DocumentMode is when a Wiki contribution is written in the third person and left unsigned. The piece of text is community property; it may have multiple and changing authors as it is updated to reflect the community consensus. This is in contrast to ThreadMode, where comments which are usually signed and in the first person, and rarely edited by people other than the one who signed them.

Wiki excels at DocumentMode. Many pages start off with an OpeningStatement which declares a piece of wisdom or begins to describe something. It might be a pattern or a concept or a thing with a name. The rest of the page may then be the feedback. For example, requests for clarification of what the OpeningStatement means, or comments of agreement or disagreement perhaps supplemented with supporting evidence one way or the other.

Often the feedback is in ThreadMode. Sometimes, after a discussion has reached a consensus, someone will distill the information and advice, creating a new DocumentMode version which incorporates what has been learned.

See also MovingFromDocumentModeToThreadMode.