests, or wikis. The focus is on making documentation accessible and engaging for users.

https://stevelosh.com/blog/2013/09/teach-dont-tell/

Diátaxis

Diátaxis is a systematic approach to technical documentation, focusing on user needs through four documentation types: tutorials, how-to guides, technical references, and explanations. It aids both users and creators by addressing content, style, and organization, and is proven effective in various projects.

https://diataxis.fr/

Why Amazon Never Makes The Same Mistake Twice

Amazon minimizes repeated mistakes by embracing failures as learning opportunities through structured “Correction of Error” (CoE) documents. These 4-6 page documents analyze significant issues, detailing their impact, incident response, timelines, root causes, and action items for future prevention. The process fosters a culture of accountability and continuous improvement, ensuring that lessons learned lead to enhanced practices and reduced error recurrence. Overall, CoEs contribute to company-wide improvements and serve as a record of past issues.

https://beabetterdev.com/2025/02/23/why-amazon-never-makes-the-same-mistake-twice/

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