If you're considering introducing a new method for creating and distributing content, convincing others to adopt it might be challenging. This deck provides suggestions for effectively conveying the reasons and strategies for implementing the new approach. It's adaptable, so feel free to take what works and leave the rest. Its purpose is to serve as … Continue reading Making the Case: How to Effectively Introduce a New Content Creation and Distribution Method

DITA XML and Docs as Code are two different approaches to managing and authoring documentation. DITA XML (Darwin Information Typing Architecture) is an XML-based markup language. When writing in DITA, you use structured authoring to create modular content. Structured authoring means that there are rules in place to ensure information is organized consistently. The modular … Continue reading Choosing the Right Documentation Management Approach: DITA XML vs. Docs as Code

We all have so much knowledge. The best thing we can do is to share it. Hoarding information won’t make you irreplaceable. Recording it won’t make it easily accessible; Honestly, how many recorded meetings do you watch? I highly recommend that you document as much as possible. The following are some examples of when you … Continue reading The Power of Documentation: Sharing Knowledge to Empower Yourself and Others

Interviewing takes preparation and practice. The following are some of my tips. Although it takes work to do this, you can reuse many of these items. 1. Solidify your resume. A few quick tips:• Ensure every line demonstrates how you added value.• Use clear, concise language.• Read it out loud to yourself. It helps to … Continue reading Preparing for a Successful Job Interview: Tips and Strategies for Job Seekers

Defining meaningful metrics has been an ongoing struggle for technical communicators for as long as I've been in this business. We have come up with some solutions through the years, but it still remains a somewhat elusive goal. I share some ideas here. See post on LinkedIn.

As a Technical Writer, you must often document APIs. Your role is to ensure that APIs developed by your organization are easily understood and accessible to your users. Provide clear, concise, and accurate information on how the API works, what it does, and how users can integrate it into different systems. Good documentation helps developers … Continue reading API Documentation Best Practices: How to Ensure Clear, Concise, and Accurate Information for Your Users

It is Sunday, so I’m just going to do a simple introduction to a topic. Today’s topic is relational databases. A relational database allows you to break data into logical, manageable units for easier maintenance and optimal database performance.These units are tables, which consist of rows and columns. The relationships between tables are identified through … Continue reading Introduction to Relational Databases: Tables, Relationships, Data Types, and SQL

The following are some of my go to tips when training new employees: 1. Never assume knowledge. Don't be condescending. Ask them their level, if needed.2. Give them as much background information as possible (about people, processes, projects, etc.).3. Don't just tell them how, tell them why.4. Check in often. Ask for feedback.5. If they … Continue reading 10 Proven Tips for Effective Employee Training and Onboarding