And that's where you come in:
The Documentation Specialists serve as the cornerstone of self-support infrastructure, adeptly navigating incoming communications regarding new or enhanced products/features. They discern the implications for existing how-to documentation and determine the necessity for new materials. With a keen eye for detail, Documentation Specialists meticulously familiarize themselves with the intricacies of the product/feature, articulating procedural steps through succinct videos, illustrative screenshots, and precise text, all meticulously crafted in adherence to rigorous style guidelines.
What You Will Be Doing
- Research and Gather Information: Conduct research to understand the product, technology, or process being documented. This may involve interviewing subject matter experts, reading technical specifications, and testing products or software.
- Write and Edit Documentation: Create clear, concise, and accurate technical documentation such as how-to guides, API documentation, and release notes in proficient English. Edit and revise documentation as needed for clarity, accuracy, and completeness.
- Organize Information: Structure documentation in a logical and easy-to-follow manner, considering the needs and knowledge level of the target audience. Adhere to the style guide, using appropriate headings, tables of contents, and navigation aids to help users find information quickly.
- Collaborate with Subject Matter Experts: Work closely with engineers, product managers, and other subject matter experts to gather information and ensure the accuracy and completeness of documentation.
- Maintain Documentation: Keep documentation up-to-date with changes to the product, software, or processes. This may involve tracking changes in source code, attending meetings to learn about upcoming changes, and updating documentation accordingly.
- Ensure Consistency and Style: Follow established style guides and documentation standards to ensure a professional and cohesive voice, and consistency in terminology, formatting, and writing style across all documentation.
- Test Documentation: Review documentation from a user's perspective to ensure it is clear, understandable, and helpful. Test instructions and procedures to verify accuracy and completeness, and incorporate user feedback to improve documentation.
- Manage Documentation Projects: Plan and prioritize documentation tasks, set deadlines, and coordinate with other team members to ensure documentation projects are completed on time.
- Stay Updated on Industry Trends: Keep abreast of industry trends, best practices, and new technologies related to technical writing and documentation. Continuously improve skills and knowledge through training, workshops, and professional development opportunities.
What You'll Need To Know/have
- Bachelor’s preferred, 2 years advanced degree required
- 1–2 years’ experience in technical writing or documentation
- Communication Skills: Strong English verbal and written communication skills to interact with stakeholders and gather information effectively.
- Excellent Writing Skills: Ability to write clearly, concisely, and effectively, with a strong command of English grammar, punctuation, and syntax.
- Technical Aptitude: Understanding of technical concepts and the ability to translate complex information into clear and understandable documentation for a non-technical audience.
- Attention to Detail: Strong attention to detail to ensure accuracy and completeness in technical documentation.
- Research Skills: Ability to conduct thorough research to gather information from various sources and subject matter experts.
- Documentation Tools: Proficiency with documentation tools such as Google Docs, Screensteps, Guidde, or other relevant software.
- XML/HTML/CSS: Basic knowledge of markup languages such as XML, HTML, and CSS for formatting and structuring documentation.
- API Documentation: Experience with documenting APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), including understanding of RESTful APIs and tools like Swagger or OpenAPI.
- User Experience (UX) Writing: Understanding of UX writing principles to create documentation that is user-friendly and intuitive.
- Collaboration Skills: Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams including developers, engineers, product managers, and quality assurance professionals.
- Problem-Solving Skills: Ability to identify problems, analyze information, and propose effective solutions in documentation.
- Project Management: Basic project management skills to manage documentation projects, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines.
- Adaptability: Ability to quickly learn new tools, technologies, and processes as needed in a fast-paced environment.
- Quality Assurance (QA): Understanding of QA principles and processes to ensure documentation accuracy and quality.
At Instructure we participate in E-Verify and yes, in case you didn't catch it from the above, we are an Equal Opportunity Employer.
All Instructure employees are required to successfully pass a background check upon being hired.