Build Documentation That Gets Used: A 2-Hour Interactive Workshop for Python Package Maintainers

When: Thursday, 6 November 2025
Where: Interactive webinar with live demos
Cost: $149 (Early Bird) $199 (Regular)
- Student:

Your Python package deserves documentation that works as hard as your code. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn the strategic framework behind great documentation and walk away with templates, checklists, and a clear plan to transform your package’s documentation.

This workshop is part of pyOpenSci’s commitment to building better research software through improved documentation practices. Whether you’re a seasoned maintainer or new to packaging, you’ll gain practical tools to create documentation that actually helps your users succeed.

Workshop Structure

Part 1: Documentation Strategy (30 minutes)

User vs Contributor Framework - Finally understand who needs what
Documentation Planning Worksheet - Strategic approach to content planning
Live Package Audit - See how to evaluate existing documentation

Part 2: Build Your User Documentation (30 minutes)

5-Minute Tool Decision Framework - MkDocs vs Sphinx made simple
User Documentation Checklist - Never miss critical content again
Sphinx Setup Walkthrough - Using pyOpenSci’s proven template
Customization Demo - Make it yours

Break (10 minutes)

Part 3: Essential Contributor Documentation (30 minutes)

Contributor Documentation Checklist - What contributors actually need
Live Audit with Contributor Lens - See the difference in perspective
Community Contribution Processes - Set clear expectations

Part 4: Get Your Docs Online (20 minutes)

Hosting Decision Framework - GitHub Pages vs Read the Docs
Q&A Session - Get your specific questions answered

Why attend

Learn the strategic framework behind documentation that gets used
Get production-ready templates and checklists you can use immediately
Understand the critical difference between user and contributor documentation
See live demos of documentation setup and customization
Learn from pyOpenSci’s experience reviewing hundreds of packages

Perfect for you if…

You maintain a Python package that people struggle to use
You spend too much time answering the same questions over and over
Your documentation exists but nobody seems to find what they need
You want contributors but they don’t know how to get started
You’re tired of guessing what documentation to write

What you’ll walk away with

Documentation Strategy Template - Reusable planning framework
User & Contributor Checklists - Never miss important content
pyOpenSci Sphinx Template - Production-ready starter
Decision Frameworks - Tool selection made easy
Workshop Recording - Reference it anytime

Your instructor

[Instructor Name] brings [X years] of experience in scientific Python packaging and has helped [X] packages improve their documentation through pyOpenSci’s peer review process. As [title/role], they understand both the technical and community aspects of great documentation.

Early Bird Pricing

Early Bird: $149 (Save $50!)

Regular Price: $199

Early bird pricing ends [date]

Limited to 50 participants for maximum interaction

Refund Policy

Full refund available up to 24 hours before the workshop. We want you to be completely satisfied with your learning experience.

Ready to transform your package’s documentation?

Register: [REGISTER BUTTON LINK]
Questions: [contact email]
Community: Join our Discourse forum for package-related discussions

This workshop is part of pyOpenSci’s mission to build a more diverse and inclusive scientific Python community. We support the Python tools that scientists need to create open science workflows.

You can also:

Check out our Python Package Guide for comprehensive packaging guidance
Submit a Python package to pyOpenSci for peer review
Keep an eye on our events page for upcoming training events

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Build Documentation That Gets Used: A 2-Hour Interactive Workshop for Python Package Maintainers