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.
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.