In the era of information overload, we’re surrounded by short, fast-paced content. People are impatient, and capturing attention has become a critical challenge for designers. But this isn’t just about crafting website content—it’s equally important when it comes to documentation. Without clear communication, collaboration suffers.

Writing in Loneliness

As a designer, I’ve started writing documentation for design files. Each time I write, I understand the importance of clear, well-crafted documentation more deeply. But here’s the problem: people don’t read. Handbooks are too long, so they get skipped. Onboarding materials are dense, and new employees don’t take the time to absorb the details. Design notes lack a standard, forcing teammates to adapt or ignore them. This can be incredibly frustrating, especially with all the efforts being put into writing documents.

Yet, if people won’t read, how do we communicate effectively? How do we ensure that designs are implemented correctly and consistent? Writing becomes a loner work. We have to find ways to make our writings as effective as our designs.

Articulate Design Principles, Stick to Them

One solution for maintaining alignment in product design is to create clear design principles. Documenting design principles helps teams stay aligned and helps everyone understand the motivation behind design decisions, fostering collaboration by providing a consistent design direction.

In the early phase of product design, documenting design principles can feel daunting, especially with limited resources. But start writing from 0 to 1 is all about taking action. If you have design files but don’t know how to start writing, it’s time to list down what you have by bullet points, by diagrams and then by descriptions. Here’s the process that help me start:

1. Define Objectives

With or without a template, open a document and outline the core objectives, considering the following:

• What are you trying to cover?
• Why is this important to define?
• How will these principles guide your team?

By laying out these initial thoughts, I found it easier to structure the rest of the document. Even if the document is not completed, it’d help me identify missing gaps and potential opportunities for product design process.

2. Modify as You Go

It is impossible to finish a document from the start. As more features are built, design principles, flow charts and specific information will be changed. Following the outlined ideas, adding and refining details are essential during the design process. Even if some details are missing or not defined yet depending on the design process, listing down all pieces of information such as flowcharts, diagrams, design versions, and market position, can be helpful and informative for the team to understand the whole picture and product visions.

3. Be As Consistent As You Can

Once you start, the key is to maintain consistency, same as the goal of documentation. It is important to understand and follow the initial outlines when more than two people collaborate on documenting them. There is not answer to the right way. However, regular updates and reflection among designers are the right way to ensure core values are established. Consistency will not only streamline decision-making but will also help build trust across your team and stakeholders outside the product team.

Interestingly, documentation not only benefits design team but also applies to web content when collaborating with people outside of design team. Websites are often rich in information, but diverse team members will write with different styles. Principles help cross-functional teams’ collaboration, adopting consistent tones, styles and content strategies for increasing user engagement.

The Frustration of Writing and Not Being Read

With all the effort poured into our work, including mock-ups, banners, thought processes, rationale and guidelines, when people don’t read the documentation, it can feel like all that efforts is wasted.

But we cannot give up on writing. Instead, we need to improve the way we structure our content. For designers, it’s crucial to remind teammates to read, reflect and contribute to the design work. For collaborators, share related documentation or a product brief and understand how people consume them. Make it easier to absorb. Feedback is invaluable for refining the wiring and diagrams in the documentation. Effective documentation is the backbone of collaboration, and writing clearly is key to ensuring everyone is on the same page.

Write for Design

In the world with short-span attention, it’s easy to underestimate the value of writing, especially in non-tech and non-design environments. While businesspeople may focus on outcomes, designers must emphasize process. Whether in design files, websites or documents, writing for design documentation plays a pivotal role in conveying ideas, supporting collaboration and ensuring quality.