How can you write technical documents that meet industry standards?

1 Know your purpose and audience

Before you start writing, you need to define the purpose and the audience of your document. The purpose is the main goal or objective that you want to achieve with your document, such as explaining how a product works, providing instructions for a task, or persuading someone to adopt a solution. The audience is the group of people who will read and use your document, such as end-users, developers, testers, or decision-makers. Knowing your purpose and audience will help you decide what information to include, how to organize it, and what tone and style to use.

2 Research and gather information

Once you have a clear purpose and audience, you need to research and gather the information that you will present in your document. This may involve consulting various sources, such as existing documents, subject matter experts, online resources, or your own experience and knowledge. You should verify the accuracy, relevance, and currency of the information, and cite your sources if necessary. You should also analyze the information and identify the key points, concepts, and details that support your purpose and meet your audience's needs and expectations.

3 Plan and outline your document

After you have collected and analyzed the information, you need to plan and outline your document. This means creating a structure and a flow for your document that will guide your writing and your readers' understanding. You should use headings, subheadings, and other elements to divide your document into logical sections and subsections. You should also use transitions, summaries, and signposts to connect and highlight the main ideas and messages. A good outline will help you organize your information, avoid repetition and confusion, and create a clear and coherent document.

4 Write and format your document

Now that you have an outline, you can start writing and formatting your document. You should use clear, concise, and precise language that avoids jargon, ambiguity, and unnecessary words. You should also use active voice, present tense, and second person whenever possible, as they make your document more engaging and direct. You should follow the formatting and style guidelines of your industry or organization, such as fonts, margins, spacing, alignment, colors, and images. You should also use tables, charts, graphs, diagrams, screenshots, or code blocks to illustrate and supplement your text.

5 Review and edit your document

Before you finalize your document, you need to review and edit it. You should check your document for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and syntax errors, and use tools or editors to help you with this task. You should also check your document for content, organization, style, and format issues, and make sure that your document is consistent, coherent, and complete. You should also test your document for usability, readability, and accessibility, and use feedback or metrics to evaluate its effectiveness and quality. You should revise and improve your document until you are satisfied with the result.

6 Publish and maintain your document

The last step is to publish and maintain your document. You should choose the appropriate format and platform for your document, such as PDF, HTML, Word, or wiki. You should also consider the security, distribution, and accessibility of your document, and use tools or methods to protect, share, and update your document. You should also monitor and manage your document, and keep track of its versions, changes, and feedback. You should also update your document regularly, and ensure that it reflects the latest information and requirements.

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?