When reading succinct technical documentation, I see how so many times the documentation attempts to cover everything possible. ~

Most developers want guidance instead of exhaustive details. Developers want to know where they should focus their time and where they can afford to skim over the documentation. And they want to know where they should expect to encounter problems and difficulties.

A simple framework to use when producing succinct technical documentation is to divide the documentation into three sections.

Maps: Identify what type of problems this documentation can assist you with

Defaults: Understand what the majority of people will experience and what to do about it.

Exceptions: Identify when to deviate from the default recommendations.

Succinct documentation does an excellent job of providing clarity by eliminating edge cases. The more clearly the user understands the documentation the more useful the documentation will be during the time where the user is experiencing the most confusion.

The danger is the temptation to simplify the information contained within the documentation to such an extent that the user is left with a large amount of missing information and no method for seeking assistance with incomplete information.

What situations have you encountered where the information contained within short technical documentation has been more helpful than official technical documentation? ~