Documentation is important, but it is rarely discussed. In this blog, I will discuss what I document and why it is important.
What I Document
- Power BI Reports & Tableau Dashboards: I aim to document all relevant details, including key metrics, provide explanations for the charts, and define the purpose of each chart
- SQL Queries: I ensure that each query includes explanations of what it returns. Additionally, I add comments within the query itself, detailing the purpose and function of each section. This makes it easier for others to understand my work.
- Alteryx Workflow: Organize my workflow into sections using labelled containers in Alteryx. This keeps everything organized and makes it easier to understand what’s happening in each part of the workflow.
Why is Documentation Important
Documentation isn’t exactly fun, but without it, things get confusing. It’s hard to know what’s going on, what’s already been done, and you just end up feeling lost. Here’s why documentation really matters: it helps future me remember why I made certain choices or used specific definitions. It saves time by cutting out all the guessing and figuring out what’s been tried before and it makes communication easier because everyone can follow the logic behind the reports, dashboards, queries, and workflows.
Conclusion
Documentation is necessary, but hardly the most exciting aspect of our profession. It forms the foundation of intelligent and effective data analysis. The key is to maintain and keep it up to date. It’s critical to be consistent and understand how to incorporate it into your habits.