105. What are the most common problems organisations make with developer portals and API documentation?

The Cherryleaf Podcast

Cherryleaf's API/developer documentation writing services

28:39

For centuries, members of the B’doul Bedouin tribe lived in the caves around the ancient city of Petra, Jordan. Then, in the 1980s, the government forced the tribe to move in the name of preserving the geological site for tourists. But if the residents are forced to leave, and if their heritage has been permanently changed, then what exactly is being preserved? SHOW NOTES: Meet The Man Living in The Lost City Carved in Stone Jordan: Petra's tourism authority cracks down on Bedouin cave dwellers The tribes paying the brutal price of conservation “There is no future for Umm Sayhoun” Jordan’s Young Bedouins Are Documenting Their Traditions on TikTok Check out Sami's company Jordan Inspiration Tours Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices…

hace 4 años 13:01

MP3•Episodio en casa

On social media, we asked "what are the most common problems organisations make with developer portals and API documentation?" In this episode, we look at the responses we received. We also discuss some of the other common mistakes that we've come across.

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Cherryleaf newsletter

To contact Cherryleaf: info@cherryleaf.com

103 episodios

#Tech #Technical Communication #Cherryleaf

105. What are the most common problems organisations make with developer portals and API documentation?

The Cherryleaf Podcast

published hace 4 años

MP3•Episodio en casa

More information:

Cherryleaf's API/developer documentation writing services

Cherryleaf newsletter

To contact Cherryleaf: info@cherryleaf.com

103 episodios

#Tech #Technical Communication #Cherryleaf

Todos los episodios

1
156: Privacy and AI: Risks and Solutions for Technical Writers 21:59

hace 26 días21:59

21:59

Summary: In this episode, Ellis Pratt explores the critical issue of data privacy for technical writers using AI tools and chatbots. He delves into the potential risks, from data leaks and copyright infringement to compliance violations and intellectual property concerns. The episode also provides practical solutions and strategies for mitigating these risks, empowering technical writers to leverage AI responsibly and ethically. Key Discussion Points: The Promise and Peril of AI: AI offers significant productivity gains for technical writers (content creation, first drafts, automation of tasks), but introduces critical privacy risks. Potential Risks of Using AI: Data Leaks: Inputted data becoming part of the AI model, accessible to others. Copyright Infringement: AI generating content based on competitor data. Data Breaches: Risk of AI providers being hacked. Data Sovereignty: Data stored in different countries potentially conflicting with regulations. Compliance Violations: Risks related to regulated industries (healthcare, finance). Intellectual Property Rights: Ambiguity over who owns AI-generated content. Practical Solutions and Mitigation Strategies: Sanitising Content: Replace sensitive data (API keys, product names) with placeholders. Generic Examples: Use generic rather than actual customer data. Limiting Data Input: Provide only the minimum amount of data required. Review and Redact: Carefully review content before inputting to AI. Check Public Domain Status: Determine if the content is already publicly available. AI Provider Privacy Policies: Review data retention policies and opt-out options. Choosing Secure Tools: Select tools with better data deletion options (e.g., Google GeminiAI Studio, Claude). Managing Data Controls: Understand how to control data collection settings (e.g., ChatGPT). Private/Managed LLMs: Consider private, self-hosted, or managed AI models for sensitive data. Develop Policies and Procedures: Create guidelines for team use of AI, tiered approaches based on document sensitivity. Content Filters: Implement filters to check for sensitive information. Audits and Assessments: Engage IT security for impact assessments and security audits. Actionable Takeaways: Prioritise Data Sanitisation: Make it a core practice before using any AI tool. Review Privacy Policies: Understand the data handling practices of your AI providers. Implement Security Measures: Protect proprietary and confidential information through policies, technology, and human oversight. Collaborate with Security and Legal: Engage relevant internal teams to ensure compliance and minimize risk. Start Small and Stay Informed: Gradually introduce AI with low-risk documentation and keep up to date on the latest privacy risks and solutions. Quotes: "AI and chatbots offer in technical writing…a huge promise of a way to be more efficient and more effective in what we do. But…we do need to be aware that there is a privacy risk, and we need to address that." "AI…is both a powerful productivity tool and a potential risk. So we need to think about those two aspects and manage it." "So we're going to be on a tightrope, a privacy tightrope." Want Help Improving Your Documentation? Cherryleaf specializes in fixing developer portals and technical documentation. If you're struggling with user feedback, contact us at info@cherryleaf.com for expert guidance. CC Flickr image: Stock Catalog…

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155. Dealing with Criticism as a Technical Writer 20:26

hace 8 weeks20:26

20:26

In this episode of the Cherryleaf Podcast, we explore the challenges of receiving and responding to criticism as a technical writer. Documentation plays a crucial role in user experience, and receiving feedback—whether constructive or harsh—can be an opportunity for growth. We discuss practical strategies for handling feedback, evaluating its validity, and implementing improvements to enhance documentation quality. Key Topics Covered: ✅ Why receiving feedback (even negative) is better than receiving none ✅ How to separate personal feelings from professional criticism ✅ The importance of acknowledging user feedback and addressing concerns ✅ Types of criticism: Constructive vs. Unconstructive ✅ Methods for evaluating the validity of feedback ✅ Tools and techniques to measure documentation quality (e.g., IBM Quality Matrix, analytics, usability testing) ✅ Addressing common documentation challenges: clarity, findability, audience mismatch, and linking ✅ Steps for implementing improvements and tracking their impact ✅ Preventative measures for reducing future criticism Key Takeaways: Criticism is not personal – It’s about improving the documentation, not attacking the writer. Acknowledging feedback is crucial to building trust and ensuring continuous improvement. Evaluating feedback critically helps differentiate between valid concerns and personal preferences. Quality measurement techniques (analytics, support ticket trends, usability testing) can validate feedback. Structured improvements through linking, clearer writing, audience targeting, and prioritization can make a big impact. Continuous monitoring is necessary to ensure long-term effectiveness. Mentioned Resources & Tools: 🔹 IBM Quality Matrix for documentation assessment 🔹 "Every Page is Page One" by Mark Baker 🔹 Google Analytics & support ticket analysis for measuring documentation success 🔹 Usability testing tools (e.g., video session tracking) 🔹 Style guides, templates, and content governance Want Help Improving Your Documentation? Cherryleaf specializes in fixing developer portals and technical documentation. If you're struggling with user feedback, contact us at info@cherryleaf.com for expert guidance.…

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154. Trends for 2025 and beyond in technical writing 24:46

hace 17 weeks24:46

24:46

In this episode, we reflect on 2024's trends and explore what may be coming in the world of technical writing and content development in 2025. From the impact of AI to evolving policy requirements and shifting market dynamics, we look into the key factors shaping the field. Reflections on 2024 Overview of the year's major trends in technical writing and client demands. Changes in government spending and its influence on projects. Increased demand for documentation in AI, e-commerce, and SaaS sectors. AI and Technical Writing How generative AI is reshaping technical documentation workflows. Specific use cases for AI in content creation. Challenges and potential pitfalls of AI-based solutions like chatbots. Policy and Procedure Writing Emerging legal requirements influencing documentation needs. Shifting from static policy documents to active communication projects. Training and Development Future Trends and Predictions The growing importance of API documentation and developer portals. Increasing focus on user-friendly, contextually aware documentation. The interplay of economic trends and cross-border trade on technical writing projects. Get Involved Have your own ideas about the future of technical writing? We'd love to hear from you! Reach out via email or connect with us on our social platforms. Email: info@cherryleaf.com for enquiries or to share your predictions for 2025. Thank you for tuning in! We wish all our listeners a joyful holiday season and a prosperous New Year. Stay tuned for more insights in our upcoming episodes. Website: Cherryleaf.com…

1
153. Meeting and Connecting with Technical Communicators 20:14

hace 21 weeks20:14

20:14

In this episode, Ellis discusses the importance of networking and meeting other technical communicators, especially for those who work solo or in small teams. He explores various avenues for connecting with industry peers, from conferences and meetups to virtual groups and informal gatherings. Key Topics Discussed: Challenges of Solo Technical Communicators Many technical writers in the UK work alone or in small teams, limiting opportunities for professional exchange. Conferences & Meetups Ellis mentions conferences like TCUK and Tekom and describes the more casual atmosphere of meetups, such as those organised by ISTC and Write The Docs London. London-based events like ISTC’s monthly gatherings and Write The Docs London meetups, which feature speakers, presentations, and networking sessions. Benefits of Attending Events Navigating Networking for Introverts Tips on starting conversations, showing empathy, and practicing conversational balance to ease networking anxiety. Write The Docs London Event Recap Highlights from recent presentations by Neo4j’s David Oliver on building a documentation team and Mark Woulfe on using dashboards to analyze documentation performance. Alternative Networking Ideas Tips for Speaking at Meetups Final Thoughts Connect with Ellis Pratt: Website: Cherryleaf.com Social Media: LinkedIn and other platforms (search "Ellis Pratt")…

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152. From User Docs to Podcast 17:51

hace 25 weeks17:51

17:51

We explore an intriguing development in content creation: AI-generated audio from technical documentation. We’ve prepared two examples to showcase this technology, and we discuss its potential impact and applications. We used the user guide for Audacity, the popular audio editing application, to generate an AI-narrated overview: https://youtu.be/yPlfAPpqGuw?si=cCJeZ-hfvg_o--fg We also created an audio overview of Transport for London’s API using only their OpenAPI (Swagger) file as the source: https://youtu.be/-j1yiFz8-Tc?si=WaRHpn0mgID8J4qX We'll also publish a transcript of this podcast on the Cherryleaf blog. About Cherryleaf: Cherryleaf…

1
151.Emerging Trends in Technical Communication: A 2024 Conference Insights Deep Dive 26:18

hace 30 weeks26:18

26:18

In this episode of the Cherryleaf podcast, we explore the latest trends in technical communication as revealed by an in-depth analysis of conference themes from 2024. By examining data from leading events such as Tekom, TC World, LavaCon, and the STC Summit, we identify eight major themes shaping the industry, with a surprising dominance of AI and generative technologies. Listen in to understand how these trends are influencing content strategy, user experience, compliance, and more, and learn how to position yourself at the forefront of these developments in technical communication. We'll also publish a transcript of this podcast on the Cherryleaf blog. About Cherryleaf: Cherryleaf…

1
150. AI in technical writing: where's the ROI and is it all hype? 38:10

hace 34 weeks38:10

38:10

Remember the excitement when ChatGPT burst onto the scene? Suddenly, it seemed like AI was going to revolutionise everything, including our field of technical communication. But now, 18 months and six Cherryleaf AI podcast episodes later, we're asking the big question: Was it all just hype? You've probably heard some folks saying AI isn't delivering the promised return on investment. And others swearing it's changing the game. So, what's the real story? In this episode, we'll examine these claims through the lens of technical writing. We'll: Examining recent claims about AI's lack of ROI Exploring how these claims stack up in the world of technical writing Looking at the potential benefits and pitfalls of AI for our work Discussing what factors might influence whether AI is worth the investment Whether you're an AI enthusiast or a sceptic, stick around. Let’s figure out where AI really stands in the world of technical documentation. We'll also publish a transcript of this podcast on the Cherryleaf blog. About Cherryleaf: Cherryleaf Goldman Sachs https://www.goldmansachs.com/intelligence/pages/gs-research/gen-ai-too-much-spend-too-little-benefit/report.pdf ? Ed Zitron https://www.wheresyoured.at/pop-culture/ Ethan Mollick: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5d35e72fcff15f0001b48fc2/t/668d08608a0d4574b039bdea/1720518756159/chatgpt-full.pdf https://x.com/emollick/status/1815563452640854093 MadCap Software https://www.madcapsoftware.com/blog/madcap-ixaccms-ai-positron/…

1
149: Promoting the value of techcomm 21:27

hace 39 weeks21:27

21:27

We've created some YouTube Shorts on promoting the value of techcomm. We talk about the process of creating the videos and the content in the videos. See also: Cherryleaf's YouTube Shorts Uncovering and communicating the value of your tech comm teams' work, with Keren Brown We'll also publish a transcript of this podcast on the Cherryleaf blog. About Cherryleaf: Cherryleaf…

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148. Using AI in techcomm - 2024 survey results 17:44

hace 43 weeks17:44

17:44

In April 2023, we conducted a survey into the use of AI and ChatGPT in technical communications. We thought it would be interesting to carry out a similar survey again. In this podcast, we talk about the results from the survey and describe what has changed over the last 12 months. We'll post a transcript on the Cherryleaf blog. About Cherryleaf: Cherryleaf…

1
147. The art of persuasion 11:14

hace 47 weeks11:14

11:14

This month's podcast looks at the language of persuasion and how technical authors can use it. What do we mean by persuasive language? What is nudging and are we as technical authors able to use this type of language? As part of the research for this podcast I watched some public information films and read articles which are mentioned in the podcast. Many thanks to those organisations, authors and their expertise. Here are the links to the ones mentioned in the podcast: The British Film Institute (BFI) has a comprehensive catalogue of public information films as well as much other entertaining and informative material. You can watch the ones mentioned in the podcast by following the links below: Lonely water film Green Cross Code film AIDS awareness film Internet shopping film Marco Janicke's article "Who listens to safety instructions anyway" in TC World More info about Marco Nest leaf information We'll also publish a transcript of this podcast on the Cherryleaf blog. About Cherryleaf: Cherryleaf…

1
146. What is the current demand for contract Technical Authors? 11:14

hace 52 weeks11:14

11:14

In this episode, we look at the current demand for contract Technical Authors in the UK, using statistics from ITJobsWatch.net. We look at the the number of vacancies and whether this has affected the rates offered. We'll also publish a transcript of this podcast on the Cherryleaf blog. About Cherryleaf: Cherryleaf…

1
145. How large organisations create useful, informative, accessible content 13:32

hace 1 year13:32

13:32

This month's podcast looks at how large organisations create useful, informative content which is accessible to a wide, often global, audience. As part of the research for this podcast I looked at various websites which are mentioned in the podcast. Many thanks to those organisations and their expertise. Here are the links to the ones mentioned in the podcast: Panasonic Ikea Gov.uk Fast Company We'll also publish a transcript of this podcast on the Cherryleaf blog. About Cherryleaf: Cherryleaf…

1
144. Corporate rebranding - how it affects technical authors 13:22

hace 1 year13:22

13:22

This month's podcast looks at what is involved in a corporate re-brand and what is involved for technical authors if their organisation decides to rebrand. What is a corporate brand? And what is involved when an organisation decides to rebrand? As part of the research for this podcast we looked at various websites which are mentioned in the podcast. Many thanks to those organisations and their expertise. Here are the links to the ones mentioned in the podcast: indeed.com has lots of informative articles, their article on the importance of branding was very informative: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/rebranding Profile tree are a web design and digital marketing company with lots of great posts about digital marketing strategy: https://profiletree.com/why-rebrand/ Madcap Flare is help authoring tool widely used in the technical authoring community and beyond: https://help.madcapsoftware.com/flare2023r2/Content/Flare/Branding/Branding.htm We'll also publish a transcript of this podcast on the Cherryleaf blog. About Cherryleaf: Cherryleaf…

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143. e-ink writing tablets. Has their time come? 11:35

hace 1 year11:35

11:35

Welcome to the first episode of 2024! In this exciting instalment, we dive deep into the evolving world of e-ink writing devices. Will these gadgets gain momentum in the tech world? We explore their rising popularity and forecast their potential to become mainstream tools. We'll dissect the key issues these devices address, unveiling the unique solutions they offer to modern problems. Our discussion spans the capabilities and features of these e-ink devices, delving into the functionality and user experience. Additionally, we identify and analyze a range of potential use cases, illustrating how these devices can fit into various aspects of daily life and work. We also mention the market leaders driving innovation in this sector. Tune in to get an in-depth look at the future of e-ink writing devices and their role in shaping our digital writing landscape. About Cherryleaf: Cherryleaf…

1
142. Trends in technical communication for 2024 and beyond 21:27

hace 1 year21:27