Document analysis

Why

Documentation produced by the company can be a great first resource for understanding the organisation you are working for and their work processes.

How

Ask for the company’s most important internal documents. Typical sources are company or product websites, internal documentation, annual plans and product information. Study those documents to understand the company’s culture and way of working.

Practice

Document analysis is typically performed in the early stages of a project.

Ingredients

• Access to company materials.
• Time to read and comprehend the materials.
• A keen eye for the difference between the paper and the actual reality.
• A clear set of questions about the organisation.

Phases

• Problem definition
• Analysis

Trade-offs

Read more about the trade-offs: Inspiration or Data / Expertise or Fit / Overview or Certainty.