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Documentation writer skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. Christina Fisanick

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical documentation writer skills. We ranked the top skills for documentation writers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 15.4% of documentation writer resumes contained technical documentation as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a documentation writer needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 documentation writer skills for your resume and career

1. Technical Documentation

Technical documentation means any documentation that gives a functional, architectural, and handling description of a technical product or a product in use or development.

Here's how documentation writers use technical documentation:

Review training material for program to ensure accuracy of material and concurrence with operation and maintenance instruction provided in technical documentation.
Contracted to enhance customer understanding of end-user and technical documentation; developing, enhancing, and maintaining internal documentation and templates.

2. Subject Matter Experts

Here's how documentation writers use subject matter experts:

Research design and functionality with subject matter experts, providing documentation support at each stage of the product development/commercialization process.
Interviewed subject matter experts and communicated their knowledge into accessible information for the end-user.

3. SharePoint

Here's how documentation writers use sharepoint:

Plan, design and implement a new SharePoint site to house 400+ documents used by Claims staff.
Administrated the Training & Documentation Team SharePoint site.

4. Software Development

Software development is the mechanism by which programmers create computer programs. The Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a framework for developing applications that follow technological needs and consumer requirements. It consists of many stages. The SDLC establishes an international standard that software developers can use to enhance and create their programs. It provides a well-defined framework for software developers to pursue in the production, maintenance, and design of premium quality software. The aim of the software development process is to create high-quality software on time and within budget.

Here's how documentation writers use software development:

Participated in Sprint planning and demo sessions (utilizing an Agile methodology) for software development to plan future documentation changes.
Target audience: Project Management, Senior Management, Business Analysts, development staff, all stakeholders involved in software development.

5. User Manuals

Here's how documentation writers use user manuals:

Contracted to create internal developer documentation and user manuals for NAP proprietary applications.
Reviewed and updated standards documentation, user manuals.

6. GMP

GMP stands for Good Manufacturing Practice. It is a system that ensures that all products like food, beverages, and medicinal drugs that are produced comply with the quality standards. It helps in minimizing the risks and hazards that cannot be eliminated after the testing of final products.

Here's how documentation writers use gmp:

Maintain the Quality Management System Documents adhering to GMP, FDA, ISO, Corporate & Facility guidelines/procedures.
Reviewed raw lab data for GMP compliance.

7. Training Materials

Here's how documentation writers use training materials:

Created and updated supplementary product documentation such as training materials, self-install documents, and quick reference guides.
Developed, wrote, and edited training materials for machinists and manufacturing workers.

8. HTML

Here's how documentation writers use html:

Designed HTML - based Quick Start guides, Release Notes, FAQs, Read Me text documentation using MacroMedia DreamWeaver MX2004.
Created Madcap HTML help systems for Attorney Portal and Wingspan s and Johnson Bank s general user guides.

9. User Guides

A user guide or manual is proposed to assist people in using a certain mechanical system. Usually scripted by a technical writer, it can also be written by project managers, programmers, product managers, or other technical staff, especially in a small company. User guides are mostly written for computer hardware, computer software, electronic goods but they can be written for almost any product. Most user guides are written in more than one language and contain associated images to enable users to understand better.

Here's how documentation writers use user guides:

Authored versions 1.8, 1.10, 2013.2 and 2014.1 of the General and Client-specific Fusion User Guides.
Authored end-user guides for SecureShore (Network Management System).

10. Version Control

Version control otherwise known as source control is a software configuration management practice responsible for tracking and managing changes to software code and computer programs, files, or set of files so that specific versions overtime could be later recalled and modifications stored in a database.

Here's how documentation writers use version control:

Planned, developed and implemented new prototype library filing system to better maximize usefulness and ensure current version control.
Maintained document version control using Rational ClearCase.

11. SMEs

Here's how documentation writers use smes:

Worked with SMES and regulatory representatives to follow up on gaps and verify information.
Collaborated and consulted with SMEs and other staff and professionals to ensure effective communications in a time-sensitive manner.

12. Design Specifications

Here's how documentation writers use design specifications:

Reviewed design specifications, interviewed software engineers, and tested beta releases.

13. Installation Guides

Here's how documentation writers use installation guides:

Specialized in revising installation guides to contain detailed information on methods for integrating proprietary software with third-party operating systems and databases.
Drafted and edited Installation Guides and Information Security related documentation such as a Configuration Management Plans and System Security Plans.

14. R

R is a free software environment and a language used by programmers for statistical computing. The R programming language is famously used for data analysis by data scientists.

Here's how documentation writers use r:

Demonstrate all functions of base station subsystem to R F Engineers.

15. End-User Documentation

Here's how documentation writers use end-user documentation:

Conducted system enhancement research with programmers and business analysts to ensure that end-user documentation was current and not misinterpreted.
Offered contract software testing, end-user documentation, and software help file development services.

What skills help Documentation Writers find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What type of skills will young documentation writers need?

Dr. Christina Fisanick

Associate Professor of English, California University of Pennsylvania

College graduates in 2021 and beyond, need all of the skills that English programs have to offer: critical thinking, effective communication, creativity, and flexibility. New hires need to be able to adapt to workplace changes quickly and with aplomb, which requires critical thinking and problem solving and the ability to communicate those solutions to a diverse audience clearly and effectively. Those skills are refined and practiced regularly in English programs.

Do you want to know more?

List of documentation writer skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a documentation writer resume and required skills for a documentation writer to have include:

Technical Documentation
Subject Matter Experts
SharePoint
Software Development
User Manuals
GMP
Training Materials
HTML
User Guides
Version Control
SMEs
Design Specifications

Installation Guides
R
End-User Documentation
Software Products
Database
Technical Manuals
FrameMaker
Adobe Acrobat
Documentation Projects
RoboHelp
Management System
Test Scripts

Training Documentation
QA
CAD
User Interface
PDF
SQL
PowerPoint
FDA
Word Processing
Unix

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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