How do you conduct a user needs analysis for your documentation project?

Before diving into user needs, clarify your mission. Purpose, audience, features, deliverables, deadlines – these are your anchors. Knowing where you're going and for whom ensures your user analysis hits the bullseye, every time.

Defining scope is the first step towards planning other constraints. To set the boundaries of the project, it is essential to clearly define what is included and what is not included.

Determining scope is more than just purpose. It should require talking to more than the engineering group you probably are reporting to. Make sure to talk with sales, end-users if possible, and marketing. What they know about the end user is usually more important than what engineering thinks they designed to. The objectives usually only means a bullet on a milestone chart. But how much work is involved is relates to the knowledge the user has of what they are using the product for. That is often a harder question than management realizes.

?? Identify Your Audience: Define who will use the documentation, such as end-users, developers, or administrators. Segment users based on their roles and needs. ?? Gather Information: Use surveys and questionnaires to collect data on user needs and preferences. Conduct interviews and observations for deeper insights into their requirements.

Brainstorming can be incredibly helpful in understanding user requirements because it encourages creativity, collaboration, and the exploration of various perspectives.

I find surveys are rarely answered, even well thought out ones. interviews with end user when possile are the best. Zoom calls with large groups are not helpful, but small targeted sub groups will give you a much better idea of who the audience is. Even a simple phone call to one user to ask if they can gather some info for you on the 2 target questions will tell you a lot more than a survey. What do you hope this (software update/hardware change/new module) will do for you? What did you really want it to do?

?? Analyze Existing Documentation: Review current materials to identify strengths and areas for improvement. Collect feedback from users on what works and what needs enhancement. ?? Define User Needs and Goals: Document specific user needs, goals, and expectations. Prioritize these needs to focus on the most critical requirements. ?? Develop User Personas: Create personas representing different audience segments. Use these personas to guide the documentation process and ensure it addresses their needs.

To understand your audience better, you can go beyond just creating user personas. I use this approach to do it: User Types: Define personas / typical users. Define the specific goals each persona aims to fulfil using your documentation. User Journeys: Take it a step further with user journeys. Create user journey maps, outlining the specific steps users take to reach their goals. This integration can help create documentation that isn't just informative but also gives users a better experience.

?? Determine Content Scope and Structure: Outline the scope of the documentation based on user needs and plan a structured content map for easy navigation. ??? Develop Prototypes and Test: Create prototypes or drafts and conduct usability testing to gather feedback and make adjustments. ?? Implement Feedback: Refine the documentation based on user feedback and continuously iterate to meet evolving needs. ?? Monitor and Evaluate: Track how users interact with the documentation and seek ongoing feedback to ensure its relevance and effectiveness. ?? Communicate and Collaborate: Keep stakeholders informed and collaborate with development, design, and support teams to align documentation with project goals.