Description of “the business of technical communication”.
Use this article as a checklist when creating documentation for software developers, and support every crucial stage of the developer experience.
The Ideal Documentation Suite for Software Developers Read More »
When interviewing technical writers, make sure you’re evaluating how well they’ll write at least as much, if not more, than the tool you want them to use.
It’s Not About the Tool Read More »
Professions requiring long hours of solitude can cause problems when workers are unaware of the emotional impact of such work.
Emotional Amplification Read More »
Effective technical writers interact with experts enough to gain the knowledge required to explain the technology, but they never overdo it.
The Art of Balance – Optimizing Communications with SMEs Read More »
Do you want to land a job writing API documentation? Here’s how to get started.
How to Get Your First API Documentation Job Read More »
Efforts to restore trust with credible news organizations by focusing on the truth can also teach lessons for how technical communications can elevate culture.
Dealing with Bad Information Read More »
In a previous post, we discussed the context gap—the difference in understanding between technology experts and technology users—created by innovation. One challenge in bridging this gap is the sheer volume of information available to technology users. When new users attempt to find their way through this vast ocean of information, they inevitably make poor choices.
Handling Information Overload Read More »
Some of the smartest people on the planet have a blind spot: They routinely (and dramatically) underestimate the breadth and depth of their own expertise. As a result, Silicon Valley is needlessly littered with carcasses of now-defunct start-up companies once doing brilliant work that was mostly misunderstood. Such failures may be dismissed as being “ahead
Way back in 2012, Doc Searls wrote a prescient book called The Intention Economy: When Customers Take Charge. In this book, Searls foretells a plausible API-enabled world where the power of individuals rises and begins to balance the power of much larger organizations like banks, corporations, and governments. An interesting and hopeful read, Searls starts
Unleash the API economy Read More »
Recent changes in how technology-based products are sold have raised the importance of technical communications. Effective technical communications, namely onboarding, training, and documentation, are now crucial to making the sale. Not that long ago, most IT hardware and software was sold directly by company salespeople or by salespeople working for channel partners. Marketing agencies produced
Game Changer: Your Product **Is** Your Marketing Read More »
Technical documents have a purpose. If you don’t understand the purpose of a document before you start writing it, you may deliver the wrong document. A document specification (doc spec) should define your document before you have a chance to get into trouble.
Quick and Easy Document Specifications Read More »
Do you need a documentation manager, but just for four weeks out of the year? You aren’t alone. Documentation is critical to the task of presenting products to customers, and here are some ideas about doc managers…
Did you know you can rent a doc manager? Read More »