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Write You - Six Reasons You Don't Need a Technical Writer (and Why They're Dead Wrong!)
I know, I know. Times are tough. You have to make due with the staff you have. It’s a common and valid lament in today’s workplace. You’ve got to do more with less, so an obvious place to cut costs is in your documentation efforts. After all, writers and editors are a luxury in lean times. You’re a small company and you can
According to USFDA, a combination product is one composed of any combination of a drug and device; biological product and device; drug and biological product
produce your documentation in-house, right? Think again. Hiring the right freelancer to do the job correctly the first time around could save you hundreds or thousands in help desk calls, service calls, document revision, and distribution. Here’s why.
1. You want someone with your industry or product knowledge. Knowledge
1. You want someone with your industry or product knowledge. Knowledge
; or drug, device, and biological product and fixed dose combination would include two or more combinations of drug.
Examples of combination products may in
Examples of combination products may in
of your industry or product is helpful, but your writer’s ability to communicate well both in writing and in the spoken word is crucial to your documentation project’s success. A good technical writer:
- designs easy-to-use and easy-to-find documents.
- writes clear and easy-to-follow instructions.
- demo
lude drug-coated devices, drugs packaged with delivery devices in medical kits, and drugs and devices packaged separately but intended to be used together.
strates a broad range of technical knowledge which enables him or her to acquire new technical knowledge quickly. Most tech writers thrive on learning obscure technical facts just as much as they love discussing the merits of the semicolon. The best tech writers are amazingly quick studies.
creates document templates wi
here is enormous increase in the number of combination products entering the market in the recent years. Combination products have proven advantages but fixe
th a clean, professional appearance that your company can re-use.
asks intelligent questions of your SMEs (subject matter experts) that you might not think to ask, ensuring thorough coverage of the product’s features.
2. The programmers or engineers can write the documentation. Oh, really? They’re not
d dose combinations are still in the process of convincing regulatory authority on their advantages over the single ingredient formulations.
Combination pro
Combination pro
busy enough already? Most programmers and engineers with whom I’ve worked loathe writing. Let them do what they do best and let a writer do what she does best.
Good technical writers are power users of most word processing programs, HATs (help authoring tools), and are privy to the latest documentation techniques that will enha
Good technical writers are power users of most word processing programs, HATs (help authoring tools), and are privy to the latest documentation techniques that will enha
ucts have become life saving products for the pharmaceutical companies who doesn’t have many innovative molecules in their product pipeline and have been inc
ce your company’s professional reputation. A good technical writer is savvy about design trends and best practices. Can you say this for your engineers and programmers?
3. You need a writer on site. Why? This is 2005. Most freelance tech writers have high-speed internet connections, fax machines, and cell phones. I’ve
3. You need a writer on site. Why? This is 2005. Most freelance tech writers have high-speed internet connections, fax machines, and cell phones. I’ve
easingly used in the product life cycle management. Even the companies having product patents are trying to extend their product life cycle through the combi
worked with clients I’ve never even met or who I’ve met just a couple of times for documentation review meetings. It’s good for the writer and it’s good for you when you don’t have an extra body taking up your valuable space. I have developed some of my best professional relationships in cyberspace.
4. Only you understand you
4. Only you understand you
nation products and maximize the revenues. But the companies involved in this practice are overlooking that they are burdening the patients both economically
r users' needs best. Yes, you do. You know what they want and what they need; that’s why your business is so successful. Consider the following questions:
- Does your documentation need to be geared to the newbie user or the experienced techno-geek?
- Do you know how to analyze your audience and write to that
and physically. They need to rightly judge the benefits of the combination products and they have to even look at the risks involved when combining the produ
audience?
Do you understand your audience’s basic learning style?
Will graphics work better than words to convey your message? Will a CD or HTML-based online help work better than print documentation?
How will you deliver and distribute the final documentation product?
A good technical
ts. Some of the combination products were well accepted by physicians while others suffered. Companies involved in development of combination products are fi
writer will perform a user need analysis and provide a documentation plan that drives your information architecture design. She will create a documentation plan that will evolve over the course of the project and will allow the documentation to grow as your product changes. With a great foundation, you won’t have to reinvent the
ding difficulty in defining their combination products and facing various challenges from selecting a combination to marketing it.
Following aspects would a
Following aspects would a
wheel with every new iteration of your product.
5. You already know how to use MS Word. That’s great and it’s important.
5. You already know how to use MS Word. That’s great and it’s important.
- Are you thorougly comfortable with Word’s advanced features?
- Do you dream in macros?
- Are you familiar with FrameMaker (a highly un-user-friendly but powerful favorite tool
dd to the challenges in developing combination products:
Which markets to tap where the combination products can do fairly well?
Which combination prod
Which markets to tap where the combination products can do fairly well?
Which combination prod
f tech writers that handles large, complex documents that make MS Word quiver and crash)?
Have you ever designed online help using RoboHelp?
How are your Photoshop, Illustrator, Paint Shop Pro, Quark, Visio, InDesign, and basic HTML coding skills?
Are you aware of the latest trends in writing and gramm
cts are meaningful and rational?
Which therapeutic categories to select?
Which Combinations can address unmet needs of the patients?
Do combin
Which therapeutic categories to select?
Which Combinations can address unmet needs of the patients?
Do combin
ar style so your company’s message will be consistent and grammatically correct?
Good tech writers bring an extensive working knowledge of a plethora of word processing and graphics programs as well as standard business writing practices.
6. You can keep up with document updates.
6. You can keep up with document updates.
- What is your plan fo
tions increase the patient compliance?
What would be the developing cost?
How to tackle the risks encountered during combination product developmen
What would be the developing cost?
How to tackle the risks encountered during combination product developmen
r documentation version control?
Who will write the updates?
How will you ensure your users have the latest and greatest version?
If you don't have a version and source control system in place, multiple versions of your document in several folders create an organizational nightmare when it’s time to
t?
As combination products don't fit into the traditional categories of drugs, medical devices, or biological products, the USFDA is in the process of devel
As combination products don't fit into the traditional categories of drugs, medical devices, or biological products, the USFDA is in the process of devel
revise or update.
There’s a trend toward single sourcing technical documentation these days. Simply put, this means one source for all of your documentation needs. This single source may contain material for your print manuals, online help, and training materials all in one place. In single sourcing, a writer tags specific mate
There’s a trend toward single sourcing technical documentation these days. Simply put, this means one source for all of your documentation needs. This single source may contain material for your print manuals, online help, and training materials all in one place. In single sourcing, a writer tags specific mate
ping new procedures for reviewing their safety, efficacy and quality.
Professional from academic institutions, pharmaceutical industries, health care indust
Professional from academic institutions, pharmaceutical industries, health care indust
rial for a specific use. When you deliver documentation, you simply designate the type of documentation you want (e.g., print, online help, user guide, training material, technical reference information) to create and the software does the rest. The point is, everything is in one place, making version and source control simple. S
y and representatives from various regulatory agencies are working out to design the regulatory requirements for manufacture and sale of combination products
etting up a single sourcing system now will save you time and future headaches later. A good technical writer is familiar with industry trends for single sourcing and may be able to help you set up a single sourced system within your organization.
If you’re skeptical about hiring a technical writer, consider this. Good written
If you’re skeptical about hiring a technical writer, consider this. Good written
.
As there is an increasing trend of the combination products companies manufacturing such products should be able to tackle the problems involved in the de
As there is an increasing trend of the combination products companies manufacturing such products should be able to tackle the problems involved in the de
ommunication skills will always be in demand in the business world. However, in today’s complex business world, just being a good writer isn’t enough. A good technical writer needs technical savvy, a sound knowledge of dozens of software programs, and impeccable research and writing skills.
Would you hire an accountant to devel
Would you hire an accountant to devel
elopment. They need to be wiser in analyzing the market trends and the regulatory requirements.
Companies that provide selfless information through particip
Companies that provide selfless information through particip
op software? Would you want an engineer to answer phones? Would you expect a copywriter to do your taxes? Probably not. So, give your business and your wonderful products the professional attention they deserve and consider a technical writer for your next documentation project.
Copyright 2005 Ann Zuccardy. All rights reserved
Copyright 2005 Ann Zuccardy. All rights reserved
tion in industry events and feedback to regulatory authorities would be able to face the challenges and will be successful in developing combination products
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