---

name: documentation-review description: | Comprehensive checklist and process for reviewing documentation quality including voice, tone, structure, completeness, and technical accuracy.

trigger: |

• Reviewing draft documentation
• Pre-publication quality check
• Documentation audit
• Ensuring style guide compliance

skip_when: |

• Writing new documentation → use writing-functional-docs or writing-api-docs
• Only checking voice → use voice-and-tone

sequence: after: [writing-functional-docs, writing-api-docs]

related: complementary: [voice-and-tone, documentation-structure]

Documentation Review Process

Review documentation systematically across multiple dimensions. A thorough review catches issues before they reach users.

Review Dimensions

1. Voice and Tone – Does it sound right?
2. Structure – Is it organized effectively?
3. Completeness – Is everything covered?
4. Clarity – Is it easy to understand?
5. Technical Accuracy – Is it correct?

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Voice and Tone Review

Check	Flag If
Second person	"Users can..." instead of "You can..."
Present tense	"will return" instead of "returns"
Active voice	"is returned by the API" instead of "The API returns"
Tone	Arrogant ("Obviously...") or condescending

---

Structure Review

Check	Flag If
Hierarchy	Deep nesting (H4+), unclear parent-child
Headings	Title Case instead of sentence case
Section dividers	Missing --- between major topics
Navigation	Missing links to related content

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Completeness Review

Conceptual docs: Definition, characteristics, how it works, related concepts, next steps

How-to guides: Prerequisites, all steps, verification, troubleshooting, next steps

API docs: HTTP method/path, all parameters, all fields, required vs optional, examples, error codes

---

Clarity Review

Check	Flag If
Sentence length	>25 words per sentence
Paragraph length	>3 sentences per paragraph
Jargon	Technical terms not explained on first use
Examples	Abstract data ("foo", "bar") instead of realistic

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Technical Accuracy Review

Conceptual: Facts correct, behavior matches description, links work

API docs: Paths correct, methods correct, field names match API, types accurate, examples valid JSON

Code examples: Compiles/runs, output matches description, no syntax errors

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Common Issues to Flag

Category	Issue	Fix
Voice	Third person ("Users can...")	"You can..."
Voice	Passive ("...is returned")	"...returns"
Voice	Future tense ("will provide")	"provides"
Structure	Title case heading	Sentence case
Structure	Wall of text	Add --- dividers
Completeness	Missing prereqs	Add prerequisites
Completeness	No examples	Add code examples
Clarity	Long sentences (40+ words)	Split into multiple
Clarity	Undefined jargon	Define on first use

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Review Output Format

Note: Documentation reviews use PASS/NEEDS_REVISION/MAJOR_ISSUES verdicts (graduated), which differ from code review verdicts (PASS/FAIL/NEEDS_DISCUSSION).

## Review Summary

**Overall Assessment:** [PASS | NEEDS_REVISION | MAJOR_ISSUES]

### Issues Found

#### High Priority
1. **Line 45:** Passive voice "is created by" → "creates"

#### Medium Priority
1. **Line 23:** Title case in heading → sentence case

#### Low Priority
1. **Line 12:** Could add example for clarity

### Recommendations
1. Fix passive voice instances (3 found)
2. Add missing API field documentation

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Quick Review Checklist

Voice (30s): "You" not "users", present tense, active voice

Structure (30s): Sentence case headings, section dividers, scannable (bullets/tables)

Completeness (1m): Examples present, links work, next steps included

Accuracy (varies): Technical facts correct, code examples work