Learn from other Users
Speaking of beta testers, does your company have a small group of dedicated users who regularly get first crack at trying new products in exchange for feedback on them? If so, they can be invaluable partners for the technical writer in evaluating the learning challenges that new users of your product will face. Talk with beta testers if you can. If beta testers are not the norm in your industry, ask your supervisor if you can speak with users of your company's earlier products. Users who have contacted the company in the past with both negative and positive feedback can be a tremendous resource for the technical writer trying to serve customers and to help a new product succeed. Of users who have complained, how many could have been satisfied if the company's help system was more complete? What can the technical writer do to allay any confusion that may have arisen during the company's prior product releases?
Consider the Audience
Once a technical writer has developed a good understanding of the product, the next goal is to consider the audience. How does the company define its market? What is the general profile of the company's customer base? Do its products appeal to a general audience or a sophisticated group of experts in a given field? Is the average user tech-savvy or a technological newbie? In some cases, companies will produce a range of products for users in all of these different profiles, and the technical writer's job is to deliver information that has the proper amount of complexity. If the information is too technical for the audience, they will become confused and fail to get the most out of the product (or jam the company's customer support lines with questions). If the information is too simple for a sophisticated audience, they may be insulted, and they may wonder why the manual only explains simple procedures and leaves out the more complicated and the more useful ones.
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