Documentation for distributed agile teams

Distributed teams face unique documentation challenges. When team members work across different locations or time zones, documentation becomes even more critical for sharing knowledge. Without casual office conversations, distributed teams rely heavily on written information to stay aligned.

Asynchronous documentation practices are essential for distributed teams:

• Write clearly since the author may not be available to answer questions right away
• Use visuals like diagrams, screenshots, and videos to explain complex ideas
• Record key discussions and decisions for team members who can't attend meetings
• Include context that might normally be shared through informal chats
• Create a clear organization so information is easy to find

Tools that help distributed teams with documentation include:

• Cloud-based platforms where multiple people can comment, like Confluence or Notion
• Video recording tools to show and explain concepts, like Loom, Berrycast, or Camtasia
• Shared editing environments where people can work together, like Google Docs
• Knowledge bases with good search features, like GitBook
• Diagramming tools the whole team can access, like Miro, Lucidchart, or draw.io