Based on my experience, managers often overlook

• • the critical contribution of documentation to risk reduction, compliance, and operational efficiency.
  • Producing documentation requires significant effort.
  • The cross-functional nature of our work can create confusion about team assignments. Say we have change management experience in the creation of flows and narratives. It led to a placement in business change where we possess the knowledge but not the expertise.

• Difficulty in Justifying ROI to Clients

• • • Clients see documentation as a “nice-to-have” rather than a must-have—until something goes wrong (e.g., legal disputes, compliance failures).

Managers struggle to understand how documentation:

• • • Reduces support costs (fewer customer complaints)
    • Ensures compliance (avoids regulatory penalties)
    • Speeds up onboarding (reduces training costs

The misconception that AI or SMEs can replace us by writing documentation, or that AI tools can auto-generate content. Small businesses often don’t have technical writing skills, and AI content needs a person to check it for correctness, meaning, and how easy it is to use.

How can we address these challenges?

1. Educate Managers on the Value of Documentation
   1. • • Show real-world cost savings (e.g., reduced rework, fewer customer complaints).
        • Highlight case studies where poor documentation caused project delays or legal risks.
   2. Push for Strategic Placement in the Organisation

• • • Place this under Quality, Knowledge Management, or Digital Strategy (if it helps the business).
    • Position documentation as a core business function, not as an afterthought.

3. Demonstrate Our Expertise Beyond Writing

• • • Emphasise our role in governance, process improvement, content structuring, and compliance.
    • Showcase technical authors as information architects rather than just writers.

Interested in a proposal to improve how your organisation uses technical authors? Ask me?