One of the hardest things to remember as a technical person who is developing, then writing software or hardware documentation, or even a website is to keep the audience in mind.
It’s easy to get caught up in your own private party when it comes to developing and documenting, but if the audience doesn’t understand how to use the product or navigate the website you lose the people you want to purchase what you are offering.
It seems easy to write for the average person but the reality is, writing for a mass audience, even a specialized audience is a challenge. The key is to write with a clear understanding of who will be reading your documentation or content.
If they are high school grads they need less jargon and more everyday language. College grads and professionals are not always able to understand what you know as a developer, so help them by writing for the lay person. Assume they don’t know anything about your widget and you are teaching them in the most basic terms.
Maybe this is why writing documentation is a pain and many developers avoid it. But it does not improve your reputation if a user has to figure out how your product works.
I can remember many occasions when I purchased or downloaded software and needed more information. It was not fun trying to understand the product. My frustration level rose and I eventually stopped using it or asked for a refund. It’s even worse when the documentation is incomplete.
So do the world a favor and write complete, concise, and understandable documentation. Your users will thank you for it.
