Welcome back folks! This time around, we are chatting to our own Emma McEvoy, who works as a Content Architect with one of Bárd na nGleann’s partners. Emma has a wealth of experience in the fields of technical writing and content architecture and a lot of invaluable advice on how to succeed in these areas. So, sit back with your favorite drink or snacks, and enjoy this week’s cozy chat.
Interviewer: “Emma, tell us a little about yourself and about your employment background.”
Emma: “Well, I’ve worked with Bard na nGleann since May 2004. I initially worked as a Project Manager for Irish Language Translations. I worked on the OS team of a major international technology and securities enterprise (we don’t name drop; you know how seriously we take our confidentiality commitments here at Bárd) from spring 2007 through to spring 2013. I worked on numerous projects there and led a team of writers based out of Ballingeary. In May 2013 I began work as a Content Architect for another large communications company, which was later acquired by the company I write for now. I am still working as a Content Architect within the same, original team.”
Interviewer: “And what led you to a career in technical writing in the first place, Emma?”
Emma: “I did a course in Technical Writing and worked on a number of freelance projects for startups. I enjoyed it and continued from there.”
Interviewer: “And how long have you worked on your current project?”
Emma: “Since May, 2013 until today.”
Interviewer: “Ok. So, what is your role in your current project?”
Emma: “I work as a Content Architect documenting software features for wireless connectivity products.”
Interviewer: “Right, so then what would a typical day working on these products look like?”
Emma: “I work on a number of roles. First and foremost, we always have SW features for mainline and patch releases. Additionally, we have a number of doc tasks which can be smaller documentation issues for upcoming mainline and patch releases. We also address documentation defects regularly that have been opened against existing published documentation. In addition to this, I am a member of the core team that supports other writers and maintains our Content Management System. I update the preface, copyright, etc. when necessary. I also add values and more information to the system at the request of other writers. I am also collaborating on a project at the moment with other writers from all across the company where we are attempting to consolidate our style sheet so that content appears uniform across the organization.”
Interviewer: “And do you work as part of a team on this project?”
Emma: “I actually work on quite a few teams.”
Interviewer: “Ok, so can you tell us a little about the structure and dynamics of these teams and your place in them?”
Emma: “The core team consists of people who would be more ‘Content Architects’ than pure writers – folks who are into the styling, the training of new writers, the appearance of the content, ensuring that everyone has adequate support within our Content Management system. We meet every 2 weeks, and much more often if there is a major project going on (which there was recently when we updated all of our training material). I also work on another writers team, which documents the hardware and software features of another high performance product. We meet every week, sometimes more. I also meet individual writers on that team if we need to collaborate. All meetings take place via Microsoft Teams.”
Interviewer: “Right, so then, for you and your team, what is a typical development cycle like, where do you come into the process?”
Emma: “For SW features, we typically receive an Excel Spreadsheet with a full list of features and the relevant assignments. We are also given a project plan with the various milestones. There are usually 2-3 formal reviews where we upload our documentation in the form of shared review PDFs in order to receive feedback from a wide range of SMEs. We receive editorial comments also from these reviews. After that, there is a verification review and a signoff review, as well as a production edit. This cycle can take anything from 2 to 8 months depending on the release in question. They can be major releases with new hardware, major releases with only new software, or patch releases.”
Interviewer: “ Do you think working on these features is rewarding to you as a writer, and valuable to the end user?”
Emma: “I have worked on networking products since 2007… I’ve a lot of knowledge in this area. It’s really rewarding for me as a writer because I totally understand and like what I am doing…I know how to make it clear, concise and minimalist, and this in turn rewards the user as it is easy for them to follow the steps quickly.”
Interviewer “And does this work require you to tap into a particular skill-set or create content in a particular manner, specific to this type of work?
Emma: “We need a thorough understanding of CLI (Command Line Interface) to do the job. I have a lot of knowledge of this area and, without this knowledge, my job would be a lot more difficult. For the actual documentation, I need to understand DITA well, which I do, so this greatly benefits my day to day work.”
Interviewer: “So, from your wealth of experience, Emma, could you advise on how best to ensure technical writers are part of the bigger conversation within design and development teams?”
Emma: “Yes. Make your voice heard. Always try to improve. Try to get them interested in collaboration. For example, we worked with marketing to encourage them to use our Content Management System more. Marketing has a lot of budget within a company so collaborating with teams like that is always beneficial.”
Interviewer: “Great advice. And with that advice in mind, what do you feel are your own particular contributions to your project team?”
Emma: “I always try to make sure we have the latest SW image that all the team have access to. I also make sure all necessary components are available and up to date in our Content Management System to make everyone’s life easier. I also collaborate, discuss, and always give feedback when I’m asked.”
Interviewer: “And, outside of your CMS, how does your team maintain consistency across all channels, platforms, properties, products, etc.?”
Emma: “We have templates and a lot of writing guidelines and training material. We also collaborate a lot to constantly improve in this area.”
Interviewer: “Right, this type of training and support content is so important. So then, as regards finding the UX tipping point, how do you think your project bridges the gap between user needs and business goals?”
Emma: “We constantly strive for customer satisfaction. We have put a lot of time and energy into getting as much customer feedback as possible so that we can concentrate on meeting their needs. We also address defects, etc in a very timely manner and regularly update content to improve it.”
Interviewer: “Great, and of course, this has a major business payoff. Is there much opportunity for learning then?”
Emma: “I’m learning a lot at the moment with regards to templates in DITA and how maps can be applied. This was an area that I didn’t know that much about previously and I am enjoying learning it.”
Interviewer: “Sounds like you love what you do. What are the best parts of your work?”
Emma: I really enjoy what I do. I have several roles that I enjoy. I like working with the CLI…documenting new SW features in a dynamic environment, working with a core team of writers from different groups, discussing style sheets, etc. I like the writing work, the researching, documentation, etc. I feel like I have a good mix of roles, which makes it very interesting and always busy.
Interviewer: “That sounds like a dynamic work environment, Emma, I can see why you’d enjoy it. So then, do you have any tips for new writers on how to integrate quickly and effectively into a project team like yours?”
Emma: “ Yes. Read the process documents first. After that, ask questions. Always be aware of time zones and time differences, and try to accommodate when possible. Attend meetings and training in a timely manner.”
Interviewer: Thanks so much, Emma, that’s good, practical advice. Thanks for taking the time to chat with us and for providing us with a window into your work process as a content architect. Keep up the good work!
