How can technical documentation improve the onboarding experience for new users?

3 Make it easy to find and navigate

The third step to creating good technical documentation is to make it easy to find and navigate. Users should be able to access your documentation from anywhere, anytime, and with minimal effort. You need to organize your documentation in a logical and intuitive way, using clear and consistent labels, headings, categories, and tags. You also need to provide search functionality, navigation menus, breadcrumbs, links, and buttons that help users find what they are looking for and move between different sections. You should also make your documentation responsive and adaptable to different screen sizes and resolutions.

4 Keep it up to date and accurate

The fourth step to creating good technical documentation is to keep it up to date and accurate. Users should be able to trust your documentation and rely on it for the latest and correct information. You need to update your documentation regularly, especially when you introduce new features, fix bugs, or change policies. You also need to check your documentation for errors, typos, broken links, and outdated references. You should also solicit feedback from your users and incorporate their suggestions and comments into your documentation.

5 Test and measure

The fifth step to creating good technical documentation is to test and measure. You should not assume that your documentation is effective and user-friendly without validating it with real users. You need to conduct usability testing and user research to evaluate how your documentation performs in terms of usability, accessibility, readability, comprehension, engagement, and satisfaction. You can use various methods, such as surveys, interviews, observations, analytics, and A/B testing, to collect and analyze data from your users. You should also use metrics, such as time to complete tasks, completion rates, error rates, retention rates, and net promoter scores, to measure the impact of your documentation on your onboarding outcomes.

6 Improve and iterate

The sixth and final step to creating good technical documentation is to improve and iterate. You should not settle for a one-time or static documentation. You should always look for ways to improve and enhance your documentation based on your testing and measurement results, user feedback, and changing needs. You should also follow the latest trends and best practices in technical documentation and onboarding, such as personalization, gamification, storytelling, and social proof. You should also experiment with new formats, tools, and techniques that can make your documentation more engaging and effective.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?