The Importance of Specifying Requirements for a Documentation Publishing System
Avoid the pitfalls of ill-fitting documentation systems by specifying your needs upfront
Let's face it—selecting a documentation publishing system isn't the most thrilling task in the world. You're probably not eager to dive into spreadsheets full of feature comparisons or sit through hours of vendor demos.
But here's the deal: if you don't specify your requirements clearly before you begin your quest for a documentation publishing system, you're setting yourself up for a world of frustration (and probably more meetings, and no one needs that).
This post explains why outlining your needs is the smartest move you can make. Because let's be honest—if you want to avoid future headaches and get something that helps your team meet its business goals, you'll need more than a vague idea of "what looks good in a demo."
Why Specifying Requirements Is Crucial
A documentation publishing system is the backbone of how your team creates, manages, and delivers valuable content that keeps customers happy (and your bosses off your back). Whether you're trying to improve collaboration, automate content updates, or publish to multiple channels, this system has to fit. That's why you must meet your requirements straight.
Why it matters:
Aligning with Business Objectives
Your technical documentation doesn't exist in a vacuum (though it sometimes feels like your to-do list does). It supports everything from product development to customer support. If the system you choose doesn't help your business hit key objectives—like reducing content creation time or improving content quality—then why bother?
By specifying your requirements upfront, you ensure the system you pick is more than just pretty. It'll help your team work smarter, not harder, and no one will argue with that.
Avoiding Feature Overload
Have you ever been in a meeting where someone brings up a super shiny feature that is utterly useless for what you need? Yeah, we've all been there. If you don't outline what's important, you'll get distracted by cool features that don't help you solve your core problems. Or worse, you could obsess over something unrelated to your requirements—like how the UX labels are formatted. Next thing you know, you're fixated on these minor pet peeves that have no real impact on solving your documentation challenges.
Advice: Focus on the essentials, and don't let the small stuff cloud your judgment!
Specifying requirements keeps you focused on what matters—content reuse, workflow automation, assisted authoring, or seamless integrations—so you're not wasting time oohing and aahing over things that won't enhance your team's capabilities.
Ensuring Scalability
Right now, maybe you're managing a handful of documents, but give it a few years (or months), and suddenly, you're drowning in content. If your system can't scale with your needs, congratulations—you've just bought yourself a costly problem.
Thinking ahead—yes, even about things like scalability—means you're setting your team up for long-term success. It's like buying a pair of jeans that actually fit after Thanksgiving—you'll be grateful later.
Facilitating Seamless Integration
Your new documentation system will not live on a lonely island. It'll need to play nice with other tools your team already uses, such as content repositories, terminology and translation management tools, and your customer relationship management system. If your system can't integrate smoothly, get ready for a lot of manual data entry (and no one signed up for that).
Precise integration requirements mean you avoid surprises when your systems cannot communicate, leaving you with more workarounds than you care to handle.
Setting Clear Expectations for Vendors
You know that feeling when you walk into a demo and leave thinking, "Wait, did they even listen to what we need?" Without clearly specified requirements, you'll get vendors showing you their greatest hits—whether or not they apply to your needs.
A crystal-clear set of requirements allows you to steer those demos toward what you need to see, not just what the vendor wants to show off. You can filter out the fluff, so you're not wasting time with platforms that don't cut it.
Getting Started with Requirements Specification
Now that you know this isn't just another hassle, let's discuss how to start. The good news is, it's not complicated (unless you're documenting rocket science).
Engage Your Stakeholders
No one knows your pain points better than your team. Bring in everyone who will use the system—technical writers, software developers, support personnel, IT, product managers, and whoever touches content upstream and downstream. Gather their gripes, hopes, and dreams (okay, maybe just their needs) to build a well-rounded set of requirements.
Prioritize Your Needs
Not all features are created equal. Some are must-haves, and some are nice-to-haves. Sort your requirements accordingly so you don't get caught up in the shiny distractions during vendor pitches.
Think Long-Term
Your team might be small now, but if you don't plan for future growth, you'll outgrow that new system faster than you'd like. Plan for what you'll need down the line—scalability, updates, and ongoing support should all be on your radar.