Product · Document
Documentation that keeps up
Documentation is the first thing to fall behind when data changes. Drafting it automatically, and asking a person to approve, keeps it current.
What gets documented
Dataset summaries
What the dataset contains, where it comes from, how often it changes and who maintains it.
Column definitions
Plain-language meaning, units, allowed values and known quirks for each field.
Change notes
What changed between versions, written for the people who use the data, not only those who built it.
Usage notes
Licences, access rules and appropriate uses, so data is shared on clear terms.
Why it matters
Well-documented data is easier to find, reuse and trust. This is the heart of the widely used FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable), published in Scientific Data in 2016.