Hey Reader,
This week I have been more active than ever on LinkedIn - jumping into conversations where people are sharing their Confluence headaches and documentation horror stories.
It has been energizing to swap ideas, troubleshoot real problems, and connect with folks who get just how frustrating "the system" can be when no one follows it.
The bonus? I am learning a ton from their experiences too.
If you want to follow along (or join the conversation), follow me here. I am sharing the same no-fluff strategies you see in this newsletter - just in real time with the people living these challenges every day.
📣Spotlight Story
Making Documentation Part of Your Definition of Done
Teams love to treat documentation as "optional." That is how you end up with outdated wikis, onboarding headaches, and knowledge silos.
This week's article walks through exactly how to bake documentation updates into your workflow - so a task is not really "done" until the docs are updated.
You will learn the mindset shift, how to avoid pushback, and practical ways to make this stick without slowing down your team.
💡Weekly Pro Tip
Turn "update the docs" into a trigger, not a task.
Instead of adding "update Confluence" to the end of your checklist, build it into the actual workflow:
- Add a checklist item to your Definition of Done that links directly to the relevant Confluence page.
- Use automation to send a reminder or even open the page in edit mode when a ticket moves to "Ready for Review."
The less people have to remember to update documentation, the more likely it will happen.
❓Question of the Week
How do I get my team to actually care about updating documentation?
Stop trying to convince them it is "important." Make it unavoidable instead. When documentation updates are embedded in the process - paired with the work itself - your team does not have to care, they just have to follow the workflow. Over time, it becomes a habit, not a debate.
🔜Sneak Peek
I will be honest: I have not decided what next week's topic will be yet.
So let us make this collaborative - hit reply to this email and tell me:
What is your biggest Jira or Confluence headache right now?
Your answer might become next week's Spotlight Story.
Well... that's it for this week. See you next week!
Finally aligned,
Josh
