Agile Documentation

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Scott Ambler distinguishes three types of documentation:

  1. keepers;
    • documents that always need to be up-to-date (should appear in ready to ship;
  2. update when it hurts:
    • documents are only updated when the burden of outdatedness outweigh and justify the effort of getting it up-to-date; e.g. architecture documents can linger for a while
  3. never
    • documents that you never update (consider removing them altogether)

Toss every document that you plan to make in one of these bins. Then reconsider creating them at all.

Documentation principle: Do not create documentation unless:

  1. legally required;
  2. of key value to any of the stakeholders (be explicit about the stakeholder(s) and the document's value).

See: