Lorna Mitchell: Writing Documentation Engineers Will Actually Read

4 snips

Jan 28, 2025

Lorna Mitchell, an open source advocate and technical writer, shares her expertise on creating documentation that engineers actually read. She discusses the vital role of documentation in software maintainability and the challenges of reviving old projects like RST2PDF. Lorna emphasizes API governance and introduces four levels of API readiness to enhance usability. Additionally, she shares practical tips for improving technical writing using tools and strategies that make complex information accessible and relatable for developers.

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ANECDOTE

Maintaining RST2PDF

Lorna maintains RST2PDF, a Python library, despite not being a Python developer.
She and her co-maintainer adopted the abandoned project and modernized it.

ADVICE

Handing Over Projects

Handing over a project depends on its nature and your role.
Ensure key players have necessary access and support before stepping back.

INSIGHT

OpenAPI Explained

OpenAPI is a machine-readable standard for describing APIs in JSON or YAML.
It facilitates interoperability with tools like documentation generators and API gateways.

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Join Robby as he chats with Lorna Mitchell, open source advocate and technical writer, about the art of creating documentation that doesn’t gather dust. Lorna shares her experiences as a maintainer of the open source project RST2PDF, the value of API governance, and how documentation bridges gaps in developer experience.

Highlights:

What Makes Software Maintainable: Characteristics like great documentation, automated tests, and onboarding ease.
Documentation's Role in Long-Lived Software: Why it’s crucial for internal tools and open source projects alike.
Open Source in Practice: Lorna’s journey with RST2PDF and adopting a tech stack she wasn’t initially fluent in.
API Governance Simplified: Lorna explains the four levels of API readiness and how teams can work toward more usable APIs.
Writing Documentation for Engineers: How style guides can empower contributors without overwhelming them.
Using Tools to Improve Documentation: From linters to prose-checking tools like Veil, Lorna discusses practical tips.

Key Takeaways:

[00:01:00] What makes software well-maintained: documentation, accessibility, and automated tests.
[00:03:10] Why documentation isn’t just for new users—Lorna’s experience with revisiting her own open source projects.
[00:06:30] Diving into rst2pdf: Challenges in maintaining an abandoned project.
[00:13:45] Balancing ownership and transitioning open source projects to new maintainers.
[00:15:30] What is OpenAPI, and how does API governance impact usability?
[00:26:10] The art of concise yet helpful documentation for different audiences.
[00:33:00] Using examples in APIs to enhance clarity and reduce confusion.
[00:40:00] Tools for improving writing, from prose linters to markdown syntax checkers.

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