2021 archives
PDF and eBook formats available for API doc course | Dec 29, 2021
One year later after moving to Seattle | Dec 22, 2021
Broadcasting your meeting notes (API documentation topic) | Dec 11, 2021
Barefoot shoes, basketball, and how to avoid recurring calf strains | Nov 28, 2021
"The writing process"-- a new section in my API doc course | Nov 19, 2021
HastyDocs: A new approach to keeping API documentation up-to-date, by Jarek Piotrowski | Nov 15, 2021
Urban sprawl and car dependence -- some thoughts on solutions | Oct 31, 2021
Write the Docs Podcast Episode 35: Docs for Developers book, with Jared Bhatti and Zachary Sarah Corleissen | Oct 31, 2021
Presentation recording -- 'Best practices in API docs: Product overviews and getting started tutorials' | Oct 29, 2021
The existentialism of technical writing | Oct 22, 2021
New article in API doc course: Using Oxygen XML in docs-as-code workflows | Oct 14, 2021
Biking and public transportation in Renton and Seattle: Solving the first-mile and last-mile problems | Oct 7, 2021
tcworld China 2021 keynote: 'Tech comm and marketing: How to make your tech comm group more visible to those within your company' | Sep 16, 2021
New article in API doc course: 'Ensuring documentation coverage with each software release' | Aug 31, 2021
Sending doc status reports -- a tool for visibility and relationship building [API doc course] | Aug 15, 2021
Recording of 'Product overviews vs. getting started tutorials: striking a balance between read-first and try-first user behaviors' | Aug 7, 2021
Review of "Hashtag #TechComm: An Overview of Members, Networks, and Themes from 2016-2019" | Jul 22, 2021
New sections in API doc course exploring causes for poor product overviews and getting started tutorials | Jul 12, 2021
Five basketball strategies and how they might apply to tech comm | Jul 7, 2021
Balancing product overviews with getting started tutorials | Jul 6, 2021
Write the Docs Podcast Episode 34: Adding personality to documentation, with Fabrizio Ferri | Jun 26, 2021
Five project management responsibilities of senior technical writers | Jun 4, 2021
Trying to get back to normal | Jun 2, 2021
Paligo: Structured Authoring and Component Content Management made easy | Jun 2, 2021
Experiments: Leaving reviews on Google Maps | May 27, 2021
10 characteristics of ambiguous content | May 19, 2021
Experiments: Will reading a physical newspaper improve the way I consume news? | May 18, 2021
Experiments: What would happen if I exercised 2 hours a day? | May 15, 2021
Balancing action with narration: Creating product overviews and getting started tutorials to satisfy both try-first and read-first learning modes | May 3, 2021
An in-depth look at MadCap Flare 2021’s New Markdown Import Feature | May 2, 2021
Finding a focus | Apr 29, 2021
Updated API Getting Started tutorial | Apr 19, 2021
Technical writing course Q&A -- 'Become a Technical Writer', with Bobby Kennedy | Apr 18, 2021
Updated Stoplight tutorial | Apr 12, 2021
Switching from Skype to Zoom for podcasting tools | Mar 23, 2021
Videocast: Micro content and Flare -- Conversation with Kate Schneider | Mar 21, 2021
Updated glossary article with technical examples [API doc course] | Mar 18, 2021
My life story, or reflections on what shaped my life's career trajectory | Mar 18, 2021
Analyzing doc portals by looking at developer journeys -- recommended podcast episode from Cherryleaf | Mar 18, 2021
Who can make documentation requests | Feb 18, 2021
Some good decisions and minor mistakes | Feb 17, 2021
10 observations after using my API documentation checklist in a real scenario | Feb 15, 2021
Adding last modified timestamps to content | Feb 15, 2021
Product overviews -- a tricky space where documentation and marketing overlap | Feb 3, 2021
Q&A about Xeditor -- online XML editor -- with founder Matthias Kraus | Feb 2, 2021
Write the Docs Podcast episode 33: Simplified user interfaces, with Anton Bollen | Jan 19, 2021
Site analytics for 2020 -- trends, reflections, and thoughts | Jan 18, 2021
Measuring documentation quality -- a rubric for developer docs | Jan 12, 2021
About Tom Johnson
I'm a technical writer / API doc specialist based in the Seattle area. In this blog, I write about topics related to technical writing and communication — such as software documentation, API documentation, visual communication, information architecture, writing techniques, plain language, tech comm careers, and more. Check out my API documentation if you're looking for more info about that. If you're a technical writer and want to keep on top of the latest trends in the field, 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.