How to Write a Preface for Technical Documents

Summary: Create a preface for technical documents to describe the scope, contents, and materials referenced in the main document. Does a document need a preface? Not always. Short documents are fine without one. However, longer documents, especially those that have changed over releases will benefit from a preface. From one angle, the purpose of the preface is to set […]

Why Writing Mobile Content is Twice as Difficult as Web Content

Have you noticed the way you read (and work) on your phone is different than on your PC? Size, font, layout are all culprits, but there’s more. Research from the Nielsen Norman Group highlights that short mobile sessions means writers must create mobile friendly content in anticipation of user interruptions, slow download speeds, and user […]

Project Manager’s Dilemma: Soft Deadlines v Hard Deadlines?

In the fairy tale, The Boy who cried Wolf, the villagers stopped believing the child. There was no wolf, they thought which was true until one day… The same thing occurs when you – or someone above you – creates an artificial deadline. I’m looking at a report that says we have a hard deadline […]

White Paper – Document Review Checklist

This article provides a practical, step-by-step checklist designed to help you create effective white papers. We’ll explore each stage of the white paper development process, outlining the tasks and considerations at each step.

By following this checklist, you’ll be able to streamline your workflow, improve the quality of your white papers, and achieve your communication goals.

How to write mobile content for Android and iOS

Looking for writing guidelines for mobile devices? With one third of all content now appearing on mobile devices. let’s look at how to develop content that works well on small screens, encourages users to perform tasks, for example, buying something on your website, and also ensures that they come back looking for more! Let’s start […]

129 Deadwood Phrases that Kill Good Writing

Reduce the word count and create more space by pruning dead wood phrases, such as: a majority of – most a sufficient amount of – enough according to our data – we find accordingly – so accordingly – therefore, so add an additional – added – bonus addressees – you advance – planning advance – […]

How to Design a Table Layout

Use tables to help readers understand large amounts of data which otherwise may take several paragraphs to describe. The main parts of a table are: Table number – number every table and use the same numbering format throughout the document. Title – provide a brief but descriptive title. You don’t need to write a complete […]