Welcome to episode 109 of the Technical Writing Success podcast from the Curt Robbins & Associates Technical Writing Agency.

This podcast is targeted at IT professionals, technical writers, and documentation specialists. Subscribe today to never miss a single daily episode!

Today’s episode dives into an article from senior technical writer Curt Robbins entitled "Helping Junior Technical Writers" that was published on February 2 (link below).

Hosts Daphne and Fred share their spirited analysis of this informative article from Robbins that focuses on the blurring line between junior and senior technical writers and the intense need for all technical writers, regardless of level, to embrace a mentality and practice of lifelong learning.

They unpack the article and discuss how all technical writers can keep pace with the rapid evolution of technology, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and cloud-based collaborative tools. They also discuss career advancement strategies and how technical writers and documentation specialists can improve their careers, get promoted, and make more money.

The Curt Robbins & Associates Technical Writing Agency is currently taking on new clients. We enjoy helping companies with their documentation and communications strategy and implementation. Contact us to learn about our reasonable rates and fast turnaround.

>> Read the original article from Robbins: https://tinyurl.com/266tm8mt

>> Read the Robbins article "Why Mentoring is Important in Technical Writing": https://tinyurl.com/2x5s62p4

>> Read the Robbins article "Advice for Junior Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/4dcjb4zz

>> Read the Robbins article "The Ninth Technical Writing Pillar: AI": https://tinyurl.com/2s38rhrc

>> Read the Robbins article "Accessibility & Inclusivity in Technical Writing": https://tinyurl.com/4ptn2vvu

>> Subscribe to the AI for Technical Writers podcast: https://tinyurl.com/mppehxtn

>> Join the Technical Writing Success group on LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/mr28u7td

>> Subscribe to the Tech Writing Success newsletter on LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/yc7dbfy3

Welcome to episode 108 of the Technical Writing Success podcast from the Curt Robbins & Associates Technical Writing Agency.

This podcast is targeted at IT professionals, technical writers, and documentation specialists. Subscribe today to never miss a single daily episode!

Today’s episode dives into an article from Google alum Sarah Maddox in Sydney, Australia entitled "Writing Internal vs External Docs: What's the Difference?" (link below).

Hosts Daphne and Fred share their spirited analysis of this educational article from Maddox about the difference between internal and external documentation, including the many ways in which the two are similar and require similar approaches by technical writers. They describe strategies and approaches that should be embraced by documentation specialists to best reach these two audiences and how an intense focus on one's audience is the overall takeaway, regardless of whether that audience is internal or external.

They also discuss Doc Sprints and Doc Fixits, two helpful approaches employed by Maddox. In addition, they describe the Docs as Code approach embraced by Maddox and how documentation should be woven into software development from the beginning of a project.

The Curt Robbins & Associates Technical Writing Agency is currently taking on new clients. We enjoy helping companies with their documentation and communications strategy and implementation. Contact us to learn about our reasonable rates and fast turnaround.

>> Read the Maddox article: https://tinyurl.com/yc25wrmx

>> Read the Curt Robbins article "Leading CMS Tools for Technical Writers Compared": https://tinyurl.com/hdhb8cjz

>> Read the Robbins article "XML vs. DITA: Comparison for Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/ycke9hpp

>> Read the Robbins article "Tech Writers: Embrace Structured Content": https://tinyurl.com/4z8fzu6u

>> Read the Robbins article "Accessibility & Inclusivity in Technical Writing": https://tinyurl.com/4ptn2vvu

>> Subscribe to the AI for Technical Writers podcast: https://tinyurl.com/mppehxtn

Welcome to episode 107 of the Technical Writing Success podcast from the Curt Robbins & Associates Technical Writing Agency.

This podcast is targeted at IT professionals, technical writers, and documentation specialists. Subscribe today to never miss a single daily episode!

Today’s episode dives into a presentation by Paul Gustafson, President at Expert Support in Los Altos, California entitled "Improving Documentation at Scale" that was delivered in Melbourne, Australia at the Write the Docs Australia conference in 2023 (link below).

Hosts Daphne and Fred share their spirited analysis of this informative presentation from Gustafson about the best ways to ensure quality and consistency in large documentation projects, particularly those that are open source. Strategies and best practices employed by Gustafson and his team are explored.

The Curt Robbins & Associates Technical Writing Agency is currently taking on new clients. We enjoy helping companies with their documentation and communications strategy and implementation. Contact us to learn about our reasonable rates and fast turnaround.

>> Watch the Gustafson video presentation: https://tinyurl.com/jmyev6p7

>> Read the Curt Robbins article "Leading CMS Tools for Technical Writers Compared": https://tinyurl.com/hdhb8cjz

>> Read the Robbins article "XML vs. DITA: Comparison for Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/ycke9hpp

>> Read the Robbins article "Tech Writers: Embrace Structured Content": https://tinyurl.com/4z8fzu6u

>> Read the Robbins article "Accessibility & Inclusivity in Technical Writing": https://tinyurl.com/4ptn2vvu

>> Subscribe to the AI for Technical Writers podcast: https://tinyurl.com/mppehxtn

Welcome to episode 106 of the Technical Writing Success podcast from the Curt Robbins & Associates Technical Writing Agency.

This podcast is targeted at IT professionals, technical writers, and documentation specialists. Subscribe today to never miss a single daily episode!

Today’s episode dives into an article from senior technical editor Curt Robbins entitled "Dr. JoAnn Hackos: Transformative Force in Technical Writing" that was published on January 30, 2025 (link below).

Hosts Daphne and Fred share their spirited analysis of this educational article from Robbins about Hackos, including a review of her career as a project management-minded technical writing thought leader and author of many books. They discuss how Hackos embraced and preached structured data, DITA, and the use of a very strategic and methodical approach to technical writing in enterprise organizations.

The Curt Robbins & Associates Technical Writing Agency is currently taking on new clients. We enjoy helping companies with their documentation and communications strategy and implementation. Contact us to learn about our reasonable rates and fast turnaround.

>> Read the original Curt Robbins article about Hackos: https://tinyurl.com/yva4pzxu

>> Read the Robbins article "Leading CMS Tools for Technical Writers Compared": https://tinyurl.com/hdhb8cjz

>> Read the Robbins article "XML vs. DITA: Comparison for Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/ycke9hpp

>> Read the Robbins article "Understanding DITA for Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/mr26zc7s

>> Read the Robbins article "Tech Writers: Embrace Structured Content": https://tinyurl.com/4z8fzu6u

>> Subscribe to the AI for Technical Writers podcast: https://tinyurl.com/mppehxtn

Welcome to episode 105 of the Technical Writing Success podcast from the Curt Robbins & Associates Technical Writing Agency.

This podcast is targeted at IT professionals, technical writers, and documentation specialists. Subscribe today to never miss a single daily episode!

Today’s episode dives into a retrospective article from senior technical editor Tanja Lorber in Rodgau, Germany entitled "3 Decades in Technical Writing: A Story of Challenges, Growth, and Kitchen Drawers" that was published on January 2, 2025 (link below).

Hosts Daphne and Fred share their spirited analysis of this insightful article from Lorber, including a review of her 30-year career history as a technical writer. They discuss how Lorber made the transition from hardware documentation (for things like TVs, answering machines, and even harvesters) to software. Her curious intellect embraced then-new tech, including XML and Content Management Systems

The Curt Robbins & Associates Technical Writing Agency is currently taking on new clients. We enjoy helping companies with their documentation and communications strategy and implementation. Contact us to learn about our reasonable rates and fast turnaround.

>> Read the original Lorber article: https://tinyurl.com/y8uech8p

>> Read the Curt Robbins article "Leading CMS Tools for Technical Writers Compared": https://tinyurl.com/hdhb8cjz

>> Read the Robbins article "XML vs. DITA: Comparison for Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/ycke9hpp

>> Read the Robbins article "Tech Writers: Embrace Structured Content": https://tinyurl.com/4z8fzu6u

>> Subscribe to the AI for Technical Writers podcast: https://tinyurl.com/mppehxtn

Welcome to episode 104 of the Technical Writing Success podcast from the Curt Robbins & Associates Technical Writing Agency.

This podcast is targeted at IT professionals, technical writers, and documentation specialists. Subscribe today to never miss a single daily episode!

Today’s episode dives into an article from senior technical writer Curt Robbins entitled "Release Notes: A Guide for Technical Writers" that was published on January 25, 2025 (link below).

Hosts Daphne and Fred share their spirited analysis of this insightful article from Robbins, including an overview of his approach to developing release notes for software applications and products. They cover both the things tech writers should embrace when developing release notes, as well as the mistakes they should avoid. Transparency, clarity, and use of visuals are touted as things technical writers should do.

The Curt Robbins & Associates Technical Writing Agency is currently taking on new clients. We enjoy helping companies with their documentation and communications strategy and implementation. Contact us to learn about our reasonable rates and fast turnaround.

>> Read the Curt Robbins article "Release Notes: A Guide for Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/yh3ypkre

>> Read the Robbins article "Tech Writers: Embrace Structured Content": https://tinyurl.com/4z8fzu6u

>> Read the Robbins article "Accessibility & Inclusivity in Technical Writing": https://tinyurl.com/3p2bsanc

>> Subscribe to AI for Technical Writers: https://tinyurl.com/mppehxtn

Welcome to episode 103 of the Technical Writing Success podcast from the Curt Robbins & Associates Technical Writing Agency.

This podcast is targeted at IT professionals, technical writers, and documentation specialists. Subscribe today to never miss a single daily episode!

Today’s episode dives into an article from senior technical writer Curt Robbins entitled "A Quick Note from Management" that was published on January 24, 2025 (link below).

Hosts Daphne and Fred share their spirited analysis of this article from Robbins, including an overview of his approach toward social media and community building.

They discuss how all technical writers should strive to make their content available not merely as text, but also audio and video. They also explore the many ways in which the technical writing community can help individual members and how they can best engage for success.

The Curt Robbins & Associates Technical Writing Agency is currently taking on new clients. We enjoy helping companies with their documentation and communications strategy and implementation. Contact us to learn about our reasonable rates and fast turnaround.

>> Read the Curt Robbins article "A Quick Note from Management": https://tinyurl.com/wn4jdx8b

>> Read the Robbins article "Leading CMS Tools or Technical Writers Compared": https://tinyurl.com/9dwsp8se

>> Read the Robbins article "Tech Writers: Embrace Structured Content": https://tinyurl.com/4z8fzu6u

>> Read the Robbins article "Accessibility & Inclusivity in Technical Writing": https://tinyurl.com/3p2bsanc

>> Read the Robbins article "Documentation Single Sourcing: A Primer for Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/3sp2b5w6

>> Subscribe to AI for Technical Writers: https://tinyurl.com/mppehxtn

Welcome to episode 102 of the Technical Writing Success podcast from the Curt Robbins & Associates Technical Writing Agency.

This podcast is targeted at IT professionals, technical writers, and documentation specialists. Subscribe today to never miss a single daily episode!

Today’s episode dives into an article from senior technical writer Curt Robbins entitled "RoboHelp: A Guide for Technical Writers" that was published on January 24, 2025.

Hosts Daphne and Fred share their spirited analysis of this article from Robbins, including an overview of the advantages and challenges of the powerful RoboHelp application from Adobe. They cover pros and cons, best use cases for adoption, and the major features of this classic help application that has been around since 1991.

The Curt Robbins & Associates Technical Writing Agency is currently taking on new clients. We enjoy helping companies with their documentation and communications strategy and implementation. Contact us to learn about our reasonable rates and fast turnaround.

>> Read the Curt Robbins article "RoboHelp: A Guide for Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/2xx3ppa2

>> Read the Robbins article "Leading CMS Tools or Technical Writers Compared": https://tinyurl.com/9dwsp8se

>> Read the Robbins article "Tech Writers: Embrace Structured Content": https://tinyurl.com/4z8fzu6u

>> Read the Robbins article "API Documentation: A Guide for Technical Writers & IT Professionals": https://tinyurl.com/48237xe4

>> Read the Robbins article "Accessibility & Inclusivity in Technical Writing": https://tinyurl.com/3p2bsanc

>> Read the Robbins article "Documentation Single Sourcing: A Primer for Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/3sp2b5w6

>> Subscribe to the AI for Technical Writers podcast: https://tinyurl.com/567rf8xd

Welcome to episode 101 of the Technical Writing Success podcast from the Curt Robbins & Associates Technical Writing Agency.

This podcast is targeted at IT professionals, technical writers, and documentation specialists. Subscribe today to never miss a single daily episode!

Today’s episode dives into an article from senior technical writer Curt Robbins entitled "User-Generated Content: Transforming Technical Writing" that was published on January 23, 2025.

Hosts Daphne and Fred share their spirited analysis of this article from Robbins, including an overview of the advantages and challenges of user-generated content (UGC) when used by technical writers and documentation specialists.

The Curt Robbins & Associates Technical Writing Agency is currently taking on new clients. We enjoy helping companies with their documentation and communications strategy and implementation. Contact us to learn about our reasonable rates and fast turnaround.

Read the article "User-Generated Content: Transforming Technical Writing": https://tinyurl.com/mdvskskj

>> Read the Curt Robbins article "Leading CMS Tools or Technical Writers Compared": https://tinyurl.com/9dwsp8se

>> Read the Robbins article "Tech Writers: Embrace Structured Content": https://tinyurl.com/4z8fzu6u

>> Read the Robbins article "MadCap Flare vs. Confluence: Pros & Cons for Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/3mum8xye

>> Subscribe to the AI for Technical Writers podcast: https://tinyurl.com/567rf8xd

Welcome to episode 100 of the Technical Writing Success podcast from the Curt Robbins & Associates Technical Writing Agency.

This podcast is targeted at IT professionals, technical writers, and documentation specialists. Subscribe today to never miss a single daily episode!

Today’s episode dives into an article from senior technical writer Curt Robbins that compares XML and DITA. Which is the best scripting language for technical writers and documentation specialists?

Hosts Daphne and Fred share their spirited analysis of this topic, including a review of both the pros and cons of each language, as well as the costs behind each.

In the end, they determine that there is no best choice, but rather organizations finding the best solution for their particular documentation volume, team size and competency level, and budget.

The Curt Robbins & Associates Technical Writing Agency is currently taking on new clients. We enjoy helping companies with their documentation and communications strategy and implementation. Contact us to learn about our reasonable rates and fast turnaround.

>> Read the original article by Curt Robbins "XML vs. DITA: Comparison for Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/2h4tc4fz

>> Read the Robbins article "Leading CMS Tools or Technical Writers Compared": https://tinyurl.com/9dwsp8se

>> Read the Robbins article "Tech Writers: Embrace Structured Content": https://tinyurl.com/4z8fzu6u

>> Read the Robbins article "MadCap Flare vs. Confluence: Pros & Cons for Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/3mum8xye

>> Subscribe to the AI for Technical Writers podcast: https://tinyurl.com/567rf8xd