# Documentation Governance Framework
## Purpose
This document establishes the governance framework for KAIZA MCP documentation as a first-class product with explicit ownership, standards, and lifecycle management.
## Documentation Principles
### Accuracy Principle
All documentation must be technically accurate, verifiable, and aligned with the current codebase. Documentation changes require the same review standards as code changes.
### Version Alignment Principle
Documentation versions are explicitly tied to software releases. Each software release has corresponding documentation with clear version mapping and compatibility information.
### Backward Compatibility Principle
Documentation changes maintain backward compatibility where possible. Breaking changes are explicitly documented with migration guidance.
### Deprecation Principle
Deprecated documentation follows a formal deprecation process with clear timelines, migration paths, and removal notifications.
## Documentation Lifecycle Management
### Version Lifecycle
- **Development**: Documentation created alongside feature development
- **Review**: Technical and editorial review processes
- **Approval**: Formal approval for publication
- **Publication**: Documentation published with specific version
- **Maintenance**: Regular updates and improvements
- **Deprecation**: Formal deprecation process with timelines
- **Retirement**: Documentation retirement and archiving
### Support Policy
- **Current Major Version**: Full support including new features and bug fixes
- **Previous Major Version**: Security updates and critical bug fixes only (12 months)
- **Older Versions**: No support - upgrade required
- **Development Versions**: Best effort support, no guarantees
### Deprecation Policy
- **Notice Period**: Minimum 90 days notice before documentation deprecation
- **Migration Path**: Clear migration guidance to current documentation
- **Archive Access**: Deprecated documentation archived for 24 months
- **Communication**: Deprecation notices published in multiple channels
### Ownership Model
- **Documentation Owner**: Overall responsibility for documentation strategy
- **Technical Writers**: Content creation, editing, and maintenance
- **Subject Matter Experts**: Technical accuracy and review
- **Product Managers**: Feature documentation and user experience
- **Support Team**: User feedback and issue resolution
### Release Alignment
- **Documentation Versions**: Aligned with software release versions
- **Release Notes**: Documentation changes included in release notes
- **Version Mapping**: Clear mapping between documentation and code versions
- **Synchronization**: Documentation releases synchronized with software releases
## Documentation Versioning Strategy
### Version Structure
Documentation follows semantic versioning aligned with software releases:
- **Major versions** (v1.x, v2.x): Significant architectural changes or breaking changes
- **Minor versions** (v1.1.x): Feature additions with backward compatibility
- **Patch versions** (v1.1.1): Bug fixes and minor improvements
### Code-to-Documentation Version Mapping
- **v1.0.0 Code**: v1.0.0 Documentation (feature-complete)
- **v1.0.x Code**: v1.0.x Documentation (patch releases)
- **v1.1.0 Code**: v1.1.0 Documentation (feature additions)
- **v2.0.0 Code**: v2.0.0 Documentation (major changes)
### Directory Structure
```
/docs/
├── v1/ # Current stable version
│ ├── README.md
│ ├── getting-started/
│ ├── architecture/
│ ├── api/
│ └── guides/
├── v2/ # Next major version (in development)
│ └── ...
├── latest/ # Symbolic link to current stable version
└── development/ # Development documentation (unstable)
```
### Version Support Matrix
| Documentation Version | Code Version | Support Status | End of Life |
|----------------------|--------------|----------------|-------------|
| v2.0.x | v2.0.x | Full Support | Active |
| v1.0.x | v1.0.x | Security Only | 2027-01-19 |
| v0.9.x | v0.9.x | No Support | 2026-01-19 |
## Documentation Lifecycle
### Creation
1. **Requirements Analysis**: Documentation requirements defined alongside feature requirements
2. **Draft Creation**: Initial documentation created during development
3. **Technical Review**: Subject matter expert review for accuracy
4. **Editorial Review**: Style, structure, and clarity review
5. **Approval**: Documentation approved alongside code changes
### Maintenance
1. **Regular Audits**: Quarterly accuracy and relevance audits
2. **Update Process**: Documentation updates follow the same review process as code
3. **Version Management**: Clear versioning and change tracking
### Deprecation
1. **Deprecation Notice**: 90-day notice before documentation deprecation
2. **Migration Guidance**: Clear path to current documentation
3. **Removal**: Formal removal process with archive retention
## Quality Standards
### Content Standards
- Technical accuracy verified through testing
- Clear, concise language without ambiguity
- Complete examples and code samples
- Consistent terminology and formatting
### Structural Standards
- Logical organization and navigation
- Cross-references and related content links
- Searchable content with proper metadata
- Mobile-responsive formatting
### Accessibility Standards
- WCAG 2.1 AA compliance
- Screen reader compatibility
- Keyboard navigation support
- High contrast and readable fonts
## Review Process
### Documentation Review Types
1. **Technical Review**: Accuracy and completeness verification
2. **Editorial Review**: Style, grammar, and structure
3. **Usability Review**: User experience and navigation
4. **Compliance Review**: Standards and policy adherence
### Review Requirements
- All documentation changes require at least one technical review
- Major documentation changes require editorial and usability reviews
- Documentation for security features requires security review
## Metrics and KPIs
### Quality Metrics
- Documentation accuracy rate (target: 98%+)
- User satisfaction scores (target: 4.5/5.0+)
- Documentation coverage (target: 95%+ of features)
### Usage Metrics
- Page views and user engagement
- Search success rates
- Support ticket reduction from documentation
### Maintenance Metrics
- Documentation update latency (target: < 7 days from code change)
- Review turnaround time (target: < 3 business days)
- Documentation debt (target: < 5% of total content)
## Governance Roles
### Documentation Owner
Overall responsibility for documentation strategy, quality, and governance.
### Technical Writers
Responsible for content creation, editing, and maintenance.
### Subject Matter Experts
Responsible for technical accuracy and review of specialized content.
### Documentation Reviewers
Responsible for quality assurance and standards compliance.
## Tools and Infrastructure
### Documentation Platform
GitHub-native markdown with static site generator compatibility.
### Version Control
Git-based versioning with release-aligned documentation branches.
### Review Workflow
Pull request-based review process with automated quality checks.
### Analytics
Documentation usage analytics and user feedback collection.
## Compliance and Audit
### Documentation Audits
Annual comprehensive audits covering accuracy, completeness, and compliance.
### Change Management
All documentation changes tracked through version control with audit trails.
### Quality Assurance
Automated testing for documentation links, code examples, and formatting.
---
**Document Owner**: KAIZA MCP Documentation Team
**Review Frequency**: Quarterly
**Last Updated**: 2026-01-19
**Version**: 1.0.0
