Why You Need Professional Documentation

Making sure your document fulfils its purpose is key to producing effective documentation. If written hastily by an engineer or manager, not only is their productivity reduced (as they are taken away from their well-paid roles) but they are probably overlooking issues of quality your customers will assume are reflected in the product itself (“sloppy manual = sloppy software?”).

1. DELIGHT YOUR CUSTOMERS.
By providing comprehensive and effective documentation, you will make your products easier to understand ensure your customers use them to their full potential.

2. REDUCE CALLS TO CUSTOMER SUPPORT.
By providing adequate operational and technical detail, you will reduce the number of calls to your customer support hotline.

3. MINIMISE PRODUCT DOWNTIME.
By providing effective troubleshooting and repair instructions, your customers will be able to rectify faults and get your products back online more quickly.

4. ENCOURAGE REPEAT BUSINESS.
By improving customer confidence in your products and product support, you will improve your company's reputation and establish brand loyalty.

5. GENERATE NEW BUSINESS.
By supplying a technical publication to a prospective customer as a benchmark of achievement, you will add credibility to your sales and marketing literature.

6. TRAIN YOUR STAFF.
By providing structured product documentation, you will be able to train staff and new recruits in your company as well as your customers.

7. PROTECT YOUR CUSTOMERS.
By providing essential health and safety information, in conjunction with appropriate product labels, your company will fulfil its obligation to provide adequate protection for the end-user.

8. PROTECT YOUR PRODUCTS.
By providing relevant equipment care, installation, handling, operation, storage, and maintenance information, the product will be properly used and maintained by the customer.

9. PROTECT YOUR COMPANY.
By recording the functions, features and specifications of the product, you will provide product liability and patent protection for your company in the event of a dispute.

10. INCREASE COMPANY PRODUCTIVITY.
By distributing copies of the product manual internally, or posting it on the company intranet, you will reduce interruptions to your product developers.

How to Write an Effective Datasheet

Datasheets DELIVER FACTS FAST! Your readers will SCAN the datasheet to check its relevance. If they deem it useful or interesting, they will then SKIM the content to pick up the main points. If they want to know more, they will finally READ the detail. So it’s important to write good copy that can be absorbed in this way.

1. INCORPORATE ESSENTIAL INFORMATION FOR YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE.
Most datasheets are short - usually a one- or two-sided page. Identify the most important points your audience want to know about (your product team will want to include every feature in the latest release):

• Definition/Key Features - What does the product do?
• Benefits - How does your product help the buyer solve their problems?
• Description - How does the product work?
• Advantages - What makes the product unique?
• Specification - What are the key details?

Bear in mind who your audience is. If the datasheet is for business managers, you probably don’t need to explain how the product works technically. If it’s for network engineers, that information may be critical.

2. CLEARLY IDENTIFY YOUR PRODUCT ON THE FIRST PAGE.
Include a brief product definition right at the top of the first page including how it solves your audience’s high-level problem. It orients your reader to your product and provides context for the rest of the datasheet.

3. USE HEADINGS THAT SUMMARISE YOUR MAIN POINTS.
Your readers will scan these first so make them succinct. A good test is to read only the headings and see if they summarise your main points.

4. CONSIDER WRITING HEADINGS AS QUESTIONS.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) are popular because they are quick to scan. Utilise this principle by writing your headings as questions, and then answering them in the paragraph immediately following:

• How Does 'Product X' Compare to Other Products?
• Why is 'Product X' a Better Solution?
• What are the Benefits of Using 'Product X'?

5. USE BULLET POINTS AND BOLD KEY PHRASES.
Bullet points break up your text so it’s easy to read and quick to scan. Keep the text short and start each bullet point with an action-oriented verb. Embolden key phrases to help get them noticed. For example:

• Gain visibility about where critical information is located.
• Eliminate passwords once and for all.
• Protect your data in use and in motion.

6. HIGHLIGHT THE PRODUCT BENEFITS.
Give readers reasons why they should continue reading by including a brief benefits list on the first page. A bulleted list in a dedicated left- or right-hand column is easy to scan. Keep the text short but compelling.

7. INCLUDE A POSITIVE QUOTE.
Validation of your product by an expert or customer is always good. Rather than inserting the quote in the main body where it can get lost, include it in a box in the margin, where it will be noticed.

8. WRITE IN SECOND-PERSON TO APPEAL PERSONALLY TO YOUR AUDIENCE.
Many technology companies write their datasheets in third person (“he”, “she” or "the user"), which sounds too formal and stilted. Your datasheet will be more engaging and personal if written in second person (“you”).

9. INCLUDE USE CASES.
Technology companies are usually good at explaining 'how' their product works, but they often neglect to add 'when' or 'why' you would use it. Giving your product context, by including a “use case”, is critical. You don't need to go into detail (Case Study) but you do need to give examples of where your product adds value.

10. KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING BY INCLUDING A CALL-TO-ACTION.
The call-to-action (CTA) directs readers to the next step you want them to take. Say more than: “For more information, visit our website.” Analyse what your potential customer will want to know next and include a link to a white paper or a link to a testimonial video. Keep the conversation going by suggesting helpful resources, building confidence and establishing a beneficial relationship.