Pathwise

Manuals / Communication / Chapter 8

C · Influence · advanced · ~35 min · Chapter 8 of 9

Documentation people actually read

Good docs: short, scannable, task-oriented. Start with what reader needs to DO, not background history.

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Step 1 of 2

Rewrite a README

Lead with quickstart. Move architecture to bottom. Add troubleshooting.

Rewrite a READMEDrag stickies · tap for tips
Study mapDrag stickies · tap for tipsKeep it shortdrag · tap →Name the waitdrag · tap →Scope locatorsdrag · tap →Trace when stuckdrag · tap →One browser firstdrag · tap →Isolate statedrag · tap →Assert the UIdrag · tap →Retry wiselydrag · tap →Seed datadrag · tap →Close the loopdrag · tap →Keep it shortdrag · tap →Name the waitdrag · tap →Scope locatorsdrag · tap →Trace when stuckdrag · tap →One browser firstdrag · tap →Isolate statedrag · tap →Pathwise hackdrag · tap →Rewrite a READMEdrag · tap →Try thisdrag · tap →Follow the dashed drag · tap →

Do this now

Rewrite a README following Google tech writing principles.

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Chapter learning outcomes
  • Task-oriented docs
  • Scannable structure
  • Docs as product

Clear these before you leave

Side quest

Runbook

Write a 1-page runbook for a common on-call or deploy task.