Building a successful documentation initiative

Kaitlin Newson

Digital Projects Librarian, Scholars Portal

Background

docs.pkp.sfu.ca

github.com/pkp/pkp-docs

• Bi-weekly documentation sprints & monthly planning meetings

• Editing in GitHub UI

• Pull requests reviewed by other team members before merging

• Docs hub is built and pushed by a PKP team member.

Our Process

Build your membership.

Not everyone needs to learn all of the technology.

Start simple.

Track tasks and issues.

Make it clear how to contribute.

docs.pkp.sfu.ca/contributing

Give participants multiple ways to contribute.

Include the community in decision making.

But there are still some challenges too.

• Sonya Betz
• Israel Cefrin
• Rosarie Coughlan
• Vanessa Gabler
• Roger Gillis
• Jeanette Hatherill
• Wayne Johnston
• James MacGregor

• Mariya Maistrovskaya
• Mike Nason
• Amanda Stevens
• Kevin Stranack
• Marco Tullney
• Nate Wright
• Emma Uhl

Contributors

Questions?

@kaitlinnewson

kaitlin@scholarsportal.info