2019 archives
Write the Docs Podcast episode 26: Technical writing and Reddit, with Alan Bowman | Dec 31, 2019
2020 Developer documentation survey | Dec 31, 2019
Podcast: API Design and Usability with Arnaud Lauret (API Handyman) | Dec 7, 2019
When reference docs lack a tutorial -- a look at Wescheme's Bootstrap documentation for students learning programming | Dec 6, 2019
Upcoming API Documentation Workshop in Los Angeles, Calif., on January 23, 2020 | Dec 2, 2019
Reflecting on my latest SF API doc workshop | Dec 2, 2019
Follow-up to 4 Technical Writing Tests Post | Nov 12, 2019
4 Technical Writing Tests to Screen Candidates | Nov 4, 2019
Write the Docs Podcast episode 25: Researching how developers use API docs, with Andrew Head | Oct 27, 2019
Long-term strategies for project productivity | Oct 22, 2019
Matching documentation review practices to company culture | Oct 17, 2019
Some specifications docs I've been working on -- and thoughts on strategies and techniques for managing specs | Oct 14, 2019
Podcast with Jacob Moses on the Not-Boring Tech Writer: Skill #26: Getting Started with API Documentation | Oct 3, 2019
Podcast: Dealing with Project Overload -- Strategies to Manage Overflowing Documentation Tasks | Oct 2, 2019
Podcast: 10 myths about API documentation | Sep 29, 2019
Expanding embedded Swagger UI instances in your docs | Sep 29, 2019
Write the Docs Podcast episode 24: Conference chatter and the Australian scene, with Swapnil Ogaler | Sep 25, 2019
Write the Docs Podcast episode 23: How to write inclusive tech documentation, by Lucie Le Naour | Sep 10, 2019
An inside look at DeveloperHub -- hosted documentation portals for API docs | Sep 10, 2019
Upcoming API Documentation Workshop in San Francisco, Calif., on November 19, 2019 | Sep 9, 2019
What I learned from organizing and running my first API documentation workshop from end to end | Sep 8, 2019
New topic in API course: Following agile scrum with documentation projects | Aug 23, 2019
Can you collaborate on doc projects in Git with other writers? | Aug 8, 2019
New topic in API course: Five strategies for documenting code | Aug 8, 2019
New topic in API course: Research on documenting code | Jul 29, 2019
New topic in API course: Why documenting code is so difficult | Jul 29, 2019
Write the Docs Podcast episode 22: Managing multiple doc projects across Git repositories, with Giles Gaskell | Jul 28, 2019
Single-sourcing data into table templates in Jekyll | Jul 9, 2019
Upcoming API Documentation Workshop in Mountain View, Calif., on August 30, 2019 | Jul 8, 2019
Every project is a monster you battle and slay | Jul 3, 2019
If I am learning to write developer documentation, should GraphQL be on my radar? -- guest post by Casey Armstrong | Jul 1, 2019
Recording of Tech Comm Trends Presentation (STC Puget Sound chapter) | Jun 8, 2019
ClickHelp -- a flexible online platform for authoring and publishing technical documentation | Jun 8, 2019
My documentation project plan template | Jun 7, 2019
How to avoid inefficiencies even with context switching | Jun 6, 2019
Reader question: Am I specializing too much by limiting my focus to docs only? | May 22, 2019
Crash course in API documentation -- a one-hour video | May 16, 2019
Reader question: Is it a red flag in the hiring process if they tell you that you'll be the only tech writer, with complete control over everything? | May 15, 2019
Reader question: Recommended setup for docs-as-code tooling? | May 15, 2019
Upcoming conference: The Tech Comm Roundup, by The Content Wrangler | May 13, 2019
Season of Docs -- opportunities for both tech writers and open-source organizations to benefit from each other | May 13, 2019
Technical writer position for Amazon Appstore team in Seattle or Irvine | May 12, 2019
My slide links and presentation descriptions at the 2019 STC Summit | May 4, 2019
The essence of technical writing, and my five stages of review for documentation | Apr 22, 2019
First look at Document360 -- an authoring/publishing tool that satisfies both KB and tech pubs needs | Apr 22, 2019
New video recordings of Raleigh API documentation workshop now available | Apr 21, 2019
How I record audio and video in workshops — all the technical details, equipment, software, post-production techniques, and publishing methods | Apr 21, 2019
Flare adds micro content feature, taking steps toward content management for AI scenarios | Apr 12, 2019
When you're in the business of complexification | Apr 11, 2019
Why I decided not to become a grasshopper expert, or, Not deciding your focus based on where readers are clicking | Apr 9, 2019
A hypothesis on how to exert more influence and visibility inside the corporation | Apr 8, 2019
Upcoming API workshops in Raleigh (April 6) and Denver (May 5) | Apr 1, 2019
Recognizing Research Realities Across Technical Communication -- guest post by Kirk St. Amant | Apr 1, 2019
Write the Docs Podcast episode 21: On career growth, leadership, and mentoring in Tech Writing | Mar 31, 2019
Master's in technical writing at Mercer — FAQ | Mar 26, 2019
Results from survey about engineers who write documentation | Mar 21, 2019
My documentation takeaways from the Boeing disaster -- two essential doc questions to ask for any project | Mar 20, 2019
Biking at Alviso County Park (Santa Clara) | Mar 17, 2019
Should you get a degree in a tech comm program? Two considerations to keep in mind | Mar 13, 2019
How to encourage risk-taking and idealism without falling prey to cynical attitudes born from experience | Mar 12, 2019
XML Documentation for Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) — Integrating documentation and marketing content into a seamless whole | Mar 10, 2019
How to design API documentation for opportunistic (active, experiential) learning styles | Mar 7, 2019
Confronting the fear of growing older when you're surrounded by young programmers | Mar 7, 2019
Write the Docs podcast episode 20: Minimum requirements for good tech docs, with Matt Reiner | Mar 3, 2019
Corporate exodus narratives: A close look at the tension between the corporation and academia | Mar 1, 2019
Recording and slides for my trends presentation at the Symposium for Communicating Complex Information (SCCI) | Feb 24, 2019
Asserting your expertise as a SME in the workplace: Q&A with Jennifer Mallette and Megan Gehrke | Feb 15, 2019
How to become a 10X technical writer in the workplace | Feb 7, 2019
How to motivate users to provide feedback: Show that you're listening to their input | Feb 1, 2019
Write the Docs Podcast episode 19: Static site generators, with Jessica Parsons | Jan 31, 2019
Recording of Trends presentation on The Content Wrangler BrightTALK channel | Jan 17, 2019
Site analytics from Jan 1 to Dec 31, 2018 -- are more engineers writing docs now? | Jan 14, 2019
Employment and salary outlook for technical writers based on the 2017-2018 STC Salary Database | Jan 8, 2019
The absolute worst that can happen in 2019, or, Imagining a dystopian corporatocracy emerge after a permanent government collapse | Jan 7, 2019
About Tom Johnson
I'm an API technical writer based in the Seattle area. On this blog, I write about topics related to technical writing and communication — such as software documentation, API documentation, AI, information architecture, content strategy, writing processes, plain language, tech comm careers, and more. Check out my API documentation course if you're looking for more info about documenting APIs. Or see my posts on AI and AI course section for more on the latest in AI and tech comm.
If you're a technical writer and want to keep on top of the latest trends in the tech comm, be sure to subscribe to email updates below. You can also learn more about me or contact me. Finally, note that the opinions I express on my blog are my own points of view, not that of my employer.