Often times technical writers end up documenting information that shouldn't be there. To improve the user experience, to enable better content management, and to stay agile, it's important we understand the pitfalls that can be highlighted by the documentation team.

1. 10
signs
are you
bandaging product
with documentation

2. ! Context
User
Experience
Content
Footprint
Agile
Development

3. Set password
password **********
re-enter password **********
OK Cancel
Help
(somewhere in the help system…)
• Click OK to set the password.
• Click Cancel to reset the fields and try
again.
Make sure the password you are setting
is at least 8 characters in length and has
at least one special character. If the
password does not meet the criteria, an
error dialog appears. Click OK to go
back and try another password. Click
Cancel to say Hello to stupidity!
Error: Invalid password. Retry.
OK
Cancel
Product UI

4. Product UI Help
Set password
(somewhere in the help system…)
Criteria: Password must be 8 characters or more with at
least one special character.
password ********
re-enter password ********
Set Clear
Password does not meet the
criteria. Try another password

5. UI elements and
01 actions within the UI

6. 02 Screenshots

7. More than 3 steps for
03 navigation

8. 04 Repeated procedures

9. 05 Alternate procedures

10. Troubleshooting
06 Information

11. Installation prerequisites
07 as a chapter

12. Too many cross-
08 references

13. Too many tips, notes,
09 or warnings

14. Code snippets to
10 copy in the UI

15. + Bonus

16. Sell the idea
be SURE
Use the product
Review for usefulness
Engage

17. ?