Does My Business Really Need a Technical Writer?

Forma&ed: Centered

Have you ever had the experience where the update on your phone just won’t install, or your

computer is running slowly and you are trying to present in front of your class? What about whenif you just

want to turn on the movie screen in your new car so your kids will stop screaming, but you just can’t figure

out how? Chances are, most of us have experienced a “technical difficulty” at one point or another

throughoutduring our lives, and we have turned to technical documentation to tell us how to fix the problem.

More often than not, however,, the documentation we need can’t be founded to help us with our specific

problem doesn’t exist on athe company’s website, so we have to call the company’s customer service Commented [EN1]:
Commented [EN2]: Could you be more specific about
department. After waiting on hold for at least an hour, we get connected to some customer service what kind of company?

representative who usually either doesn’t know the answer, or ends up transferring us to three other people

before the solution is discoveredachieved.

What if I were to tell you, that if every company were to hire a good technical writer, these issues

could be almost be eradicated almost completely, and valuable time and money saved? Technical writers

spend their time creating clear and concise documentation that helps bridge the gap between product and

consumer. This documentation is placed in an easily accessible location, so that customersinstead of the

customer having to spend hours on hold, they can find the solution to their question in a matter of minutes

rather of spending hours on hold. What else does a technical writer do? How can they help yourmy business?

Read on to see the top ten10 ways hiring a technical writer can improve your business. Commented [EN3]: This should be your title.

1. Technical Writers Tailor Documents to Your Audience

Knowing one’s audience is the first step to in creating clear documentation. Documentation should be Commented [EN4]: Pronouns: You or one. Try to be
consistent with whichever you choose.
written very differently for those that created the product creators, thaen for those who actually end up using Commented [EN5]: Making this not passive would fix
up the beginning of this sentence.

the product users. Technical writers often research theirdo audience research to ensure that the
documentation they create can serves their audience in the best way possible. A tOften the audience of

technical writer’s audience can often befalls into one of the following categorized by the followinges:

1. Company Directors: tThese are the people that run the company and fund product crthe creation of

the product. They often know what they want the product to do, but often don’t have a lot of in-depth

technical knowledge. They are usually looking for documentation that is short, clear, and to the point.

The documentation for directors can include technical terms and processes that the end user would

not know about , but should be kept to a minimum.

2. Creators: tThose that create the product. These people have in-depth technical knowledge and often

want documentation presented in a short, technical form, full of acronyms. When writing

documentation for this audience, technical writers shouldn’t be afraid to use jargon; —this audience

has the knowledge to understand it.

3. Employees: Writing documentation for employees is similar to writing documentation for the Commented [EN6]: For consistency's sake, you might
want to add a tiny description of what employees are,
even though it's obvious.
company’s directors. This audience has a fairly in-depth knowledge of technical processes, but often

needss slightly longer documentation that is slightly longer than that given to the of the directors.

EThe reason for this is, employees change often, and newcomers may need longer documentationn

can be needed for training purposes.

4. End Users: The end user . . . Tthis audience is often the most valuable asset for the company, as the Commented [EN7]: Try not to use "often" so often. ;)

documentation for all other audiences is usually written with the aim of f being able to creatinge the

best product for them end user. End users usually don’t have any specific technical knowledge, so

technical writers to writekeep the documentation simpllye, explain concisely yet, but thoroughly, and

not try not to include any jargon.

2. Technical Writers Know Who to Ask

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 Although knowing who to ask when one runs into a problem may seem simple, not every employee has

this skillset. Because technical writers generally often work with an entire companiesy, they have a

specialized knowledge of each team, and what each team does. Technical writers often have to do research

on a wide variety of topics pertaining to the company, , so they become well-versed in knowing who to ask

when a problem arises. Because of this skillset, even if a technical writer doesn’t have a background in your

company’s area of expertise, you can rest assured they will be able to learn the information they need—and

may even become a valuable asset when issues arise.

3. They Save You Time and Money

This point was mentioned briefly in the introduction, but it is so important that Iit will be explain ited Commented [EN8]: Please don't shy away from
personal pronouns in favor of passive language. If you
do, you kill your voice.
again. Although it may seem like taking on an additional employee may be costly, having a technical

writer will save the company time and money in the long run. Firstly, with clear technical documents

posted on the website, end users won’t need to call the company’s customer service department as often

when a problem arises, and this will save the company time and money. Furthermore, the company ore, Commented [EN9]: Be more specific.
Commented [EN10]: If you say firstly, you should
in terms of internal documentation, the company can save e money on training resources if it has the probably also say secondly, thirdly, and so on.

technical writers create a training documents for each new employees. CAlso, creating documentation

can also take time away from another employee’s valuable project work. Having a technical writer or

two(s) allows each employee to focus more fully on the work they are best at.

4. They Create Needed Documentation

It is no secret that most employees try to avoiddespise creating documentation and try to avoid it at all

costs. However, companies need documentation is needed to ensure that business processes are documented

and clearly communicated to customers. Hiring a technical writer can takealleviate this pressure from other

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employees, allowing them to focus on their own specific work, and also ensuring that the documentation

actually gets done.

5. They Organize Your Workflow

Technical writers often create something called project documents, —which can help organize a

project. If you invite technical writers to your project planning meetings, they can create documents that

communicate the objectives, timeline, and budget of the project. They can also create aAdditional documents

can also be created that show the tasks needed to complete the project on time. This organization iscan be

vital toin helpinging your team understand why the project is important, and what they need to do to

accomplish the project. Furthermore, these documents can be used as a reference point when the project is

completed to show what went well , and what could be improved.

6. They Create a Professional Image for Your Company

A good technical writer has an advanced knowledge, of spelling, grammar, and how to writinge with

a professional tone. As most every business has a public website, having a technical writer create the

materials for your website can can contribute to the professional image of your company. Potential Commented [EN11]: Words like this riddle your paper.
Can, can be, could be, often, usually if you really want
to make your case, switch can and could for will, and
clients often look at your website first to decide if they want to use your product and services, so state things more absolutely.

wouldn’t you want it to be as polished as possible?

7. Technical Writers Have an Advanced Knowledge of Content Development Tools

Do you ever wish you had the time to learn how to use Wa Wiki and the Adobe Creative

Suite? What about WordPress, other web development platforms, Box, and the Office Suite,

Wordpress, and other web development platforms? Professional technical writers take it upon

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 themselves to continually learn about new content development tools, and they know whichhat tools

willould be best for your company’s goals.

8. Technical Writers Have a Unique Point of View

A technical writer isn’t your typical employee. TOften, heytechnical writers don’t generally not have

the a background in the technical skills necessary to complete the project, but more often than not this

can be a good thing. It is this unique perspective that allows technical writers to take a step back and see

wthat points would actually be valuable to customers. This also allows technical writers to create

documentation in a way that iswould be useful for the end user, as more often than not, they are

frequently the end users themselves.

9. Technical Writers Know How to Ask the Right Questions Commented [EN12]: This section should be next to
section 2.

In one majormany ways, being a technical writer ’s role is like being that of a journalist. They

both need to know how to ask the right questions to create the right “story.” Asking the right

questions not only shows a the technical writer’s credibility, but also allows them to get the needed

information in an efficient manner. Technical writers will know how to ask the right questions to the

right people in order to create well-most rounded documentation for your company.

10. Technical Writers Know How to Write Concisely

It really is true that “less is more.” Technical writers understand what isthe important enough

to points to include in a document, and what is notto leave out so that. Because of this, theyt they

create a documents that their audience actually wants to read. Technical writerss often understand the

principles of user experience, and will not create documentswhat document type will be too long to

hold the readers’’s attention.

This article has shown you how hiring a technical writer can help take your company to the Commented [EN13]: Rewrite this setence to be more
natural and human.
next level. Not only can tTechnical writers can not only create clear, important documentation with

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 speedquickly and efficiencytly, but they arecan also be vital to projectin the organization and of a

project, professionalthe professional image of your organization, and they will save you time and

money. So, what are you waiting for? Hire a technical writer, and you will understand firsthand what

they can do for your company! Commented [EN14]: Adorable ending. Good paper,
good info. Needs a read through for clarity,
consistency, and concision.

Bio

Ever since I was very young, I have absolutely loved to read. Some of my favorite books are The

Scarlet Pimpernel, Catch 22, 1984, and Ella Enchanted. My love of reading eventually translated into a love

of writing and editing. Today I work as a technical writer and editor to help businesses create clear,

professional documents.

I grew up in the cold, but beautiful land of Alberta, Canada, and decided to move to the United States

to attend school at Brigham Young University. I am graduating in December 2019 with a degree in

communications, and minors in editing and business.

Throughout my schooling, I have had the opportunity to work at a wide variety of jobs in the fields of

technical writing, editing, journalism, and project management. More specifically, I have worked writing and

editing for a technology company, a newspaper, and various magazines. I have also expanded my skillset to

become a freelance editor. I believe my work experiences have given me the skills I need to write clearly and

effectively—no matter the topic.

Because of my field of study and my experience, I believe that I can help you craft and refine any

professional documentation, website content, books, and marketing materials that you need. You can rest

assured that I will work quickly and efficiently to deliver quality work to you on time, every time. Commented [EN15]: Cute, concise, and persoal. Well
done.

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