The document discusses technical writing outsourcing (TWO). It begins with an agenda covering experiences with and perspectives on TWO. It then discusses the growth of outsourcing globally since the 1970s. The benefits of TWO include increased productivity and quality when implemented well. Key success factors include assessing processes/strategies, focusing on morale, using inclusive planning, and addressing cultural differences. While TWO risks exist if poorly planned, it can also promote growth when done inclusively and effectively.

1. Outsourcing Technical Writing:
A Forum

2. AGENDA
What is your experience with TWO?
The growth of outsourcing
Benefits of outsourcing
Discuss: TWO Issues, Fear, Factors
TWO: Key success factors
The evolution of TWO
TWO implementation
Outsourcing PITFALLS
Conclusion

3. About the speaker: Barry Saiff
● Technical communications leader
● 34 years in technical documentation
● Led content development teams at Symantec,
Oracle, IBM, and GE
● Founded Saiff Solutions in 2011
● Provides technical writing services to large
enterprises in Australia, Japan, Canada, US
● Author of Outsourcing Technical Writing: A Primer

5. What is your experience with
technical writing outsourcing?
Have you experienced:
•A well-crafted outsourcing plan?
•A poorly-implemented plan?
•Being involved in a decision to outsource?
•Layoffs due to outsourcing?
•Working with writers in another country?

6. What is your overall impression of
technical writing outsourcing?

7. The growth of outsourcing
From 1970 to 2018, outsourcing grew exponentially.
Some examples:
● By 2003, 77 global software development
firms had R&D operations in India.
● By a recent (2013) estimate, there
were 80,000 software developers in
the Philippines.
● There are now technical writers
in the Philippines with 10+ years
experience in topic-based authoring.

8. Why has outsourcing grown?
Productivity rises, and
everything changes to
facilitate rising productivity.

9. Drivers of outsourcing
• Labor cost differentials
• Growth of global labor market
• Communications cost reductions
• Global market growth/
economic liberalization
• Increased ease of doing business globally
• Convergence (incomplete) of global business
culture
• Increasing productivity
• Increasing customer-centric focus on quality

10. What happens when TWO works well?
● Productivity rises
● Improved quality
● Reduced costs
● Expanded capacity at a lower cost
● Improved processes
● Cultural advantages
● Improved onshore team morale

11. ● Content development co-located with
offshore development teams
● Increased global responsiveness
● Improved writing methodology
● Better productivity per 24-hour period
(“Following the Sun”)
● Smoother transition to new work models
What happens when TWO works well?

12. Discuss: TWO Issues, Fears, Pitfalls
What do you think are the major problems with
technical writing outsourcing?

13. Can bad things happen as a result of
outsourcing technical writing?
Outsourcing PITFALLS

14. Outsourcing PITFALLS
Can bad things happen as a result of
outsourcing technical writing?
● Yes, sometimes.
● Often, when outsourcing
decisions do not involve
technical
communicators.
● Resisting outsourcing
makes it less likely that
you’ll be included in the
decision.
● What you resist persists.

15. ● Yes, sometimes. But not always.
● Over 7 years, the # of Saiff Solutions
engagements that led to layoffs: 0
● Yes, 0. We’ve never been in that situation.
● Yes, layoffs happen. But not in every case.
Can good technical writers lose jobs to
outsourcing?
Outsourcing PITFALLS

16. Discuss: Key success factors
What do you think needs to
happen to make TWO successful?

17. The evolution of TWO
For a long time it seemed that:
• Technical writing outsourcing may
not work.
• Opposing TWO is the best way to
keep local TW jobs.

18. The evolution of TWO
Now it is clear that:
• Technical writing outsourcing can work very
well.
• With technical communicators in
management, we can author TWO
strategies, instead of being victims.
• How TWO is done is a crucial question.

19. TWO Implementation
If you have writers:
● As work grows, you can expand
capacity at lower cost via outsourcing.
● By reserving advanced tasks for the
in-house team, you can improve team
morale and cost-effectiveness.

20. TWO Implementation
To determine if TWO is right for YOU:
● No one-size-fits-all formula
● No simple rule to follow
● Quality varies everywhere

21. TWO Implementation Process
What do process maturity and content
strategy have to do with TWO:
● If technical writers struggle to discover
design changes when co-located with
engineers…
● Outsourcing may magnify problems.

22. TWO Implementation Risks
When outsourcing goes wrong, it can be due to any of the
following issues:
Location Function INCLUSION Language

23. TWO Implementation Risks
When outsourcing goes wrong, it can be due to any of the
following issues:
EXPERIENCE
LEVEL
Culture Competency Management

24. TWO Implementation Lessons
• Focus where you can have an
impact.
• Prepare yourself for change.
• Focus on the success of your
enterprise.
• Focus on improving quality.

25. TWO Implementation Lessons
• Start with process improvement and
content strategy.
• Focus on morale and effectiveness. Don’t
ignore the need to sell change effectively.
• Use inclusive planning.
• Be aware of potential cultural pitfalls.

26. TWO: Key success factors
For management:
● Assess process improvement and content
strategy, improve if needed
● Focus on morale, effectiveness and career
development
● Don't ignore the need to sell change effectively
● Use inclusive planning
● Be aware of potential cultural pitfalls

27. Ensure a realistic financial analysis.
Identify and communicate vision and
benefits.
TWO: Key success factors

28. Carefully choose a country
● Consider the language
● Infrastructure and
● Labor pool
Carefully choose a provider.
Start with a low-risk pilot project.
Consider a competitive pilot.
TWO: Key success factors

29. Understand and accommodate
the differences
● Time zone
● Language
● Culture
● Expertise
● Background
● Context
TWO: Key success factors

30. Include all technical writers in
meetings, reviews, scrums, defect
tracking, wiki/intranet, email list, etc.
Document testing & review = key
parts of the project schedule.
Incorporate team feedback.
TWO: Key success factors

31. Conclusion
Outsourcing, if poorly
conceived, planned and
executed, can spread,
expand and increase the
worst qualities of an
organization.

32. Conclusion
Outsourcing if done well:
● Can promote the growth of a thriving
organization, and contribute to continual
improvement
● Can result in improved quality, improved
processes, improved morale for everyone,
and reduced costs
● Can yield significant cost savings over time
● However, savings are neither automatic nor
instantaneous, and rarely exceed 50% of
costs

33. What is your overall impression of
technical writing outsourcing?

34. Final Questions
By 2030, in a typical US company, what % of
technical writing will take place outside of the
US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe?
a. 25% c. 75%
b. 50% d. 95%

35. Final Questions
In 2030, how will the number of technical
communication jobs in the USA compare to
2018:
a. At least twice as many jobs as in 2018?
b. More, but not twice as many?
c. The same?
d. Less?