Elizaveta Driukova (FINN): Technical writing as a startup inside a startup: how to drive internal developer success

This talk was presented at the API The Docs Amsterdam 2023 conference on 6-7 June. We are glad to present the video recording and the talk summary.

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Elizaveta Driukova

Senior Technical Writer at FINN

Elizaveta's presentation (video recording)

"Dedicated tech writers are essential to ensure high-quality documentation, even when developers are highly skilled in coding."

In the demo, you can hear about:

• Rapid growth from founding to significant revenue.
• A unique organizational design emphasizing cross-functional, mission-based teams.
• Challenges and importance of technical writing in a startup environment.
• The importance of early emphasis on documentation for investors and organizational transparency.
• The role of dedicated technical writers in ensuring quality documentation.
• The process of hiring the first technical writer.
• The development of an internal developer portal using open-source tools and automation.
• The challenges of obtaining feedback in a startup and how knowledge sessions helped.

Takeaways

• Documentation plays a crucial role even in the early stages of a startup, aiding in transparency and investor relations.
• Dedicated technical writers are essential to ensure high-quality documentation, even when developers are highly skilled in coding.
• Hiring experienced technical writers or seeking outside expertise can be beneficial when starting a technical writing team.
• Developing an internal developer portal with automation tools can streamline documentation efforts.
• Creating content such as tech blogs can help establish the organization's reputation as tech-centric.