How to Create Impeccable Software Documentation

Let's be honest, creating software documentation is a tricky thing. Each company has its own workflow and requires you to be very attentive so as not to lose anything important while making the articles as simple as possible. Fortunately, there are several best practices that will help you create reliable documentation with more confidence. Get yourself the best technical writing software and get ready to learn!

Contents1. Understand your target audience and documentation goals2. Highlight all important questions3. Create a document plan4. Do research to gather information5. Create the draft6. Don't forget the visuals 7. Make the "final cut" No rush

1. Understand your target audience and documentation goals

Take a deep breath and explain why you are about to create documentation for a software product. It seems like a simple question, but it is very easy to overlook the real goals and requirements of the target audience. Your mission is to highlight the right purpose of the document you are going to create. Here's how to do it best:

1. Start a blank document.
2. Write down all the answers that come to mind.
3. Highlight the right goals based on the portrait of the target audience.

Your understanding of the target audience should be very clear because it defines what your final document will look like. It may seem trivial, but you should think about real people who will read the document. This will help you get the right results for sure.

2. Highlight all important questions

Each technical document should address specific issues and answer any questions the target audience might have when using the software you are describing. Once you've completed the previous step and determined who your audience is and what the main goals of the documentation are, you should do your best to anticipate the questions these real people will have. This is why it is so important to determine who you write for first.

In the document you created for step one, create an FAQ section. Fill it with questions to gather ideas for the final document you will create later. You should consider this a preparation phase, not part of the document you will publish, so be patient and do your best to ask as many reasonable questions as possible.

3. Create document outline

If you are about to write your first software documentation, you need to take the time to properly prepare the right structure from scratch. It is important that there is not a 100% universal model for all software products, so you must create it taking into account the functionality of the software you are writing about. This is where the goals and audience profile you highlighted in step one will come in handy again.

Here are the points you should include in your document outline:

1. The title of the document and the "name" of its target audience;
2. A quick summary of the contents of the document;
3. The clear objectives of your document;
4. Full reader requirements (if needed);
5. A list of instructions, solutions, codes, or whatever applies to your situation;
6. Timeline of document creation;
7. All applicable references.

Be prepared that creating a plan may take an entire day, but you'll know what the document should look like better than anyone by the end. Hire a graphic designer to make your plan easier to see and use it as a template for the document you will write.

4. Do research to gather information

You may know everything about the product you are going to write about or have no knowledge of it. Either way, you need to research the product thoroughly to gather up-to-date relevant information and validate what you already know.

This phase may include interviews with SMEs (subject matter experts), evaluation of existing software product documentation, research, etc. You need to process all available information into a usable database, then distribute the data among the points in your plan. Remember to keep references where it can add credibility to the final document.

5. Create the draft

Phew! You are now finally ready to create the draft document. Make sure you have created a plan strong enough to allow you to create a substantial draft. If you have enough initial information, creating the draft should be a quick and easy task for you. Here are some tips that will make the process even easier:

• Use plain language
• Avoid ambiguous dots;
• Avoid editing the draft to save time;
• Don't use any jargon;
• Write as much as you need and nothing else;
• Refer to the target audience and goals of your writing.

6. Don't forget the visuals

Once the draft is ready, you need to enrich it with visuals, including helpful illustrations, flowcharts, screenshots of the software you're writing on, and more. You can also insert links to embedded content, such as videos and interactive elements. It can also be useful to create draft charts if needed. Later, your graphic designer will process them in a unified style.

There's no need to add unnecessary visuals, so make sure any images you add help you explain technical concepts, help readers better understand features, improve navigation within the software product, etc. .

7. Make the "final cut"

Now that you have a great draft with visuals, it's time to edit the document to turn it into a well-polished final document. Before you start editing, decide how many rounds of edits the document needs to make sure you don't miss anything. The editing process may involve working with an editor, an SME, or anyone else who is in the context of your technical writing. If you have completed all the previous steps sufficiently, the number of changes will be minimal and will feel like a breath of fresh air.

No Precipitation

Good software documentation cannot be created in a hurry. It is not breaking news that will be useless tomorrow, but a wiki that will serve the purposes of the product and its customers for years to come. Follow the best practices outlined above and never refuse to spend more time planning and editing. This is the true path to perfection.