Honestly I sometimes write a design doc even if no one else will read it. It can be as short as a few sentences, if needed. The main benefit is it forces you t

Honestly I sometimes write a design doc even if no one else will read it. It can be as short as a few sentences, if needed. The main benefit is it forces you to: 1. Think strategically, not tactically, about what you're about to build. Beyond just "I need to get this working now". 2. It makes sure you can describe what you're about to do in plain English (or plain English plus some diagrams). If you're struggling to do that it's probably a sign you need to rethink your approach. Obviously, the organizational benefits described in the link are really important, too, but if all you've done is just 1 and 2 above that's already worth your effort.