The Cherryleaf Podcast

165. M&A integration blueprint: Why procedures matter more than you think

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 16:29:55 +0100

When two companies merge, the announcement typically focuses on synergies, market share, and shareholder value. What gets far less attention, until it becomes a problem, is the intricate work of actually integrating two distinct organisations into a functioning whole. At the heart of this challenge lies something seemingly mundane but absolutely critical: policies and procedures.

The integration blueprint for any merger or acquisition must address not only systems and structures, and also the fundamental question of how work gets done.

It’s here, in the weeds of operational detail, that many integrations stumble.

164. Trends in technical writing careers for 2026 and beyond

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 08:36:00 +0100

In this episode, we explore how AI is reshaping the technical writing profession and what skills will matter most in the coming years. While AI dominates the conversation about the future, we dig deeper into what this means for technical writers, documentation strategy, and career development.

Summary:

The role of technical communicator is evolving from document creator to strategic orchestrator of complex information ecosystems. Success requires:

Proactivity: Identify problems and initiate solutions rather than waiting for direction
Strategic thinking: Design information experiences, not just documents
Technical depth: Level varies by organization and documentation type
Data literacy: Evaluate success through analytics
Persuasion: Influence stakeholders and gain buy-in for your vision

The person filling this role might come from technical writing, UX/UI, content strategy, or training backgrounds, whoever can demonstrate the necessary skills first.

Links:

163. Discovering what different users think of your documentation

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 09:00:00 +0100

High-quality documentation reduces support costs and drives product adoption, but traditional feedback methods often fail to capture the full user experience.

This episode explores how modern documentation teams are combining AI simulation with human research to understand how different users interact with their docs.

Key topics

The problem with traditional feedback
Understanding your user archetypes
Traditional testing methods that still work
AI user simulation: The new frontier
AI limitations to remember
The winning strategy: Hybrid approach

Resources mentioned

Reader-simulator by Casey Smith (open-source): github.com/caseyrfsmith/reader-simulator
Impersonaid by Fabrizio Ferri: github.com/theletterf/impersonaid
Cherryleaf course: Managing and Mastering Documentation Projects with AI

162. Time sinks in technical writing

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 09:00:00 +0200

This episode explores common time sinks in technical writing and practical solutions to streamline documentation workflows, with a focus on automation and AI tools.

Key topics covered

Common time sinks identified:

Chasing reviewers and SMEs for feedback
Constantly shifting priorities and expectations
Version control and format conversions (especially markdown/Word)
Unproductive meetings
Documenting features too early (before testing is complete)
Tracking requests and managing follow-ups
Time zone coordination challenges
Working with poor or incomplete requirements

Solutions and strategies:

Content operations approach - Strategic framework examining people, processes, and technology in content production
Four solution categories:
- Remove bottlenecks from processes
- Reduce friction for collaborators
- Delegate and spread workload
- Automate repetitive manual tasks
AI and Intelligent Agents - Moving beyond traditional automation to tools that can adapt and make decisions
Implementation tips:
- Focus on high-impact, repetitive tasks first
- Track metrics to measure real-world impact
- Use phased rollout approach
- Maintain human oversight and accountability
- Remember: augment, don't replace

Upcoming events

TCUK Conference (Nov 24-25) - Presentation on automation in technical writing
New course launch: "Managing and Mastering Documentation Projects with AI" (pilot: Nov 3-4)

About Cherryleaf

Cherryleaf is a technical writing services and training company.

Cherryleaf

Cherryleaf Newsletter

161. How learning and teaching are changing

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 14:48:14 +0200

In this episode of the Cherryleaf podcast, we look at how learning and how teaching is changing. We're going to see a change, and probably a rapid change in what content, staff, and users are given.

We'll post a transcript of this episode to the Cherryleaf blog.

About Cherryleaf

Cherryleaf is a technical writing services and training company.

Cherryleaf

Cherryleaf Newsletter

160. Technical writing news roundup July 2025

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 08:30:00 +0200

In this special episode of the Cherryleaf Podcast, we're doing something a little different - a curated roundup of recent news, tools, research, and resources especially relevant to technical communicators.

🔔 Highlights & Topics Covered:

🆕 TechSmith Launches Camtasia Online

🛠 Vale Linter Introduces “Views” Feature

📄 Netflix’s Documentation Approach
We review “Documentation that Developers Actually Read: The Netflix Approach” by Pratjem Naik.

♿ Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Card Deck
Johannes Lehner’s printable & digital card deck for WCAG 2.2 helps with accessibility workshops and planning.

🤖 The Impact of Generative AI on Work Tasks
Stanford & World Bank research shows how AI dramatically reduces time needed for tasks like repair and installation.

🔗 Microsoft Learn Docs & MCP (Model Context Protocol)
New tool allows GitHub Copilot and other AI tools to retrieve contextually accurate, real-time Microsoft documentation.
📹 Includes highlights from Peter de Bruyne’s YouTube demo

📊 Google Adds AI-Powered Features to Google Sheets
Google Sheets now supports Gemini-powered prompts to analyse and generate personalised content based on spreadsheet data.

We'll also publish a transcript of this podcast on the Cherryleaf blog.

About Cherryleaf

Cherryleaf is a technical writing services and training company.

Cherryleaf

Cherryleaf Newsletter

159. Towards a Question and Answer world

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 09:00:00 +0200

The way users want to access information may be undergoing a seismic shift. Some have suggested technical communication is rapidly moving towards a question-and-answer (Q&A) paradigm.

As user behaviour moves away from reading and towards asking, we discuss how chatbots, AI, and Q&A-driven interfaces are reshaping the expectations and responsibilities of technical communicators.

Takeaway quote:
"It’s not about crafting a list of 20 questions. It’s about building a robust knowledge system that can handle any question and deliver meaningful answers."

Resources

Michael Andrews and Ardis Ramey on Q&A communication paradigms
UK Government Digital Service post: FAQs: why we don’t have them
Cherryleaf Newsletter

We'll also publish a transcript of this podcast on the Cherryleaf blog.

About Cherryleaf

Cherryleaf is a technical writing services and training company.

Cherryleaf

158. The Changing Marketing Landscape

Mon, 12 May 2025 08:00:00 +0200

In this episode, we dive into responses to the evolving digital landscape shaped by AI in search engines and changes in social media.

We explain how Cherryleaf took inspiration from the viral success of the Museum of English Rural Life (Merl) and used AI chatbots to analyse Merl's approach.

We share the key lessons learned - such as embracing an authentic voice, leveraging unique content, blending education with entertainment, and encouraging engagement - and details how Cherryleaf adapted these for a technical writing services company.

Discover the creative content pieces we've launched, including "Technical Writer Superpowers," "Technical Writing Bingo," and "Dungeons and Documents," and hear about the initial results in terms of engagement and reach. We also discuss future plans and how other organisations can adopt similar strategies.

157. The Rise of Autonomous AI Agents and What It Means for Technical Writers

Sun, 13 Apr 2025 09:02:00 +0200

🔍 Episode Overview

In this episode, Ellis explores how AI agents, especially autonomous AI agents, are reshaping the landscape of technical communication. What are they? How do they differ from traditional AI tools? And crucially, what does their rise mean for technical writers?

Blending two recent blog posts, Ellis walks us through emerging tools like Manus, Opera's browser AI, and AgentQL, and what these changes mean for how we create, structure, and deliver documentation.

🧠 What You'll Learn

What AI agents and autonomous AI agents are — and how they're evolving
The four key traits of autonomous agents:
Insights from new AI tools

🧰 Impact on Technical Writers

Ellis explores three main ways AI agents could change the role of technical authors:

Content for Autonomous AI Consumption
- Structuring content for AI readability
- Multimodal delivery (text, audio, UI elements)
- Built-in accessibility for dynamic adaptation
Documentation as Agent-Ready Data
- Writing docs as if they were APIs
- Emphasis on semantic structure, metadata, and clarity
AI Agents as Co-Creators
- Personalised content generation
- Agent-driven feedback loops
- Enhanced content curation and adaptation tools

🗨️ Key Quotes

"Autonomous is the key word. It signifies something that’s self-governing, that can operate independently, with little human oversight."

"The real transformative potential of AI lies in autonomous AI agents."

"Rather than being replaced, technical writers could become the architects of AI understanding."

🔗 Resources & Links

📄 Blog post: The Rise of Autonomous AI Agents
📄 Blog post: Meet Your Future Co-Worker – AI Agents
🌐 Manus AI
🌐 Opera’s AI-Powered Browser Agent
🎤 Rachel Lee Nabors on AgentQL
The Race Is On to Redesign Everything for AI Agents
📧 Contact: info@cherryleaf.com
A transcript will be posted to our blog.

📢 Stay Connected

For more insights into the future of tech comms, AI tools, and professional development for technical writers, visit cherryleaf.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

156: Privacy and AI: Risks and Solutions for Technical Writers

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 09:09:00 +0100

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

155. Dealing with Criticism as a Technical Writer

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:28:00 +0100

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.

154. Trends for 2025 and beyond in technical writing

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 08:31:00 +0100

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

153. Meeting and Connecting with Technical Communicators

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 09:00:00 +0100

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")

152. From User Docs to Podcast

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 08:00:00 +0200

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

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

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 09:18:00 +0200

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

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

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 09:00:00 +0200

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/

149: Promoting the value of techcomm

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 09:09:00 +0200

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.

148. Using AI in techcomm - 2024 survey results

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 08:00:00 +0200

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

147. The art of persuasion

Mon, 13 May 2024 08:00:00 +0200

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

146. What is the current demand for contract Technical Authors?

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 11:11:00 +0200

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

145. How large organisations create useful, informative, accessible content

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0100

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:

We'll also publish a transcript of this podcast on the Cherryleaf blog.

About Cherryleaf:

Cherryleaf

144. Corporate rebranding - how it affects technical authors

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0100

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

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

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 09:01:00 +0100

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

142. Trends in technical communication for 2024 and beyond

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 08:09:00 +0100

It’s that time of year for us to gaze into our crystal ball and share your and our predictions for the future of technical communication for 2024 and beyond.

We've posted a transcript to the Cherryleaf Blog.

About Cherryleaf:

Cherryleaf

Microsoft's Akash Dubey has created a YouTube playlist that contains a series of interviews with people from Microsoft, Meta, Across Systems, and Cherryleaf, on lessons learnt with AI. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1Utia1tpDy4cceBHsMDZFbyzVMWfijjG

Generative AI and Techcomm playlist on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyzNPwCV9rY&list=PLUsv4sNfwtYe3Crhz-ldp8JRoKLIh7k8l&pp=iAQB

141. What Techcomm problems can generative AI solve?

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 09:00:00 +0100

In this episode, we look at what Techcomm problems can generative AI solve.

Technical writers today face numerous challenges that can hinder productivity and impact content quality. From managing high volumes of documentation to keeping pace with rapid product changes, it takes great effort to produce and maintain helpful, accurate, and engaging technical content. This is where AI comes in.

In this episode, we provide an overview of the common pain points technical writers experience and demonstrate how generative AI can effectively address many of these issues. From automating repetitive tasks to enhancing writing quality, AI-powered tools offer new capabilities that will transform the field of technical communication.

We discuss key applications like boilerplate text generation, text summarisation, grammar corrections, writing style adaptability, and more. With the right human-AI collaboration, technical writers can be more efficient, consistent, and creative.

We will publish a transcript on the Cherryleaf blog.

About Cherryleaf:

Cherryleaf

140. Kristof Van Tomme on the role of API and developer portals in Generative AI systems

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 09:00:00 +0200

We talk to Kristof Van Tomme, CEO of Pronovix, about the role of API and developer portals in Generative AI systems. We discuss how organisations can prepare for AI.

We talk about what documentation infrastructure organisations should have in place to be able to use AI safely from an information perspective. We also discuss whether developer portals will become even more important.

We will publish a transcript on the Cherryleaf blog.

About Cherryleaf:

Cherryleaf

139. Techsmith’s Daniel Foster on the contentious relationship between technical writers and video content

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 08:00:00 +0200

We talk to Daniel Foster, Director of Strategy at TechSmith, about the contentious relationship between technical writers and video content.

A growing trend among technical writers is the integration of video content alongside traditional documentation and visuals, offering a dynamic and immersive medium to enhance user understanding and engagement. However, writers generally prefer words because they’re easier to reuse and scale, as well as being more efficient for their overall business. This leads to a rather contentious relationship with video elements...especially with clients specifically requesting more of them.

Daniel regularly works with technical writers on how to bridge this gap and effectively leverage video content to complement their writing.

We discuss how technical writers can effectively manage this contentious relationship.

We will publish a transcript on the Cherryleaf blog.

About Cherryleaf:

Cherryleaf

Techsmith's Research hub includes:
- Value of Visuals
- Ultimate Guide to Simplified User Interface Graphics (SUI)
- The Ultimate Guide to Easily Make Instructional Videos
Guide to adding captions to videos

Simplify Tool in Snagit (tutorial)
Audiate

138: Generative AI and Techcomm, lessons learnt so far

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 09:56:56 +0200

We reflect on the lesson learnt so far as a result of developing our upcoming elearning course on using Generative AI in technical communication.

We will publish a transcript on the Cherryleaf blog.

About Cherryleaf:

Cherryleaf

137. Using AI in techcomm: the questions you’re asking

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 08:32:00 +0200

As part of our research into using generative AI in technical communications, we ran a survey to discover the questions that technical communicators are asking.

In this episode, we review those questions and identify some common themes.

About Cherryleaf:

Cherryleaf

136. Generative AI, what do the buzzwords mean?

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 08:00:00 +0200

When people talk about AI, chatbots, and tools like ChatGPT, all the new terminology can make it hard to understand how it all works. In this episode, we're going to look at the definitions of some of the words that you might hear.

Thursday 29th June 2023

As a way of bridging the gap between the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the specific needs of Technical Communicators, we conducted a survey within the technical communications community. We wanted to uncover the most pressing questions, concerns, and areas of interest related to using AI and ChatGPT in technical communications.

In this webinar, we’ll present some of the questions you raised, and outline the answers to those questions. Additionally, we will present a framework for identifying opportunities and best practices for integrating ChatGPT and AI into their technical authoring processes.

About Cherryleaf:

Cherryleaf

135. Writing procedures needed for regulatory compliance

Fri, 12 May 2023 15:28:00 +0200

In this episode, we talk about writing procedures that are needed for regulatory compliance.

By this we mean organisations that might be investigated by a regulatory body.

We describe the different approaches to creating the content.

We'll post a transcript to the Cherryleaf Blog.

About Cherryleaf:

Cherryleaf

134. We’re copying Google’s elearning courses, and how you can do it as well

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 08:00:00 +0200

We wanted to talk about some ideas that we've taken from Google on how to present elearning video content. And to share them in case you are also involved in e-learning, and you wanted to copy these ideas as well. We examine one of Google's videos from its UX Design course. These courses are on YouTube, so it’s possible to view them without having to sign up to a course. Link to the video:
Intro to UX (User Experience) We'll post a transcript to the Cherryleaf Blog.

About Cherryleaf:

Cherryleaf

133. What will ChatGPT mean for technical communication?

Sun, 12 Mar 2023 07:30:00 +0100

It's been about three months since ChatGPT was launched. And we thought it would be good to look at really the status of what ChatGPT might mean for the future of technical communication.

And we did a blog and we did some experiments back in December, as have others, and people have reflected on the pros and cons of it.

And we thought it would be good to take a look at it today.

We'll post a transcript to the Cherryleaf Blog.

About Cherryleaf:

Cherryleaf

More information:

Wie gut ist Künstliche Intelligenz in der Technischen Dokumentation? https://www.parson-europe.com/de/blog/kuenstliche-intelligenz-chatgpt-technische-dokumentation Cherryleaf: What will ChatGPT mean for the future of technical communication? https://www.cherryleaf.com/2022/12/what-will-chatgpt-mean-for-the-future-of-technical-communication/ ICMS GmbH: https://www.icms.de/kuenstliche-intellig enz-in-der-technischen-redaktion-fluch-oder-segen/ Pinecone: Generative Question-Answering with Long-Term Memory https://www.pinecone.io/learn/openai-gen-qa/

132. Dealing with a layoff

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 09:00:00 +0100

In January 2023, there's been quite a few layoffs in the tech sector. It's reported that Google has laid off 12,000 people, Microsoft 11,000, Amazon 18,000, Salesforce 8000. And there's also been layoffs at Meta, Cisco, Spotify, and other organisations.

In this episode, we're going to look at dealing with being laid off or being made redundant.

We'll post a transcript to the Cherryleaf Blog.

About Cherryleaf:

Cherryleaf

131. Diana Logan on GitLab and Hackathons

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 08:00:00 +0100

We talk to Diana Logan, Manager, Technical Writing at GitLab, about Gitlab’s approach to documentation and code.

We discuss:

Working in an “Docs as Code” environment
The upcoming GitLab Docs hackathon
Working for a fully remote, asynchronous organisation

We've posted a transcript to the Cherryleaf Blog.

More information:

GitLab Docs Hackathon 23 - 27 January, 2023
Five fast facts about docs as code at GitLab
How to update GitLab documentation

About Cherryleaf:

Cherryleaf

130. Trends in technical communication for 2023 and beyond

Tue, 13 Dec 2022 08:59:12 +0100

It’s that time of year for us to gaze into our crystal ball and share your and our predictions for the future of technical communication for 2023 and beyond.

Thread on LinkedIn

Thread on Twitter

We've posted a transcript to the Cherryleaf Blog.

About Cherryleaf:

Cherryleaf

129. Your first 90 days as a Documentation Manager

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 09:00:00 +0100

We asked on Social Media

Someone joins as/becomes a manager of technical writing team. What would you advise they do in their first 90-100 days?

In this episode, we go through the responses we received.

We'll post a transcript to the Cherryleaf Blog.

About Cherryleaf:

Cherryleaf

The five pillars of content strategy:

https://www.scroll.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Five-Pillars-Approach-toolkit.pdf

128. Optimising Technical Documentation for Search

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 08:00:00 +0200

We look at optimising technical documentation for Search Engines.

We'll post a transcript to the Cherryleaf Blog.

About Cherryleaf:

Cherryleaf

Links:

127. Creating Playbooks

Sun, 11 Sep 2022 08:00:00 +0200

We look at playbooks. We ask: what are they, and why create them?

We also discuss our approach for creating playbooks, and the different ways to publish them.

We'll post a transcript to the Cherryleaf Blog.

About Cherryleaf:

Cherryleaf

Links:

126. Retrospectives for documentation projects

Mon, 11 Jul 2022 08:00:00 +0200

We look at the value of retrospectives at the end of a documentation project, and how you can run one.

We'll post a transcript to the Cherryleaf Blog.

About Cherryleaf:

Cherryleaf

125. Who we, and others, are hiring

Fri, 10 Jun 2022 09:00:00 +0200

We look at the types of skills we, and others, are looking for, when taking on freelance and permanent technical communicators.

We'll post a transcript to the Cherryleaf Blog.

About Cherryleaf:

Cherryleaf

124. Technical writing timesavers

Tue, 10 May 2022 08:00:00 +0200

We asked:

Does anyone have any techcomm timesaver tips they'd like to share? This is what you told us...

We'll post a transcript to the Cherryleaf Blog.

About Cherryleaf:

Cherryleaf

123. Document quality checklists

Sun, 10 Apr 2022 07:30:00 +0200

We look at different ways to measure and check the quality of the content we produce.

References:

Developing Quality Technical Information (DQTI), Hargis, IBM, 1997
Peter Morville’s User Experience Honeycomb
Ilene Burnstein, Practical Software Testing
Teste e Qualidade de Software Software Reviews and Other Static Software Analysis. Rodrigo Back Almada. https://slideplayer.com/slide/14604162/

We'll post a transcript to the Cherryleaf Blog.

About Cherryleaf:

Cherryleaf

Our new training bundles:

Cherryleaf Technical Communication Courses

122. Github for Technical Writing

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 08:00:00 +0100

We look at GitHub and how technical communicators are using GitHub for creating documentation.

Our new training bundles:

Cherryleaf Technical Communication Courses

Video:

Creative writing with GitHub copilot

Hands on - AI pair programming with GitHub Copilot

121. What are the skills needed for developing a developer portal?

Thu, 10 Feb 2022 08:00:00 +0100

In this episode, we look at the skills needed for developing a developer portal.

We also talk about our new e-learning course "Creating API documentation and developer portals", and Google's recommendations for the content needed on a developer portal.

We'll post a transcript to the Cherryleaf Blog.

About Cherryleaf:

Cherryleaf

120. Lessons learnt in 2021

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 08:00:00 +0100

Happy New Year. We posted this question on social media: What lessons have you learnt over the last 12 months? Working from home, wins, losses, mindset, managing the pandemic etc. In this episode, we go through the responses, and reflect on what was said.

About Cherryleaf:

Cherryleaf

Pexels image: Julia M Cameron

119. Trends in technical communication for 2022 and beyond

Fri, 10 Dec 2021 08:00:00 +0100

It's that time of year for us to gaze into our crystal ball and share your and our predictions for the future of technical communication for 2022 and beyond.

Thread on LinkedIn

Thread on Twitter

About Cherryleaf:

Cherryleaf

Image: Tuesday Temptation on Unsplash.

118. What‘s up Redocly?

Fri, 12 Nov 2021 10:00:23 +0100

Cherryleaf's Ginny Critcher and Ellis Pratt discuss using the Redocly platform to create a developer portal and API documentation.

More information:

Redocly

What is your developer portal’s KPI score?

Cherryleaf

117. How to create an award-winning developer portal

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 08:00:00 +0200

With the Dev Portal Awards 2021 under way, we look at the characteristics of an award-winning developer portal.

Dev Portal Awards 2021

What is your developer portal’s KPI score?

About Cherryleaf:

Cherryleaf

116. What should startups consider when writing their first docs?

Thu, 16 Sep 2021 08:00:00 +0200

If a startup came to you asking for a checklist of actions they should take/consider when it comes to writing their first docs, what would you tell them? We asked that question on Social Media. In this episode, we reveal what people said. Get the ultimate user onboarding content checklist for start-ups

About Cherryleaf:

Cherryleaf

115. Creating Learning and Development content with Flare (interview)

Tue, 17 Aug 2021 08:00:00 +0200

Unexpected bonus August episode.

We spoke to Jennifer Morse, Vice President of Customer Success at MadCap Software, about the new Learning and Development features that have been included in latest release of MadCap Flare.

More information:

New Release: MadCap Flare 2021 r2 Bridging the Gap Between Technical Authoring and Learning & Development

Webinar recording: Major New Learning & Development Updates in MadCap Flare 2021 r2

New free elearning course from Cherryleaf:

Trends in Technical Communication

About Cherryleaf:

Cherryleaf

114. Nine common onboarding mistakes that software companies make

Thu, 22 Jul 2021 08:00:00 +0200

Ellis looks at nine common onboarding mistakes that software companies make:

Not thinking about jobs to be done, but features
Overloading users with information
Writing for a single audience
Not providing or not co-ordinating the five pillars of onboarding content
Getting the timing wrong
Unclear goals
Leaving "seams" in the onboarding experience
Poor quality content
No testing or metrics

Take our quiz:

What type of technical writer are you?

Planning and creating content for customer onboarding – training course

Cherryleaf

To contact Cherryleaf: info@cherryleaf.com

Photo by Markus Spiske from Pexels

113. Using heatmaps & recordings to improve Hotjar's knowledge base, with Karissa Van Baule

Thu, 08 Jul 2021 08:00:00 +0200

We talk to Karissa Van Baulen, Customer Education Lead and Knowledge Base Owner at Hotjar.

We discuss how she has used heatmaps and playback recordings to improve Hotjar's knowledge base.

What does Hotjar do?
Why are heatmaps important?
How have you used heatmaps and recordings to improve Hotjar's knowledge base?
How easy is this to do?
How much time should you schedule?
What have been the benefits?
What have been the downsides?
If people want more information, where should they go?

More information:

The Importance of Using Analytics and Feedback for your Documentation - conference presentation recording

Take our quiz:

The Cherryleaf Podcast

165. M&A integration blueprint: Why procedures matter more than you think

164. Trends in technical writing careers for 2026 and beyond

163. Discovering what different users think of your documentation

162. Time sinks in technical writing

161. How learning and teaching are changing

160. Technical writing news roundup July 2025

159. Towards a Question and Answer world

158. The Changing Marketing Landscape

157. The Rise of Autonomous AI Agents and What It Means for Technical Writers

156: Privacy and AI: Risks and Solutions for Technical Writers

155. Dealing with Criticism as a Technical Writer

154. Trends for 2025 and beyond in technical writing

153. Meeting and Connecting with Technical Communicators

152. From User Docs to Podcast

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

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

149: Promoting the value of techcomm

148. Using AI in techcomm - 2024 survey results

147. The art of persuasion

146. What is the current demand for contract Technical Authors?

145. How large organisations create useful, informative, accessible content

144. Corporate rebranding - how it affects technical authors

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

142. Trends in technical communication for 2024 and beyond

141. What Techcomm problems can generative AI solve?

140. Kristof Van Tomme on the role of API and developer portals in Generative AI systems

139. Techsmith’s Daniel Foster on the contentious relationship between technical writers and video content

138: Generative AI and Techcomm, lessons learnt so far

137. Using AI in techcomm: the questions you’re asking

136. Generative AI, what do the buzzwords mean?

135. Writing procedures needed for regulatory compliance

134. We’re copying Google’s elearning courses, and how you can do it as well

133. What will ChatGPT mean for technical communication?

132. Dealing with a layoff

131. Diana Logan on GitLab and Hackathons

130. Trends in technical communication for 2023 and beyond

129. Your first 90 days as a Documentation Manager

128. Optimising Technical Documentation for Search

127. Creating Playbooks

126. Retrospectives for documentation projects

125. Who we, and others, are hiring

124. Technical writing timesavers

123. Document quality checklists

122. Github for Technical Writing

121. What are the skills needed for developing a developer portal?

120. Lessons learnt in 2021

119. Trends in technical communication for 2022 and beyond

118. What‘s up Redocly?

117. How to create an award-winning developer portal

116. What should startups consider when writing their first docs?

115. Creating Learning and Development content with Flare (interview)

114. Nine common onboarding mistakes that software companies make

113. Using heatmaps & recordings to improve Hotjar's knowledge base, with Karissa Van Baule

112. Nobody ever wants to buy software, with Toby Chapman-Dawe

111. Building a developer portal using Flare - A new way to do it

110. After basic techcomm training, what next?

109. Review of Google's UX design course

108. What you said you wanted from a course on creating screenshots and images

107. Why communication skills are not enough

106. The mysterious Reuse Files button in Microsoft Word

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

104. Fixing broken developer portals

103. Training during the Lockdown - Lessons learnt

102. Bridgerton, Brexit, and Cherryleaf: The Untold Story

101. Deborah Reid on usability testing

100: What you told us - the one goal you’re setting for 2021

99. Trends in Technical Communication for 2021 and beyond

98. Judging the The DevPortal Awards 2020

97. The Remote Work Decade?

96. Heroic Technical Writing, with Bart Leahy

95. Publishing a Kindle ebook in 2020

94. Judging technical communication awards

93. Writing controls-based procedures during the lockdown

92. Newly released applications from Microsoft and Adobe that could help you be a better communicator

91. BLM, inclusivity and techcomm

90. Mike Hamilton on using Flare to manage content for chatbots, the UI, Help and Knowledge Bases all from a single source

89. The end of corporate classroom training?

88. Will Myddelton on moving from an oral to a written culture

87. Interview with CJ Walker about the technical writing scene in France