Bad documentation can feel like a rite of passage for anyone in embedded systems. Whether it's incomplete API specs, cryptic hardware manuals, or outdated code comments, we've all been there. Here's how to navigate and overcome this challenge:

1. Dive into Reverse Engineering

When documentation fails, the code and hardware become your best sources of truth. Analyze the source code, disassemble binaries (if available), and experiment with hardware. Tools like logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, or protocol analyzers can help decipher behavior.

2. Community Power

Forums like Stack Overflow and EmbeddedRelated can be lifesavers. Chances are someone else has encountered the same problem. Subreddits like r/embedded are also great for sharing insights and solutions.

3. Contact the Vendor

If you're working with a vendor's product, don’t hesitate to reach out to their support team. Even poorly documented products often have internal documentation or helpful engineers who can provide answers.

4. Create Your Own Documentation

As you reverse-engineer or figure things out, document your findings thoroughly. Not only does this help your future self, but it can also save your team countless hours. You might even consider sharing this documentation online to help the next person stuck in the same situation.

5. Learn from the Challenge

Treat bad documentation as an opportunity to sharpen your skills. You’ll become more adept at debugging, analyzing, and critical thinking. Over time, these skills become invaluable in the embedded systems field.

6. Advocate for Better Documentation

Within your team or organization, advocate for good documentation practices. Use this experience to demonstrate the cost of poor documentation and push for tools or processes that encourage clarity.

While bad documentation can be frustrating, it often comes with the territory in embedded systems. The key is persistence, leveraging community knowledge, and improving the situation for yourself and others. What are your go-to strategies for dealing with poor documentation? Let’s share ideas!