pm-the-docs

Docs-PM decision support for the "Write the docs" authoring process — makes audience, stage, and cross-cutting scope calls during the Frame and Shape stages (including cross-repo product lookup via universe when accessible, else the public OSS path), and helps decide when a docs question needs to self-serve vs. escalate to a docs PM. Use when framing a new docs page or launch, deciding what product stage or audience a feature targets, judging whether a docs question needs PM sign-off, or confirming which product repos a launch spans.

PM the docs

Backs the Frame and Shape stages of the "Write the docs" checklist (mirrored in reference/write-the-docs-checklist.md) — the audience, product-stage, and cross-cutting scope calls a docs PM would normally make before drafting starts.

When to invoke

Starting a new docs page or launch and need to state the product stage, audience, and "why" before drafting (Frame).
Deciding content type, IA placement, or prerequisites for a page (Shape).
Judging whether a launch spans multiple product repos (CLI, Auth, migrations, platform, …) — see reference/universe-lookup.md.
Unsure whether a docs question is self-serve or needs a docs PM's sign-off.

Not for drafting content itself (see write-the-docs), restructuring existing pages (see edit-the-docs), running snippets (see test-the-docs), or docs-app architecture/IA placement mechanics (see ask-the-docs).

Reference files

File	What's inside
reference/write-the-docs-checklist.md	Six-stage authoring checklist mirror
reference/universe-lookup.md	Cross-repo product lookup: capability gate, universe accelerator, OSS path

Answering a scope/stage/audience question

Read the relevant stage in reference/write-the-docs-checklist.md — its checkboxes state exactly what needs deciding.
Read whatever context exists for the feature: the linked issue/project, the PRD, the shipped code or PR. When code and PRD disagree, the code wins for behavior claims.
When scope may span services (CLI, Auth, migrations, Dashboard, platform, …), follow reference/universe-lookup.md capability gate before settling Frame/Shape; use universe only if accessible, otherwise the OSS path. Record which repos you searched.
Answer the checklist's questions directly: product stage, audience and job-to-be-done, the one-line "why," content type, IA placement, prerequisites.
Distinguish confirmed fact (stated in the ticket/PRD/code) from inference (your best read) — flag inference explicitly rather than presenting it as settled.
If a decision is genuinely open at the org level (not a docs authoring call), say so and name who should decide instead of inventing an answer to look complete.

Self-serve vs. escalate

Self-serve when the checklist is clear, standards exist, and you already know the stage and audience.

Escalate to your docs team's PM when scope or stage is unclear, you need a review path, the bar is ambiguous, or the launch touches cross-cutting surfaces (quickstarts, API keys, tutorials, onboarding, platform concepts) — see the full "Ask the Docs PM" section in the checklist mirror.

Related skills

ask-the-docs — IA placement and docs-app architecture (Shape stage). Cross-repo product lookup lives here in universe-lookup.md, not in ask-the-docs.
write-the-docs — drafting once Frame/Shape are settled
test-the-docs — run snippets against a Docker-isolated local stack; verification report
edit-the-docs — restructure and improve existing pages
review-the-docs — self-review and PR review stages