The knowledge base: Your best friend as a technical writer

You know the feeling of standing in front of a mountain of information and not knowing where to start.
As a technical writer, this is your ‘daily bread’.

But what if you had a tool to help you conquer this mountain? This is what it is all about today: We dive into the world of knowledge bases and see how they support you in your job as a technical writer.

A knowledge base is like a digital brain for your company, your team and/or your projects. It collects, structures and preserves all the knowledge you need to create your documentation. From technical specifications to instructions to backgrounds, you'll find everything in one place. This not only saves time, but also ensures that your documents are always accurate and up-to-date. If someone takes care of her. ⁇

What is a Knowledge Base?

Think of a knowledge base as a kind of central archive. It is a collection of information that is available in an organized, searchable form. The special thing about it: It is accessible to everyone in the team.

The idea behind it: Whether it's the latest product features, the right terms or the common mistakes, instead of sending an email with every problem or rummaging through old chats, just look into the database. This not only makes you more efficient, but also true knowledge managers.

Technical specifications: The heart of your work

If you're building a knowledge base, the technical specifications are the be-all and end-all. Think of things like:

Architectural diagrams: How are the different components related?
API documentation: What are the endpoints and how do they work?
Functional descriptions: What does the product do and what is the logic behind it?

By storing this information centrally, you ensure that everyone working on the documentation is on the same page. This prevents errors and saves an infinite number of voting rounds.

The right tools for your knowledge base

Your success in building a knowledge base depends largely on the right tools. Depending on the project size and team workflow, there are various solutions that are suitable for you. Some tools rely on simple markup languages such as Markdown, while others, as all-in-one solutions, cover all steps of documentation.

Common office tools such as Word/Google Docs/Notepad++ help you write, but are then stored somewhere as individual files and a search over various documents would not be ideal. For better visualization, you often use tools from the Adobe portfolio (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, etc.) But all this must be stored as consistently, structured and accessible as possible, so that later ideally no great effort is required to make this content available to users.

So let's take a look at some of the most common options that Technical Writers can support today.

1. Markdown & Docs-as-Code

What is this? Markdown is an extremely simple and intuitive markup language. You write your texts in simple text files with minimal formatting and can then convert them to HTML. In combination with a version control system such as Git, this is the basis for a ‘docs-as-code’ approach where documentation is treated as software.
Benefits:
- Simple and fast: Markdown is so simple that everyone understands it right away. Ideal for short, quick notes or documents that developers also work on.
- Version control: Every change is tracked. You can always see who changed what and when and you can go back to an earlier version if necessary.
- Collaboration: Developers and technical writers can work together in the same environment (e.g. Git).
Disadvantages:
- Restricted formatting: Markdown is often not sufficient for complex layouts, tables or special formatting.
- No central management: Without additional tools (like a static website generator), it's difficult to manage a complex knowledge base.

Markdown tools are available for virtually all platforms and in various variations:

Mac: MacDown, iA Writer, or Marked 2 iOS / Android: iA Writer Windows: ghostwriter or Markdown Monster Linux: ReText or even the ghostwriter Web: Dillinger or StackEdit

2. AsciiDoc & Docs-as-Code

What is this? AsciiDoc is a more powerful alternative to Markdown. It is also a simple markup language, but it offers significantly more features for technical documentation. Again, the idea is to write the documentation in text files and manage it through version control systems.
Benefits:
- Comprehensive syntax: AsciiDoc supports functions such as cross-references, variables, conditional texts and complex tables. Ideal for professional and extensive documentation.
- Reusability: You can define text modules (e.g. a security note) in one place and reuse them in many documents. This saves time and ensures consistency.
- Flexible: The text files can be exported to different formats (HTML, PDF, EPUB).
Disadvantages:
- Learning curve: Getting started is a bit more challenging than Markdown because the syntax is more complex.
- No WYSIWYG: You do not see directly what the final result looks like, but have to compile the document first.

Also for AsciiDoc There are various tools/tools distributed across all platforms: Linux, Mac and Windows Users can all Asciidoctor, SciTE or AsciiDocFX Reaching out, this AwesomeAsciiDoc Github Project But also lists plugins, tools and everything else your heart desires.

3. DITA & the DITA Open Toolkit

What is this? DITA (Darwin Information Typing Architecture) XML-based standard for the preparation and publication of technical documentation. It is a structured approach based on the idea of Topics (small, reusable information units) based. These topics will be discussed in an DITA Map It defines the structure of your documentation. This DITA Open Toolkit (DITA-OT) is at the heart of the system – an open source publishing engine that converts DITA files into different output formats such as PDF, HTML, and more. Tools like this oXygen XML Editor provide an intuitive interface to create DITA files and use the DITA-OT.
Benefits:
- Maximum reusability: Topics written once can be reused in countless documents. This is ideal for product lines or documents with many similar sections.
- Consistency and standardization: The strict structure ensures the quality and uniformity of the documentation.
- Separation of content and format: You just focus on the content. The layout is later determined by the DITA-OT. So you can generate a document with one click for online help or as a PDF manual.
Disadvantages:
- High complexity and learning curve: Getting started with DITA and XML requires time and special training. It's definitely not for a quick project.
- High cost: The professional XML editors, which are virtually indispensable for efficient work with DITA, are usually subject to a fee.

As a paid example, I'll give you here. Framemaker by Adobe or oXygen, I'm on the open source/freeware page. Codex one. Due to the open XML standard and the toolkit, however, anyone can use OpenJDK as well. Amazon Corretto or Azul Zulu Make your own base.

4. Document360

What is this? Document360 is a modern, cloud-based knowledge base platform designed specifically for creating online help, self-service portals and internal knowledge bases.
Benefits:
- All-in-one solution: From the creation to the publication to the analysis of user behavior, everything is combined in one tool.
- Easy to use: The user interface is intuitive and easy to use even for non-technicians. The editor supports Markdown, which allows a quick start.
- Analysis tools: You can see which articles are read, which search terms users use and where there are knowledge gaps. This will help you to continuously improve your documentation.
Disadvantages:
- Costs: As a software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution, there are monthly or annual fees that vary depending on the size of the team.
- Dependency: You are bound to the platform and cannot simply process the content in another tool.

This is a standalone, ClosedSource Platform, with all the corresponding advantages and disadvantages. Interfaces to virtually all helpdesk and collaboration tools However, they are available, so integration into existing Techstack is not a major hurdle.

5. Adobe RoboHelp

What is this? RoboHelp is a classic and well-established Help Authoring Tool (HAT) from Adobe. It is a desktop tool that allows the creation of online help, knowledge bases and much more.
Benefits:
- Extensive functions: RoboHelp offers everything the Technical Writer heart desires: from content reuse to variable management to complex layouts.
- Integration: It integrates well with other Adobe products and external systems.
- Stable base: As a long-lasting product, it has a large community and is very mature.
Disadvantages:
- Complexity: Due to the many features, getting started can be overwhelming.
- Costs: RoboHelp is also a paid tool that represents an investment.

Grandpa among the tools, Adobe Robohelp In fact, this list is not quite right. Nevertheless, and precisely because it is extremely extensive and also a pioneer of many other tools due to its age, it should not go unmentioned.

Instructions and processes: Your guide

A good knowledge base contains not only static information, but also dynamic instructions and processes. These can be, for example:

Onboarding instructions: How do you introduce new team members to your work?
Style guides: What rules apply to the language, formatting and terminology in your documents?
Workflows: How does the process go from research to the publication of a document?

Such instructions will not only help you, but also other teams. The support team can get started quickly, the developers can look up how to give feedback and even new colleagues can find their way around much faster. This makes your work more transparent and your team more agile.

The Background as a Technical Writer

As a technical writer, you are the mediator between the experts and the users. You have the unique ability to explain complex issues in such a way that they are understandable to everyone. A knowledge base is your strongest ally, because it helps you to fulfill this mediation role perfectly.

By collecting the knowledge in the company, you can see where there are gaps and where you need to start. You recognize the pain points of the users and can address them specifically in your documentation. A well-maintained knowledge base is not only a repository of information, but also a mirror of your own expertise and value to the company. It shows that you not only write, but also make the entire knowledge of the company structured and accessible.

Conclusion: Not just a tool, but a superpower

A knowledge base is much more than just a tool. It's a strategic decision that makes you as a technical writer and your entire team more efficient, transparent and better. By centralizing knowledge, you can focus on what you do best: Communicate complex issues easily and clearly.

TL:DR

Start collecting and structuring your knowledge. It's worth it!