Technical Communication Anupama Gummaraju - as a service in the IT consulting industry

In this Presentation Why define technical writing / technical communication as a service? Attempt to define the scope of the service Service defined – what next? Challenges External to your organization Internal to your organization Meeting the challenges Internal approach, first External facing issues, second

Why define a service? The context Major outsourcing trend has begun, to countries like India Increase in client base Clients’ needs are diverse, fast-changing They require Speed of response Execution readiness from documentation teams Process maturity Knowledge of diverse authoring tools to serve a wide client-base Domain knowledge & knowledge about services companies in the market Technical writing service units can be enabled to address these needs

Attempt to define the scope of the service What is a technical communication service? An independent unit that provides services like Developing / preparing / delivering technical/user documentation Editing Reviewing Packaging and publishing (online and print) Consultation on document development strategy Consultation on documentation/publishing process Developing training material Training L10N services An integral part of a services organization That does all of the above

A service within an organization that seeks to Become a key player in delivering what the organization delivers Contribute to the organization’s bottomline Attempt to define the scope of the service A business that is driven by A plan Goals Targets

Service defined – What next? As a group of professionals, how can you address client and organizational needs? We need to Understand the challenges both internal to the organization and to the client Identify ways of meeting them Actionize Track Collate data for re-use, repeatability of success Not detailed in this presentation

Challenges External to the organization Established companies looking for partnership To expand team size To see quick resource ramp up To see capable program management Established companies looking for cost savings Along with process improvements Clients looking for end-to-end solutions Documentation authoring including technical specs, design documents, system documentation, user documentation, activities related to the “user experience” Clients looking for “Consulting” Study legacy systems, do a gap analysis, do a process analysis, suggest take- over strategy, productivity or process improvements

Challenges continued Internal to the organization Our premise A documentation/technical writing/communications dept. exists If the premise is wrong: Where do we fit in the organization’s structure? Diverse project needs across the organization’s units Diverse proposal needs across the business development units Multi-locational staffing Understanding the organization’s delivery model Making yourself a known, value-adding entity Being the differentiator for your projects/clients PROVING that you can be a differentiator

Meeting the challenges Identify What you can do for the organization NOT what the organization can do for you State what services you can provide, sit back and wait for work to come your way Pick up the organization’s service delivery model See where you can contribute Get the required ammo in place Convince them how you can make their service a better one

It is all about being in a state of READINESS A few pointers follow on how…

Start thinking DELIVERY - talk their language Position yourself Not as a unit that offers a particular service As a unit that offers what projects need to achieve the best results Enable yourself in: Fitting in documentation proposals within the organization’s RFP response Meeting the challenges - Internally Overview of your group and services What is in scope / out of scope Authoring software used Image editing software used Proposed methodology in brief Effort estimate details Change management process Assumptions Risks and mitigation plans Operational details Artifact

Enable yourself in: Project planning Have an MS project template that you can use to quickly plan –Scheduling Effort estimation Document an effort estimate template / use what is available off the net Meeting the challenges – Internally continued Know the organization’s proposal templates, staffing templates, costing calculation templates and how to use them Artifact

Enable yourself in: Staffing / matching skill sets with project needs Database of resources, skill sets categorized by competency level Costing Define your rates: Onsite and offshore rates Hourly/daily/per page Rates for different roles of writers, like junior, senior, or team lead roles Have case studies ready Artifact Meeting the challenges – Internally continued Artifact

Understand how delivery works and partner with them Meeting the challenges – Internally continued Integrate the documentation service into your organization’s service offering By processes By systems By networking By selling Ensure that your partnership starts at the ideal entry point To make a case: do your research Reference: Measuring the Value Added by Technical Documentation, A Review of Research and Practice, Jay Mead, Technical Communication, Volume 45 Map the responsibilities to a career path, like delivery All this will bringing you in synch with the organization’s delivery model

Define a methodology Document that covers the methodology to develop printed, online, online c-s help Map the output for each stage Scope document, project plan Templates, Table of Contents Drafts Defects log Packaged deliverable Sign-off Updated drafts Comprehensive to include Analysis & Planning Design Document Development Production and Delivery Deploy Update Maintain Meeting the challenges – Externally continued Artifact

Define Delivery model in synch with the organization’s delivery model Offshore, Offshore + Onsite, Onsite moving completely offshore Meeting the challenges – Externally continued Artifact Staffing plans Document how you staff projects Example: Constant team, Ramp-up, ramp-off team Guidelines Peer Review checklists, Engineering review checklists, Editorial review checklists, Production checklists Processes DDLC in step with the SDLC or end-to-end services map

Define Guidelines that will help you quickly arrive at ballpark effort estimates, staffing estimates and costing Document an effort estimate template / use what is available off the net Meeting the challenges – Externally continued Artifact Documentation standards document, reference a well known one that you follow Company Style Guide, Referenced Style Guide like MS Guide

Enabling at various levels Responsibilities chart that outlines these Roles document Equip writers to think as consultants Artifact As senior writers/team leads – within your team Map the responsibilities to a career path Identify and always have a skill set base for quick reference Plan training based on this information Ensure that the team has some basic training in the more popular HATs Identify people/teams who can draft the artifacts, track them to closure Motivate and set a career path

As senior writers/team leads – within the organization Enabling at various levels continued Network with project teams, business development managers, quality teams Identify systems and processes that you can modify in favor of technical communication Prepare and distribute kits that managers can use to sell your service Identify and always have a skill set base for quick reference

Enabling at various levels continued Know the challenges Enable yourself by learning the tools and concepts Offer to author the documents and standards that your organization needs Build capabilities to address all the challenges mentioned As writers/team members

Questions? Thank you