Adding Value

Whenever I tell people that I'm a technical writer, I invariably get the blank stare. So I tell them "You know- when you buy a product and there's the manual that comes with it? I create those". Then the light goes on, and there's a wide round of "Ohhhhhh".

Truth is though, that explanation leaves much to be desired. Back when I was studying tech comm, my mentor told us that we would be spending only 10% of our time writing. And what she said has proven true, at least in my experience. So when I was recently interviewing and the topic of tech writer as billable resource popped up, I began thinking about how a tech writer services the business.

For many companies, the only value they see a technical writer providing is the end deliverables: user manual, online help, website content, compliance documentation, specifications, etc. But really, those deliverables are just gravy. The true value that a technical writer adds to an organization is what I call "funnelling".

Let's face it: as a tech writer, you spend your days attempting to place products and/or processes in appropriate relation to the business. Talking to pertinent people in various departments, reviewing any existing documentation, attending countless meetings- you do these tasks so that you can produce documentation with the appropriate content and focus. The upshot is that all this "back-end" work of yours becomes a platform for communication and buy in across the business.

In short, as a tech writer, your primary value and service is facilitation. Your work helps stakeholders discuss and achieve consensus. And to further that consensus, you incorporate the agreed-upon elements in your documentation.

So the next time you interview and face the "What can you do for me? What value would you add to our business", make sure to mention that role of facilitator. Because as much as engineers may be able to write specifications instead of you, and sales people their marketing materials, it takes the tech writer for everyone to see eye-to-eye. That's one service that renders you indispensible.

Happy job hunting!