How do you measure and report the impact and value of a documentation audit to your organization?

1 Define your goals and metrics

Before you start a documentation audit, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and how you will measure it. Depending on your objectives, you may want to use different metrics to assess the quality and effectiveness of your documentation, such as readability, completeness, correctness, relevance, clarity, usability, and user satisfaction. You should also define the scope and criteria of your audit, such as the types, formats, and sources of documentation you will review, the standards and guidelines you will follow, and the tools and methods you will use.

2 Collect and analyze data

Once you have defined your goals and metrics, you need to collect and analyze data from your documentation and its users. You can use various techniques to gather data, such as surveys, interviews, feedback forms, analytics, testing, and peer reviews. You should also use tools and software to automate and simplify the data collection and analysis process, such as documentation generators, quality checkers, readability testers, and content management systems. You should organize and summarize the data in a way that highlights the key findings and insights from your audit.

3 Report and present the results

After you have collected and analyzed the data, you need to report and present the results of your documentation audit to your organization. You should create a clear and concise report that summarizes the main outcomes, recommendations, and action items from your audit. You should also use visual aids, such as charts, graphs, tables, and screenshots, to illustrate the data and support your arguments. You should tailor your report and presentation to your audience, such as managers, developers, or users, and emphasize the benefits and value of your documentation audit for them.

4 Implement and monitor the changes

The final step of a documentation audit is to implement and monitor the changes that you have proposed based on the results of your audit. You should prioritize and schedule the tasks that need to be done to improve your documentation, such as updating, editing, deleting, or creating new content. You should also assign roles and responsibilities to the people who will be involved in the documentation improvement process, such as writers, reviewers, testers, and approvers. You should track and measure the progress and impact of the changes, such as the time, cost, quality, and user satisfaction of your documentation.

5 Evaluate and improve the audit process

A documentation audit is not a one-time event, but a continuous cycle of improvement. You should evaluate and improve the audit process itself, as well as the documentation that it reviews. You should solicit feedback from your stakeholders and users on the effectiveness and value of your audit, as well as the challenges and opportunities for improvement. You should also review and update your goals, metrics, scope, criteria, tools, and methods of your audit regularly, to ensure that they are relevant and aligned with the changing needs and expectations of your organization and users.

6 Share and learn from best practices

A documentation audit is also a learning opportunity for you and your organization. You should share and learn from the best practices and lessons learned from your audit, as well as from other sources and experts in the field of software documentation. You should also network and collaborate with other documentation professionals and communities, such as online forums, blogs, podcasts, webinars, conferences, and workshops. You should seek feedback, advice, and support from your peers and mentors, as well as offer your own expertise and experience to others.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?