How to Write Project Documentation: Examples & Templates

High-quality project documentation has long-term value. It not only helps to ensure the success of the project, but it also serves as a reference for future projects and initiatives!

At its core, project documentation is the pulse of any project. It connects everything needed to run the project successfully.

Documentation must be extensive enough so development can progress. But flexible enough so modifications or adjustments can be made in response to different situations.

Let’s take a closer look at the primary types of project documentation, along with others typically buried within inboxes that should be organized into project management software. We’ll also share examples and project documentation templates that can help make this process go smoothly. ⚒️

What Is Project Documentation?

Project documentation is any type of written material that describes the details of the steps taken throughout a project’s life cycle. This includes the project scope, planning, development, change control, assessments, and quality assurance reports. Sharing information makes sure everyone has the right context to get their work done efficiently. 

Good documentation helps with collaboration, communication, training, and problem-solving throughout the lifecycle of a project. 

More importantly, project documentation plays an important role in the success of any project by providing details for informed decision-making.

22 Types of Project Documentation With Examples & Templates

Documentation connects people with the right content at the right time. 

Having the proper project documents is key to successfully managing a project from start to finish. A variety of documents, such as diagrams, timelines, policies, reports, meeting minutes, and project plans come together to provide a comprehensive overview. 🌐

Plus, maintaining accurate documents is required for reviews and audits, helping us track what’s been accomplished and keeping everyone accountable for their part!

Here are the most common types of project documentation in project management. To make this easier for you, we’ve grouped these project documentation examples according to the project phase they’re relevant to.

Phase: Project initiation

a. Project proposal

Owner: Primary stakeholder, sponsor
Contributors: As needed

A project proposal document outlines the objectives and scope of a proposed project. It’s typically written by the project’s stakeholders in order to secure approval and necessary funding for the project. 

The document typically includes an executive summary, background information, objectives or goals, proposed methods, projected timeline, budget, and risks. After approval, the project manager uses the document to write the project charter.  

b. Project charter

Owner: Project manager
Contributors: As needed

A project charter is a document illustrating a project’s objectives and scope based on the project proposal. It’s the first document that serves as a foundation for the project team’s work. 

While drafting the project charter, it’s the perfect time to make sure you have a solid understanding of the project. Take careful consideration of the project schedule, goals, objectives, and scope. It requires close attention to details and the needs of stakeholders.

If the project has circumstances such as working with cross-functional teams or company-wide impact, you’ll likely have a short list of stakeholders from different areas:

Documenting the necessary stakeholders ahead of time will help prevent scope creep later in the project!

Discover project charter templates & team charters!

c. Risk assessment

Owner: Project manager or risk manager

Contributor: Project team, Subject matter experts (SMEs), Stakeholders

This is a document identifying potential risks that could impact the project. It also includes an assessment of their likelihood, severity, and possible impact. Risk assessment helps anticipate issues, find mitigation strategies, and assign responsibilities for risk management.

Leverage ’s Risk Assessment Whiteboard Template to prioritize risks and visualize their impact on the project. 

d. Kickoff meeting agenda

The kickoff meeting agenda is a structured list of topics to be discussed with stakeholders and the project team during the initial project meeting. It helps to set expectations and align teams on project goals. 

e. Stakeholder register

A stakeholder register is a document listing all the individuals or groups impacted by the project or having influence over it. This is a critical project document, especially in large projects with multiple stakeholders. 

The information in it, such as each stakeholder’s interest and influence levels, communication preferences, and contact details, helps to ensure that stakeholder interests, expectations, and communication needs are effectively managed.

’s Stakeholder List Template helps project managers effectively manage stakeholder relationships. This centralized resource enables them to identify, classify, and organize all stakeholders involved in a project. By actively maintaining this list, project managers gain real-time insights into each stakeholder, including their level of interest and decision-making authority.

Phase: Project planning

a. Project plan (or scope of work)

Owner: Project manager
Contributors: Department leads

A scope of work document is a detailed description of the work that needs to be done on a project. It outlines the objectives, tasks, deliverables, timeline, cost estimate, dependencies, and any other relevant information to guide your project team to success. 

Additionally, the project plan should discuss any potential risks or challenges that could happen during the course of the project, and propose solutions for handling them.

Learn how to write a scope of work document!

b. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

Owner: Project manager

Contributor: Team leads, SMEs, project team

A work breakdown structure (WBS) breaks down the project into smaller, manageable components or deliverables. It clarifies the project scope, tasks, and deliverables while ensuring nothing is overlooked.

By organizing project deliverables hierarchically, the work breakdown structure makes allocation and tracking work easier. You can build a WBS on the basis of project phase, deliverables, or responsibilities. 

c. Project schedule

Owner: Project manager

Contributor: Team leads, project team

A project schedule is a detailed timeline of tasks, milestones, and deadlines to guide project execution. A well-planned project schedule ensures timely progress by organizing tasks in a logical sequence and identifying dependencies.

It includes all timelines, start and end dates, and task dependencies. 

’s Project Schedule Template is designed to help you plan and manage project schedules with ease. Use the Project Phases View to organize tasks into different phases and set up deadlines.

d. Resource plan

Owner: Project manager

Contributor: Team leads, procurement team, HR

A resource plan outlines the personnel, tools, materials, and facilities required to complete the project. It helps project teams allocate resources efficiently, avoid overallocation, and manage budgets effectively.

It specifies resource types and quantities, lays out a resource allocation schedule, and includes a contingency plan for any shortfalls.

’s Resource Planning Template helps project managers plan, track, and optimize project resources. 

e. Communication plan

Owner: Project manager

Contributor: Stakeholder engagement lead, team leads, project team

A project communication plan is a strategic document that specifies how project information will be shared among stakeholders and team members. It helps project managers improve collaboration by ensuring consistent and transparent communication. 

The project communication plan includes details such as communication goals, roles and responsibilities, frequency of communication, communication channels, etc. 

Kickstart your project communication plan with ’s free fill-in-the-blank Communication Plan template. It allows you to effortlessly incorporate your company’s organizational structure, conduct essential PEST and SWOT analyses, and outline the tools your team utilizes.

f. Risk management plan

Owner: Risk manager or project manager

Contributor: Project team, SMEs, stakeholders

This is a comprehensive project document detailing the processes for identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks throughout the project. It minimizes the impact of risks and ensures readiness to address unforeseen challenges.

A project risk management plan typically includes risk identification and assessment processes, risk monitoring guidelines, and mitigation strategies. 

’s Project Management Risk Analysis Template is designed to make risk analysis easy and efficient so you can keep projects on track. 

g. Budget estimate

Owner: Project manager or financial analyst

Contributor: Project sponsor or client, procurement, team leads

A project budget estimate is a financial projection that outlines the expected costs of completing the project. It helps secure funding, monitor expenses, and ensure the project stays within financial limits.

The estimated budget for a project includes direct costs, such as materials, and indirect costs, such as administrative costs. The total cost is broken down into project phases or deliverables for better control.  

Simplify project cost management with the Project Cost Management Template by . 

Phase: Project execution

a. Project status report

Owner: Project manager
Contributors: All team members as needed

A project status report covers the current state of the project written for key stakeholders and project leaders. Status reports are typically sent on a weekly basis by the project manager, who condenses large amounts of data and task progress.  

It generally shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes to read and includes these key information:

• The project’s overall key milestones are summarized in a few words: Scoping, On Track, Blocked, Delayed, At Risk, Cancelled, or Complete
• Major project tasks, activities, decisions, or updates since the last status report 
• Key issues and risks (For example, tight timelines with task dependencies) 
• Blockers (For example, bugs or pending stakeholder approvals)
• Any small/big wins, problems solved
• Next steps

b. Project change management plan

Owner: Project manager 
Contributors: Stakeholders 

A change management plan outlines the processes, procedures, and resources required to apply changes to a project’s deliverables, team members, or strategy. It helps maintain control of the scope and ensures all stakeholders are fully aware of changes being implemented. 

The plan typically includes: 

• An overview of the change
• An assessment of the impact of the change
• A communication plan for stakeholders
• A timeline for each stage of the process
• New tools and resources required to implement the change
• New roles and responsibilities related to the change
• A list of potential risks associated with the change

Make this step simpler with the Change Management Template from .

Learn more about how project change management plans in help teams stay on track! 

c. Issue log

Owner: Project manager

Contributor: Team leads, project team, stakeholders

An issue log is used to track and manage issues that arise during the project. It has space for adding issue descriptions and priority levels, owners, status, and details of the resolution. 

This essential project document ensures that issues are addressed promptly and effectively to avoid delays or disruptions.

d. Meeting minutes

Owner: Meeting facilitator or project coordinator

Contributor: Attendees

A meeting minutes or MoM document summarizes the discussions and decisions from a project meeting and lays down the action items along with the names of the responsible parties. 

By creating a formal record of each meeting, effectively created meeting minutes ensure accountability and transparency. 

Phase: Project monitoring and reporting

a. Progress reports

Owner: Project manager

Contributor: Project team, team leads

A progress report is a document that provides updates on the status of the project, including milestones achieved, work completed, and any issues encountered. It keeps stakeholders informed about the project’s progress and highlights any areas requiring attention.

Using progress report templates can help standardize this important project documentation across all your projects. 

b. Timesheets

Owner: Team members or resource manager

Contributor: Team members

Timesheets provide a record of the time spent by team members on various project tasks. They track resource utilization, monitor productivity, and support accurate billing or cost tracking.

The timesheet for a project team member would capture their hours worked, tasks performed, and dates and duration of work. 

Phase: Project closure

a. Project post-mortem (or retrospective)

Owner: Project manager
Contributors: As needed 

A project post-mortem is a reflection document capturing key outcomes and lessons learned from a project. Post mortems should include an assessment of the project’s overall effectiveness, along with an analysis of any challenges and the tools used for project completion. 

The project manager creates the retrospective document, and all project team members contribute their feedback and questions. This can help the team become more aware of blind spots, identify areas of improvement, call out specific project successes, and develop better methods of problem-solving!

Check out the best Sprint Retrospective templates for teams, or get started with ’s Retrospective Brainstorm Template!

b. Project closeout report

Owner: Project manager

Contributor: Stakeholders, project sponsor or client

A project closure report is a document summarizing the project’s performance, achievements, and final deliverables upon completion.

It provides a formal closure to the project by assessing outcomes against the objectives. It typically includes a project summary with objectives and deliverables, key challenges and highlights, and a stakeholder approval or point of view. 

Templates like ’s Project Closure Template can help you wrap up projects with confidence. 

c. Lessons learned document

Owner: Project manager or facilitator

Contributor: Project team, stakeholders

This is a forward-looking project document capturing the experiences, successes, and challenges encountered during the project. It helps future projects avoid mistakes and replicate successful strategies by reflecting on past performance.

Taking inputs from team members and stakeholders, the lessons learned document brings out what went well, what could have been better, and recommendations for future projects. 

d. Client sign-off documentation

Owner: Project manager

Contributor: Client representative

This project document is a formal record of the client’s approval of the project deliverables and acceptance of the completed work. It provides confirmation that the project has met client expectations and is ready for closure.

How to Create Effective Product Documentation

Creating effective project documentation is essential for project success, team alignment, and stakeholder communication. Follow these steps to ensure your documentation is clear and actionable throughout the project lifecycle.

Step 1: Define the scope and purpose of the document

This is a preparatory step before you start to create your project documentation. 

Clearly identify the goals and objectives and what needs to be documented. This will help you decide what kind of documentation you need.

Also, consider the audience that will use this documentation, as this will determine the ideal format and structure. 

For example, IT project documentation for a technical audience would need specific and detailed information. On the other hand, for a progress update to leadership, you might need a succinct list that they can quickly read and digest.

Step 2: Choose the appropriate format and tools

Select the format (e.g., text document, spreadsheet, visual chart) and tools (e.g., Word, Excel, , Google Docs) that best suit the document’s purpose and audience.

For example, when creating a project schedule, you may prefer to use Gantt chart software to visually present timelines and dependencies.

Step 3: Outline your document

Organize the document into logical sections with headings, subheadings, and bullet points for easy navigation. Use charts, diagrams, and images where these can enhance stakeholder understanding. 

For example, for meeting minutes, structure the document with sections for date, attendees, agenda, key discussion points, decisions made, and action items.

Step 4: Write and improve the project document 

With the structure in place, add relevant information to your document. Include all necessary details without overwhelming the reader with unnecessary information.

Use clear and concise language and consistent terminology and formatting to make the document easy to read and understand. 

For example, keep the same tone and format for all your weekly project reports to make them easy to follow.

Step 5: Review and validate the document

Have the document reviewed by relevant team members or stakeholders to ensure accuracy and completeness. Revise the documentation based on feedback received and check for any errors before finalizing it.

For example, for a change management plan, ask team leads to review the proposed change request process for feasibility.

Step 6: Assign ownership and contribution roles

Clearly identify who owns the document and who contributes to its creation and updates.

For example, an issue log will be owned by the project manager, and team leads will contribute by reporting issues.

Step 7: Publish and share the document

Determine how the documentation will be shared (e.g., shared drive, project management software, website) and send it out accordingly. Ensure that the documentation is accessible to all relevant stakeholders and teams.

Ideally, use a centralized location or project management tool for document storage and ensure all stakeholders have appropriate access.

For example, you could create a project schedule and resource plan in a platform like and share it with your audience with a secure link.

Step 8: Update the document as needed

Ensure the document stays relevant by regularly updating it throughout the project lifecycle. Continuously gather feedback from users to improve the documentation, and use version control to track all changes.

For example, the project progress report should be updated regularly to reflect current project status, milestones achieved, and any new challenges.

By following these steps, you can create project documentation that is effective and valuable in driving project success and continuous improvement.

Best Practices for an Effective Project Documentation Process

Keeping track of project documentation takes a considerable amount of effort if you’re updating multiple channels of communication. And sometimes you’re sending the same information to different channels.

Here are the best practices for creating project documents in project management:

1. Use project documentation tools

Creating effective and useful project documentation takes time and effort. You can reduce this by leveraging tools for project documentation.

Platforms like can help you create project documentation collaboratively, share it securely, and keep it updated. They also offer handy project documentation templates that can get you off the mark quickly.

Many of these tools also have AI capabilities to help you create error-free project docs quickly and standardize them.

Brain’s AI can generate drafts based on your notes, suggest content improvements, and even help keep the documentation up-to-date. By centralizing and streamlining the documentation process with a sophisticated AI assistant, your team can focus on more strategic tasks while keeping everyone informed and aligned with the project objectives.

2. Build it collaboratively

Working together on documentation allows for different perspectives to be included, which can increase engagement and alignment. 

Enable stakeholders and team members to contribute to the creation of project documents using tools for brainstorming and collaboration. If the team is remote or distributed, ensure that you provide a secure sharing option.

Check out the top document collaboration software!

3. Start early and document often

Documenting a project early and often is important because it guides the work with the right context. 

Project members can avoid wasting time trying to figure out why certain decisions were made or how something was supposed to work. 

And if you’ve ever waited until the last minute to document your time, tasks, and statuses, you know firsthand the mental energy it takes to get it done! (We’ve all been there.) 🙋

4. Update existing project documents whenever necessary 

It isn’t enough to create and share project documentation.

Industry standards, customer needs, and internal procedures are constantly changing. This means that project documents need to be updated regularly to ensure they remain efficient and relevant. This is where an online project documentation software with automatic version control will be useful. With version control, users can rely on the accuracy of your information.

5. Create and use project document templates

Project templates are useful tools for teams to quickly and efficiently start new projects. They provide a standard process to follow and a reusable framework for the project, saving time and effort in setting it up from scratch. 

Build standardized templates for documents that you and your team have to use frequently.

If you need a fast-track solution to start documenting your projects the right way, get your team into ’s Project Documentation Template! Collaborate in real-time or async and even assign comments within the Doc to keep communication in one place.

6. Add visuals whenever possible

Adding visuals to project documentation helps stakeholders and team members understand the content by making it more engaging, easier to comprehend, and more memorable. Visuals have the power to convey a point quickly, allowing for more efficient communication of complex topics. 

They also help to break up large blocks of text, making the content more readable. Visuals can be used to explain relationships between different pieces of data and elements, creating a deeper understanding of the context. 📊

7. Archive completed projects

Archiving projects is important for a few key reasons:

• It allows us to refer back to past solutions that may be applicable to current or future projects
• It serves as a record of our growth and project success, helping us to recognize our strengths and identify areas for improvement
• It creates a shared understanding of the goals and objectives behind our processes, helping everyone on a team work more productively
• It provides an efficient way to compare old and new versions of the same project and see how the design has developed over time
• It offers actionable insight into the development process of a project

Long-Term Benefits of Project Documentation

Project documentation is an essential part of any project, providing not only a record of the project’s progress but also important information for future decision-making and planning. 

An indispensable archive of all the decisions, changes, and discussions associated with a given project allows teams to have past reference points to draw upon, making it easier to track progress, address technical issues, and avoid costly mistakes in the future. 🔮

Here’s what your team can look forward to with high-quality documentation: 

• Increased process efficiency: Project documentation provides a reference for future projects, enabling future teams to understand the purpose and context of the project and avoid having to reinvent the wheel
• Enhanced knowledge retention: Through documentation, team members are able to share their expertise with each other and pass on their knowledge to future teams, helping to ensure that important skills and knowledge aren’t lost over time
• Improved collaboration: Project documentation helps facilitate better communication between teams as all relevant parties have access to the same information, allowing for more informed conversations between team members
• Greater accountability: Documentation helps create a chain of responsibility and accountability, which helps prevent confusion and that accountability remains clear when members come and go
• Higher team morale: Documentation improves overall team morale, as it helps with communication, collaboration, and accountability, which makes it easier for team members to work together
• Improved workflow: Well-structured, up-to-date project documentation can help streamline workflow by providing an easily accessible source of information for project teams
• Better staff onboarding: Project documentation allows for faster onboarding of new staff as they can quickly become acquainted with the project and its progress by studying the documentation
• Reduced errors: Documentation provides a single reference source that can be used to ensure all teams are working from the same information. This reduces the chances of errors caused by misunderstandings or discrepancies between versions of a project
• Increased visibility: Documentation such as a business agreement or contract provides access to information that is up-to-date and accurate, thus increasing the visibility of the project and its progress for stakeholders

How to Choose Project Documentation Software

When it comes to project documentation, the right software can make a world of difference. However, not all tools are built the same way. Here are some steps to help you choose the best one for your needs:

• Determine Your Needs: Before you can effectively choose a project documentation tool, you first need to determine what you require from it. What scale of projects will you be working on? What kind of documents will you need to create and manage? Will you need real-time collaboration features?
• Consider Your Budget: The cost of software can vary greatly. You would want to find a tool that offers all the features you need within your budget. Additionally, consider the flexibility of the payment plan. Is it a monthly or annual subscription? What happens if you need to switch plans or cancel your subscription?
• Assess User-Friendliness: The last thing you want is a system so complex that it hinders productivity. User-friendliness is a critical factor to consider. A steep learning curve can slow down work and frustrate teams. Choose a tool that’s easy to navigate and intuitive to use.
• Check out Collaboration & Sharing Features: If your team often works collaboratively on projects, it’s vital that your documentation software has real-time collaboration and sharing features. It should be easy for team members to share, review, and comment on documents within the platform.
• Integration with Other Tools: Even the best project documentation software may not completely replace all the other tools your team uses. Therefore, it’s crucial to ensure that the software you choose can easily integrate with your existing systems like management tools, communication platforms, or file storage services.
• Technical Support & Customer Service: Quality customer support can be invaluable when you encounter an issue. Ensure your chosen software provider offers reliable, efficient, and robust customer service and technical support.
• Flexibility and Scalability: Your project documentation software should be able to grow with your business. Ensure that it’s flexible enough to accommodate your future needs and scalable enough to handle a larger volume of projects or more extensive team collaboration.
• Security and Data Protection: Security is paramount when it comes to project documentation. Make sure that the tool you choose prioritizes data protection and privacy.
• Test the Software: Most software providers offer free trials or demos. Take advantage of these to familiarize yourself with the software before making a final decision. You’ll have a better sense of whether the tool meets your requirements and if it’s easy to use for your team.
• Read Reviews: Lastly, browse online reviews and testimonials from other users to gain insights into the software’s strengths and weaknesses. Reading about others’ experiences can help guide your decision and set realistic expectations.

By paying attention to these tips and considering your project needs and budget, you’ll be better equipped to find the right project documentation software. Remember, the best tool for you is one that streamlines your workflow, enhances collaboration, improves efficiency, and fits seamlessly into your project management process.

Why Choose for Project Documentation Management

Here are just some of the reasons why is your ideal documentation software:

• Docs: Create, edit, and collaborate on documents directly within . Link project docs to tasks, embed content, and use rich text formatting for organized and visually appealing project documentation
• Nested pages: Organize documentation into a hierarchy with nested pages for improved structure and easy navigation
• Screen recording: Document processes visually by making and sharing quick screen recordings with Clips
• Real-time collaboration: Enable team members to edit docs simultaneously, leave comments, and tag colleagues for feedback or input
• Version history: Track changes and revert to previous versions of documentation if needed
• Task linking: Link documentation to tasks, subtasks, or projects, ensuring context and easy access to relevant resources
• Custom templates: Create reusable document templates for standardizing project documentation processes
• Search functionality: Use Connected Search in to quickly locate specific documents, tasks, or keywords across the workspace and connected apps
• Permissions and sharing: Control access to documentation with custom permissions, making it easy to share with internal or external stakeholders securely
• Docs home: Work efficiently with a centralized hub for managing all project-related documentation in one place.

In addition to all this, you have other features and tools that bring all your project management activities together in one single platform.

• Whiteboards for team brainstorming and turning ideas directly into tasks
• Chat for sharing updates and keeping teams connected wherever they are
• Automation of repetitive tasks like status updates, notifications, or recurring tasks to save time
• Goals to document, share, and track project goals
• Real-time Dashboards to keep teams aligned on project progress
• Multiple views to track project tasks the way you wish, including Gantt charts and Kanban boards
• Integrations with tools like Google Drive, Dropbox, Google Calendar, and Zoom for seamless collaboration and resource sharing

Project Documentation Made Easy in

Project documentation is essential for teams to stay organized, on-task, and successful. With , teams can streamline their project management and workflow processes, giving them the power to stay organized and be more productive. ⚡️

No more wasted time trying to track down scattered files and documents caused by multiple sources. Everything is accessible on one platform. Get started with for free!

Explore article topics