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Writing technical documentation that the average person can understand takes some skill. Even if you know your product through and through (maybe you were even involved in designing it), that doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to be an expert at translating this knowledge into documentation that makes sense to your audience.
If you’re ready to publish your technical documentation but want to make sure it’s as polished as possible before you do so, here are six questions to ask yourself first:
Who is This Documentation For?
It’s easy to get so caught up in writing technical documentation that you lose sight of who you’re actually writing for. Before publishing, go back and double-check that all content has been written and optimized for your specific target user. If it hasn’t, see how you can alter the wording and delivery to appeal to the right person.
What Problem Does it Help the Reader Solve?
The whole purpose of technical documentation is that it helps your readers solve a problem. If it’s not clear what that problem is or exactly how your product resolves it, it’s time to step back and reassess. A professional technical writing team like DevDocs can help you meet your audience’s goals with problem-led docs that should reduce support requests.
What Does the Reader Need to Do First?
The last thing you want is to frustrate your users by beginning your content an unclear starting point. So, when you’re reviewing your technical documentation prior to publication, make sure it covers everything they need to know about setup, including any prerequisites and access requirements. You need this context to prevent readers from dropping off early.
Are We Using Internal Language that Customers Won’t Understand?
When your internal team speaks using language that makes perfect sense to you, you might find that it slips into your customer-focused technical documentation. This assumed knowledge can be frustrating and off-putting for your readers, possibly even affecting how they perceive your brand or product. If you’re able to, ask a non-expert to review your documentation and rate their understanding before you go ahead and publish it.
Does the Structure Make Content Easy to Scan?
Most readers will skim something before they start reading, as a way to determine whether they have the brainpower and patience to commit to the job. If your content’s structure is all over the place or mostly consists of long, rambling paragraphs, it may need a review. Make sure you’re using plenty of headings, numbered lists, and bullet points, so that your long-form content flows nicely.
Have We Explained Why This Matters, Not Just How It Works?
Ultimately, your readers want to understand the impact and outcome(s) they can expect from using your products. So, while explaining how it works is obviously important, you also want to translate this into what that means for them. It’s an opportunity to continue with your content selling strategy, just more subtly, with the necessary context to improve follow-through.
