So, you’re ready? You’ve taken a hard look and admitted that your technical documentation could be, well, better? It now seems obvious that asking your tech people to write user guides really is a bad use of their skills? You’ve made a decision: You’re going to hire a professional to produce technical documentation worthy of […]
If you’re one to believe technical documentation goes unread, you may well end up wondering what the point of investing time and money in technical documentation is. But what if that’s actually not the right question? Technical documentation isn’t literature As Mark Baker points out in Users’ Advocate: Nobody Reads Documentation, “People read novels. They don’t […]
Do you put a lot of effort into finding new customers year after year, but don’t always succeed in building a lasting relationship with them? Let’s take a minute to look over some figures that show why it’s worth investing in customer retention and, especially, how technical documentation can help you do this. It pays […]
As any travel writer knows, readers must be lead to the right destination with suggested itineraries to help them make the most of their trip. The same principle applies to technical writers using the topic-based method. They have to organize the various topics to guide users through their tasks. After all, as Marc Achtelig says, […]
In the topic-based method, every topic meets a goal and so generally corresponds to just one type of information. In our last article, The Topic-based Method, we compared documentation to a chain of islands, where each topic was an island. Now let’s zoom in and see how every island has a main attraction or type […]
In technical documentation, everyone knows the topic-based method is a must. But what is it exactly? In the topic-based method, every topic stands alone Every topic should be independent. This means that when you’re developing a topic, you have to thoroughly answer all questions (who, what, how, when, why). This way, every topic becomes complete […]
Goal-oriented documentation is effective documentation. In this article, we’ll look at how to identify your users’ goals and create content that meets them. Go ahead: ask them! The first step in identifying what your users’ goals and want from your documentation is to ask them! Really! Take a direct approach and formulate open-ended questions like: […]
Before you start writing, even before you think about content, format and technical details, you must first identify your audience. Your typical users While you can’t imagine every reader who may eventually pick up your manual or consult your online support, you can profile your ideal or typical user, a kind of avatar who summarizes […]
Just use the product. Push a few buttons. Shake, shake. Kick! Okay, it’s still not working. Make a few phone calls. You’ll figure it out! Right? Hmm… Actually, a user’s manual might be handy right about now. Reality Think of when you’ve ever been in a pinch: a deadline is looming, your staff is […]
Many managers think that because their staff knows their products like the back of its hand, documentation is best produced in-house. Reality Contrary to what some may think, outsourcing your technical documentation may be a better choice since knowing your product is only part of producing quality documentation. While it’s true that your in-house staff […]
