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Yes, documentation is a part of the cost of making good products. But I
don't believe that our only value is reducing the cost of ownership.
Good documentation also reduces tech support costs. Now I know many
people don't read manuals. But, if even 30% do (I'm making this number
up) and half of those find the answer to their question, whether it be
general usage or troubleshooting, you have saved tech support costs,
including communication costs (800 number), staffing, etc.
And, at my previous company, we talked to our Sales department to see
what value they found in manuals. Yes, some were sold to companies who
bought site licenses (license for whole company use but only one
manual). But, the unexpected benefit we discovered was in pre-sales.
Sales people actually would give a copy of the manual to a potential
customer so they could read about the features of our product.
I know you can't put a hard dollar amount on what that was worth, but
you sure don't want to lost it!
Ellen Hladky
Training and Documentation Manager
CosmoCom, Inc. http://www.cosmocom.com
516/851-0100
516/851-1005 (fax)
Mark Baker wrote
>I know of no studies, and I doubt the contribution of tech writers
could be
generalized in any meaningful way. The key to making the argument is
setting
it in the right terms. To start with, technical writers don't produce
cost-savings for their employers. Rather, they are part of the cost of
making good products.
The value they add to a product is best understood in terms of reduced
cost
of ownership. Cost of ownership is what it costs you to own and use a
product, as opposed to cost of purchase, which is simply what you paid
for
it. For instance the cost of ownership of a car is much higher then the
cost
of purchase because you have to pay for maintenance, parking, gas,
insurance, etc.
Appropriate documentation reduces cost of ownership for a product by
allowing the user to learn it quickly, use it properly, and maintain it
appropriately. Products with low cost of ownership can be sold at higher
margins than products with high cost of ownership, which is good for
your
company.
To demonstrate your worth, demonstrate that your documentation lowers
cost
of ownership for your product.
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<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>I don't agree entirely with Mark's answer. </FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Yes, documentation is a part of the cost of making =
good products. But I don't believe that our only value is =
reducing the cost of ownership.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Good documentation also reduces tech support =
costs. Now I know many people don't read manuals. But, if =
even 30% do (I'm making this number up) and half of those find the =
answer to their question, whether it be general usage or =
troubleshooting, you have saved tech support costs, including =
communication costs (800 number), staffing, etc.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>And, at my previous company, we talked to our Sales =
department to see what value they found in manuals. Yes, some =
were sold to companies who bought site licenses (license for whole =
company use but only one manual). But, the unexpected benefit we =
discovered was in pre-sales. Sales people actually would give a =
copy of the manual to a potential customer so they could read about the =
features of our product. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>I know you can't put a hard dollar amount on what =
that was worth, but you sure don't want to lost it!</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>>I know of no studies, and I doubt the =
contribution of tech writers could be</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>generalized in any meaningful way. The key to making =
the argument is setting</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>it in the right terms. To start with, technical =
writers don't produce</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>cost-savings for their employers. Rather, they are =
part of the cost of</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>making good products.</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>The value they add to a product is best understood in =
terms of reduced cost</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>of ownership. Cost of ownership is what it costs you =
to own and use a</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>product, as opposed to cost of purchase, which is =
simply what you paid for</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>it. For instance the cost of ownership of a car is =
much higher then the cost</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>of purchase because you have to pay for maintenance, =
parking, gas,</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>insurance, etc.</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Appropriate documentation reduces cost of ownership =
for a product by</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>allowing the user to learn it quickly, use it =
properly, and maintain it</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>appropriately. Products with low cost of ownership =
can be sold at higher</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>margins than products with high cost of ownership, =
which is good for your</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>company.</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>To demonstrate your worth, demonstrate that your =
documentation lowers cost</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>of ownership for your product.</FONT>
</P>
