Here at D2 Worldwide, our technical writers cover anything from user manuals, assembly and installation guides, setup guides, product FAQs, product labels, and more. Our technical writing services transform complicated processes into clear language.

Technical writers learn about and research each topic, product, and technology so they can explain it in a way customers understand. Want to learn more about our technical writing processes? Read on for our recommendations on how to approach a project. 

Do: Know the product

Whatever the project may be, the first step to creating technical documentation is knowing the product. If you do not understand how the product works, how can you explain it to others? Technical writers may need to conduct research to fully understand a new product.

Say you are creating a user manual for a TV remote but aren’t sure how the remote buttons are programed. Where should you start? Programming sequences can get complicated, and the order may differ depending on the brand of TV. Research may be required to understand not only how to program the remote but also what people typically use on their remotes. Helpful documentation doesn’t just mean recording a product’s functions accurately, it means presenting information in an order that is helpful to customers.

Assuming how something works or what consumers need can be dangerous. It costs time and money to fix mistakes that could have been avoided. Always double-check and do your own research if you are not certain your documentation is accurate.  

Do: Confirm with your team and research how certain products work if you are unsure. Don’t: Assume that a product works a certain way.

Do: Consider the customer

Understanding your customer is vital to writing successful documentation. Ideally, a document follows the order a product is used in, from assembly, to usage instructions, then troubleshooting. Customers should be able to find whatever section they need just by glancing at your document. Try to keep in mind that while you may be very familiar with how the product works, customers reading the documents are not.

This is where user experience services play a significant role. Our UX (user experience) team researches how people interact with a product, allowing them to help create a user-centered design. UX researchers help technical writers understand the psychology of a customer. They provide fresh eyes on a document, considering what may confuse a customer and what is already understood.

Do: Consider the customer. Don’t: Assume customers know how a product works.

Do: Collaborate with others

At D2 Worldwide, technical writers are not lone wolves. Working with others, like project managers and UX researchers is incredibly important. Our process is unique by utilizing expertise across disciplines. Different perspectives improve documents by offering additional information. For example, graphic designers are crucial to the documentation process as they create user-friendly graphics, design and improve layout, offer insights for pairing text and images, and more.  

Insights from different experts are essential to creating the best work possible. Collaboration is the key to technical content creation. It is all too easy to feel too close to a project. Ask questions. Brainstorm ideas with others. Relying on team members ensures that different perspectives are considered, all for the benefit of the customer.

Do: Work together with other people. Don’t: Try to do it alone.

Creating Successful Documents

Our technical writing process begins with considering different perspectives before even starting a project. Technical writers dig into product and consumer information, aiming to create documents with an empathetic design. They don’t do it alone either. Technical writers, editors, UX researchers, project managers, and graphic designers all work together with the same goal in mind: creating a cohesive, easy-to-use document. Interested in hearing more about D2 Worldwide’s technical writing services? Contact us today for more information.