I know, I know. Times are tough. You have to make due with the staff you have. It's a common and valid lament in today's workplace. You've got to do more with less, so an obvious place to cut costs is in your documentation efforts. After all, writers and editors are a luxury in lean times. You're a small company and you can produce your documentation in-house, right? Think again. Hiring the right freelancer to do the job correctly the first time around could save you hundreds or thousands in help desk calls, service calls, document revision, and distribution. Here's why.

1. You want someone with your industry or product knowledge. Knowledge of your industry or product is helpful, but your writer's ability to communicate well both in writing and in the spoken word is crucial to your documentation project's success. A good technical writer:

• designs easy-to-use and easy-to-find documents.
• writes clear and easy-to-follow instructions.
• demonstrates a broad range of technical knowledge which enables him or her to acquire new technical knowledge quickly. Most tech writers thrive on learning obscure technical facts just as much as they love discussing the merits of the semicolon. The best tech writers are amazingly quick studies.
• creates document templates with a clean, professional appearance that your company can re-use.
• asks intelligent questions of your SMEs (subject matter experts) that you might not think to ask, ensuring thorough coverage of the product's features.

2. The programmers or engineers can write the documentation. Oh, really? They're not busy enough already? Most programmers and engineers with whom I've worked loathe writing. Let them do what they do best and let a writer do what she does best.

Good technical writers are power users of most word processing programs, HATs (help authoring tools), and are privy to the latest documentation techniques that will enhance your company's professional reputation. A good technical writer is savvy about design trends and best practices. Can you say this for your engineers and programmers?

3. You need a writer on site. Why? This is 2005. Most freelance tech writers have high-speed internet connections, fax machines, and cell phones. I've worked with clients I've never even met or who I've met just a couple of times for documentation review meetings. It's good for the writer and it's good for you when you don't have an extra body taking up your valuable space. I have developed some of my best professional relationships in cyberspace.

4. Only you understand your users' needs best. Yes, you do. You know what they want and what they need; that's why your business is so successful. Consider the following questions:

• Does your documentation need to be geared to the newbie user or the experienced techno-geek?
• Do you know how to analyze your audience and write to that audience?
• Do you understand your audience's basic learning style?
• Will graphics work better than words to convey your message?
Will a CD or HTML-based online help work better than print documentation?
• How will you deliver and distribute the final documentation product?

A good technical writer will perform a user need analysis and provide a documentation plan that drives your information architecture design. She will create a documentation plan that will evolve over the course of the project and will allow the documentation to grow as your product changes. With a great foundation, you won't have to reinvent the wheel with every new iteration of your product.

5. You already know how to use MS Word. That's great and it's important.

• Are you thorougly comfortable with Word's advanced features?
• Do you dream in macros?
• Are you familiar with FrameMaker (a highly un-user-friendly but powerful favorite tool of tech writers that handles large, complex documents that make MS Word quiver and crash)?
• Have you ever designed online help using RoboHelp?
• How are your Photoshop, Illustrator, Paint Shop Pro, Quark, Visio, InDesign, and basic HTML coding skills?
• Are you aware of the latest trends in writing and grammar style so your company's message will be consistent and grammatically correct?

Good tech writers bring an extensive working knowledge of a plethora of word processing and graphics programs as well as standard business writing practices.

6. You can keep up with document updates.

• What is your plan for documentation version control?
• Who will write the updates?
• How will you ensure your users have the latest and greatest version?

If you don't have a version and source control system in place, multiple versions of your document in several folders create an organizational nightmare when it's time to revise or update.

There's a trend toward single sourcing technical documentation these days. Simply put, this means one source for all of your documentation needs. This single source may contain material for your print manuals, online help, and training materials all in one place. In single sourcing, a writer tags specific material for a specific use. When you deliver documentation, you simply designate the type of documentation you want (e.g., print, online help, user guide, training material, technical reference information) to create and the software does the rest. The point is, everything is in one place, making version and source control simple. Setting up a single sourcing system now will save you time and future headaches later. A good technical writer is familiar with industry trends for single sourcing and may be able to help you set up a single sourced system within your organization.

If you're skeptical about hiring a technical writer, consider this. Good written communication skills will always be in demand in the business world. However, in today's complex business world, just being a good writer isn't enough. A good technical writer needs technical savvy, a sound knowledge of dozens of software programs, and impeccable research and writing skills.

Would you hire an accountant to develop software? Would you want an engineer to answer phones? Would you expect a copywriter to do your taxes? Probably not. So, give your business and your wonderful products the professional attention they deserve and consider a technical writer for your next documentation project.

Copyright 2005 Ann Zuccardy. All rights reserved.

Ann Zuccardy is a freelance technical and copy writer with 17 years of industry experience in marketing and technical communication. She currently consults with IBM in Essex Junction, Vermont where she writes software user manuals, training guides, and release notes. Ann is also the owner of Vermont Shortbread Company. She can be reached at Wordbrains.com.