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Typical Documentation and Technical
Writing Services (all links on this page)
Typical Documentation and Technical Writing Services (all links on this page)
Technical Documentation Development
Documentation Maintenance Development
Editor's Guide Development
Manuscript Update / Review / Release
Technical Documentation
Technical Manual Development
Technical Research & Information Gathering
Product Development
Business Process Development
Employee / Customer Training
Operations Manual Development
Organization Chart Utilization
Workflow Management
Writer's Training Program
Marketing Materials Development
Brochure Development
Marketing Newsletter Development
Marketing Proposal Development
Promotional Materials / Production
Sales Process Improvement
Telemarketing
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Workflow Management
Client Problem
Management worries about declining production, profits and revenues. They feel the need for increased production in certain department(s), due to bottlenecks in workflow.
- Department users complain about lengthy delivery times
- Department users complain about increasing costs
- Users and employees become upset due to frequent miscommunications.
- Declining production
- Declining profits
- Slow delivery
Reason / Key Benefits
Clear up bottlenecks in workflow. Improved workflow management means higher production at lower costs, with fewer upsets, irritation and complaints.
What we do
Before you make any decision to revise existing systems (manual or mechanical), or to develop new systems, we can help you perform a workflow survey to help you:
- Analyze actual business needs
- Define the scope and nature of the project
- Determine the potential benefits
- Determine if these benefits warrant initiating the project
- Organize and plan the project
- Determine the personnel and resources required
The project's success or failure depends on research before the project begins; it's often your first real look at a given phase of its operation.
Organization Chart Utilization
Client Problem
Line and staff relationships are not clearly defined, resulting in employees that don't know who is accountable to whom.
- Career paths are not clear; employees don't know how they can move up as company grows.
- Jobs are "self-tailored" to personal talents, instead of functional accountabilities, keeping employees "stuck" in same position - the only way up is out-resulting in unnecessary employee turnover and restructuring the job to the next employee's talents.
- Employee positions, levels, functions, and accountabilities are unclear
Reason / Key Benefits
- Practical "Org Chart" defines line and staff relationships, thus, employees know who is accountable to whom, and for what.
- Well-defined career paths motivate employees and enhance loyalty.
- Org Chart provides a convenient model for cash flows, compensation plans, and filing systems.
What we do
We can help you develop an organizational strategy represented by an official Organization Chart. We can then use the Organization Chart as a basis for documenting the following:
- Management / staff relationships
- Functions
- Workflow
- Accountabilities
- Action plans
- Career paths
- Cash flow / budgeting
Operations Manual Development
Client Problem
Undocumented everyday operations, functions, and jobs.
- Job-related information and how-to-do-it is in employee's heads, inevitably leads to problems, such as: costly re-training, wasted time and duplication of effort.
- Jobs, left to employee discretion, yield inconsistent performance and results.
- You risk a major setback when employees leave, or in labor disputes.
Reason / Key Benefits
Operations Manuals accelerate employee training and assure consistent quality work and products.
Operations Manuals minimize risk and worry about employee loss. Job details are captured in black-and-white, not employees' heads.
What we do
We can help you create an Operations Manual for every position, to include: job description, action plans, checklists, standards, etc. Manuals should be created in standard format.
We can help you implement an orchestrated system for creating, updating, distributing, and retrieving manuals; use standardized numbering system, coordinated with your organization chart.
Brochure Development
Client Problem
Problems typical in this Application Area include:
- Data sheets and literature are too technical, fail to establish "rapport" with consumer.
- There is no Unique Selling Proposition (USP) and/or no Situational Unique Selling Proposition to differentiate your products and services.
- Headlines are not emotionally appealing and offer no gratification to the reader.
- Color scheme not psychographically correct for central model consumer.
- Body copy too technical, too jargony.
Reason / Key Benefits
Improve brochures' "sales-ability" through application of market-proven demographic and psychographic techniques.
Improve return on investment in promotional materials.
What we do
Identify central demographic model consumer and design materials accordingly.
Develop USP and/or Situational USP; use throughout all pieces; use consistent theme throughout all pieces.
- Use psychographically correct colors, shapes, and symbols.
- Use active headlines and active body copy.
- Analyze competitive product brochures and literature.
- Use photo captions and customer quotes to spark reader interest; use "consumer photos" showing consumer happily receiving the benefits of your products and services.
Write marketing materials in a friendly "you" orientation to hold readers' interest.
Sales Process Improvement
Client Problem
Selling sophisticated products and services calls for a lengthy, iterative sales process with multiple estimates of configurations and prices.
There are stumbling blocks in the sales process, such as, the sales person must pick exact items out of long lists of part numbers, increasing the chance of errors and requiring others to double-check orders.
Other problems areas include:
- Dealing with part numbers only helps perpetuate your company as a "hardware vendor."
- Salespeople seldom use the Sales Manual, preferring to use the phone instead.
- Note that a perfectly written Sales Manual probably won't stop calls from salespeople because salespeople would rather interact with people than data, however, it will probably restrict the calls to field analysts instead of Home Office.
- No expiration date on price list, thus, old prices are often quoted.
- Order Processing still a manual system.
Reason / Key Benefits
A documented sales process will help reposition your company as a Solutions company:
- Helps streamline proposal generation
- Helps sales people create growth strategies for clients
- Helps sales people negotiate mutually profitable proposals and forecast client profit improvements.
What we do
Your strategic objective is to reposition your company as providing "System Solutions" instead of boxes, screws, and cables.
Therefore, your salespeople should position themselves as "Solutions Consultants" (not hardware vendors).
We recommend that you do the following to speed the transition:
- Develop a documented sales process that stresses the consultative nature of your company's client relationship.
- Develop a structured sales interview process and Needs Analysis Questionnaire to create predictable input to the proposal generation process, which in turn assembles applicable proposal text modules. (Of course, every prospect is different - still, much standardization and streamlining are possible.)
- Use the book, "Consultative Selling" by Mack Hanan, published by Amacom (American Management Association, 135 West 50th Street, New York, NY 10020) as a basis to develop the selling process. This book tells exactly how to:
- Create a client growth strategy.
- Negotiate profitable proposals.
- Forecast client's profit improvements, etc.
Manuscript Update / Review / Release
Client Problem
Manuscripts and documents are hastily prepared compromises done in response to a critical situation.
Reason / Key Benefits
A streamlined manuscript update system lets you produce manuscripts on time according to a proven plan instead of compromise in a critical situation. Release better products, faster.
Keep documentation up-to-date easily with proven system.
What we do
By adopting our recommendations for Research and Information Gathering, you will begin to relieve this condition.
However, due to the fast pace of your competitive industry, you must streamline the whole process of creating, reviewing, updating and maintaining up-to-date documentation for your business.
Product Testing
Client Problem
Documentation process put off until the end of the product development cycle.
- On one hand, you are concerned about differences between the final system and its documentation.
- On the other hand, you're concerned about possible extra development costs.
Today's consumers demand correct, complete documentation.
Reason / Key Benefits
Orchestrated product testing verifies documentation with product throughout development. Eliminate more bugs faster through coordinated approach; improve company reputation with bug-free products.
Get better product reviews. Increase sales and profit performance.
What we do
The solution is to develop a streamlined, fully orchestrated system for both information gathering and product testing that actually saves time and money, and is coordinated with development of documentation.
In fact, major design flaws and hidden bugs, are always discovered during documentation, no matter when it happens.
Starting documentation "early"actually streamlines the whole product development process.
Instead of finding big problems at the end (requiring costly re-design, re-implementation, re-checkout - and apologies), small problems are handled near the beginning, saving time, money, and effort.
Technical Research & Information Gathering
Client Problem
Many growing companies like yours develop a substantial problem in technical research and information gathering.
The chief problem occurs because your engineers and programmers simply don't have the time, interest, or experience in researching and compiling user-friendly publications.
To compound the problem, you have a situation of over-dependence upon key employees whose work is undocumented.
Reason / Key Benefits
Streamlined methods of gathering, organizing, and editing latest information mean less worry about key people and vital information loss. Protect your investment in information.
What we do
We can help you gather and organize your vital engineering and programming information to protect your investment in products.
Once gathered, it must be transcribed, organized, and published in a practical user-friendly format that serves your customers.
Technical Manual Development
Client Problem
Typical problems and frustrations in developing a technical manual includes:
- Procrastination
- Inconsistent Format
- Lack of development standards
- Lack of organized approach to developing manuals
- Lack of illustrations and sample forms
- Lack of standardized update procedures
Reason / Key Benefits
Technical Manual developed according to organized approach and consistent format; can be used for both training and reference.
Manual provides better understanding through clear, accurate, up-to-date descriptions. Customer complaints minimized or eliminated.
What we do
A Technical Manual is typically used for technical reference and often used in technical training situations. It is written for people who maintain or operate some type of system or perform jobs connected with a system or its components. It gives people detailed information such as, product description, construction, physical / electronic interface, dimensions and measurements, theory of operation, etc.
Technical manuals often involve the description of hardware. Thus, object descriptions must be organized so they parallel the object's organization.
The prime requirement is clarity, allowing the reader to visualize the object, often accompanied by drawing(s) or photograph(s).
Development requires precise observation, careful description, formal definition and statement of function(s), general appearance, and detailed description of part(s).
Documentation Maintenance Development
Client Problem
Your company has increasing burdens in the area of documentation maintenance due to:
- Accelerating "leap-frog" technologies
- More and more documentation to be maintained
- Disorganized methods and tools of maintenance
Reason / Key Benefits
Improve quality and effectiveness via trained maintenance personnel that use proven policies, technologies, and tools.
What we do
Develop a system to improve the maintenance of documentation by improving the management, budgeting, and manloading for these maintenance efforts:
- Perfective - Enhancements to improve understandability or maintainability
- Adaptive - Adapting the documentation to environmental changes (in hardware, software, etc)
- Corrective - Fixing errors in the design, writing, and logic
The system should also:
- Provide guidance in finding and training maintenance personnel
- Provide assistance in the control and improvement of maintenance
- Pave the way for adoption of various policies, techniques and tools
Technical Documentation
Client Problem
Lack of technically qualified writers to develop technical documentation.
No orchestrated system to collect, assemble and publish manuscripts related to your department, business, etc.
Documentation process not under control and giving you the results you need.
Lack of documentation stalls product development
Technical Materials not understandable; not keeping pace with products.
Business suffering due to lack of adequate documentation.
Reason / Key Benefits
Fast proven system for developing documentation.
What we do
Write / Update / Review / Release Manuscripts
Project planning, technical interviews, research, writing, editing, artwork, technical drawings, etc.
Employee / Customer Training
Client Problem
Employee / customer training programs usually sporadic, in response to a critical situation. Lack of qualified trainers and company approved lesson plans further amplify the following problems:
- Lack of ongoing training wastes potential of your most important assets - your employees / customers
- Employee / customers, not properly trained, cause costly mistakes and delays
- Frustration causes declining morale, enthusiasm and performance
- Quality standards not met
Reason / Key Benefits
Properly trained employees / customers minimize costly mistakes and delays. Training enhances individual's self-perception, improves morale and enthusiasm, and raises productivity and profits.
What we do
We can help you develop a systematic employee / customer training program, first analyzing your actual needs before rushing into a program that may not satisfy your needs.
An effective training program can be implemented, depending on further analysis of your needs in the following areas:
- Your Organization
- Your Operations
- Your People
Writer's Training Program
Client Problem
Slow turnaround on written products aggravates the following problems:
- Lengthy manuscript review cycles delay products introductions
- The latest information not incorporated where needed
- Frequent rewrites cause further delays
- Accelerating labor costs impact manuscript development
- Customers complain about documentation
- Frustrated employees give lack-luster performance
- Unwieldy schedules
Reason / Key Benefits
We recommend that you offer your employees an opportunity for learning, achievement, and personal growth through a practical writer's training that will improve performance, communication, and employee satisfaction.
Enhanced ability to communicate will save both money and time in development of your manuals, reports, manuscripts, memos, etc.
What we do
Reduce labor costs associated with development of manuals, reports, memos, brochures, etc.
Improve employee performance, communications, and satisfaction through opportunity for learning and achievement.
Improve turnaround on written products; incorporate new information when needed.
Marketing Newsletter Development
Client Problem
Consumers not kept appraised of latest advancements, new products, and services.
In the rush of everyday business, the "home office" has lost touch with the consumer.
Reason / Key Benefits
Tell consumers of your valuable innovations as they happen.
Newsletters convey your marketing message in a subtle, professional manner.
Enhanced consumer contact means more sales.
What we do
One of the many ways to implement an effective marketing program is through use of a newsletter. Unlike conventional advertising, a newsletter can convey a marketing message more subtly. To enhance your image with consumers, we suggest that you:
- Develop an ongoing newsletter program with regular, predictable release dates
- Design the newsletter for the appropriate demographic model
- Keep the newsletter "conversational," with emotionally appealing articles
- Develop the primary sensory components first: name, logo, colors, USP (Unique Selling Proposition), Situational USP, paper, typefaces, pictures
Marketing Proposal Development
Client Problem
Your sales department operates in the reactive mode more than necessary, for example:
- Questions from field and sales support takes precedence over development of Data Sheets and development of a streamlined approach to generating proposals.
- The Sales Communications Department is not currently staffed to produce anything but proposals. Further, there's confusion about who's accountable for what, with overlapping efforts.
- Proposal writers feel they can't use boilerplate because "the truth is always changing" - they must talk to development people frequently-and because every opportunity is different. Thus, proposals are custom written for each opportunity - with same efforts repeatedly.
- Most time-consuming problems include unreleased pricing on products, maintenance and installation, waiting for approvals, etc.
- There is really only one person who knows pricing.
- Proposal writers have stand-alone PCs, all independent
Reason / Key Benefits
Standard proposal modules combine with standardized field input streamlines proposal generation, and minimizes re-writes.
What we do
We recommend that you develop procedures to streamline the proposal generation process by the following:
- Develop a database of standardized proposal modules that can be quickly assembled, given input from a "standardized" consultative selling process.
- With a properly implemented text database, text modules for Bulletins, Announcements, etc., can be used for proposals too. (That is not to say there won't be some tailoring.)
Product/Documentation Development
Client Problem
Significant problems occur when manufacturers put off the documentation process until the end of the product development cycle.
Problems caused by poorly written Specifications are multiplied by all people "down line" who must take time to decipher.
Current format of the Specifications makes information difficult to find - even after one is familiar with them. Format not conducive to quick look-up.
Reason / Key Benefits
What we do
Promotional Materials / Production
Client Problem
You're concerned that production costs for your promotional materials could be "too high."
At the same time, you want high quality. In other words, you want the best return on your investment.
Reason / Key Benefits
Increase inquiries, orders, and profits through testing and validating promotional materials.
Get the most ROI for your money.
What we do
To get the most for your money, you should develop a system to quantify the results produced by your promotional materials.
If your promotional materials generate inquiries and orders, you may be wiser to invest even more, rather than trim costs, per se.
However, if your promotional materials are not "pulling" inquiries and orders, trimming production costs will benefit little compared to the benefits of enhancing the pulling power ("sales-ability") of your promotional materials - for a larger return per dollar invested.
Caution: Frequently, promotional materials are created and approved by people that have no use for the product! (They're not potential customers.)
Worse, these materials are not tested for "sales-ability" in the marketplace. You should test and measure the results produced by your marketing efforts - count inquiries and orders, compute actual profits.
For maximum pulling power, all promotional materials should be psychographically correct to appeal the central model consumer for the particular product.
Other recommendations:
- Define your demographic model and market segments precisely.
- Develop ROI standards for every marketing piece.
- Develop a series of controlled tests to validate marketing materials before investing in a "production run."
Telemarketing
Client Problem
The main, all-pervasive problem with telephone marketing is that it typically gets put off due to fear of calling because the caller suffers a lack of information - and a way to use that information to be effective in telephone marketing.
This problem is further compounded by other problems as follows:
- Inconsistent messages, whether incoming or outgoing, impact your Company Image in the mind of the consumer
- Sporadic follow-up to inquiries and sales leads literally sabotage the sales / service process
- No one accountable for telephone marketing
- Lost calls = lost leads = lost business
- Increase sales; increase customer service through
- Error-free management of sales leads
- Obtain useful sales / marketing statistics
- Eliminate forgotten phone calls
- Provide accurate information flow from one caller to another.
Reason / Key Benefits
Easy-to-use system provides sure-fire, systematic phone marketing to stimulate big-profit business.
Eliminates overwhelm and confusion from phone marketing.
Training provided to key personnel.
What we do
We recommend that you develop standardized handling of business phone calls - both incoming and outgoing as follows:
- Develop employee's telephone communication skills
- Develop and use tested telephone scripts
- Document all calls, with date-stamp and appropriate remarks
- Develop system for tracking follow-up calls
- Coordinate your phone/mail marketing communication
- Develop computerized phone/mail database with automatic follow-up
Editor's Guide Development
Client Problem
Most companies need a systematized solution to handle the following problems:
- Inconsistencies in technical information
- Information out of sequence
- Inaccuracies
- Use of jargon
- Unclear tables, forms, illustrations
- Inconsistent formatting
Reason / Key Benefits
Streamlined editing and updating processes save time, money, and trouble in producing / maintaining documentation.
What we do
Develop a documented editor's plan with editor's checklists and specific tasks to standardize the editing process.
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