Threads Dev Interviews are a platform where I find developers and conduct interviews with them directly on Threads. You can view all the interviews on Threads. Please note that the views expressed in these interviews are personal and do not represent the interviewee’s employer.
One interview featured Amy (@techwriterfaerie) who emphasized the importance of writing and publishing documentation to enable users to self-help when new software updates are released.
In the interview, Amy shared her journey of becoming a tech writer. She started in the funeral industry but decided to switch careers and applied for a remote customer support position at a tech company. Eventually, she came across a job posting for a tech writer in Ottawa and applied, despite lacking a degree or experience in the field. Although she didn’t get that particular job, she was offered another position as a tech writer responsible for internal documentation on security and IT. Amy accepted the offer, moved to Ottawa, and began her career as a tech writer.
Amy had always been interested in both tech and writing. She had previous experience in writing, including publishing a travel article and a book of poetry. Her father’s influence as an astrophotographer also fueled her passion for technology and science.
Transitioning into tech writing, Amy found the actual writing part easy. However, she faced challenges in understanding the context and expectations of the IT department and managing writers. She had to define her own success in the role and sought guidance from mentors and conferences to navigate industry-wide challenges like effective collaboration with developers and cross-functional teams.
The duties of a tech writer are generally standard, but they can vary depending on the company and the product they work with. Documentation formats and tools depend on the purpose and type of product, whether physical or digital. Different companies have different frameworks, systems, and expectations for documentation. In Amy’s case, she focused on SaaS help documentation.
Amy doesn’t currently write blogs that require SEO. However, she ensures that the knowledge base she works on is accessible to users of various skill levels.
Sometimes, when using a new tool, Amy has encountered situations where the existing help documentation doesn’t address her specific question. In her own documentation, she aims to use terms that align with users’ thought processes and build up product knowledge.
Developers can contribute to the tech writing process by documenting their own work and submitting it to the tech writer for publication. This collaboration helps in delivering materials that drive successful feature adoption. Access to context and trust between tech writers and developers is crucial for efficient collaboration.
Apart from tech writing, Amy enjoys using Threads because it allows for easy communication without the need for hashtags. She feels more positive and connected to the people she has met on Threads compared to other social media platforms. Threads provides a unique intersection of writers and tech, which aligns with Amy’s interests.
To connect with Amy online, you can follow her on Threads, where she is currently most active.
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