When can technical writers start to contribute to a project?
Involve a technical writer as soon as possible. For example, in software development, a technical writer can help with interface design, especially with the words on menus, error messages and warning messages. For many projects, a lot of planning is needed before writing can start. For example, a project to create policies and procedures might require deciding on how documents should be delivered (intranet or as printed documents). Other projects will often require writing standards and style guides. Often in a project, the technical writer is the only person in the team who is looking at the whole product from the user’s viewpoint. Therefore, the writer can spot inconsistencies early. A survey from Aberdeen Group shows that it is best to involve technical writers early in a project.
