My best team tool is not another app
How real-time writing makes us truly agile
For years as a product manager, I wore my resistance to documentation like a badge of honor. It wasn't that I didn't care—I cared so deeply it kept me up at night. But, I'd seen too many "100-page requirement docs." They became digital paperweights, never opened after being made.
My shield? Two key principles of the Agile Manifesto:
"Individuals and interactions over processes and tools"
"Working software over comprehensive documentation"
I wielded these against the very idea of documentation.
At first, my documentation-light approach felt liberating:
Discussions crackled
Ideas evolved organically
Nothing felt set in stone too early
But in our fast-moving, hybrid world, the cracks began to show.
Verbal communication alone was like trying to build a skyscraper with just a hammer.
Without clear writing, our brainstorm sessions would lead to confusion by morning.
My wakeup call was named Mandy
Enter Mandy, a program manager. Her ruthless clarity was like sandpaper against my "keep it fluid" philosophy. She kept pushing me and Stan, a junior PM I was mentoring, to write down our vision.
My responses? Pure poetry of deflection:
"We need to keep the problem space open"
"This is about iterative learning"
"Documentation kills creativity"
The truth? I was protecting Stan, who was struggling. He couldn't write clearly and wouldn't take ownership. I wrapped my enabling behavior in fancy Agile platitudes.
Our team was drowning in ambiguity.
The shift to hybrid work meant casual chats could not patch our gaps in understanding.
I remember the day out of sheer desperation I did something simple that transformed my approach:
Opened a blank document
Shared my screen
Started writing live during our team meeting
The live writing didn't just capture our discussion—it elevated it and became a catalyst for clearer thinking. The document linked our current knowledge to future action.
My new reality
Now, as a founder, this lesson shapes everything we do. Writing isn't about controlling outcomes or being perfect. It's about:
Creating shared understanding
Enabling real collaboration
Making space for creativity to build on itself
Turning good ideas into great outcomes
In today's world, work moves at the speed of thought. Teams are more connected by pixels than by proximity. So, clarity isn't just nice to have—it's essential.
The simplest way to achieve clarity is often the best. Write it down, right now, together, in front of everyone.
To transform your team's collaboration start with a blank document. Watch as ideas crystallize, confusion clears, and your team aligns in real-time.
Sometimes, the best solution isn't to find something new. It's to find the courage to do something simple, together.
And to ensure there's no doubt about where we're going next.