A.M.A with Abhilash K.B. - The Documentarist.
Who is Abilash K.B ?
Abhilash has played a variety of roles and emerged as an expert in everything from explaining the benefits of good office lighting to documentation
In this newsletter, we delve into the critical role of effective documentation in today's fast-paced world. We explore how Abilash K. B., a documentarian with a unique journey, is making a real impact.
What Actually Does Abhilash Do??
Abilash is a versatile writer with experience making complex technical ideas easy to understand. He's skilled in using VBA programming to simplify tasks for a telecom equipment company and in using MadCap Flare to create clear guides for hardware and software products.
He also writes non-technical content, like engaging web pages, informative blogs, convincing success stories, informative reports, and persuasive presentations. This shows his ability to write for different purposes and audiences.
He is also looking into no-code tools like Bubble, demonstrating his interest in using cutting-edge, approachable tools to improve processes even though we have not finished.
And his diverse experience keeps him up-to-date in the ever-changing field of writing and communication.
How developing his storytelling abilities enabled Abhilash to switch career
He explained how he transitioned from being a lighting consultant to storytelling and documentation.?
He mentioned that during his decade in lighting, he learned the importance of having a story to engage with stakeholders, even if it seemed irrational. When the pandemic occurred, he wanted to explore other career opportunities and considered becoming a technical writer as a smoother transition from their previous work.?
Since 2020, he has been helping create stories for a larger audience, which involves taking existing information and making it interesting while explaining how it solves problems.
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What are types of documentation?
Abilash used a lightning business example to explain the three different types of documentation.
1. Sales and Marketing Documentation:?
In this type of documentation, the primary focus is on conveying a message through storytelling. It involves presenting information in a way that highlights the benefits of a product or service.?
For example, he mentions that in marketing documentation, you might discuss how replacing old lights with new ones can reduce energy consumption, maintenance costs, and carbon emissions, ultimately saving money and benefiting the environment.
2. Technical Documentation:?
Technical documentation is characterized by its emphasis on explaining how something works and providing detailed instructions.?
He gives an example of documenting a lighting solution, where the documentation would include information on the number of languages needed, installation procedures, power requirements, maintenance instructions, and other technical details.?
It is more concerned with the "how" aspect of a product or process.
3. Combined Documentation:?
He briefly mentions that some documentation can combine elements of both sales and marketing and technical documentation. In such cases, writers blend storytelling and technical information to create documents that not only explain how something works but also emphasize the benefits and advantages, similar to marketing content with a technical focus.
However, why do companies need documentation??
Companies need documentation for several reasons, as illustrated by Abhilash
Documentation is important for three reasons:
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In the past, documentation often involved thick booklets accompanying products. However, today, companies are moving towards more concise and interactive formats, such as QR codes leading to videos, interactive chatbots, or digital adoption platforms. This evolution aligns with the changing expectations of consumers who prefer easier access to information.
How to think like a documentarian and solve the user problems?
The author discusses how thinking like a documentarian involves looking at things from a user's perspective and anticipating their questions and needs.?
For example, in the case of a complex product sold to government agencies, the customer support team initially struggled with basic questions. However, when detailed documentation was provided with the product, it reduced customer support costs by 60% in just three months. This demonstrates that anticipating user questions and providing comprehensive documentation early in the engineering process can strengthen both documentation and product development, ultimately solving user problems more effectively.
Advice for Documentary Makers If you want to get off to a good start.?
Suggestions
1. Contribute to Open Source Projects: Consider contributing to open source projects to gain practical experience and understand how documentation fits into the development process.
2. Improve English Skills: Strengthen your English language skills since clear and error-free writing is crucial in documentation.
3. Attend Training Courses: Enroll in training courses or certifications related to technical writing to learn the fundamentals of documentation.
4. Seek Referrals: Leverage personal connections to seek referrals or references within the industry, which can help you secure opportunities faster.
5. Stay Abreast of Innovations: Continuously update your knowledge about evolving technologies and innovations in documentation, as the field is constantly changing.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
1. Not Having Practical Experience: Relying solely on certifications or coursework without gaining hands-on experience through contributions or projects can limit your job prospects.
2. Ignoring English Language Skills: Neglecting to improve your English language skills can hinder your ability to produce clear and effective documentation.
3. Overlooking Referrals: Underestimating the power of referrals can make it harder to break into the industry, as networking plays a vital role.
4. Neglecting to Adapt: Failing to stay updated with changing technologies and trends in documentation can lead to professional stagnation.
5. Overestimating AI: Assuming that AI can fully replace human documentarians overlooks the need for human expertise in creating and verifying documentation for accuracy and user-friendliness.
A Few Final Thoughts from Abhilash to Start
The Resource Corner - Recommended Books
Abilash recommends two books that can be your companions on the journey to becoming a proficient documentarian and a great professional in general. "Quiet Power" by Susan Cain empowers introverts, reminding us that diverse perspectives are valuable in the documentation field. "The Culture Map" by Erin Meyer offers insights into understanding cultural differences, a critical aspect of global teams.
Did you have a good experience learning about Abilash’s journey on The Power of Effective Documentation? Are you a founder or industry leader who would like to share your thoughts and become part of the Founder Fridays’ Global Community?
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-Yours Truly