In over 25 years as an IT Systems Engineer, one truth has stayed constant:
A well-configured server is useless if no one knows how to maintain it.
Yet in many organisations, IT documentation is treated as a chore — done in a hurry, buried in a shared drive, or skipped entirely. The result? Wasted time, repeated mistakes, and systems that become “mystery boxes” only one person can operate.
The Hidden Costs of Poor Documentation
- Lost productivity – New staff take longer to get up to speed.
- Inconsistent fixes – Different technicians approach the same problem in different ways.
- Increased downtime – Small errors turn into big outages because procedures aren’t clear.
- Knowledge drain – When key people leave, so does their undocumented know-how.
What Good Documentation Looks Like
High-quality IT documentation is:
- Clear – Written so someone new to the environment can follow it.
- Structured – Organised with headings, numbered steps, and prerequisites.
- Up-to-date – Reviewed regularly, especially after system changes.
- Audience-appropriate – A Tier 1 helpdesk SOP looks very different from an engineering build doc.
Why It Pays Off
When your IT documentation is done properly:
- New staff can contribute faster.
- Senior engineers spend less time answering the same questions.
- Clients and internal stakeholders trust your process more.
- Systems remain maintainable even through staff turnover.
How I Help
As a former IT Systems Engineer, I now specialise in creating:
- Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
- Internal process docs and runbooks
- Knowledge Base articles
- Client-facing technical explainers
I write like someone who’s done the job — because I have. My focus is making complex IT systems understandable, usable, and maintainable.
Want to see examples?
Check out my Portfolio or get in touch to discuss how we can make your documentation the part of IT that isn’t a headache.