Key Factors to Consider when Creating Product Documentation for Digital Products
Product documentation is a critical component of any successful product. It provides users with the information they need to understand how to use and get the most out of the product and can be a key factor in determining whether or not a customer has a positive experience.
Unfortunately, product documentation is often ignored or given low priority by product teams who are focused on the day-to-day tasks of building and improving the product. This can lead to incomplete or outdated documentation, which can cause frustration for users and ultimately impact customer satisfaction and retention.
However, investing in high-quality product documentation can significantly benefit both customers and the product team.
For customers — Good product documentation can help them understand how to use the product effectively and get the most value out of it. It can also help them troubleshoot issues and find answers to questions they may have. This can lead to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.
For the product team — Well-written documentation can help reduce the workload on customer support by providing users with the information they need to resolve issues on their own. It can also help reduce the number of repetitive questions that support staff may receive, freeing them up to focus on more complex issues.
In addition, good product documentation can also serve as a marketing tool, showcasing the features and benefits of the product to potential customers.
Investing in high-quality product documentation requires resources and time, but the long-term benefits for both customers and the product team make it a worthwhile investment. By prioritizing documentation as part of the product development process, product teams can help ensure that their customers have a positive experience and are more likely to continue using the product.
When running a documentation department or strategy, consider the following four key pillars of product documentation.
Currentness
Currentness is a crucial aspect of product documentation as it ensures that the information provided to users reflects the current state of the product. This is especially important when it comes to visual materials such as screenshots and recordings, which can quickly become outdated as the product evolves.
When documentation is not kept current, it can lead to confusion and frustration for users. For example, if a user is trying to follow a tutorial or troubleshoot an issue, but the screen shots or recordings shown in the documentation do not match the current version of the product, it can be difficult for them to understand what they are supposed to be doing. This can lead to wasted time and frustration, and may even result in users abandoning the product if they are unable to find the information they need.
On the other hand, when users can access accurate and up-to-date information, they are more likely to be able to use the product effectively and get the most value out of it. This can help foster customer loyalty and encourage users to continue using the product. It is therefore important for product teams to prioritize the maintenance of current documentation as part of the product development process.
Completeness
Completeness is an essential aspect of product documentation, as it ensures that users have access to all the information they need to understand and use the product effectively. This includes coverage of all the features and capabilities of the product, as well as details on how to use them and any relevant background information.
Incomplete documentation can lead to confusion and frustration for users, as they may not have access to all the information they need to use the product effectively. For example, if a user is trying to complete a task but the documentation does not cover all the necessary steps or features, they may struggle to complete the task or may even give up altogether. This can lead to decreased customer satisfaction and may even result in users abandoning the product.
On the other hand, when users have access to complete and detailed documentation, they are more likely to most efficiently adopt and utilize the product. It is therefore important for product teams to ensure that their documentation is comprehensive and covers all the necessary information that users need to understand and use the product.
Consistency
Consistency is a key factor in producing effective product documentation. It helps ensure that users have a smooth and seamless experience as they read and use the documentation.
Inconsistent documentation can be confusing and frustrating for users. For example, if different articles or sections of the documentation have different writing styles or formatting, it can be difficult for users to follow along and understand the information being presented. Similarly, if some articles include media such as images or videos while others do not, it can be disorienting for users and may make it harder for them to understand the information.
On the other hand, consistent documentation helps create a cohesive and professional impression. When the documentation has a consistent style and formatting, it is easier for users to follow along and understand the information being presented. It also helps create a sense of trust and reliability, which can foster customer loyalty and encourage users to continue using the product. It is therefore important for product teams to ensure that their documentation is consistent in terms of style, formatting, and the inclusion of media.
Searchability
Searchability is an important factor in producing effective product documentation. It refers to the ability of users to easily find and access the information they need within the documentation. There are two main aspects to searchability: onsite search capabilities and search engine optimization (SEO).
Onsite search capabilities refer to the search functionality within the documentation itself. This includes ensuring that all text is searchable and that articles are properly categorized and tagged to make it easy for users to find the information they need. This can help users quickly find the information they are looking for, which can improve the user experience and increase customer satisfaction.
SEO refers to the process of optimizing the documentation for search engines, such as Google. When the documentation is properly indexed by search engines, it becomes more discoverable by users who are searching for information related to the product. This can help both existing users find the information they need and attract new users who are trying to solve similar problems.
Overall, searchability is an important factor in producing effective product documentation. By ensuring that the documentation is easily searchable both onsite and via search engines, product teams can help ensure that users can easily find and access the information they need.
Conclusion
The four pillars of product documentation — completeness, consistency, currentness, and searchability — are all essential for producing effective documentation that meets the needs of users and helps improve the customer experience.
Completeness ensures that users have access to all the information they need to understand and use the product effectively. Consistency helps create a cohesive and professional impression, which can improve the user experience and increase customer satisfaction. Currentness ensures that the information provided to users reflects the current state of the product. And searchability, both onsite and via search engines, helps users easily find and access the information they need.
Investing in high-quality product documentation that meets these four pillars can have significant benefits for both customers and the product team. It can help improve the user experience, increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, and reduce the workload on customer support. By prioritizing documentation as part of the product development process, product teams can help ensure that their customers have a positive experience and are more likely to continue using the product.
If you are interested in learning more about how to produce world-class product documentation, consider reaching my company sales@walkthrough.ai. We partner with companies to produce high-quality text and video documentation. With a focus on completeness, consistency, currentness, and searchability, walkthrough.ai can help ensure that your product documentation meets the needs of your users and helps improve the customer experience.