Documentation Domination: How to Build a Knowledge Sharing Culture in 4 Easy Steps

1. Liz Gray
Knowledge Management Lead
Braintree
@elcgray
Documentation Domination:
Carolyn Sinon
Technical Communicator
Braintree
@carolynsinon
How to Build a Knowledge Sharing
Culture in 4 Easy Steps

2. Worked at Braintree for the
past four years, founded
Docs team in 2014
Moved into education as
Director of Technology
Started working in
tech at Apple
Liz Gray: Knowledge Management Lead

3. Function as the Operations
Liaison for Braintree’s
Documentation team
Started working in tech
at Groupon
Carolyn Sinon: Technical Communicator
Focus: Community and
collaboration

5. 2007

6. 2011 Ranking:
#47Inc. 500’s Fastest Growing Companies

7. “Online Payments Service Braintree
Acquires Social Payments Startup
Venmo for $26.2M”
Posted Aug 16, 2012 by Frederic Lardinois

9. “Braintree’s Payments
Platform Launches Across
Europe and Canada”
Posted Aug 29, 2012 by Sarah Perez

10. “Braintree launches in Australia!”
Nov 14, 2012

14. Support the people who
support our customers

15. Confluence
Technical documentation
Policy
Procedure
Internal audience

16. Articles
Walkthroughs
Product guides
Reference material
Less technical audience

17. API Docs
Walkthroughs
Product guides
Reference material
Technical audience

18. Where We Started
Problems We Encountered
Four “Easy” Steps
Measuring Progress
Agenda

19. Where We Started
Problems We Encountered
Four “Easy” Steps
Measuring Progress

20. Multiple wikis Google Docs White Boards Post-It Notes

21. ?
?
?
?
? ?

22. ?
?
?
?
? ?

23. http://www.blogcdn.com/www.mandatory.com/media/2013/05/tumblrmlqr8szgqd1rw9dz1o1400.gif

24. The system wasn’t working

26. • Easy to use
• Easy to modify
• Content migration
• Expansion options
Needs

35. Build a Docs army

36. Communicator
Detail-oriented
Self-starter
Self-learner

37. Braintree Docs team today

38. Where We Started
Problems We Encountered
Four “Easy” Steps
Measuring Progress

39. http://www.funnyjunk.com/Not+so+happy+caturday+fj/funny-gifs/5166462

40. The most challenging aspect
of knowledge management is
fostering a documentation-
minded culture

41. https://recodetech.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/tumblr_luhh7dbohs1qlqu5co1_500.gif

42. http://i.imgur.com/T2CqX2U.gif

43. http://i.imgur.com/JbTdlZr.gif
https://notesfromachair.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/will-ferrell-bush.gif
http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/552fe495ecad043e4ae8a4d8/hammond%20as%20gore%20.gif

44. We asked
ourselves Why does it matter that they
contribute?
Why is it valuable to them?
How do we get people to
want to be involved?
What happens if they don’t?

45. Where We Started
Problems We Encountered
Four “Easy” Steps
Measuring Progress

46. Tip 1:
Provide lots of training
resources and be prepared
to repeat yourself

50. Tip 2:
Encourage participation

51. BTU 411
Early introduction
Encourage participation
Create personal spaces
Promote experimentation

52. Weekly Update
Internal communication
Team updates
Product updates
Fostering community

53. Tip 3:
Get leadership buy-in

54. Tip 4:
Plan for rapid growth

55. 0
1250
2500
3750
5000
M
arch
2013
Septem
ber 2015100
1.209
790
4.080
Pages Users
Page and User Count

56. Where We Started
Problems We Encountered
Four “Easy” Steps
Measuring Progress

57. “Want” became “need”

58. Poll employees

59. • How regularly do you use the wiki?
• How critical is it to your job?
• How accurate is it?
• How easily can you find what you need?
• What would you like to see change
or improve?

60. 93%of employees regularly use the wiki for their jobs

61. What we
learned
May 2015
The wiki is considered to be a
necessary tool for employees, but
the accuracy of some of the
information is still questionable

62. What we’re
doing
Start at the door
Ensure that wiki training is a part of
every new hire’s education
Continuing education
Introduce tips and tricks for better
wiki use via Weekly Update PSAs
Dedicated resources
Hire someone to focus entirely on
improving the wiki

63. 95%of employees regularly use the wiki for their jobs

64. 3,5
3,6
3,7
3,8
3,9
May November
3,6
3,9
Regularity of Use

65. 3,4
3,475
3,55
3,625
3,7
May November
3,5
3,7
Criticality of Wiki

66. 0
1,25
2,5
3,75
5
May November
3,5 3,5
Accuracy of Content

67. 3,19
3,218
3,245
3,273
3,3
May November
3,2
3,3
Searchability

68. “I think even having like a Docs check-
in person per team so you know who
you can hound to fix things or give you
truth might be helpful.”

69. “I wish it was easier to add things.
There are so many things I learn
that should be wiki-ed, but it’s so
much effort to update.”

70. “more consistent title names”

71. “more uniformity”

72. “searchable keywords”

74. Mar Apr Jun Aug Oct Dec Feb AprMarJanNovSepJulMay
20152014

75. Information overload

77. • Create a taxonomy
• Establish a controlled vocabulary
• Eliminate outdated and duplicate
information
• Identify content experts that can help
oversee quality and accuracy of
department-specific content
• Establish a tiered permission structure

78. Conclusion

79. http://0.media.collegehumor.cvcdn.com/85/69/324b9d1f355f7af5753bc9d61fb3174b.gif

80. Tip 1:
Provide lots of training
resources and be prepared
to repeat yourself

81. Tip 2:
Encourage participation

82. Tip 3:
Get leadership buy-in

83. Tip 4:
Plan for rapid growth

84. http://38.media.tumblr.com/e95bd2a317c632ad00fce24bbf9385ca/tumblr_mloa08X1v91rq3i3ro1_500.gif

85. Thank you!
Liz Gray
Knowledge Management Lead
Braintree
@elcgray
Carolyn Sinon
Technical Communicator
Braintree
@carolynsinon