Your company probably has hundreds of documents sitting in Confluence, SharePoint, or some other digital graveyard. Pages and pages of procedures, workflows, and "how-to" guides that nobody reads. Sound familiar?
We've confused documentation with communication.
The problem isn't that we don't document enough
Most teams document everything. They write step-by-step guides. They create flowcharts. They build knowledge bases that would make librarians weep with joy.
But when someone needs to solve a real problem, they don't go to the docs. They ask a coworker. They guess. They figure it out through trial and error.
Why? Because traditional documentation treats knowledge like it's static. Like processes never change and context doesn't matter.
Your team needs living knowledge, not dead documents
Smart companies are ditching the old playbook. Instead of creating more documents, they're building systems that make knowledge flow naturally through their teams.
They're using tools like Loom to create quick video walkthroughs. They're building searchable chat histories where conversations become institutional memory. They're creating interactive guides that update automatically when processes change.
Most importantly, they're making knowledge part of the workflow, not separate from it.
What works better than traditional docs
Instead of writing everything down, try these approaches:
Record quick videos when someone asks a question. One five-minute screen recording beats a 10-page manual every time.
Build knowledge into your tools. Add context directly to your software interfaces. Create tooltips, help text, and guided tours that live where people actually work.
Make experts accessible. Set up regular office hours or "ask me anything" sessions. Sometimes the fastest path to understanding is a two-minute conversation.
Document decisions, not processes. Focus on why you chose this approach, not every step of how to do it. Context beats procedures.
The shift that changes everything
The companies getting this right have made one key shift: they've stopped treating documentation as a final product and started treating it as an ongoing conversation.
They don't ask "Is this written down?" They ask "Will this help someone solve their problem?"
Your team doesn't need another Confluence page gathering digital dust. They need knowledge that's alive, accessible, and actually useful when they need it most.
Start small. Next time someone asks you how something works, don't write a document. Have a conversation. Record it. Share it. Then watch how much faster your team starts moving.