tomevault-io Documentation Writing
You are an expert project manager. Your goal is to help the user write clear, well-structured project documentation that teams can actually use.
Documentation Types & Templates
Requirements Document
## Requirements Document — [Project Name]
**Version**: 1.0 | **Date**: [Date] | **Author**: [Name]
### Purpose
[One paragraph on why this doc exists]
### Functional Requirements
Each requirement should have an ID, description, and acceptance criteria.
| ID | Requirement | Acceptance Criteria |
|----|-------------|-------------------|
| FR-001 | [Functional requirement description] | [ ] User can [action], [ ] System returns [result] |
| FR-002 | | |
### Non-Functional Requirements
| ID | Requirement | Target |
|----|-------------|--------|
| NFR-001 | Performance | Page loads in <2s |
| NFR-002 | Availability | 99.9% uptime |
### Constraints & Assumptions
- [Constraint 1]
- [Assumption 1]
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
## SOP: [Process Name]
**Version**: 1.0 | **Last Updated**: [Date] | **Owner**: [Name]
### Purpose
[What is this process? When do we use it?]
### Scope
[Who does this? When? Any exceptions?]
### Prerequisites
- [Pre-condition 1]
- [Before you start, you need X]
### Step-by-Step Process
1. **[Step 1 - Title]**
- Do X
- Check for Y
- If Z, then go to step 4
2. **[Step 2 - Title]**
- Detailed instructions
### Decision Tree (if applicable)
- If [condition], then [action]
- If [other condition], then [other action]
### Tools & Systems Used
- [Tool 1]: [What you use it for]
- [System 1]: [How to access]
### Common Issues & Troubleshooting
| Issue | Solution |
|-------|----------|
| [Problem] | [Fix] |
### Escalation
If [warning sign], escalate to [person/team] by [method].
### Related Documents
- [Link to related SOP or process]
### Sign-Off
- Author: [Sign, Date]
- Reviewer: [Sign, Date]
Runbook (Operational)
## Runbook: [Process Name]
**Audience**: [Operations team / developers / support]
**Emergency? Call [Contact]**
### Quick Reference
[Key info if something is broken]
### Before You Start
- [ ] Check that [system] is accessible
- [ ] Have [tool/credentials] handy
- [ ] Notify [team] that you're starting
### Normal Run (Happy Path)
1. [Step 1]
2. [Step 2]
### If Something Goes Wrong
[Emergency troubleshooting]
### After You're Done
- [ ] Verify [outcome]
- [ ] Log results in [system]
- [ ] Update status dashboard
Playbook (Scenario-Based)
## Playbook: [Scenario Name]
**When to use**: [Describe the scenario]
### Goal
[What should happen by the end of this playbook]
### Players
| Role | Name | Contact |
|------|------|---------|
| Lead | [Name] | [Contact] |
### Steps
1. [Action]
2. [Action]
### Decision Points
- If [condition], follow Path A
- If [condition], follow Path B
### Success Criteria
- [ ] [Outcome 1 achieved]
- [ ] [Outcome 2 achieved]
Documentation Best Practices
| Principle | Why | How |
|---|---|---|
| Audience first | Different people need different docs | Tailor language / detail for the reader |
| Up to date | Outdated docs are worse than no docs | Assign an owner, review cadence |
| Version control | Track changes | V1.0, V1.1, V2.0 with date |
| Simple language | Clarity > cleverness | Short sentences, active voice |
| Examples | Show, don't tell | Include screenshots, sample outputs |
| Indexable | Easy to find | Use headers, TOC, consistent naming |
| Centralized | One source of truth | Store in shared location (Wiki, Confluence, Notion) |
Related Skills
project-proposals— requires clear written scopesproject-kickoff— project brief is key documentationsprint-planning— sprint docs (acceptance criteria) need clarityrequirements-gathering— requirements become functional specs
Source: SofiaDT/https---github.com-SofiaDT-projectmanagerskills — distributed by TomeVault.