Documentation Control
So you're done with the work and now what? "Documentation control," according to Susan Ward, Small Business: Canada, "is the process of handling documents in such a way that information can be created, shared, organized and stored efficiently and appropriately."
Ward suggests, Steps to Creating a Document Management System which includes:
1. What are the rules for creating documents?
2. How will we store documents?
3. How can retrieving documents be simplified?
4. How can we make/keep our documents secure?
Ward encourages that you can put a document management system in place without costly software or outsourcing. "The system", says Ward, "doesn't have to be complex; you just have to invest some time in planning and implementing it."
Testing and Evaluating the Information
And the final step is evaluation. Successful evaluation and testing of information is important in determining the quality of the work completed. The best test and evaluation comes from the reader/customer utilizing the information so interaction with these individuals is key.
The customer is the best source for confirming that the information is accurate. A select group of users can be useful in becoming a "test bed" for created information. By opening the information up to certain users before it goes public, the technical writer can garner input on a smaller scale and make changes before the information goes out to a greater audience.
Allowing the reader a chance to respond through the use of survey tools is an excellent way to evaluate the usefulness and understandability of materials. From responses given, the writer and/or writers can then "hone" or sharpen the information accordingly.
Conclusion
Technical writing has been around a long time - since man first tried to explain something to his fellow man. Over the past 60 years, with advent of computers, technical writing has grown to include not only print manuals, but on-line documentation and technical bodies of knowledge. Utilizing the pieces of the above pie outlined in this article will ensure that technical writing is done with professionalism and expertise with the main goal of benefiting the reader or user.
References
Cain, K. (2012, March 5). 6 Steps to Creating Your Content Marketing Style Guide. Content Marketing Institute. Retrieved February 26, 2014, from http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2012/03/create-your-content-marketing-style-guide/
Copyright Basics. (n.d.). Copyright.gov. Retrieved February 26, 2014, from http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ01.pdf
Defining Technical Communication. (n.d.). Society for Technical Communication.
Retrieved February 10, 2014, from
http://www.stc.org/about-stc/the-profession-all-about-technical-communication/defining-tc
Hart, G. (2012, May 21). Peer Review Strategies for Technical Writers. TechWhirl. Retrieved February 26, 2014, from http://techwhirl.com/peer-review-strategies-technical-writers-learning-colleagues/
Online Technical Writing:Strategies for Peer-Reviewing and Team-Writing. (n.d.). Online Technical Writing: Strategies for Peer-Reviewing and Team-Writing. Retrieved February 26, 2014, from http://www.prismnet.com/~hcexres/textbook/team.html
Ward, S. (n.d.). Document Management. About.com Small Business: Canada. Retrieved February 26, 2014, from http://sbinfocanada.about.com/od/management/g/documentmgt.htm
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