Creation of technical documentation, software documentation, and online documentation
For many of my clients, I not only provide consulting but also create the required technical documentation. Or I support my clients by taking on specific subtasks.
Creation of user manuals and online help systems
As a service provider and contractor for technical documentation, software documentation, and software user assistance, I create and write user manuals and online help (online documentation, help sites). I typically generate printed manuals and online help from a common text base (“single source publishing”).
Your needs
Do you need a technical writer who creates a user manual or online help for your product? Or would you like to supply both printed documentation and online documentation for the price of one?
My services
I can create all parts of your technical documentation in the required formats – either in English or in German. In plain, clear language, well-structured, and organized into small reusable modules.
With the help of special authoring tools, it is possible to generate both printed user manuals and online help from the same, shared text base. If needed, it is even possible to produce different versions of the documents from this common source, such as documentation for a lite version and documentation for a professional version of the same software. This is known as cross-media publishing, multi-channel publishing, single-source publishing, or just single sourcing.
Savings multiply with each future release and with each translation. In addition to the cost savings, time is also saved.
Taking over existing or supplied material
Often, manuals and help have been written by developers, product managers, or sales professionals – typically facing tight deadlines. Sometimes this workflow is to be followed also in the future, for example, due to its cost effectiveness or because the subject needs some very specific knowledge that is hard to acquire.
In a case like this, I can revise, improve, and optimize the existing content and transform it into professional, high-quality documentation with as little effort as possible.
Translation
If you need to supply your documentation in multiple languages, I can find qualified translators, coordinate the translation work, and produce the final documents from the translated source files.
Creation of screencasts (software videos)
In addition or as an alternative to traditional software documentation, I can design and create screencasts (software videos). The screencasts can be used as an embedded part of locally installed online help or integrated into online documentation hosted on your website.
Your needs
A picture can say more than a thousand words. A video can say more than a thousand pictures. Do you want to enrich online help with software videos? Would you like to demonstrate your products clearly and hands-on using screencasts?
My services
I can design and produce screencasts (software videos) of your products. Using professional authoring tools ensures that:
- the screencasts can be translated with minimum cost if needed
- the screencasts can be updated easily when the demonstrated software changes in the future
What makes a screencast user-friendly?
A key factor often neglected with software videos is usability.
- Individual software videos should be short. If this isn’t possible, enough breakpoints should ensure that even slow viewers can follow, such as viewers who don’t have any particular previous knowledge, or viewers who speak the language of the screencast only as a second language.
- With long screencasts, viewers should be able to access and repeat individual sections via an integrated table of contents or some other navigation control.
Creation of training materials
Often, training materials can be derived from technical documentation, for example, from a user manual, or from online documentation (single source publishing).
Your needs
Do you also need training documents for your products in addition to technical documentation?
My services
Although technical documentation and training materials aren’t the same, they have a lot in common: In both cases, complex technical information needs to be described easily and effectively.
Often, training materials can essentially be derived from technical documentation. Depending on which authoring tools are used, both documentation and training materials may even be generated from the same source (single source publishing).
Creation of supporting product information
By the way: Being specialized in complex technological subjects, in addition to writing technical documentation I can also write copy for websites and brochures as well as white papers and articles.
Your needs
Do you need a copywriter to create marketing copy for software, software-controlled products, IT systems, or other products that need to be explained?
My services
In addition to writing technical documentation, I can also design and write texts for:
- websites
- brochures as well as other marketing documents and sales documents
- white papers