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How to Start a Technical Writing Department
Post by Ivan
Walsh. Follow me on
Twitter.
 This year I’ve worked with three companies setting up their
Technical
Writing Departments. To be honest, they call them Technical
Communications Department, but that’s another matter. One of the
problems in getting the dept setup was communicating the value
that the technical documents department would offer other business units
and also how it would save them money. In the end we got there
but there was a lot of negotiating and arm-twisting along the way. So,
here's how we setting up their Technical Writing Department.
Setting up a Technical Writing Department
1. Get Management Buy-in
Before you start, Senior Management has to believe that the new
department is critical to the company’s future business success.
- If you have to convince your Managing Director
that you need to hire professional technical writers and they can’t
see the value in providing this service, then you may need to
re-consider if it’s worth the effort. Let’s assume they do. Make
this your first priority!
- Canvas other departments to see how they would *benefit*
if there was a reliable Technical Documentation Department.
- Start to ‘plant seeds’ in the other Line
Manager’s minds.
2. Set Goals and Expectations
Identify where you want the Technical Documentation Department to go
both short and long-term. Paint a picture for the new recruits and
build enthusiasm.
3. Hire a Guru or else…
When starting a new group, get an experienced writer up-front so that
your Dept can be productive from day one.
- You can then hire newbie writers, such as graduates, and include
software training and
Business
English skills as part of their initiation.
- Try to hire writers who are
familiar with the tools and productive.
- If you need to prioritize, hire someone who can get things done
with little or no learning curve and can work without too much
direction.
4. Recruit the best people
First decide what skills you need in people, advertise, and set about
interviewing Hire a Senior Tech Technical Writer first, so you can
balance graduates with experience.
- Hire experience writers first or you will spend all your time
training and nothing will get out the door.
- A senior writer can take up the slack while you train the new
recruits.
As part of the training plan, consider which
skill sets they need first,
which are
easiest to train, and which are bought with experience.
- Hire people you get along with. In a new department, you need
absolute control and TOTAL support from your new writers.
5. Technical Writing Software & Setup
Determine what you need, and then buy it.
6. Budgeting
Create the
Business Case and make sure
you have enough
finances to cover training, recruitment, setup
and whatever else. Once you get handed a budget the first time, your
plan may help persuade Senior Management that you need more money for
starting up the department. In time you will have the experience to work
with accountants that control these budgets.
That’s how it worked for me. What did I miss?
About the Author: Ivan Walsh shares
Technical
Communication and Documentation Plan tips on
Klariti. Ivan also shares
Online Business
Plan Ideas on his Business Blog
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