As technical communicators, this challenge most likely resonates with you -- how do you keep docs in sync with your product? In the words of Manny Silva, "When product updates are frequent and user expectations are high, maintaining accurate and up-to-date documentation isn’t just a necessity—it’s a competitive advantage." Manny proposes. Docs as T…

The humble notes serve a larger purpose - be they a simple list, recipes, or essential information we jot down for later recall and planning. We sit down with Jorge Arango, the coauthor of Information Architecture for the Web and Beyond, to unlock the secrets of note-taking. Our first episode of the season with Jorge is more than a conversation; it…

Prepare to step into the future of technical writing as we explore the ground-breaking intersection of AI and technical communication with Caity Cronkhite, CEO of GoodWords. As an entrepreneur and subject matter expert, Caity offers invaluable insights on how AI is revolutionizing the process of technical writing. While we touch upon the empowering…

Has your team decided to do away with visuals in product documentation? Or are you struggling to maintain visuals with the rapid and frequent pace of content updates? If so, then this episode is for you. Keeping up with a rapidly evolving tech landscape and maintaining relevant visual content can be daunting. But, the power of visuals can't be unde…

Are you curious about simple ways to make your content universally accessible? Or perhaps you're keen to get a fresh perspective on understanding accessibility? Join us as Lindsey White, an accomplished technical writer, shares her in-depth insights and experiences from her stint managing a department website at Cornell University. We explore the s…

Ever wonder how AI tools can give you an edge in content creation? Join us as I chat with Matt Thomas, who has journeyed from the realm of technical writing to the world of copywriting and content creation. Unveiling the secrets of his craft, Matt shares how he brings innovation and brainstorming to the fore in copy creation. Get a glimpse of his c…

Curious about the future of technical communication in the rapidly evolving AI landscape? Today's episode with our talented guest, Ryan Boettger, a distinguished professor and department chair at the University of North Texas, promises to enlighten you. Ryan is a ‘prompt engineer,’ someone who acts as the valuable link between AI and humans. From h…

How do you bridge the gap between technical complexity and business value while fostering a culture of empathy in the modern workplace? Join me for an insightful conversation in this crossover episode with Felicity Brand from Open Strategy Partners, as we tackle this question and more. We start by exploring the connection between technical communic…

The show notes for this episode were created with the help of Cohost AI from Buzzsprout. Ever wondered how networking and vulnerability can open doors to incredible writing opportunities? Join me as I chat with the incredibly talented Kathleen Majorsky, a writer who has recently forayed into user-testing of AI tools which is both inspiring and eye-…

Shaughn Kern, my nerdy friend, graces my latest episode. As a technical writer and a code geek, Shaughn has been experimenting with ChatGPT to simplify and automate mundane parts of his day-to-day. In this heart-to-heart conversation, Shaughn shares some great examples that any technical writer can use to move on from the mundane and get creative w…

As AI tools make their mark on every business function, there is an equal proportion of excitement and fear. In the midst of this chaos, it is imperative we take a step back and consider pointers from our translation expert on what AI can and cannot offer. AI may not be the magic pill after all, at least, for the translation industry. Let's dive in…

In my latest episode with Erica, we dive into all things related to content research. If you are intrigued, then you are at the right place. We touch upon these questions for a deeper insight: What is content research? What types of content lend well to content research? How can you use content research to gain quick insights without costly AB expe…

Since late November 2022, ChatGPT has revolutionized the AI landscape. In this first episode of Season 4, I share the musings of my interactions with this magic tool. What is artificial intelligence? How does it work? How do we interact with it? How ChatGPT is helping me learn a new language. What are some pitfalls to consider as AI permeates every…

Lisa Zarfl comes from the beautiful city of Graz, Austria. I met Lisa at a conference, and her presentation on machine translations inspired me to bring her on the show. In this latest episode, we talk about all things translation. More specifically, machine translation (MT) and how it can help a business reach a global audience while saving costs.…

I have been out of pocket for the summer visiting family in India and taking some time off. I hope you are having a safe and fun summer. I am happy to be back in the saddle... In this latest episode, I chat with Jennifer Savage, a Scrum Master at FinThrive. Since Jennifer was a technical writer back in the day, she has some great nuggets to share o…

Have you ever thought of documentation being sexy? Probably not. Caity Cronkhite argues otherwise. She wholeheartedly believes documentation is sexy. She shares excellent advice for companies and writers to embrace this low-hanging fruit that can get excellent dividends if executed correctly. What did our conversation touch upon? Caity's journey fr…

In this tete-a-tete, Swapnil Ogale shares with us the evolution of technical communication in Australia, especially since the pandemic. Until recently, there was little to no awareness of technical communication at many companies. Swapnil took it upon himself to become the voice of the field, create awareness, and advocate for its adoption and impa…

Ellyn Hassell says, "I want to delight the customer, I want to make sure that I'm doing everything that I can to make this a really amazing experience, help them get their job done, move through the task, and move on." In this heart-to-heart conversation, Ellyn shares with us her experience and insights to create a delightful experience for the cus…

In this episode, we explore how content is created, consumed and distributed at an offshore service-based company. Tejasvi Patil shares with us her journey from QA into project management. Tejasvi shines a light on what successful content creation looks like on her team, and the pitfalls of inadequate documentation. Some topics that we touched upon…

In this episode, Bill Glynn shares with us some interesting insights on his background as a product manager, and what collaboration looks like from his perspective. We dive into these questions to understand the big picture and what is at stake: What is product management in a broad sense? What are the ways in which product managers and technical c…

In this quick chat with Matt, we talk about Matt's background and his eventual journey into UX design. Matt works very closely with UX writers, and my goal is to spotlight what that partnership looks like. We talk about the benefits of that partnership and the challenges when writers are not at the table. Some of the questions we discuss: What was …

We are launching Season 3 with a very special episode. In this interview with Kim Campbell, I embark on a journey to understand how academia is preparing the next generation of technical communicators. My aim is to spotlight how the Department of Technical Communication at the University of North Texas, in particular, is collaborating with the prac…

In this final episode of Season 2, Robert Delwood, a former NASA engineer, sheds light on how technical writers can pivot to API writing. It is a special skillset and mindset. Listen to this exclusive episode to find out how you can acquire this skill and make it in this high-in-demand career. Per the website programmableweb.com, approximately 2000…

Somebody has aptly said that "looking for a job is like dating". When you are looking for the perfect job opportunity, the process can be daunting. In this scenario, the recruiter or the talent acquisition manager can be your friend. In this heart-to-heart conversation, Olivia Farmer shares with us the "behind the scenes" of hiring the right talent…

Denise Kadilak says "show that you've got knowledge about the field and that you are self-motivated, and you're willing to pivot, embrace change. If you can demonstrate that in any way on your resume. That's always going to be a big win." We talk about what to do in an interview and what not to in this fun and fast-paced conversation. Tune in if yo…

Staying with the theme of Job Search and Career Advancement, David Owens dives deep to give us a hiring manager's perspective on what he looks for in a tech comm candidate for his team. If you think tech comm is all about writing manuals in a silo, then this interview may just open your eyes. The field is fast evolving if you have not noticed, and …

In the first episode, Jack Molisani and I talked about how to spruce up your resume. We continue our conversation to discover how to interview for success. Landing that next gig depends as much on your attitude and experience as it does on how you present yourself at the interview. Jack Molisani shares secrets about how to be a hit at a content int…

Season 2 - Job Search and Career Advancement Aren't we always looking for those amazing tips that can improve our chances of getting our next big gig? It all starts with that critical document - the resume. In this debut episode of Season 2, Jack Molisani shares some great insights into the dos and don'ts of things to put on your resume. Some thing…

My biggest supporter and life partner, Iqbal Mutabanna, decided to interview me for the last episode of Season 1. So here I am in a candid conversation, sharing my professional journey with you. We will pivot in Season 2 that launches in the second week of August. Stay tuned. Thank you for your support and I hope you enjoy my episode :)…

Tina Davis, CSM has done a little bit of everything - from teaching dance, working as a television editor to being an entrepreneur. Like many of us, she chanced upon the field of technical writing. Tina sought out the best education opportunity to put her on a road to success - and success she did find in her second career of choice. In this episod…

Laurel Beason has covered the journey from journalism to technical writing, and everything in between. If you are new to the field and would like to find out how you can move forward with the "think-forward" mindset, then tune in. In this episode, we chat about: The transferable skills that you can leverage to transition from journalism to technica…

Sree Pattabiraman's journey is one of exciting twists and turns. She graduated with a degree in commerce but found her first break in technical writing. Today, Sree is a rising leader in the field of technical communication. She is a DITA guru, a speaker at several events, and a role model to anyone who wants to make it in the field. Sree shares he…

This space does little justice to the guest I am about to introduce. But here it is... Altaf Tyrewala is the author of the critically acclaimed books, No God in Sight and Engglishhh: Fictional Dispatches from a Hyperreal Nation. He has also edited the crime-fiction collection, Mumbai Noir. Altaf's works have been published and anthologized worldwid…

Teresa Nguyen has navigated the fields of journalism and tech comm in the not-so-distant past. She currently practices UX research. In this episode, Teresa shares some amazing insights on how she leveraged her transferable skills and the common "through-line" of human experience to weave through these intersecting fields. Guest Bio https://www.link…

Ron Gardner pursued a degree in agricultural journalism, but "fell" into technical writing. Ron shares how his background in journalism, some sprinkling of "schmoozing", and bootstrapping have contributed to his long and successful career in technical communication. Ron also talks about the inverted pyramid to "trim the fat" from your writing. Now,…

Timothy suggests that no matter what profession you belong to, you are doing technical writing at some level. Drawing from this philosophy, he shares an interesting perspective on how his nursing students became invested in tech comm after taking an introductory tech comm course. Understanding the nuanced difference between audience and user can be…

I happened to attend a webinar of Steve Wiseman, titled "Beyond the Publication - Bringing the World of Technical Communication and Enterprise Content Strategy Together". In this webinar, Steve discusses what content strategy is, the relationship between content strategy and helping organizations scale, and how the technical communication content c…

Faith had long been seeking a stable opportunity that would pay the bills. But in doing so, she found a career that she loves. She discovered that this field satiates many facets of her personality - all in one job. How many of us can say that? Faith also shares an interesting perspective on why she thinks technical writing is the inverse of creati…

Beth Allphin was on a path to an accounting degree when tech comm appeared on her radar. While still in college, Beth got her first gig to do some editing work on the side. As they say, one thing led to another, and Beth found herself in a tech comm role. She has had a long inning in this career as she has worn both hats - that of an individual con…

Addison Kliewer grew up in a family of technical writers. However, this field was not his first choice. As luck would have it though, Addison graduated with a degree in tech comm. He put his portfolio to good use to find his first gig and he is rocking it. If you are a student or a recent graduate trying to launch your career as a technical communi…

Agnes Crentsil believes "language is access". By applying this mantra, Agnes has managed to establish a long and successful career in the field of technical communications. Agnes provides some invaluable tips on how you, as a technical writer, can provide value to the business and build successful connections with the C-suite executives. Guest Bio …