Key insights from 444 documentation experts — technical writers, product managers, engineers, and leaders — on how teams build, measure, and evolve their documentation.
Source: stateofdocs.com — Published by GitBook
At a Glance
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Documentation experts surveyed | 444 |
| Leaders say docs influence purchase decisions | 90% |
| Say AI will impact documentation | 87% |
| Don’t track any doc metrics | 39% |
Who Responded
Insights from a diverse cross-section of the documentation industry.
| Dimension | Breakdown |
|---|---|
| Roles | Technical writers, managers, engineers, support teams, designers, marketers, developer advocates |
| Company Size | From solo freelancers to giant global enterprises — most at small businesses or large enterprises |
| Regions | Primarily North America and Europe, with strong input from Asia/Pacific, South America and Africa |
Docs Drive Business Decisions
90% of leaders said documentation is “extremely important” or “somewhat important” when making a purchasing decision — yet only 35% believe their own docs impact conversion.
Activation docs that help users see value quickly are a major competitive advantage, making users more likely to stick around and become long-term customers.
| Finding | Detail |
|---|---|
| 90% influence | Leaders cite docs as important for purchase decisions |
| Only 35% confidence | Believe their own docs impact conversion |
| 50%+ say docs = marketing | Docs generate as many leads as the marketing site |
Documentation Team Structure
How organisations staff and organise their documentation efforts.
| Pattern | Description |
|---|---|
| Technical Writers Lead | In most organisations, technical writers lead the way — but product managers and engineers also play a major role in creating and updating docs. |
| Growth = Formal Teams | As companies grow, they’re more likely to set up formal documentation teams that shift from centralised to decentralised or hybrid structures. |
| The Danger Zone | Mid-sized companies are hit hardest — engineering teams grow fast while docs teams stay small, leaving critical features undocumented. |
Metrics & Measurement
Most teams still struggle to measure the true impact of their documentation.
| Metric | Finding |
|---|---|
| 39% | Don’t track any documentation metrics at all |
| 50%+ | Say docs generate as many leads as their marketing site |
| 33%+ | Don’t measure how effective docs are at onboarding new users |
| ~50% | Don’t track success for troubleshooting docs despite 80% calling them effective |
“The best teams combine hard metrics — like usage numbers and onboarding speed — with real user feedback.”
Tooling & API Docs
| Metric | Finding |
|---|---|
| ~80% | Say API docs are more important than they were five years ago |
| 77% | Use homegrown methods — fewer than 1 in 4 use a framework like Diataxis |
| 75% | At least somewhat centralised, but 25% are spread across multiple platforms |
Version control platforms like GitHub and GitLab are the most common tools for managing documentation. API docs are no longer just technical references — they’re a key part of product strategy.
The biggest challenge? More than half of teams say keeping docs up to date is their top priority, and they’re looking for tools that can handle updates automatically.
AI & the Future of Docs
AI is reshaping how teams create and deliver documentation — but human expertise remains essential.
| Metric | Finding |
|---|---|
| 87% | Say AI will be at least somewhat impactful |
| 42% | Expect docs to adapt automatically to what users need in real time |
| 25% | Believe docs will be primarily authored for large language models to read and process |
| 30% | Still aren’t using any AI tools in their documentation workflow |
Key Takeaways
Connect Docs to Business Outcomes
Documentation teams need to tie their work directly to conversion, activation, retention, and customer satisfaction. When you show how docs drive real results, it’s easier to get leadership support.
AI Augments, Not Replaces
AI handles routine work like first drafts, formatting, and personalisation — but writers are still critical for strategy, structure, and accuracy. The best teams set clear boundaries between AI tasks and human expertise.
Quality Matters More Than Ever
Clear writing, accuracy, strong examples, and good structure are essential — both for human readers and for AI systems that rely on clean, detailed inputs. No amount of tooling compensates for poor fundamentals.
Data sourced from the State of Docs Report 2025 by GitBook. SystemDox helps teams create professional documentation faster — from voice recordings to structured, enterprise-grade documents in minutes.