5 Proven Tips for Creating Effective Digital Adoption Documentation

About Maiken BlokMaiken Blok is a  Senior Manager, Technical Documentation, at BK Medical. She holds a master’s degree in Technical Communication and Localisation from the University of Strasbourg, France, and the TCTrainNet certification.Both as a mentor for tech com students and as part of her commitment to  Danmark as President, she aspires to spread the word about our profession and motivate even more people to join the field of technical communication. The use of documentation in the digital adoption space and how it plays a vital role in improving user experience and software adoption?Maiken explains that documentation serves as a safety net for users in the digital adoption space, providing guidance and support when they face challenges. It helps users navigate products effectively and enhances the user adoption process.Documentation is particularly crucial for legal compliance and ensures a smoother user experience, acting as a backup when users encounter difficulties.A software company, Maiken worked for, implemented a digital adoption platform that included step-by-step guides. These guides significantly reduced the number of support tickets, allowing our customer success team to focus on more valuable tasks. They saw a remarkable 40% decrease in support tickets, as users could easily learn how to perform tasks like creating projects or tracking time through the guides. This freed up time for proactive customer service, leading to improved customer relations and higher customer retention rates.Geographical and cultural differences impact documentation practicesCultural differences have a significant impact on documentation practices. Our cultural backgrounds shape how we perceive and interact with information. Factors such as communication style, values, individualism versus collectivism, and even color symbolism can affect the documentation. It is an area that is sometimes overlooked but can greatly influence user understanding and satisfaction.How workflow design methodologies transform the way we work on user-focused contentMaiken explains that to truly transform the way we work on user-focused content, it is essential to understand the user's perspective. This involves immersing ourselves in their role, environment, and cultural context. By knowing what drives the user and their specific needs, we can tailor the documentation accordingly. Consider different formats such as written descriptions, videos, or in-app guides, taking into account factors like user stress levels and available time. User testing is crucial in content creation to ensure that the documentation works effectively for users. It helps identify any areas where users may get stuck or encounter issues, such as a broken in-app guide. By testing with different users and environments, we can improve the documentation and provide users with a more successful experience in completing their tasks.How do the skill set and methodologies of team members impact user-focused documentation?The skill set and methodologies of team members play a vital role in user-focused documentation. When working in a team, the collective knowledge and skills of the team members can be leveraged to create better documentation. A diverse team with different perspectives and nationalities can bring valuable insights and knowledge to content creation. Additionally, a team provides support and backup in case of unexpected events, ensuring continuity and the ability to assist users in different areas, such as support.Measurement of success at each stage of a roadmap for change, including before, during, and after the changeMeasuring success at each stage of a roadmap for change is important to evaluate the effectiveness of the documentation. Before the change, it is helpful to ident