The IT industry is undervaluing technical writers — here's why that needs to change

For an industry that prides itself on innovation, IT often confines technical writers to a limited role—focused solely on 'making it look good after it's done.' The truth is this approach is not only outdated but actively harmful to your product, your customers, and your team.

Today, technical writers are often underutilized, seen as the ones who come in to "pretty up the language" once the heavy lifting is over. For example, I've usually seen product teams finish development and then call in a writer to fix unclear terminology or add missing details—issues that could have been avoided if writers had been involved earlier. But as someone who's been in the trenches as a freelance technology writer, I've seen firsthand what happens when technical writers are brought in too late—and conversely, how transformative it can be when they’re integrated early and often. This isn't just a minor complaint; it's an industry-wide missed opportunity. However, it's also important to acknowledge that the technical writing community shares some of the blame. By promoting the idea that it's acceptable for technical writers to not be fluent in technology, we’ve limited our own growth and the value we can provide.

If you're looking to innovate, delight customers, and create products that don't leave your users confused, it’s time to demand more from your technical writers—and grant them the seat at the table they deserve. These changes also require hiring managers to seek writers who are fluent in technology. They don't need to be experts, but they must be lifelong learners who can adapt and grow with the evolving landscape.

3 changes you can make to the technical writer role

1. Integrate writers early in development

One of the biggest mistakes that product teams make is treating technical writers as an afterthought. The result? Documentation that’s disconnected from the product's intent, customer confusion, and support tickets piling up like dirty laundry.

When technical writers are part of the process from the early stages, they bring a unique lens that clarifies the product narrative by simplifying complex workflows, identifying inconsistencies, and ensuring cohesive communication. This isn't just about better wording; it's about helping teams spot inconsistencies, identify use cases that need more exploration, and preemptively clear up confusion. I’ve worked on projects where, by being brought in early, I was able to identify unclear product flows that were eventually fixed before launch—saving thousands in support costs later.

2. Writers truly understand user experience

There's a misconception that only UX designers or PMs know how users think. While their insights are valuable, technical writers are often the ones closest to the user's lived experience—we’re the people who are forced to confront, head-on, what it’s like to use a product with no insider knowledge.

In my work covering DevOps and FinOps trends, I’ve seen how better documentation could drastically improve user onboarding for many tools, such as Kubernetes and Jenkins, where clear step-by-step guidance is crucial for successful adoption. It’s usually not a lack of features that sinks these products but a failure to clearly communicate how to leverage them. This is where technical writers should shine—if only they were empowered to do so.

3. Writers: the best product marketers

Here's an often-overlooked fact: Technical writers know how to sell your product. Not with flashy copy or exaggerated claims, but with clarity and empathy. They’re the ones who can bridge the gap between what your product does and why it matters to your user in the simplest, most actionable terms possible.

In my freelance work, I've often stepped into what I call the "product marketing void"—when product managers and marketers speak different languages. A skilled technical writer can make those hand-offs seamless by creating clear, unified messaging that resonates both internally and externally.

Elevating the technical writer role

1. Integrate early, save later: Make technical writers a core part of your product development team from day one. Their questions and insights can prevent costly mistakes before they make it to your users.

2. Leverage writers for UX testing: Treat your technical writers as beta testers for the user experience. If they’re struggling to document a feature, your users are likely going to struggle with it, too.

3. Empower writers to shape messaging: Trust your technical writers to work with marketing, PMs, and UX designers to shape messaging early on. Hiring managers should prioritize candidates who are not only skilled writers but also demonstrate a genuine curiosity about technology—people who are lifelong learners ready to tackle new challenges. They are uniquely equipped to translate complex features into clear, relatable benefits.

Final thoughts

The next time you're building a product or designing a feature, ask yourself: How early can we get our technical writers involved? Can they help identify pain points before we do a wider release? Can they help craft the story we want to tell—not just for documentation but for the entire product journey?

The IT industry doesn't just need more technical writers. It needs to fully utilize the ones it already has. Let’s start doing better by the people who make our products easier to understand—and, in doing so, make our users happier, our support teams less overwhelmed, and our products more successful.

If you're an IT leader, start seeing technical writers as the valuable assets they are—not the polish at the end, but the glue that holds it all together. Your product, your users, and your sanity will thank you.

Will Kelly is a writer focused on AI, DevOps and the cloud. He has written for CIO, TechTarget, InfoWorld, and other popular sites. Will is passionate about the role of content in driving technology adoption. His professional career includes product marketing, technical marketing, technical writing, and training. Follow him on X:??@willkelly?. Check out his writing portfolio:??authory.com/willkelly?.