--- title: Technical Documentation - A Must-Have Element description: Technical Documentation - A Must-Have Element image: https://www.akuiteo.com/hubfs/social-suggested-images/documentation-technique-lindispensable-71226612-7.png --- [Customer area](https://akuiteo.myakuiteo.com/akuiteo/) [![Akuiteo Le Mag](https://www.akuiteo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Website-2017/Akuiteo-Mag_EN-Logo_640.png?width=217&name=Akuiteo-Mag_EN-Logo_640.png "Akuiteo Mag - ERP blog for services companies")](https://www.akuiteo.com/en/blog) [![Request a demo](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/1804791/8e149513-1adf-4165-b261-f25bd80791fd.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/1804791/8e149513-1adf-4165-b261-f25bd80791fd) [![Request a demo](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/1804791/8e149513-1adf-4165-b261-f25bd80791fd.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/1804791/8e149513-1adf-4165-b261-f25bd80791fd) [Blog Akuiteo](https://www.akuiteo.com/englishblog) # Technical Documentation - A Must-Have Element By [Jean-Baptiste Sachot](https://www.akuiteo.com/en/blog/author/jean-baptiste-sachot), 11:10 AM on September 22, 2016 - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) #### **An Analysis** Along with the product, a **technical documentation** should be delivered with technical instructions, installation guides, user manuals, online helps, etc. But this is not always the case today. Furthermore, technical information is sometimes **difficult to access**, either impossible to find or lost in a mass of information, or too complicated. It can be really discouraging. Finally, reading and understanding information takes **time**. Often that time is hard to find, especially when you find yourself blocked by your program. The user will want to find a quick solution to his problem. #### **The Solution** Initially relegated to technicians or engineers when they had "time to kill", companies now no longer hesitate to ask a **documentation specialist** for help instead. As an expert in content analysis, curious and attentive, the documentation specialist knows how to synthesize information to make it accessible to the greatest number. ![technical-documentation-71226612.png](https://www.akuiteo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog-files/documentation-technique-lindispensable-71226612.png?width=1024&name=documentation-technique-lindispensable-71226612.png "technical-documentation-71226612.png") #### **The Technical Writer or Content Developer** Like his fellow developers, the technical writer must "code", **structure information **using appropriate working methods[[1]](https://www.akuiteo.com/en/blog/technical-documentation-a-must-have-element/#_ftn1) and technical tools[[2]](https://www.akuiteo.com/en/blog/technical-documentation-a-must-have-element/#_ftn2) based on computer languages[[3]](https://www.akuiteo.com/en/blog/technical-documentation-a-must-have-element/#_ftn3). With one goal in mind: to **meet the user’s needs**, whether the customer would be final or internal. To do so, the **fundamental issues** that the technical writer constantly keeps in mind are: - What are the user’s objectives? - What are the tasks to be achieved? - What procedures must the user follow exactly? - How will it impact on the rest of his business? - What are the precautions? Then, the technical writer must present information in a pleasant, consistent and concise way. And, if necessary, he can use graphics while facilitating the access to the information, through search engines or dedicated websites. **The Agility of the Technical Writer** *Working software over comprehensive documentation *- Manifesto for Agile Software Development[[4]](https://www.akuiteo.com/en/blog/technical-documentation-a-must-have-element/#_ftn4). Although this assertion is quite true, it might suggest that documentation becomes obsolete. That is why the technical writer must also be **Agile**. As an integral part of the product development cycle, through methods such as **Scrum**[[5]](https://www.akuiteo.com/en/blog/technical-documentation-a-must-have-element/#_ftn5), he is always aware of the development of the tool to be documented. Therefore, we do no longer talk about comprehensive documentation but about **relevant** documentation. #### **The Evolution** Accessing the information has never been as open and wide as today, and the easy-to-use connected objects (smartphone, tablets) require the use of more complex development tools... that should always be documented. Technical writers, content developers, documentation specialists and other information managers, it’s left up to you! ------ [[1]](https://www.akuiteo.com/en/blog/technical-documentation-a-must-have-element/#_ftnref1) Task-Oriented Information Modelling (TIM) [[2]](https://www.akuiteo.com/en/blog/technical-documentation-a-must-have-element/#_ftnref2) MadCap Flare [http://www.madcapsoftware.com/products/flare/](http://www.madcapsoftware.com/products/flare/) [[3]](https://www.akuiteo.com/en/blog/technical-documentation-a-must-have-element/#_ftnref3) XML Extensible Markup Language [http://www.w3.org/TR/xml/](http://www.w3.org/TR/xml/) [[4]](https://www.akuiteo.com/en/blog/technical-documentation-a-must-have-element/#_ftnref4) Manifesto for Agile Software Development http://agilemanifesto.org/iso/en/ [[5]](https://www.akuiteo.com/en/blog/technical-documentation-a-must-have-element/#_ftnref5) SCRUM [https://www.scrum.org](https://www.scrum.org) [Actus](https://www.akuiteo.com/en/blog/topic/actus) 0 Comment - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [< What is the role of the CFO in a digital business?](https://www.akuiteo.com/en/blog/what-is-the-role-of-the-cfo-in-a-digital-business) [Non-compliance with schedules, a chronic problem with ERP projects >](https://www.akuiteo.com/en/blog/non-compliance-with-schedules-a-chronic-problem-with-erp-projects) ### Linked articles: - [Niji & Akuiteo : a productive partnership !](https://www.akuiteo.com/en/blog/niji-akuiteo-a-productive-partnership) - [Akuiteo evolves to better adapt to your uses!](https://www.akuiteo.com/en/blog/akuiteo-evolves-to-better-adapt-to-your-uses) - [The cheatsheet to help consultants' ERP software choice](https://www.akuiteo.com/en/blog/the-cheatsheet-to-help-consultants-erp-software-choice) - [Experience: a management software for a software publisher](https://www.akuiteo.com/en/blog/experience-a-management-software-for-a-software-publisher) ### Follow us: ### Subscribe to our blog: Akuiteo in 99 seconds ![](https://www.akuiteo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/akuiteo_images/feat-vdo-akuiteo.png?width=280&name=feat-vdo-akuiteo.png "Discover Akuiteo") ### Most read articles: ### Our business: - [Software Editors](https://www.akuiteo.com/en/management-software-computer-companies-isv) - [Design offices](https://www.akuiteo.com/en/management-software-engineering-firms-engineering-companies) - [Architects](https://www.akuiteo.com/en/management-software-architects-technical-consultants) - [Consulting companies](https://www.akuiteo.com/en/management-software-consulting-service-compagnies) ### Akuiteo SAS 222 cours Lafayette 69003 LYON – France Phone : +33 (0)4 26 59 86 86   ### Our ecosystem ### Let’s start! 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