Documentation | Learning

Documentation & Learning: Building Knowledge, Empowering Teams

Overview: Turning Information into Actionable Resources

In every role I’ve held, documentation and learning have been central to my work. Whether it’s creating help desk resources from scratch or optimizing existing knowledge bases, I thrive on transforming complex information into clear, user-friendly documentation. My goal is to empower both internal teams and customers to find solutions independently, improving efficiency and reducing reliance on support.

My Unique Approach: Leveraging a Teaching Background

Before transitioning into tech, I went to college to become a teacher. This background shapes how I build knowledge bases and learning resources. I understand that people absorb information in different ways, so I deliberately create materials that cater to various learning styles:

  • Visual Learners: Incorporate diagrams, flowcharts, and screenshots.
  • Auditory Learners: Provide video tutorials or recorded walkthroughs.
  • Kinesthetic Learners: Include interactive elements like quizzes or step-by-step exercises.
  • Reading/Writing Learners: Offer detailed written guides and FAQs.

This approach ensures that every user—whether a team member or a customer—can engage with the content in a way that resonates with them.

My Approach to Documentation and Learning

1. Starting from Scratch:
Building knowledge bases from the ground up is one of my specialties. I’ve created internal and external resources that provide teams and customers with the tools they need to succeed.

2. Continuous Improvement:
Documentation isn’t static—it evolves. I regularly review and update content based on feedback and changing needs, ensuring it remains accurate and useful.

3. User-Centric Design:
I focus on making documentation accessible and easy to navigate, using clear language, visuals, and step-by-step guides tailored to the audience’s technical level.

4. Cross-Functional Collaboration:
Working closely with Product, Engineering, and Support teams, I gather insights to ensure documentation covers all aspects of the user journey.

Success Stories: Documentation in Action

Case Study 1: Pigeonhole Software – Scaling Help Desk Resources

  • Challenge: The company’s help desk resources were insufficient for handling a growing customer base. It was almost starting from scratch.
  • Action: Led a complete overhaul of the help desk, expanding the knowledge base by 500% in one month.
  • Result: Improved ticket deflection rates, empowering customers to resolve issues independently and reducing support workload.

Case Study 2: Agillitics – Building Knowledge from the Ground Up

  • Challenge: No internal or external knowledge base existed for AgiSight, leading to inefficiencies in support and onboarding.
  • Action: Built comprehensive internal and external knowledge bases, including SOPs, troubleshooting guides, and user manuals.
  • Result: Streamlined support processes, captured knowledge internally, to support our customers best.

Case Study 3: Hanso Home – Empowering Global Support Teams

  • Challenge: Rapid growth required robust internal documentation to ensure consistent support across global teams.
  • Action: Created an internal knowledge base from scratch, covering everything from product FAQs to complex troubleshooting workflows.
  • Result: Enabled new team members to get up to speed quickly, improving support efficiency and maintaining a high CSAT score.

Key Skills and Tools

Skills:

  • Knowledge Base Development: Creating and maintaining internal and external resources.
  • SOP Creation: Documenting standard operating procedures to streamline workflows.
  • Technical Writing: Breaking down complex concepts into clear, actionable steps.
  • Training and Enablement: Developing learning materials and conducting training sessions for teams and clients.

Tools:

  • Zendesk (Help Desk and Knowledge Base)
  • Confluence, Atlassian Suite
  • ClickUp, Jira (for process documentation and task management)
  • FullStory, Pendo (for user feedback integration)

The Value of Tailored Documentation and Learning

Great documentation is more than a set of instructions—it’s a tool for empowerment. By meeting people where they are and tailoring resources to different learning styles, I help organizations:

  • Reduce Support Dependency: Customers and employees can find answers quickly.
  • Improve Onboarding: New hires get up to speed faster with well-documented processes.
  • Enhance Productivity: Teams spend less time searching for information and more time on meaningful work.