The Way I Do Things In Technical Publications

By John N. Kunney Jr.

Objective

To give a brief overview of the general obstacles I discovered within the execution of technical publications and the approach and the techniques I applied to restructure and create a more effective process.

Introduction

John N. Kunney Jr.• Reidsville, Georgia

• Over 13 years experience as a technical writer

• Worked in the industry fields of aerospace, utilities, naval, and IT

• Bachelor’s of Arts from Fort Valley State University

• Loved to read and write in my youth as well as today

• Obsession since childhood on how things worked

Approach

• To know the company’s people

• To know their product and their users

• To know their process

To Know The People

• To create a rapport with the company’s Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), engineers, and data managers

• Work collaboratively through single-sourcing to acquire and evaluate the knowledge of the management systems already in place

• Through my consultation with the people, identify the materials and services necessary to create the desired technical documentation for the company’s internal and external customers

To Know The Process

• To examine the process in place to produce technical documentation for customers and clients

• To engage the present process (if effective) in order to eliminate waste, increase efficiency, and to reduce risks

• To engage the use of the company’s most advanced methodology in order to optimize processes for specific enterprises, business units and project teams

• If necessary, create and implement a process for use that has proven to be reliable in various industries if one is not available (This can include document creation, peer reviews, formatting and communication through the establishment of a depository)

To Know The Product

To conduct accurate, valid, and timely research on the products the company produces and supports through the sources that follow:

• Interviews with SMEs and engineers

• Examining a variety of functional and engineering design specifications, engineering drawings, and service bulletins

• Hands-on or an observation of the use of products (if possible)

Challenges Found

• Lacked and effective workflow

• Experienced issues with it’s information depository

• Users of the English-language documentation fail to understand what was written within multi-national programs

• SME’s lacked the necessary information to write effective documentation

Goals

• Create a workflow that was easy to follow

• Establish a depository that had easy access but maintained restrictions

• To write documentation that users of the English-language documentation could easily understand through the use of Simplified Technical English

• To create templates that provide easy to follow instructions on how to create technical documentation

Previous Workflow

Problems:

• Workflow failed to go in one direction

• Layout was complex and was apt to lead to confusion

• Failed to show what actions to do at each point in the process

Revised Workflow

Solution:

• Workflow travels in one direction

• Layout is simple and flexible and more focused on content

• Shows what actions to do at each point in the process

Information Depository

Problems:

• Users and authors of technical documentation had easy access to files that constantly led to mistakes and unauthorized revisions

• No restrictions on what data was stored

• Depository was not conducive to workflow

Revised Depository

Solutions• Users and authors of technical

documentation have restricted access to files which prevented unauthorized revisions

• Restrictions were enforced on what data was stored

• Depository was made conducive to workflow

Comprehension of Documentation

Problems:

• Words that were taken out of the Dictionary were complex and not easily recognized

• Words utilized had more than one meaning that could lead to confusion and failure to carry out assigned tasks

• Words were not easily translatable where English is spoken as a second language

Comprehension of Documentation

Solution: Simplified Technical English

• Words that are taken out of the Dictionary are simplistic and has ease of recognition

• A controlled vocabulary is used where words have one meaning that eliminates confusion and promotes comprehension to carry out assigned tasks

• Words are easily translatable where English is spoken as a second language

The Need For Templates

Problems:

• Authors (SME’s, Engineers, etc.) lacked the specialized set of skills to structure technical documentation

• Failed to translate between the developer's jargon and the simpler language necessary for product's users

Templates

Solutions:

• Templates were made available within the data library repository

• Templates gave step-by-step instructions on how to compose the technical documentation

• Developer's jargon was simplified by the technical writer

Overall Results

• Employees reported that the new workflow was easy to follow

• Depository allowed easy access but maintained restrictions

• Users of the English-language documentation praised the use of Simplified Technical English

• Documentation was written by SMEs through the use of templates that provided easy to follow instructions on how to create technical documentation with little or no assistance through the technical writer

Questions

"Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.“

General George S. Patton, Jr.

I would like to express my sincerest appreciation for the opportunity to present to you how I do things in technical publications when left to my own devices. I hope my approach is conducive to the way you do things at your company. Feel free to reach out to me at jnk37@hotmail.com.