Introduction to documentation

125/1, cross 15, main 5, block 2, r t nagar, bangalore, india 560032e: training@openspace.org.in

The communication loop

IDEA?[ABSTRACT]

I D E A[ABSTRACT?]

ARC OF DISTORTION

FEED BACK

Experts?

• Documents fulfil purpose: proposals sanctioned!

• Instinctive.• Science. [Minimise the arc of distortion].• Art. [Unity of mind].• ‘He only told us what we already knew.’

Why document

• Because we forget.• Reach more people.

To • Record.• Inspire.• Inform.

Why document

• Support your work– Why is it important?– What effort went into it?

• Raise credibility.– Become an information

provider on a specific topic.• Generate income.• Share

– Ideas– Experiences.– Knowledge.– Innovation.– New technologies.

Why document

• Capture indigenous knowledge.• Institutional learning.

– Embed values and wisdom in the institution.

• For advocacy– Policy analysis– Part of a campaign

Before you start

• WHY am I documenting this?– To inform. [Das Kapital]– To persuade. [The communist manifesto]– A call to action. [‘Workers of the world unite!’]

Before you start

• WHAT do I want to say?• WHO is the intended reader?

– A real person.– Gender.– Age.– Education.– Rural or urban.– Interests.– Income.– ...and what else she reads.

Before you start

• WHEN is the document needed?• WHERE is the document going to be used?

– Internal.– In libraries.– In the field.– How long does it have to last?

Before you start: How?

• Language.– Which language will be used?– How specialised or how technical?– How formal, emotional or factual?– How simple a vocabulary?

• Which units to use? [This is specially so for translations].• Medium [Which is best: print, audio visual?].• Format [book, brochure...].• Formality of design.• Length.• How much information should be given?

– As much as necessary, as little as possible.– Simplify and reduce.– Do not leave out facts.

The ABCs

All documents should be:• Accurate.

– Facts are sacred, but comment is free.

• Brief.– Be short, be sweet, be gone.

• Clear.– Songs that `people can hum on the way back from

the movie, and whistle during work the next day.'– Short sentences.– Simple words.

ABCDs of documentation

Basic Better Best

A Accurate Appropriate Authority

B Brief Basic Benefit

C Clear Charming Chosen

D Deadline Desired Behaviour Dignity

A brief KISS

‘All documents must have three eyes to see.’– Intelligent.– Intelligible.– Interesting.– Coherent.– Charming.

‘KISS MII.’

‘Rules’

• Proximity.• Pegging: intellectual judo.• Humour.• Contrasts.• Human interest.• Explain.

– Illustrations.– Photographs.– Tables.– Data.

The 3 R’s

• Responsible.• Right information.• Read.

Be sensitive

• Political correctness.– ‘Challenged’ or abilities.– Dalit.

• Keep the different perspectives over time.– Lower caste– Scheduled caste– Harijan– Dalit– Productive caste– Caste name doesn’t matter

[?!].

• Unbiased.– Gender.– Ethnic.– Language.– Age.– Culture

• Short–hand codes.– Merit.– Uniform civil code.– No dowry.– Conversions.– Dharma.

Credit and responsibility

Respect, but not romanticise the people. Value their contribution, but do not undervalue yours.

• ‘As much as necessary, as little as possible.’

Or• ‘As brief as possible, as comprehensive as

necessary.’

Statistics

• Add authenticity to your position.• Are useful only if you have complete data.• Put what is important into tables.• Give a self–explanatory title to the table.• Give from where you got the figures. [Source.]• Explain figures in the text.• Figures are words. They need to be arranged into

sentences and paragraphs.• What do the figures actually mean?• People can relate only to figures between 1–100.

StatisticsIf you did your own research

• Be careful of the methodology.• Recheck and explain any abnormality.• Mention the limitations and strengths of the data.• Why is your data more authentic?• Have complete data.

Case study

Case studies are:• To tell of the impact in the lives of ordinary

people.• To illustrate a point in 20 to 30 words.• A person affected in about 100 to 200 words.• A composite [or fictional] case study.• A quotation from an affected person.

Case study

The story should cover• The situation before the intervention.• The person and her:

– Struggles.– Triumphs. – Emotions.– Support and hostility.– Who, when, where, why...– Feelings.

• The changes that the intervention made.• In the life of the one person and family.• The number ‘replicated’ in the community.• The tasks ahead.

Make documents attractive

• Vary the styles to– Highlight.– Emphasise.– Keep reader interest.

• Use.– Bold.– Underline.– Italics.– ... just a little bit only.

Text design

• Headings and subheads• Indicate the transition of ideas.• Use of white space.• Balance pictures and text.

– Too much text: intimidating.– Too little margins make the book difficult to open

and read.– Too much white space is a waste of

• Paper• Postage.

Illustrations and photographs

• The `movement' should be towards the reader.

• Book: From left to right on the left page, and right to left on the right page.

• Be in the idiom the audience understands.• Have a single message.

– Have a clear message.– Give solid information.– Create emotion.– Be technically good.

Costs involved

Organisational resources:• 20% Documentation and learning.• Documentation needs 10% of

– Time.– People.– Material or infrastructure.– Money.

• Everyone can but one person must:– Collective decision making but individual

responsibility.

Reducing costs

Reduce costs by piggy backing.• Monthly reports: keep the larger purpose in

mind.• Track key indicators continuously.• Package the same material differently.• Develop formats.• Keep adding insights.

Nobody gets it right the first time... but where there is nothing, what you have is the best.

• Small things make perfection...• Little drops of water...• The longest journey begins with a single step...