In this solo episode, I share my latest content updates progress and reflect on my takeaways from Bill Holland’s interview (S3:E30). I also share my attempts to reframe the idea of strategic documentation projects and maintenance as competing for time to the idea of them being in a deeply symbiotic relationship.

—

I’ve been quietly adding documentation to our Support Knowledge Base for recent releases and to fix some display issues in our API endpoint documentation. I’m also achingly close to finishing the knowledge base change management toolkit I’ve been working on.

I reflect on my interview with Bill Holland and how many of the tips he gives for tech writers to communicate with designers are the kinds of work we do all the time. First, provide a brief that explains things in detail, especially any special terminology or acronyms. Define what you want to get out of the project, what its intent is, and what the most important thing you want to communicate is. Assume that the designer knows nothing about the project or industry. Second, share moodboards, graphic samples, or video playlists that have an aesthetic you like so a designer can get a feel for the style you’re after. Third, provide solid, detailed feedback on designs or roughs, tying the criticism back to your style samples or your brief. Tech writers and designers have a lot in common: we all need to educate our clients about how the process works, guide them to what they need, potentially justify the cost of our services and our expertise, and handle the opportunities and disruption that AI is throwing into our respective fields.

I’m trying to find new ways to manage the tension between spending time on routine documentation maintenance and tackling large strategic projects. We tend to talk about this tension as a form of competition, that the tasks compete for our time. Instead, I’m applying a narrative reframing I borrowed from Suzanne Simard’s book Finding the Mother Tree, and recognizing that there’s a symbiotic relationship between the two. One can’t exist without the other, and they each help the other. I hope that reframing might be useful for you.

Join the discussion by replying on Bluesky

—

We love hearing your ideas for episode topics, guests, or general feedback: