What Is Intent-Based Technical Documentation?
What Is Intent-Based Technical Documentation?
Intent-based technical documentation targets user goals by understanding intent and providing tailored, task-oriented content.
Intent-based technical documentation focuses on understanding and addressing the specific goals and needs of users. Instead of merely providing detailed instructions or information, this approach seeks to understand the user's intent and deliver relevant, task-oriented, tailored content to fulfill those needs.
Intent-based technical documentation is said to have evolved from the fields of intent-based networking and intent classification. The first mentions and serious discussions around intent-based methodologies began gaining traction in the early 2010s, particularly in network management. The approach aims to manage systems by defining what the user wants to achieve (their intent) rather than specifying the exact steps to achieve it.
The Difference Between Intent and Need
A user's information need consists of two dimensions:
The "what" dimension reflects the search topic
The "why" dimension ties the user's need directly to the task they are attempting to complete
Intent refers to the user's goal or purpose behind seeking information. It's about what the user aims to achieve.
Need refers to the specific information required to fulfill that intent. It's about the actual content or data the user is looking for.
For example, if someone is looking for a way to troubleshoot an electronic device, their intent is to resolve an issue with the device. Their need is the step-by-step guide or specific troubleshooting information.
While a user's information need includes both the topic ("what") and the reason ("why"), the intent provides a broader understanding of the user's ultimate goal. Both dimensions contribute to making the documentation more effective and user-centric.
When you think about authoring content from this perspective, it becomes clear that we need to start with the user's goal, their why. Intent sheds light on the user's broader circumstances. Potentially giving us additional considerations that we may have overlooked otherwise.
This also leads into being more proactive versus reactive. I've been thinking about this topic a lot lately. What I mean is that in the past, technical writers have focused on things that exist, how to use them, conceptual information, etc. But now, we're in an age where we need to better anticipate user needs and understand their goals. We need to focus on making every word count and ensure each word moves users toward their goals.