Checklists are memory aids that can be used at various stages of a project life cycle: Sales, Project and Maintenance. They vary based on industry (e.g., Finance, Software, or Health), document type (e.g., Proposal, User Manual, Presentation, or Online Help) and project requirements (new product or enhancement). Checklists can be in the form of questions or statements. Following are some examples of generic technical writing checklists.
Documentation Planning Checklist
Plan before starting a documentation project. What is the project scope? What types of documents are required? In which formats? What is the required deliverable date? Do you have sufficient resources to complete the project? What software and hardware will be required? Who will be the Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)? Who will write? Who will edit? How will the revisions be handled? Where and how will the documentation be stored? How will the documentation be delivered?
Writing Checklist
Once the documentation project plan is in place the next step is writing. The writing checklist should include a content plan as well as writing procedures. How will the content be structured? Which template will be used? Which style guide will be used? Are all Acronyms defined in the document? Was the document checked for grammar and spelling mistakes? Does the document conform to the company writing guidelines?
Review Checklist
Reviews can be performed by the writer or by a peer or by an user or an expert. It can include content, grammar as well as formatting questions. Does the document meet all the project requirements? Is the document flow logical? Are the concepts clearly defined? Does the procedures enable the user to perform the activity without errors? Was there any missing steps? Are there any formatting errors? Does the document follow the company or standard guidelines?
Editing Checklist
Editing checklist can include elements of review checklist. It can also consist of various levels: content editing, language editing and format editing. Is any critical information missing? Are all references valid? Does the index contain all the key words? Are the captions used correctly? Are the cross-references and pagination correct? Are the styles applied consistently?
Publication Checklist
Publication checklist can vary based on format (hardcopy or softcopy) and delivery mode (online or CD/DVD media). Has the required number of copies been printed? Does it conform to all the printing requirements? Is the delivery address and phone number correct? Does the document contain appropriate copyrights and confidentiality statement? Is the document compatible with all the browsers? Does it contain any broken links? Was the document checked for viruses? Does the company logo follow the company guidelines? Does the label follow company label template guidelines?
Supporting Documents for Technical Writers
Checklists can be used in association with other documents. For example, an editing checklist can check if the document conforms to the company style guide or other standard style guides. A basic search on any of the Internet search websites can yield numerous search results about technical writing standards.
Microsoft Manual of Style of Technical Publications and Chicago Manual of Style are useful aids to technical writers. As are Sun's Read Me First: A Style Guide For the Computer Industry and JoAnn T. Hackos and Dawn M. Stevens's Standards for Online Communication. Organizations like Society of Technical Communication (STC) as well as IEEE Professional Communication Society (PCS) also provide resources and guidelines to technical writers.
Basic Guidelines for Technical Writing Checklists
- Base your checklist on the context (industry, industry standards, document type and project life cycle phase).
- Follow logical progression of activities.
- Update checklists as required to reflect new requirements or changes in supporting documents.
