Context

• Sample type: Technical writing
• Product: Pay-as-you-go AI/ML engine in the cloud
• Users: Data scientists, data engineers, and business analysts
• Their task: To install and use the product (AI Unlimited)—without needing to contact the support team
• Constraints: Short timeline and a writing teammate not used to producing simple, lean, user-centered content

Approach

• I determined that the original, temporary site had poor information architecture and writing quality
• While researching the technology and partnering with SMEs, I redesigned and restructured the site and rewrote the content
• I coached a co-writer through several rounds of feedback, and ultimately rewrote their contributions to align with style guidelines*

*Time constraints prevented me from rewriting the expandable text on the Install on AWS and Install on Azure pages in Get started. I cleaned it up, but it needs to be reworked to be more helpful—especially for any users who have little cloud infrastructure knowledge.

Rationale

• Users with different backgrounds need to quickly understand this self-service product and get it up and running
• Users should feel good about the process, and speak well of it to peers, so the product sells itself without the sale team’s involvement
• Technical writers, and others at the company, need a solid example of a user-centered documentation site

Outcome

• An easy-to-navigate site
• Precise, direct, user-centered language
• No extra words
• Sufficient white space to feel approachable and doable