Metric for Documentations/Knowledge Base?

Panther

Is there such a thing as metric for Documentations/Knowledge Base?
Credit/reward staff for creating documentation?
What is such a system called?

For Help Desk, there's metric, SLA, etc.
Numbers showing tickets closed by staff per month, per year, etc.

At the places I've worked, documentation was not credited/rewarded, so staff don't focus on it.

Of course, job security the less you document (or a screw you when you're no longer at the company).

Also, why focus on something the boss don't seem to care about. They're happy that you document, but that's it.

So, is there a way to promote/get people to document? Is there such a metric system for that? Versus just plain old KB that houses the documentations.

UncleB

Panther wrote: »

So, is there a way to promote/get people to document? Is there such a metric system for that? Versus just plain old KB that houses the documentations.

It is best done (in my experience) via objectives set in staff appraisals. This way staff are accountable for delivering a specific list of documentation items within a pre-defined time limit and without it they get less pay rise. This takes away the "work harder and you get rewarded" approach and makes it a "this is your job, don't do it and you get penalised" approach which is pretty much the only way I found to motivate all the staff and not just the enthusiastic ones.

The manager has to own this process and have a matrix of documentation to oversee, then follow up in the monthly 1-2-1 meetings with staff to check on progress, remind them of their to-do list and keep things on track by making sure they have the support to do what is now a part of their role.

I find setting aside a time block for each person to do this work each week is the most effective way - they know when they need to do the task, they have it on the meeting reminder so there is no reason not to be prepared and they are given a break away from the distrations and stresses of support life to complete the task. Allowing headphones for this sort of task is a good way to block out external distractions too.

Any metrics to measure this come from the managers matrix of documentation tasks and these need to be shared fairly amongst the team with all responsible to peer-review (constuctively) so they all know about them and know where they will be stored.

Once complete I set up a review schedule and set staff the tasks to review them in a smaller group and cover off other aspects such as suitability for business continuity and for a more detailed description of the service involved (a case of extending it from a "how to install and common issues" to a "what is for, how does it work, who uses it and what/where does it interact with" doc which breeds subject matter experts with time). This encourages staff to have to dig out the details, learn more and interact with other teams which are great developmental tools for their careers.

I don't think ongoing metrics are very meaningful to be fair - unless at a management level to asses how much of your systems are documented at each level and how many are being successfully reviewed at agreed intervals.