session-documentation

What this skill does

# Session Documentation Skill

## Overview

Effective documentation transforms workshop sessions into lasting value. Good documentation captures not just what was said, but what it means and what to do next.

## Documentation Principles

### 1. Capture in Real-Time
Document during the session, not after. Memory fades quickly.

### 2. Use Participant Language
Record ideas in words participants used. Don't reinterpret.

### 3. Make It Scannable
Use headers, bullets, tables. Busy people skim.

### 4. Focus on Actionability
Prioritize decisions and actions over discussion notes.

### 5. Include Context
Future readers need to understand why, not just what.

## Types of Documentation

### 1. Session Artifacts (Primary Output)

The comprehensive record of a workshop session.

**When to Create**: After every workshop
**Audience**: Participants, stakeholders, future reference

**Structure**:
```markdown
# Workshop Session Artifacts
## [Title] - [Date]

### Session Overview
[Table with topic, date, duration, participants, facilitator]

### Objectives
[What we aimed to achieve]

### Ideas Generated
[All ideas, organized by theme, with votes if applicable]

### Decisions Made
[Clear decision statements with context]

### Action Items
[What, Who, When]

### Key Insights
[Patterns, surprises, implications]

### Next Steps
[What happens after this session]
```

### 2. Quick Reference Card

One-page summary for easy follow-up.

**When to Create**: After action-oriented workshops
**Audience**: Action owners, quick reference

**Structure**:
```markdown
# Quick Reference: [Workshop Title]
Date: [Date]

## Top Ideas
1. [Idea]
2. [Idea]
3. [Idea]

## Key Decisions
- [Decision]
- [Decision]

## Action Items
- [ ] [Action] - @[Owner] by [Date]
- [ ] [Action] - @[Owner] by [Date]
```

### 3. Idea Inventory

Comprehensive catalog of all ideas generated.

**When to Create**: After brainstorming or ideation sessions
**Audience**: Product teams, future planning

**Structure**:
```markdown
# Idea Inventory: [Topic]

## Summary
- Total Ideas: [N]
- Themes: [N]
- Selected: [N]

## Complete List

### IDEA-001: [Title]
- Description: [Full description]
- Theme: [Category]
- Source: [Who proposed]
- Votes: [N]
- Status: [Selected/Parked/Archived]
- Notes: [Context]
```

### 4. Decision Log

Formal record of decisions made.

**When to Create**: When significant decisions are made
**Audience**: Governance, future reference

**Structure**:
```markdown
# Decision Log

## D-001: [Decision Title]
**Date**: [Date]
**Decision**: [Clear statement]
**Context**: [Why needed]
**Options Considered**:
1. [Option A]
2. [Option B]
**Rationale**: [Why this choice]
**Made By**: [Consensus/Authority]
```

### 5. Action Tracker

Living document for follow-up.

**When to Create**: After every workshop with actions
**Audience**: Action owners, managers

**Structure**:
```markdown
# Action Tracker: [Workshop]
Last Updated: [Date]

## Summary
- Total: [N] | Completed: [N] | In Progress: [N]

## Actions
| ID | Action | Owner | Due | Status |
|----|--------|-------|-----|--------|
| A-001 | [Description] | [Name] | [Date] | [Status] |
```

## Capturing During Sessions

### Real-Time Capture Techniques

**For Ideas**:
- Number each idea (IDEA-001, IDEA-002...)
- Capture exact words when possible
- Note who contributed (optional)
- Mark energy level (lots of discussion? building?)

**For Discussions**:
- Key points only, not transcription
- Capture "aha moments"
- Note disagreements
- Record questions raised

**For Decisions**:
- State decision clearly
- Note who agreed
- Capture any concerns
- Record conditions/caveats

### What to Capture vs. Skip

**Always Capture**:
- Ideas generated
- Decisions made
- Action items (who, what, when)
- Voting results
- Key insights
- Unresolved questions

**Usually Skip**:
- Side conversations
- Process discussions
- Repeated points
- Personal anecdotes (unless insightful)
- Off-topic tangents

### Capture Tools

**Physical**:
- Sticky notes on walls
- Flip charts
- Whiteboard photos
- Paper forms

**Digital**:
- Shared documents
- Digital whiteboards (Miro, Mural)
- Collaboration tools
- Recording (with permission)

## Post-Session Processing

### Clean-Up Checklist

1. **Organize**: Group by theme, remove duplicates
2. **Clarify**: Fix unclear items while memory fresh
3. **Complete**: Fill in gaps, add context
4. **Verify**: Check accuracy of key items
5. **Format**: Apply consistent structure
6. **Review**: Quick read-through for quality

### Processing Tips

- Do within 24 hours while memory fresh
- Add context that wasn't captured
- Remove redundancy
- Check for completeness
- Verify action items have owners

## Documentation Templates

### Session Artifacts Template

```markdown
# Workshop Session Artifacts
## [Workshop Title] - [Date]

---

## Session Overview

| Attribute | Value |
|-----------|-------|
| **Topic** | |
| **Date** | |
| **Duration** | |
| **Participants** | |
| **Facilitator** | |

## Objectives

- [ ] [Objective 1]
- [ ] [Objective 2]
- [ ] [Objective 3]

---

## Ideas Generated

### Theme 1: [Name]
| # | Idea | Votes | Status |
|---|------|-------|--------|
| 1 | | | |
| 2 | | | |

### Theme 2: [Name]
| # | Idea | Votes | Status |
|---|------|-------|--------|
| 1 | | | |

---

## Voting Results

| Rank | Idea | Votes |
|------|------|-------|
| 1 | | |
| 2 | | |
| 3 | | |

---

## Decisions Made

| ID | Decision | Rationale |
|----|----------|-----------|
| D-001 | | |

---

## Action Items

| ID | Action | Owner | Due | Priority |
|----|--------|-------|-----|----------|
| A-001 | | | | |

---

## Key Insights

### Insight 1: [Title]
**Observation**:
**Significance**:
**Recommendation**:

---

## Parking Lot

| Item | Follow-up |
|------|-----------|
| | |

---

## Next Steps

1.
2.
3.

---

## Appendix

### Raw Notes
[If applicable]

### Glossary
| Term | Definition |
|------|------------|
| | |
```

## Quality Checklist

Before finalizing documentation:

- [ ] All ideas captured and organized
- [ ] Voting results included (if applicable)
- [ ] Decisions clearly stated
- [ ] Every action has owner and due date
- [ ] Key insights extracted
- [ ] Next steps defined
- [ ] Parking lot items noted
- [ ] Context sufficient for future readers
- [ ] Consistent formatting throughout
- [ ] Proofread for clarity

See [templates.md](templates.md) for additional templates.