Lean principles are known to challenge several traditional process concepts that follow a flawed approach. Lean 
documents intend to infuse a fresh vibe of out modeling traditional document practices and building concepts based on proven principles. The main idea is to reduce the number of redundant documents and only work towards improving documentation practices. As the general rule, the great documentation should:
- Be easily accessible, and should not be difficult to create or update
- Should not include outdated information, which will be worse than having no information at all
- Must provide required details easily without taking much time or effort
- Must not work as a replacement for human interaction
Top reasons for using Lean Documentation
- Identify how customers can use lean documentation: Lean documentation can help out a lot of divisions within an organization. For instance, a manager can use a summarized form of ongoing work; a debugger can get an overview of the actual problem that needs to be rectified; a developer who can get to know the project insight and from where to start working, and so on.
- Simplified for use: Lean documents are meant to have answers for all the necessary questions. A good document will always be set up in an organized format which makes sorting different grids and solutions much easier. The answers so available are also shorter and to the point, covering all the vital aspects. A shorter document also costs less, while offering simplified ease of use.
- Incorporated Visuals: Lean documents are intended to always include to-the-point information. However, such documents also have the scope of including graphical data which makes understanding the text much easier and quicker. Visuals also help in identifying certain sections of information, while even conveying the message and intent through the visual itself.
- Easier to maintain: Some people may find maintaining lean documentation to be the most challenging task. However, sorting and maintaining only crisp and vital bits of information does help in making this task easier. Besides, once the data has been synchronized in an order, it will only need enhancement in the same format, thereby eliminating the need to try anything more complex or time-consuming.
Lean documentation is highly crucial for creating design history files (DHF) which now form a part of regulation implemented in 1990 by the U.S. Congress. The Congress has passed the Safe Medical Devices Act (SMDA), which defined new set of standards for medical devices that somehow lead to death, serious illness, or some form of injury to a patient.
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