Where to Begin?
As we usher in the planning and budgeting season, the onus is on docs leaders to construct a roadmap that not only meets but exceeds expectations. The challenges are myriad: doing more with less, transforming from a cost center to a business growth unit, ensuring seamless self-service, innovating with AI capabilities, and implementing an omnipresent content strategy.
Given this landscape, how does one begin to design the ideal content roadmap for 2024? Here are some strategic steps to guide you:
1. Define Your Focus Areas
Start by identifying the significant aspects you want everyone to rally behind this year. Dream big but stay practical. Focus on 2-3 content aspirations, such as infusing the content experience with AI, streamlining authoring and publishing processes, boosting user engagement, or embedding analytics and data in your content delivery. (Need some inspiration? Explore our latest white paper on The top 10 trends in technical content in 2023)
2. Articulate Initiatives
Clearly outline the initiatives you plan to undertake to achieve your focus areas. For instance:
Example Focus Area #1: Infuse the content experience with AI
Example Initiative #1: Make your Knowledge AI-ready
Consolidate enterprise knowledge into one platform and apply layers of governance and security to your content.
Example Initiative #2: POC for AI Functionality
Initiate a clear Proof of Concept by adding GPT search capabilities to your documentation portal.
3. Define Measurable Goals
Remember, while output goals are essential, ROI is the magic metric. Ensure you can distinctly state whether you met your goals and accomplished your initiatives. Outputs provide an indication of progress, but only ROI can gauge success.
Continuing with our example:
Focus Area #1: Infuse the content experience with AI
Initiative #1: Make your Knowledge AI-ready
Consolidate enterprise knowledge into one platform and apply layers of governance and security to your content.
Initiative #2: POC for AI Functionality
Initiate a clear Proof of Concept by adding GPT search capabilities to your documentation portal.
Example Goals:
- Goal #1: GPT Coverage
- Aim to have x% of queries retrieve accurate answers.
- Goal #2: GPT Accuracy
- Strive for x% of answers to be precise.
- Goal #3: GPT Adoption Rate
- Target x% of GPT searches in your docs portal (out of total searches).
And, there are many many more goals you can consider - from users’ satisfaction all the way to increased self-service rate.
4. Repeat the Process for Each Focus
Remember, the effectiveness of your roadmap lies in its comprehensiveness. For each focus area you've identified, whether it's infusing AI or streamlining processes, go through the same meticulous process of defining initiatives and setting measurable goals. This repetition ensures that each facet of your strategy receives the attention it deserves. By dissecting your overarching goals into granular components, you can address the unique challenges and opportunities presented by each focus area. This iterative approach guarantees a well-rounded and strategic roadmap that speaks to the multifaceted nature of your documentation objectives.
This planning process is an exciting opportunity to align your efforts with the broader organizational strategy. Whether it's integrating with the company’s AI strategy, aligning with the Product roadmap, or meeting the Support organization’s demanding KPIs, a well-thought-out roadmap positions 2024 as the year of documentation.
