Creating User-Friendly Engineering Documentation

Innovation means existing technology necessarily changes over time, which results in design changes. Some of the population can easily handle technological change - most of the time, us geeks can readily adapt. But for a large portion of the population, design changes can be inconvenient, break existing workflows and mental models, and otherwise disrupt people's lives. When technology inevitably changes, we can help build user trust by helping them through the process: 1) Set expectations/WIIFM: tell users well in advance what will be changing, why it is happening, and how they may benefit 2) Provide a clear overview of changes: a well-designed information visualization that shows design changes can help draw users into the documentation; avoid large blocks of text that convey changes 3) Provide a repeatable walk-through: in the new design, show users primary interactions that have moved; allow them to repeat the walk-through 4) Allow a delay: software often updates at critical times for the user (giving a presentation, teaching a class, etc.); notify users of the upcoming change so they can set a convenient time for it to happen 5) Provide a preview: allow users to toggle between the existing and updated interface so they can get comfortable with the update over time

Want to make your technical #documentation more effective? Keep it skimmable! I've found that using short, simple sentences and compact paragraphs makes documentation infinitely more useful for readers. When developers need answers, they scan documentation quickly, looking for specific information. By breaking content into clear sections with descriptive headings, you create natural "jumping-off points" that help readers navigate directly to what they need. Think of good headings as signposts guiding your readers through the content. Simple language and concise paragraphs reduce cognitive load, making your docs easier to understand, especially for non-native English speakers (which is an added accessibility win). Remember: technical documentation isn't creative writing. Its purpose is to convey complex information clearly and efficiently. #TechnicalWriting #Documentation #DeveloperExperience #TechComm #WritingTips #technicalwriter #InformationDevelopment #InformationDeveloper