How a Software Tech Writer Simplifies Documentation with Paligo

When it comes to software integration and marketing automation, effective documentation is essential. It plays a vital role in facilitating seamless transitions and maximizing the use of advanced technology. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Paddy Kelly, a technical writer in the software industry, to explore how Paligo’s Component Content Management System (CCMS), has simplified the way he and his team handle documentation.

With a background in development, Paddy found a unique fit as a technical writer. His journey began almost two years ago when his colleague, also a technical writer, recognized the need for additional team members. Before Paligo, and setting up an established team to focus on technical documentation, the company had no specific structure or strategy for documentation methods.

As a technical writer, Paddy’s responsibilities include creating documentation for developers, other company employees and customers. The documentation he performs spans two main areas:

• Documentation for the development team to integrate the software into customer systems
• An internal knowledge base

From helping organize knowledge and content, like in the help center and knowledge base, the Paligo CCMS plays an essential role in enhancing collaboration, consistency, and accessibility across these documentation types. So let’s explore how using a CCMS benefits each of these documentation tasks and makes things easier for the development team.

When it comes to discussing the documentation used by the development team for software integration, Paddy explains, “For any of our customers who are implementing our system, they need to connect it to their own system, which can be a challenging task. The integration documentation is heavily focused on technical details and includes a lot of descriptions and information about the product’s functionality.”

Paddy’s emphasis on the challenges involved in complex documentation with technical details highlights the significance of having a CCMS. In the context of integration documentation, where certain technical details are recurrent, the content reuse feature in the Paligo CCMS proves invaluable. It allows the team to maintain consistency across documents by reusing components, significantly streamlining the content creation process and ensuring that key technical information remains standardized.

With the dynamic nature of the software, updates and changes to the documentation are inevitable, thus making a CCMS the perfect solution for the team to enable quick updates. Because the documentation is organized into components, any changes one of the technical writers makes to the source content will be automatically reflected in all instances where that content is used.

Paddy is also enthusiastic about filters within Paligo, especially in the context of creating different versions of documents tailored for internal and external audiences. This capability has significantly enhanced the team’s ability to deliver targeted content to specific user groups.

I just discovered filters six months ago and I’m crazy about them now. When we create documentation, we often need to differentiate between content meant for internal training purposes and material intended for our customers. So when I discovered filters, it was fantastic.

Creating distinct versions of documents and maintaining consistency between them would be a challenge without a CCMS. With the implementation of filters, Paddy can easily segment sections, ensuring that internal materials are separate from customer-facing content. This not only enhances efficiency but also minimizes the risk of errors or outdated information.

The biggest set of documentation handled by Paddy and the rest of his team is the internal knowledge base.

“It contains a vast amount of information that you need to know if you’re working with a customer. So it has to be easily searchable for efficient collaboration and communication between the developers and the knowledge base.”

One of the primary benefits of using a CCMS for knowledge base documentation is the streamlined organization of content. As in the other types of documentation, the content components are easy to manage, making it easy to update individual pieces of information. In the context of Paddy’s internal knowledge base, this means that each relevant piece of information, be it a procedure, guideline, or technical detail, can be treated as a separate module, making it easier when a subject needs to be located.

The easy searchability of the knowledge base makes work more efficient. With advanced search functionality, users can quickly locate the specific information they need. Whether it’s a developer looking for technical details or a team member searching for procedural guidelines, Paligo’s robust search capabilities enhance collaboration and communication by minimizing the time spent searching for relevant information.

The tech writers, now part of the Product Operations team, embraced Paligo from day one. While some team members initially found the learning curve steep, the benefits of content reuse and streamlined publication processes quickly outweighed any challenges.

It took me a while to become familiar with the writing interface, including section organization and the XML view. But now I really love it! Especially the fact that you can create and rearrange sections.

Paddy praised Paligo for its flexibility. Because it is cloud-based, he and his team can work seamlessly from different locations, increasing their efficiency and overall productivity when managing and collaborating on documentation.

Paligo has not only transformed the way Paddy’s team manages documentation, but has become an integral part of their daily operations. Paddy’s journey from a developer to a technical writer showcases the adaptability and efficiency Paligo brings to a rapidly evolving tech environment. As they continue to innovate, Paligo remains an essential ally in their quest for seamless integration and automated marketing success.

If you’re interested in more advantages the Paligo CCMS has for technical writers, explore more information here.