Documentation Standards¶
Purpose¶
Documentation preserves the institutional knowledge of the moderation team.
A well-documented case allows any qualified staff member to understand what occurred, why a decision was made, and what evidence supported that decision.
Good documentation promotes consistency, supports appeals, and protects both players and staff.
When Documentation Is Required¶
Documentation should be completed whenever a significant moderation action is taken.
This includes:
- Official warnings
- Strikes
- Kicks
- Temporary bans
- Permanent bans
- Administrative actions requiring review
- Significant investigations
- Any case leadership requests to be documented
Minor reminders or educational conversations generally do not require formal documentation unless they establish important context.
Documentation Standards¶
Documentation should always be:
- Accurate
- Objective
- Complete
- Professional
- Understandable by another staff member
Write factual observations rather than personal opinions.
Avoid sarcasm, emotional language, or assumptions.
Required Information¶
Each documented case should include:
- Player name
- Steam ID (if available)
- Discord username (if applicable)
- Date and time
- Staff member responsible
- Applicable rule(s)
- Summary of events
- Evidence reviewed
- Administrative action taken
- Reasoning for the decision
- Review status
- Additional notes, if necessary
The goal is to provide enough information that another staff member could fully understand the case without additional explanation.
Evidence¶
Whenever possible, documentation should reference or preserve supporting evidence.
Examples include:
- Server logs
- Chat logs
- Screenshots
- Video recordings
- Witness statements
- Staff observations
Evidence should remain attached to the case whenever practical.
Writing Style¶
Documentation should describe what happened—not what staff believe happened.
Prefer statements such as:
The player disconnected approximately five seconds after entering combat.
Instead of:
The player obviously combat logged.
Whenever possible, describe observable facts before drawing conclusions.
Timeliness¶
Documentation should be completed as soon as reasonably possible.
As a general standard, significant actions should be documented within 24 hours.
Delaying documentation increases the likelihood that important details will be forgotten.
Corrections¶
If documentation contains an error:
- Correct the mistake promptly.
- Preserve transparency regarding significant changes.
- Avoid deleting important historical information without explanation.
Documentation should reflect what actually occurred.
Confidentiality¶
Documentation often contains sensitive information.
Case records should remain accessible only to authorized staff members.
Do not share:
- Internal notes
- Evidence
- Staff discussions
- Investigation records
outside approved staff channels unless authorized by leadership.
Long-Term Value¶
Every documented case contributes to the team's institutional knowledge.
Well-maintained documentation helps staff:
- Identify behavioral patterns.
- Resolve future appeals.
- Maintain consistency.
- Train new moderators.
- Improve moderation procedures.
Good documentation benefits the entire community long after an individual case has been closed.