Most documentation problems aren’t caused by laziness.
They’re caused by smart, capable people making predictable mistakes under time pressure.
The good news?
Once you can see these patterns, they’re easy to fix.
Below are the most common documentation mistakes and the simple adjustments to fix them.
1. Writing for Everyone (Which Means Writing for No One)
One of the fastest ways to weaken documentation is trying to make it work for:
- Beginners
- Experts
- Managers
- Engineers
- Customers
- Internal teams
All at once.
When that happens:
- Definitions are inconsistent
- Explanations feel uneven
- Steps are skipped or over-explained
- Tone shifts mid-document
How to Avoid It
Choose one primary audience.
Ask:
“Who is most likely to use this first?”
If needed, create separate documentation for separate roles.
Clarity increases when the scope decreases.
2. Starting With Background Instead of Action
Many documents begin with paragraphs of context:
- Company history
- System philosophy
- Architectural theory
- Long explanations of why something exists
Meanwhile, the reader is thinking:
“I just need to get this working.”
How to Avoid It
Start with one of these instead:
- A short summary of what the document helps accomplish
- A quick-start section
- A step-by-step overview
Background can come later, or in a separate section. It’s not the important part your audience needs in this document.
Respect the reader’s urgency.
3. Explaining What It Is, But Not What to Do
Some documentation is technically accurate but practically useless.
It explains:
- Concepts
- Definitions
- System behavior
But it never clearly answers:
“What action should I take?”
How to Avoid It
After every explanatory section, ask:
- “What does the reader do with this information?”
- “Does this change their next step?”
If it doesn’t affect action or understanding, simplify it.
Documentation should reduce hesitation.
4. Skipping the Mental Model
Writers often jump straight into instructions:
- Do this
- Then this
- Then this
But without explaining how the pieces fit together.
The result?
Readers follow steps mechanically, and panic the moment something changes.
How to Avoid It
Before instructions, include:
- A simple explanation of how the system works
- A short overview of what happens in what order
- A diagram or conceptual summary
When readers understand the model, they can recover from errors independently.
5. Assuming Knowledge That Isn’t There
This one is subtle.
Writers skip steps because:
- “It’s obvious.”
- “Everyone knows that.”
- “It’s basic.”
But what’s obvious to the expert isn’t obvious to the user.
This creates:
- Silent gaps
- Confusion
- Repeated support requests
How to Avoid It
Test your document by asking:
- “Would a smart beginner understand this?”
- “Did I define terms before using them?”
- “Did I explain why this step matters?”
If a step seems too small to mention, it might be the exact step someone needs.
6. Walls of Text
Even good content becomes unusable when it’s visually dense.
Large blocks of text:
- Increase cognitive load
- Slow scanning
- Hide key information
- Intimidate readers
Documentation is functional writing. It should be easy to navigate.
How to Avoid It
Use:
- Clear headings
- Short paragraphs
- Bullet points
- Numbered steps
- White space
- Bolded key phrases (sparingly)
Structure does most of the clarity work.
7. Ignoring What Can Go Wrong
Some documentation assumes everything works perfectly.
Real life does not.
When documentation doesn’t address:
- Common errors
- Misconfigurations
- Permission issues
- Version mismatches
Readers feel stranded.
How to Avoid It
Include a short section:
- “Common Issues”
- “Troubleshooting”
- “If This Fails”
Even 3–5 common problems can dramatically reduce friction.
Anticipating failure builds trust.
8. Never Revisiting Documentation
Documentation is often written once and never updated.
Over time:
- Interfaces change
- Processes shift
- Terminology evolves
- Assumptions break
Outdated documentation is worse than no documentation. It wastes time and builds frustration.
How to Avoid It
Create simple maintenance habits:
- Review quarterly
- Update after major changes
- Assign ownership
- Add a “Last Updated” date
Documentation is a living system, not a one-time task.
The Pattern Behind These Mistakes
If you look closely, most documentation mistakes come from one root issue:
Writing from the expert’s perspective instead of the reader’s.
Experts think in:
- Systems
- Patterns
- Shortcuts
- Assumptions
Readers think in:
- Tasks
- Goals
- Questions
- Immediate needs
Good documentation bridges that gap.
Final Thought
Clear documentation isn’t about writing more.
It’s about:
- Choosing a clear audience
- Reducing cognitive load
- Structuring for usability
- Anticipating confusion
- Maintaining what you create
When documentation works well, it almost disappears.
Readers move smoothly from question to answer to action.
And that quiet usefulness is the real goal.