Tech docs that make sense!

I’m a technical documentation expert who transforms tech docs into business assets. I optimize their technical writing resources to reduce costs by collaborating across departments, increasing efficiencies, and building technical writing experts.

Collaborations that win
Teams that stick
Efficiencies that work

Over 25 years of experience

Content Strategy

I plan where you want to go and how to get there using the resources you have.

Build a Team

I grow a team of writing experts, because strong individuals make a strong team.

Help Users

I look for ways to increase findability of the help content for the end users, so the they can get back to work.

About

Management

12 Years of Management

My management philosophy is centered around 3 pillars:

We are hired to serve the company, both as a team and individually.
People are precious. People are the most important resource the company has.
Clear is kind. Setting expectations prevents conflict and enables us to deliver.

I transform technical documentation teams info writing experts and elevate the team into a content strategy organization, collaborating across the company.

I develop the strategy and roadmap to align to corporate goals by standardizing the technical documentation function. This increases the value of technical documentation and elevating it to a business asset.

Highlights:

I’ve combined three teams into one; and doubled the size of another
I’ve upskilled technical writers with structured content, DITA, plain English, minimalism. and Simplified Technical English.
I advocate for my writers and grow them in the way they want to grow.
The team naturally mentors each other, so that the team is stronger.
I develop leaders: several writers moved on to lead their own teams, and three have received their MBAs.

Ideal Release Notes
Like most processes, creating release notes is never straightforward. In standardizing the process across five product groups that were acquisitions, I knew there was profound differences in the way release notes were viewed. I interviewed stakeholders from each of the product groups, and devised a plan that covered their concerns. Four of the five product groups adopted it successfully. The fifth group customized the release notes for individual clients, which was a different issue altogether.

Content Migration
I’ve successfully migrated content from unstructured to structured content management systems twice. Although the details are vastly different, the high level steps remain the same and are incorporated into the standard project management process.
1. Define the content modeling: needed in the new system.
2. Configure the system.
3. Audit the content: decide which pieces of content need to be migrated, which ones don’t need to be migrated, and which ones need major reworking.
4. Prepare the content: update the content so that it fits the new structure, reducing the post-migration clean up.
5. Migrate the content.
6. Clean up the content with post-migration tasks.
7. Validate the content.
8. Validate the system outputs.

Providing Business Value
Technical documentation is more than explaining how to use software. It’s a business asset that increases adoption, reduces churn, and reduces Support costs. It’s also marketing content that provides additional evidence for cross sell and upsell.

The self-service content allows users to complete their work using the software in a timely manner. It’s minimal disruption to their workflow, and thus deflecting Support contacts.

The content is open for users to explore how to use the software and what tasks they can complete. It allows company administrators to configure the system, and design processes. This increases adoption and reduces churn.

The piece often not talked about is the marketing aspect. Potential customers review the content to verify that the software does what they need it to do, and how the functionality is done. It enables customers to imagine the software as part of their workflow and how easily the software is incorporated. Account managers send links to technical documentation daily to answer customers’ questions.

Technical documentation is a business asset, the most complete record of the software. It’s provided in a straightforward manner, allowing for ease of comprehension. It’s the one asset that customers can dig deep in their research when searching for truth.

Use Cases

What people are saying

Thank you for for dedicated leadership. We have seen for the past 3 years in this organization how you have taken up the ownership of the Technical Publication team by guiding us and leading us in each of the products we are working upon. Today you stand as the first person of the Technical Pubs team.

All of Us

Tech Pubs Team

The significant impact is not on any individual impact, but rather the overall effect. Her leadership has lead her team to rework an already strong support site, write impactful text for the in-app Just in Time training program and overall growth mindset of the entire team. So the significant impact Suzanne has on Procore is how she has empowered her team to go beyond just technical writing. They are pushing boundaries that Procore benefits from.

Suzanne would win the best communication skill award if there were one. She is always listening and making sure we feel heard. She makes sure that her employees and Procore are always a priority when it comes to delivering any change or a new innovative.

Tech Doc Team

Suzanne exhibits the characteristics of a growth mindset, looking for ways in which to improve the value of her team, being collaborative with other stakeholders, showing determination and not stopping when impediments get in the way.

Rob Marshall

Former Manager

Link to Town Hall Recording

Serena Barker Co-worker