You’ve written the document. It’s structured, formatted, and reviewed. But is it actually clear? The final step in any writing process is testing. What makes sense to you might not make sense to the reader. A well-written document isn’t just technically correct; it...
Technical writing isn’t about sounding smart—it’s about making things work. When users struggle, it’s rarely because they lack intelligence. It’s because the writing failed them. Here’s where things go wrong and what to do instead. 1. The Instructions Don’t Match...
Have you ever opened a document and immediately felt lost? The information is all there, but something about the way it’s arranged makes it hard to follow. That’s a structuring problem, not a content problem. Good documentation doesn’t just give information—it guides...
Ever tried reading a wall of text and felt your brain shut down? That’s what happens when information isn’t structured properly. Good documentation isn’t just about words—it’s about how those words are arranged. Chunking, lists, and headings aren’t just formatting...
Ever opened a document and immediately felt lost? No headings, long paragraphs, and unclear flow—it’s a nightmare. Readers don’t want to hunt for information. They want answers, and they want them fast. Good structure makes information obvious. It removes the...
You've encountered technical writing if you've ever followed a recipe. This also applies if you've built furniture from a manual or attempted to troubleshoot a stubborn software issue. There are two primary types: step-by-step instructions and conceptual explanations....
If users can’t find the information they need, your documentation might as well not exist. Searchability isn’t a “nice-to-have” feature—it’s the backbone of useful documentation. The best content means nothing if hidden. A mountain of text with no clear way to access...
You're troubleshooting a network issue. You open the documentation, and you do not find clear steps. Instead, you get a paragraph explaining how networks operate. It tells you what to do only after that. Not helpful. This is where task-based writing makes all the...
When was the last time you opened a manual? Did it feel like you had a personal guide walking you through the steps? Probably not often. Most documentation reads like a rulebook—cold, rigid, and barely tolerable. But the best documentation does something different. It...