Skill #28: Researching as a Tech Writer

The Not-Boring Tech Writer

All of the help resources tech writers create, such software documentation, video tutorials, or blog posts, require research. Imagine creating a document to explain a new feature before, say, even understanding how customers actually use the feature.

Tech writers use several different resources to research the information they need, including conversations with developers and support and reviewing support tickets. But, if you’re like many writers, we’ll often seek too much information and face information overload, uncertain what to document.

Or, as we’ll learn from this episode’s guest, we miss an opportunity to research the domain in which we work—a must for any tech writer, no matter their industry.

That’s why, in this episode, we have Margaret Eker on the podcast: tech writer at Magento, an Adobe company, and somewhat longtime friend since our days hiking in the forests of Portland Oregon for Write the Docs 2016.

Margaret prides herself as a researcher. And, countless times, has witnessed her work and relationships with her colleagues flourish when she dedicates herself to understanding the domain in which her company exists.

In this episode, Margaret shares how you can boost your research skills as a technical writer, including how tech writers traditionally research new features, why tech writers should research the domain in which they work, and which steps you can take today to boost your research skills.

Show Notes:

• Margaret on LinkedIn
• Margaret on Twitter
• Bri Hillmer on creating just-in-time documentation