Organic Transformation of ERP Documentation Practices: Moving from Archival Records to Dialogue-Based, Agile Throwaway Documents

Implementing enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems remains challenging and requires organizational changes. Given the scale and complexity of ERP projects, documentation plays a crucial role in coordinating operational details. However, the emergence of the agile approach raises the question of how adequate lightweight documentation is in agile ERP implementation. Unfortunately, both academia and industry often overlook the natural evolution of documentation practices. This study examines current documentation practices through interviews with 23 field experts to address this oversight. The findings indicate a shift in documentation practices from retrospective approaches to dialogue-based, agile throwaway documents, including audiovisual recordings and informal emails. Project managers who extensively engage with throwaway documents demonstrate higher situational awareness and greater effectiveness in managing ERP projects than those who do not. The findings show an organic transformation of ERP documentation practices. We redefine documentation to include unstructured, relevant information across different media, emphasizing searchability. Additionally, the study offers two vignettes for diverse organizational contexts to illustrate the best practices of agile ERP projects. •The study focuses on the challenges of agile documentation practices, given the complexity of ERP implementation projects.•The research utilizes documentation theory and a socio-technical view of agile practices.•The study reports the fundamental shift in documentation practices and innovations based on field interviews.•Documentation practices have shifted to dialogue-based, throwaway (transient) documents.•Advancement of media technologies and innovations in documentation enable smart documentation practices.