We manage the quality of the work we produce by consistently following our proven processes and provide comprehensive reporting to keep our Clients informed every step of the way. You can depend on Contiem to provide comprehensive project management — our goal is to make it simple for you.
1. Set the right budget
Not all technical documentation projects are the same. Make sure your budget is consistent with your expectations and with the realities of your content development project. As with many other things in business and life, you get what you pay for. There is a large difference between simply revising a mature document for an interim product release and building a new set of product documentation. Similarly, graphics‐intensive documents that require numerous review cycles, or documents for which source material is difficult to obtain, obviously require a greater investment. 2. Avoid the last‐minute scramble
Technical content should be integrated into the product development cycle from the beginning. It is not unusual for companies to spend time and effort on internal documentation – such as product requirements, specifications, and engineering change notices — and to delay producing customer and user documentation so long that the product release date is jeopardized. 3. Get buy‐in from subject matter experts High‐quality technical content relies on the participation of the in‐house staff who have expert knowledge. They must actively participate with the technical content development partner in the collection, review, and approval of all details. No technical writer or technical documentation services firm, regardless of how good they are, can compensate for lack of participation and buy‐in from your valuable subject matter experts. 4. Define technical requirements
Assuming your technical content development provider has the exact IT infrastructure needed to run, test, and document your product is risky. Anticipate what is needed to replicate your product environment, whether high‐tech or low‐tech, and build those considerations into the planning. 5. Define realistic review and approval cycles
Meeting deadlines requires everyone’s participation, and outsourcing technical content development services does not eliminate the need for timely reviews and approvals. Make sure your documentation plan spells out the specific responsibilities of each reviewer. When you delegate final approval authority to your technical content development partner, clearly define the criteria for acceptance of the technical content. 6. Define roles and responsibilities
Your partner’s technical content development team should provide an extension of your company’s capabilities. As such, there may be overlapping roles for which you assign final responsibility. For example, is the final document quality assurance completed by the partner or by in‐house resources? 7. Plan for localization
Ignoring the translation needs of your technical content can save some time and money early in the technical content development cycle but, inevitably results in much higher costs later. Content intended for multiple global markets requires a specialized approach to writing, illustration, and formatting that can add time to the front end of the project; however, time and cost are quickly recovered during the translation phase. 8. Define audience and objectives
Technical content is most efficient and cost‐effective when it is designed to meet the needs of the target audience. Know the reading level, technical sophistication, and usage preferences of your content’s audience. It is also critical to understand what the audience needs to know, versus what is non‐essential, so that you don’t waste time and cost developing and maintaining unnecessary information. 9. Choose a seasoned, financially stable partner
An effective content development organization requires an infrastructure that can scale to meet department and company needs. Look for evidence of mature accounting, operations, IT, and project management and a track record of success. 10. Decide if project management is required
Complex technical content development projects usually have numerous milestones with various dependencies that make project management expertise essential. Make certain your technical content development provider can supply that expertise.
