SlideShare a Scribd company logo
Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 1
Developer Documentation
Best Practices
Sam Richard - OpenView Growth Team
Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 2
Challenges:
• Developer-focused tools can greatly improve organic discovery and conversion by
ensuring that their documentation acts as a side-door to the product.
• Often, developer documentation is so product and feature focused that it doesn’t
answer the question ”What’s in it for me with this product?”
What OpenView did:
• We researched 20+ developer-focused products’ documentation using the internet
archive to understand trends and best practices used by top companies in the
space.
• It’s important to note that this is a follow on to our Developer Buyer Journey, and we
recommend reviewing that first.
Research background
Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 3
Messaging
• Prospects come to each product with a "mental checklist" to complete before getting started
Direction
• Direction is every part of the journey that gets a buyer to the point where they find value in the product
• This includes the website, signup flow, documentation, and value discovery paths like guides and test data
Value
• This is the ‘aha’ moment for a user of the product, where they perceive value in the software
• This moment of value could vary by persona
Human
Touchpoints
• Human Touchpoints are the deployment of sales and support resources to move buyers along their journey
Recall: What do developer audiences
need?
Documentation helps in the green boxes
Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 4
How does documentation help?
UI
User Interfaces can also be
helpful help new visitors
navigate getting started
and experienced users can
search for what they need.
A strong User Interface can
help direct visitors to
understand your offering if
you have multiple products.
Messaging
Businesses shy away from
“sales-y” language, but
you should still inform your
audience why each feature
is beneficial to them.
Discoverability
Using an internal wiki might
help with credibility, but if
it’s not discoverable on the
web, it’s never going to be
a channel that grows your
user base.
Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 5
5
Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved
User Interface
Leveraging layout to give
developers direction
Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 6
“The documentation seems straightforward, so I trusted it, but it
didn’t tell me steps to take after the first one.”
“Now that I’ve shipped data to the product, ingesting it is in a totally
separate part of the application and there’s no instructions on how
to get there.”
Potential buyers
ran into many
hurdles on where
to find things, or
where to go next.
Recall: once in the application, participants
often didn’t know what actions to take
“I was expecting a self-serve module that allowed me to take action but
ended up at what feels like a dynamic API document. That was
unexpected. I need more explanation.”
Adding Data to
Product
Guide the user through product set up via documentation the same as if you used in-app cues in a
product. This includes highlighting your activation points, and clarifying which parts of the product
are free, which are commercialized, and where users can find the most value.
How Documentation can help:
Documentation
Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 7
Great Example: Stripe
Stripe capitalizes on SEO
(discoverability) and helps users
route to exactly what they want to
get out of the product with these
common use cases highlighted
outside of the left-hand navigation
bar.
Known Customer Journeys
Single Call to Action
Stripe forcefully guides developers
to learn about how to get started
with their documentation landing
page. This helps keep the message
and understanding of the product
uniform.
Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 8
Great Example: Snyk
In 2017, Snyk differentiated by organizing docs with
clickable images. Now, the navigation is welcoming to
newcomers with strong calls-to-action to learn how to
get started.
2017 2021
Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 9
9
Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved
Messaging
Continuously driving home the
value of your product.
Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 10
Checklist Item Description
Solves Need
Users weren’t willing to try a tool out unless it make their “top 3 list”
based on the website description.
Social Proof
50% of prospects wanted to see what other companies used the tools
we interviewed them about.
Integrations
The developer stack is huge and interconnected. Prospects want to be
sure your tool can fit in.
Pricing Buyers at smaller orgs wanted to see a pricing page.
Recall: Developers come to a product
with a mental “checklist” before trying
This is why messaging is key in docs, too
Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 11
Great Example: DataBricks
DataBricks highlights more commercial
language with blue boxes throughout their
documentation.
This color coding is helpful because it allows
developers who are familiar with the
offering to simply skip over it once they’ve
seen it.
Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 12
I particularly like how direct
the team’s language is in the
first sentence of this chapter
of documentation.
They have a feature + how
you can add onto it later.
The one thing I’d add for
the Cypress team to make
this page even stronger
would be to elaborate on
why recording tests is
helpful.
Great Example: Cypress.io
Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 13
13
Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved
Discoverability
Many users discover products
through direct links to their
documentation.
Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 14
Using Google Analytics:
If there are no “landing pages” on your docs URL, you
may not be discoverable.
If you’re hosting your docs elsewhere, address
discoverability with your provider.
Make sure they’re not using code to block crawlers.
How will you know if your
documentation is discoverable?
Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 15
15
Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved
Takeaways
Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 16
How does documentation help?
UI
User Interfaces can also be
helpful help new visitors
navigate getting started
and experienced users can
search for what they need.
A strong User Interface can
help direct visitors to
understand your offering if
you have multiple products.
Messaging
Businesses shy away from
“sales-y” language, but
you should still inform your
audience why each feature
is beneficial to them.
Discoverability
Using an internal wiki might
help with credibility, but if
it’s not discoverable on the
web, it’s never going to be
a channel that grows your
user base.
Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 17
About the author
Director, Growth
sam@ov.vc
Sam Richard focuses on the customer’s journey to value in
freemium and free trail software offerings with a special
interest in Open-Source, Developer-Focused, and Security
tools.
In her work at OpenView, Sam conducts teardowns of free
offerings for prospects and portfolio companies,
interviewing dozens of developers about their tool and
purchasing preferences.
If you have questions or comments about the piece, please
reach out via email or on LinkedIn!
Sam Richard
Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 18
18
Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved
Thank You!
Sam Richard - sam@ov.vc

More Related Content

What's hot

The MarTech Cocktail: Selecting and Implementing the Right Technology for you...
The MarTech Cocktail: Selecting and Implementing the Right Technology for you...The MarTech Cocktail: Selecting and Implementing the Right Technology for you...
The MarTech Cocktail: Selecting and Implementing the Right Technology for you...
MarTech Conference
 
How Organizations Can Focus Sales for Maximum Impact
How Organizations Can Focus Sales for Maximum ImpactHow Organizations Can Focus Sales for Maximum Impact
How Organizations Can Focus Sales for Maximum Impact
OpenView
 
Got Video?: Using Video to Speed up Sales
Got Video?: Using Video to Speed up SalesGot Video?: Using Video to Speed up Sales
Got Video?: Using Video to Speed up Sales
PGi
 
What the Heck is Product Led Growth?
What the Heck is Product Led Growth?What the Heck is Product Led Growth?
What the Heck is Product Led Growth?
OpenView
 
The MarTech Blueprint Imperative
The MarTech Blueprint ImperativeThe MarTech Blueprint Imperative
The MarTech Blueprint Imperative
MarTech Conference
 
Martech in 2019: The New, New Rules of Marketing
Martech in 2019: The New, New Rules of MarketingMartech in 2019: The New, New Rules of Marketing
Martech in 2019: The New, New Rules of Marketing
Martech Alliance
 
How Small Teams Can Build Powerful Content Engines
How Small Teams Can Build Powerful Content Engines How Small Teams Can Build Powerful Content Engines
How Small Teams Can Build Powerful Content Engines
OpenView
 
Innovation Showcase: How Amazon and USAA Build Inspiring Apps on App Cloud
Innovation Showcase: How Amazon and USAA Build Inspiring Apps on App CloudInnovation Showcase: How Amazon and USAA Build Inspiring Apps on App Cloud
Innovation Showcase: How Amazon and USAA Build Inspiring Apps on App Cloud
Dreamforce
 
Unlocking Scale Through Pricing
Unlocking Scale Through PricingUnlocking Scale Through Pricing
Unlocking Scale Through Pricing
OpenView
 
How to Build a Modern Law Firm
How to Build a Modern Law FirmHow to Build a Modern Law Firm
How to Build a Modern Law Firm
Clio - Cloud-Based Legal Technology
 
Your Ultimate Race Registration Guide: How 9 Race Directors Save Time & Sell ...
Your Ultimate Race Registration Guide: How 9 Race Directors Save Time & Sell ...Your Ultimate Race Registration Guide: How 9 Race Directors Save Time & Sell ...
Your Ultimate Race Registration Guide: How 9 Race Directors Save Time & Sell ...
Eventbrite
 
Enabling and Celebrating The DOers
Enabling and Celebrating The DOersEnabling and Celebrating The DOers
Enabling and Celebrating The DOers
James Parton
 
Product-led growth
Product-led growthProduct-led growth
Product-led growth
Adrian Escude
 
APIdays Paris 2019 - Innovation @ scale, APIs as Digital Factories' New Machi...
APIdays Paris 2019 - Innovation @ scale, APIs as Digital Factories' New Machi...APIdays Paris 2019 - Innovation @ scale, APIs as Digital Factories' New Machi...
APIdays Paris 2019 - Innovation @ scale, APIs as Digital Factories' New Machi...
apidays
 
Virality in SaaS: What works and what doesn't
Virality in SaaS: What works and what doesn'tVirality in SaaS: What works and what doesn't
Virality in SaaS: What works and what doesn't
Olof Mathé
 
RosenfeldInjuryLawyers
RosenfeldInjuryLawyersRosenfeldInjuryLawyers
RosenfeldInjuryLawyers
Carol Myrick
 
Predictive_Playbook___Improve_Trial_Conversion_with_Predictive_Marketing.pdf
Predictive_Playbook___Improve_Trial_Conversion_with_Predictive_Marketing.pdfPredictive_Playbook___Improve_Trial_Conversion_with_Predictive_Marketing.pdf
Predictive_Playbook___Improve_Trial_Conversion_with_Predictive_Marketing.pdfSean Zinsmeister
 
8 User Experiences to Build an Effective Experimentation Program_VWO_Workshop
8 User Experiences to Build an Effective Experimentation Program_VWO_Workshop8 User Experiences to Build an Effective Experimentation Program_VWO_Workshop
8 User Experiences to Build an Effective Experimentation Program_VWO_Workshop
VWO
 
The Definitive ABM Success Guide from the Account-Based Marketing Consortium
The Definitive ABM Success Guide from the Account-Based Marketing ConsortiumThe Definitive ABM Success Guide from the Account-Based Marketing Consortium
The Definitive ABM Success Guide from the Account-Based Marketing Consortium
Demandbase
 
Employee Advocacy - The Next Step in Digital Transformation
Employee Advocacy - The Next Step in Digital Transformation Employee Advocacy - The Next Step in Digital Transformation
Employee Advocacy - The Next Step in Digital Transformation
Sociabble
 

What's hot (20)

The MarTech Cocktail: Selecting and Implementing the Right Technology for you...
The MarTech Cocktail: Selecting and Implementing the Right Technology for you...The MarTech Cocktail: Selecting and Implementing the Right Technology for you...
The MarTech Cocktail: Selecting and Implementing the Right Technology for you...
 
How Organizations Can Focus Sales for Maximum Impact
How Organizations Can Focus Sales for Maximum ImpactHow Organizations Can Focus Sales for Maximum Impact
How Organizations Can Focus Sales for Maximum Impact
 
Got Video?: Using Video to Speed up Sales
Got Video?: Using Video to Speed up SalesGot Video?: Using Video to Speed up Sales
Got Video?: Using Video to Speed up Sales
 
What the Heck is Product Led Growth?
What the Heck is Product Led Growth?What the Heck is Product Led Growth?
What the Heck is Product Led Growth?
 
The MarTech Blueprint Imperative
The MarTech Blueprint ImperativeThe MarTech Blueprint Imperative
The MarTech Blueprint Imperative
 
Martech in 2019: The New, New Rules of Marketing
Martech in 2019: The New, New Rules of MarketingMartech in 2019: The New, New Rules of Marketing
Martech in 2019: The New, New Rules of Marketing
 
How Small Teams Can Build Powerful Content Engines
How Small Teams Can Build Powerful Content Engines How Small Teams Can Build Powerful Content Engines
How Small Teams Can Build Powerful Content Engines
 
Innovation Showcase: How Amazon and USAA Build Inspiring Apps on App Cloud
Innovation Showcase: How Amazon and USAA Build Inspiring Apps on App CloudInnovation Showcase: How Amazon and USAA Build Inspiring Apps on App Cloud
Innovation Showcase: How Amazon and USAA Build Inspiring Apps on App Cloud
 
Unlocking Scale Through Pricing
Unlocking Scale Through PricingUnlocking Scale Through Pricing
Unlocking Scale Through Pricing
 
How to Build a Modern Law Firm
How to Build a Modern Law FirmHow to Build a Modern Law Firm
How to Build a Modern Law Firm
 
Your Ultimate Race Registration Guide: How 9 Race Directors Save Time & Sell ...
Your Ultimate Race Registration Guide: How 9 Race Directors Save Time & Sell ...Your Ultimate Race Registration Guide: How 9 Race Directors Save Time & Sell ...
Your Ultimate Race Registration Guide: How 9 Race Directors Save Time & Sell ...
 
Enabling and Celebrating The DOers
Enabling and Celebrating The DOersEnabling and Celebrating The DOers
Enabling and Celebrating The DOers
 
Product-led growth
Product-led growthProduct-led growth
Product-led growth
 
APIdays Paris 2019 - Innovation @ scale, APIs as Digital Factories' New Machi...
APIdays Paris 2019 - Innovation @ scale, APIs as Digital Factories' New Machi...APIdays Paris 2019 - Innovation @ scale, APIs as Digital Factories' New Machi...
APIdays Paris 2019 - Innovation @ scale, APIs as Digital Factories' New Machi...
 
Virality in SaaS: What works and what doesn't
Virality in SaaS: What works and what doesn'tVirality in SaaS: What works and what doesn't
Virality in SaaS: What works and what doesn't
 
RosenfeldInjuryLawyers
RosenfeldInjuryLawyersRosenfeldInjuryLawyers
RosenfeldInjuryLawyers
 
Predictive_Playbook___Improve_Trial_Conversion_with_Predictive_Marketing.pdf
Predictive_Playbook___Improve_Trial_Conversion_with_Predictive_Marketing.pdfPredictive_Playbook___Improve_Trial_Conversion_with_Predictive_Marketing.pdf
Predictive_Playbook___Improve_Trial_Conversion_with_Predictive_Marketing.pdf
 
8 User Experiences to Build an Effective Experimentation Program_VWO_Workshop
8 User Experiences to Build an Effective Experimentation Program_VWO_Workshop8 User Experiences to Build an Effective Experimentation Program_VWO_Workshop
8 User Experiences to Build an Effective Experimentation Program_VWO_Workshop
 
The Definitive ABM Success Guide from the Account-Based Marketing Consortium
The Definitive ABM Success Guide from the Account-Based Marketing ConsortiumThe Definitive ABM Success Guide from the Account-Based Marketing Consortium
The Definitive ABM Success Guide from the Account-Based Marketing Consortium
 
Employee Advocacy - The Next Step in Digital Transformation
Employee Advocacy - The Next Step in Digital Transformation Employee Advocacy - The Next Step in Digital Transformation
Employee Advocacy - The Next Step in Digital Transformation
 

Similar to Developer Documentation Best Practices

Developer Buyer Journey Best Practices
Developer Buyer Journey Best PracticesDeveloper Buyer Journey Best Practices
Developer Buyer Journey Best Practices
OpenView
 
Developer Buyer Journey Best Practices
Developer Buyer Journey Best PracticesDeveloper Buyer Journey Best Practices
Developer Buyer Journey Best Practices
OpenView
 
Best Practices for API Adoption
Best Practices for API AdoptionBest Practices for API Adoption
Best Practices for API Adoption
AnyPresence
 
Documenting the Mobile API Development Process 2023.pptx
Documenting the Mobile API Development Process 2023.pptxDocumenting the Mobile API Development Process 2023.pptx
Documenting the Mobile API Development Process 2023.pptx
XDuce Corporation
 
Evolving the Creative Process
Evolving the Creative ProcessEvolving the Creative Process
Evolving the Creative Process
creed
 
Embedded Analytics: 5 Steps to App Modernization
Embedded Analytics: 5 Steps to App ModernizationEmbedded Analytics: 5 Steps to App Modernization
Embedded Analytics: 5 Steps to App Modernization
Poojitha B
 
Accessibility Buy-In for Inclusive Product Week
Accessibility Buy-In for Inclusive Product WeekAccessibility Buy-In for Inclusive Product Week
Accessibility Buy-In for Inclusive Product Week
Kat K. Richards
 
Webportal presentation final
Webportal presentation finalWebportal presentation final
Webportal presentation final
RESHMI RAVEENDRAN
 
Win More Customers With Embedded Analytics
Win More Customers With Embedded AnalyticsWin More Customers With Embedded Analytics
Win More Customers With Embedded Analytics
Poojitha B
 
Creating Authentic Value: Open Source vs. Open Core
Creating Authentic Value: Open Source vs. Open CoreCreating Authentic Value: Open Source vs. Open Core
Creating Authentic Value: Open Source vs. Open Core
Deborah Bryant
 
Highest quality code in your SaaS project. Why should you care about it as a ...
Highest quality code in your SaaS project. Why should you care about it as a ...Highest quality code in your SaaS project. Why should you care about it as a ...
Highest quality code in your SaaS project. Why should you care about it as a ...
The Codest
 
Web Design and Software Development
Web Design and Software DevelopmentWeb Design and Software Development
Web Design and Software Development
Athena Inc, Goa
 
The Ultimate Guide To Embedded Analytics
The Ultimate Guide To Embedded Analytics The Ultimate Guide To Embedded Analytics
The Ultimate Guide To Embedded Analytics
Poojitha B
 
SaaS Content Marketing Ideas | InvisionApp
SaaS Content Marketing Ideas | InvisionAppSaaS Content Marketing Ideas | InvisionApp
SaaS Content Marketing Ideas | InvisionAppRachael Wachstein
 
Best Practices for API Adoption - WIP Factory presentation for AnyPresence we...
Best Practices for API Adoption - WIP Factory presentation for AnyPresence we...Best Practices for API Adoption - WIP Factory presentation for AnyPresence we...
Best Practices for API Adoption - WIP Factory presentation for AnyPresence we...
Carlo Longino
 
Abhishek Jain: Do More with Less, Increase Your ROC!
Abhishek Jain: Do More with Less, Increase Your ROC!Abhishek Jain: Do More with Less, Increase Your ROC!
Abhishek Jain: Do More with Less, Increase Your ROC!
Jack Molisani
 
Driving Developers To Your API
Driving Developers To Your APIDriving Developers To Your API
Driving Developers To Your API
Carlo Longino
 
Do More with Less! Increase Your ROC!
Do More with Less! Increase Your ROC!Do More with Less! Increase Your ROC!
Do More with Less! Increase Your ROC!
LavaCon
 
Top 10 website needs for manufacturers- Webinar held January 30, 2014
Top 10 website needs for manufacturers- Webinar held January 30, 2014Top 10 website needs for manufacturers- Webinar held January 30, 2014
Top 10 website needs for manufacturers- Webinar held January 30, 2014
Kasie Hilburn
 
APIs as a Product Strategy
APIs as a Product StrategyAPIs as a Product Strategy
APIs as a Product Strategy
Ravi Kumar
 

Similar to Developer Documentation Best Practices (20)

Developer Buyer Journey Best Practices
Developer Buyer Journey Best PracticesDeveloper Buyer Journey Best Practices
Developer Buyer Journey Best Practices
 
Developer Buyer Journey Best Practices
Developer Buyer Journey Best PracticesDeveloper Buyer Journey Best Practices
Developer Buyer Journey Best Practices
 
Best Practices for API Adoption
Best Practices for API AdoptionBest Practices for API Adoption
Best Practices for API Adoption
 
Documenting the Mobile API Development Process 2023.pptx
Documenting the Mobile API Development Process 2023.pptxDocumenting the Mobile API Development Process 2023.pptx
Documenting the Mobile API Development Process 2023.pptx
 
Evolving the Creative Process
Evolving the Creative ProcessEvolving the Creative Process
Evolving the Creative Process
 
Embedded Analytics: 5 Steps to App Modernization
Embedded Analytics: 5 Steps to App ModernizationEmbedded Analytics: 5 Steps to App Modernization
Embedded Analytics: 5 Steps to App Modernization
 
Accessibility Buy-In for Inclusive Product Week
Accessibility Buy-In for Inclusive Product WeekAccessibility Buy-In for Inclusive Product Week
Accessibility Buy-In for Inclusive Product Week
 
Webportal presentation final
Webportal presentation finalWebportal presentation final
Webportal presentation final
 
Win More Customers With Embedded Analytics
Win More Customers With Embedded AnalyticsWin More Customers With Embedded Analytics
Win More Customers With Embedded Analytics
 
Creating Authentic Value: Open Source vs. Open Core
Creating Authentic Value: Open Source vs. Open CoreCreating Authentic Value: Open Source vs. Open Core
Creating Authentic Value: Open Source vs. Open Core
 
Highest quality code in your SaaS project. Why should you care about it as a ...
Highest quality code in your SaaS project. Why should you care about it as a ...Highest quality code in your SaaS project. Why should you care about it as a ...
Highest quality code in your SaaS project. Why should you care about it as a ...
 
Web Design and Software Development
Web Design and Software DevelopmentWeb Design and Software Development
Web Design and Software Development
 
The Ultimate Guide To Embedded Analytics
The Ultimate Guide To Embedded Analytics The Ultimate Guide To Embedded Analytics
The Ultimate Guide To Embedded Analytics
 
SaaS Content Marketing Ideas | InvisionApp
SaaS Content Marketing Ideas | InvisionAppSaaS Content Marketing Ideas | InvisionApp
SaaS Content Marketing Ideas | InvisionApp
 
Best Practices for API Adoption - WIP Factory presentation for AnyPresence we...
Best Practices for API Adoption - WIP Factory presentation for AnyPresence we...Best Practices for API Adoption - WIP Factory presentation for AnyPresence we...
Best Practices for API Adoption - WIP Factory presentation for AnyPresence we...
 
Abhishek Jain: Do More with Less, Increase Your ROC!
Abhishek Jain: Do More with Less, Increase Your ROC!Abhishek Jain: Do More with Less, Increase Your ROC!
Abhishek Jain: Do More with Less, Increase Your ROC!
 
Driving Developers To Your API
Driving Developers To Your APIDriving Developers To Your API
Driving Developers To Your API
 
Do More with Less! Increase Your ROC!
Do More with Less! Increase Your ROC!Do More with Less! Increase Your ROC!
Do More with Less! Increase Your ROC!
 
Top 10 website needs for manufacturers- Webinar held January 30, 2014
Top 10 website needs for manufacturers- Webinar held January 30, 2014Top 10 website needs for manufacturers- Webinar held January 30, 2014
Top 10 website needs for manufacturers- Webinar held January 30, 2014
 
APIs as a Product Strategy
APIs as a Product StrategyAPIs as a Product Strategy
APIs as a Product Strategy
 

More from OpenView

How to Scale with Usage-Based Pricing with Kyle Poyar from OpenView
How to Scale with Usage-Based Pricing with Kyle Poyar from OpenViewHow to Scale with Usage-Based Pricing with Kyle Poyar from OpenView
How to Scale with Usage-Based Pricing with Kyle Poyar from OpenView
OpenView
 
Investment Bank Overview from OpenView
Investment Bank Overview from OpenViewInvestment Bank Overview from OpenView
Investment Bank Overview from OpenView
OpenView
 
2022 Venture Debt Guide from OpenView
2022 Venture Debt Guide from OpenView2022 Venture Debt Guide from OpenView
2022 Venture Debt Guide from OpenView
OpenView
 
11 PLG Principles for the Age of Connected Work from OpenView
11 PLG Principles for the Age of Connected Work from OpenView11 PLG Principles for the Age of Connected Work from OpenView
11 PLG Principles for the Age of Connected Work from OpenView
OpenView
 
Inventing Product-Led Growth
Inventing Product-Led GrowthInventing Product-Led Growth
Inventing Product-Led Growth
OpenView
 
The Recession Planning Framework for Startups
The Recession Planning Framework for StartupsThe Recession Planning Framework for Startups
The Recession Planning Framework for Startups
OpenView
 
Customer Health Scoring Best Practices
Customer Health Scoring Best PracticesCustomer Health Scoring Best Practices
Customer Health Scoring Best Practices
OpenView
 
Product Led Growth: The Rise of the User
Product Led Growth: The Rise of the UserProduct Led Growth: The Rise of the User
Product Led Growth: The Rise of the User
OpenView
 
2019 Expansion SaaS Benchmarks
2019 Expansion SaaS Benchmarks2019 Expansion SaaS Benchmarks
2019 Expansion SaaS Benchmarks
OpenView
 
2019 Expansion SaaS Benchmarks Report
2019 Expansion SaaS Benchmarks Report2019 Expansion SaaS Benchmarks Report
2019 Expansion SaaS Benchmarks Report
OpenView
 
The Future of B2B Growth is Product Led - Latitude59
The Future of B2B Growth is Product Led - Latitude59The Future of B2B Growth is Product Led - Latitude59
The Future of B2B Growth is Product Led - Latitude59
OpenView
 
The Future of B2B Growth is Product Led
The Future of B2B Growth is Product LedThe Future of B2B Growth is Product Led
The Future of B2B Growth is Product Led
OpenView
 
The Future of SaaS is Product Led. Are You Ready?
The Future of SaaS is Product Led. Are You Ready? The Future of SaaS is Product Led. Are You Ready?
The Future of SaaS is Product Led. Are You Ready?
OpenView
 
How to Fix your Broken Pricing Model
How to Fix your Broken Pricing ModelHow to Fix your Broken Pricing Model
How to Fix your Broken Pricing Model
OpenView
 
Mastering SaaS Pricing
Mastering SaaS PricingMastering SaaS Pricing
Mastering SaaS Pricing
OpenView
 
2018 Expansion SaaS Benchmarks
2018 Expansion SaaS Benchmarks2018 Expansion SaaS Benchmarks
2018 Expansion SaaS Benchmarks
OpenView
 
What the heck is Product-led Growth?
What the heck is Product-led Growth?What the heck is Product-led Growth?
What the heck is Product-led Growth?
OpenView
 
17 SaaS marketing experts weigh in on growth
17 SaaS marketing experts weigh in on growth17 SaaS marketing experts weigh in on growth
17 SaaS marketing experts weigh in on growth
OpenView
 
Top 3 Mistakes Building Outbound Sales
Top 3 Mistakes Building Outbound SalesTop 3 Mistakes Building Outbound Sales
Top 3 Mistakes Building Outbound Sales
OpenView
 
Mastering SaaS Pricing - SaaStr Annual 2018
Mastering SaaS Pricing - SaaStr Annual 2018Mastering SaaS Pricing - SaaStr Annual 2018
Mastering SaaS Pricing - SaaStr Annual 2018
OpenView
 

More from OpenView (20)

How to Scale with Usage-Based Pricing with Kyle Poyar from OpenView
How to Scale with Usage-Based Pricing with Kyle Poyar from OpenViewHow to Scale with Usage-Based Pricing with Kyle Poyar from OpenView
How to Scale with Usage-Based Pricing with Kyle Poyar from OpenView
 
Investment Bank Overview from OpenView
Investment Bank Overview from OpenViewInvestment Bank Overview from OpenView
Investment Bank Overview from OpenView
 
2022 Venture Debt Guide from OpenView
2022 Venture Debt Guide from OpenView2022 Venture Debt Guide from OpenView
2022 Venture Debt Guide from OpenView
 
11 PLG Principles for the Age of Connected Work from OpenView
11 PLG Principles for the Age of Connected Work from OpenView11 PLG Principles for the Age of Connected Work from OpenView
11 PLG Principles for the Age of Connected Work from OpenView
 
Inventing Product-Led Growth
Inventing Product-Led GrowthInventing Product-Led Growth
Inventing Product-Led Growth
 
The Recession Planning Framework for Startups
The Recession Planning Framework for StartupsThe Recession Planning Framework for Startups
The Recession Planning Framework for Startups
 
Customer Health Scoring Best Practices
Customer Health Scoring Best PracticesCustomer Health Scoring Best Practices
Customer Health Scoring Best Practices
 
Product Led Growth: The Rise of the User
Product Led Growth: The Rise of the UserProduct Led Growth: The Rise of the User
Product Led Growth: The Rise of the User
 
2019 Expansion SaaS Benchmarks
2019 Expansion SaaS Benchmarks2019 Expansion SaaS Benchmarks
2019 Expansion SaaS Benchmarks
 
2019 Expansion SaaS Benchmarks Report
2019 Expansion SaaS Benchmarks Report2019 Expansion SaaS Benchmarks Report
2019 Expansion SaaS Benchmarks Report
 
The Future of B2B Growth is Product Led - Latitude59
The Future of B2B Growth is Product Led - Latitude59The Future of B2B Growth is Product Led - Latitude59
The Future of B2B Growth is Product Led - Latitude59
 
The Future of B2B Growth is Product Led
The Future of B2B Growth is Product LedThe Future of B2B Growth is Product Led
The Future of B2B Growth is Product Led
 
The Future of SaaS is Product Led. Are You Ready?
The Future of SaaS is Product Led. Are You Ready? The Future of SaaS is Product Led. Are You Ready?
The Future of SaaS is Product Led. Are You Ready?
 
How to Fix your Broken Pricing Model
How to Fix your Broken Pricing ModelHow to Fix your Broken Pricing Model
How to Fix your Broken Pricing Model
 
Mastering SaaS Pricing
Mastering SaaS PricingMastering SaaS Pricing
Mastering SaaS Pricing
 
2018 Expansion SaaS Benchmarks
2018 Expansion SaaS Benchmarks2018 Expansion SaaS Benchmarks
2018 Expansion SaaS Benchmarks
 
What the heck is Product-led Growth?
What the heck is Product-led Growth?What the heck is Product-led Growth?
What the heck is Product-led Growth?
 
17 SaaS marketing experts weigh in on growth
17 SaaS marketing experts weigh in on growth17 SaaS marketing experts weigh in on growth
17 SaaS marketing experts weigh in on growth
 
Top 3 Mistakes Building Outbound Sales
Top 3 Mistakes Building Outbound SalesTop 3 Mistakes Building Outbound Sales
Top 3 Mistakes Building Outbound Sales
 
Mastering SaaS Pricing - SaaStr Annual 2018
Mastering SaaS Pricing - SaaStr Annual 2018Mastering SaaS Pricing - SaaStr Annual 2018
Mastering SaaS Pricing - SaaStr Annual 2018
 

Recently uploaded

Software Testing Exam imp Ques Notes.pdf
Software Testing Exam imp Ques Notes.pdfSoftware Testing Exam imp Ques Notes.pdf
Software Testing Exam imp Ques Notes.pdf
MayankTawar1
 
Globus Compute Introduction - GlobusWorld 2024
Globus Compute Introduction - GlobusWorld 2024Globus Compute Introduction - GlobusWorld 2024
Globus Compute Introduction - GlobusWorld 2024
Globus
 
A Comprehensive Look at Generative AI in Retail App Testing.pdf
A Comprehensive Look at Generative AI in Retail App Testing.pdfA Comprehensive Look at Generative AI in Retail App Testing.pdf
A Comprehensive Look at Generative AI in Retail App Testing.pdf
kalichargn70th171
 
In 2015, I used to write extensions for Joomla, WordPress, phpBB3, etc and I ...
In 2015, I used to write extensions for Joomla, WordPress, phpBB3, etc and I ...In 2015, I used to write extensions for Joomla, WordPress, phpBB3, etc and I ...
In 2015, I used to write extensions for Joomla, WordPress, phpBB3, etc and I ...
Juraj Vysvader
 
top nidhi software solution freedownload
top nidhi software solution freedownloadtop nidhi software solution freedownload
top nidhi software solution freedownload
vrstrong314
 
Accelerate Enterprise Software Engineering with Platformless
Accelerate Enterprise Software Engineering with PlatformlessAccelerate Enterprise Software Engineering with Platformless
Accelerate Enterprise Software Engineering with Platformless
WSO2
 
Using IESVE for Room Loads Analysis - Australia & New Zealand
Using IESVE for Room Loads Analysis - Australia & New ZealandUsing IESVE for Room Loads Analysis - Australia & New Zealand
Using IESVE for Room Loads Analysis - Australia & New Zealand
IES VE
 
Paketo Buildpacks : la meilleure façon de construire des images OCI? DevopsDa...
Paketo Buildpacks : la meilleure façon de construire des images OCI? DevopsDa...Paketo Buildpacks : la meilleure façon de construire des images OCI? DevopsDa...
Paketo Buildpacks : la meilleure façon de construire des images OCI? DevopsDa...
Anthony Dahanne
 
Why React Native as a Strategic Advantage for Startup Innovation.pdf
Why React Native as a Strategic Advantage for Startup Innovation.pdfWhy React Native as a Strategic Advantage for Startup Innovation.pdf
Why React Native as a Strategic Advantage for Startup Innovation.pdf
ayushiqss
 
Globus Connect Server Deep Dive - GlobusWorld 2024
Globus Connect Server Deep Dive - GlobusWorld 2024Globus Connect Server Deep Dive - GlobusWorld 2024
Globus Connect Server Deep Dive - GlobusWorld 2024
Globus
 
Prosigns: Transforming Business with Tailored Technology Solutions
Prosigns: Transforming Business with Tailored Technology SolutionsProsigns: Transforming Business with Tailored Technology Solutions
Prosigns: Transforming Business with Tailored Technology Solutions
Prosigns
 
TROUBLESHOOTING 9 TYPES OF OUTOFMEMORYERROR
TROUBLESHOOTING 9 TYPES OF OUTOFMEMORYERRORTROUBLESHOOTING 9 TYPES OF OUTOFMEMORYERROR
TROUBLESHOOTING 9 TYPES OF OUTOFMEMORYERROR
Tier1 app
 
Vitthal Shirke Microservices Resume Montevideo
Vitthal Shirke Microservices Resume MontevideoVitthal Shirke Microservices Resume Montevideo
Vitthal Shirke Microservices Resume Montevideo
Vitthal Shirke
 
Large Language Models and the End of Programming
Large Language Models and the End of ProgrammingLarge Language Models and the End of Programming
Large Language Models and the End of Programming
Matt Welsh
 
Advanced Flow Concepts Every Developer Should Know
Advanced Flow Concepts Every Developer Should KnowAdvanced Flow Concepts Every Developer Should Know
Advanced Flow Concepts Every Developer Should Know
Peter Caitens
 
Globus Compute wth IRI Workflows - GlobusWorld 2024
Globus Compute wth IRI Workflows - GlobusWorld 2024Globus Compute wth IRI Workflows - GlobusWorld 2024
Globus Compute wth IRI Workflows - GlobusWorld 2024
Globus
 
Webinar: Salesforce Document Management 2.0 - Smarter, Faster, Better
Webinar: Salesforce Document Management 2.0 - Smarter, Faster, BetterWebinar: Salesforce Document Management 2.0 - Smarter, Faster, Better
Webinar: Salesforce Document Management 2.0 - Smarter, Faster, Better
XfilesPro
 
Developing Distributed High-performance Computing Capabilities of an Open Sci...
Developing Distributed High-performance Computing Capabilities of an Open Sci...Developing Distributed High-performance Computing Capabilities of an Open Sci...
Developing Distributed High-performance Computing Capabilities of an Open Sci...
Globus
 
Explore Modern SharePoint Templates for 2024
Explore Modern SharePoint Templates for 2024Explore Modern SharePoint Templates for 2024
Explore Modern SharePoint Templates for 2024
Sharepoint Designs
 
Corporate Management | Session 3 of 3 | Tendenci AMS
Corporate Management | Session 3 of 3 | Tendenci AMSCorporate Management | Session 3 of 3 | Tendenci AMS
Corporate Management | Session 3 of 3 | Tendenci AMS
Tendenci - The Open Source AMS (Association Management Software)
 

Recently uploaded (20)

Software Testing Exam imp Ques Notes.pdf
Software Testing Exam imp Ques Notes.pdfSoftware Testing Exam imp Ques Notes.pdf
Software Testing Exam imp Ques Notes.pdf
 
Globus Compute Introduction - GlobusWorld 2024
Globus Compute Introduction - GlobusWorld 2024Globus Compute Introduction - GlobusWorld 2024
Globus Compute Introduction - GlobusWorld 2024
 
A Comprehensive Look at Generative AI in Retail App Testing.pdf
A Comprehensive Look at Generative AI in Retail App Testing.pdfA Comprehensive Look at Generative AI in Retail App Testing.pdf
A Comprehensive Look at Generative AI in Retail App Testing.pdf
 
In 2015, I used to write extensions for Joomla, WordPress, phpBB3, etc and I ...
In 2015, I used to write extensions for Joomla, WordPress, phpBB3, etc and I ...In 2015, I used to write extensions for Joomla, WordPress, phpBB3, etc and I ...
In 2015, I used to write extensions for Joomla, WordPress, phpBB3, etc and I ...
 
top nidhi software solution freedownload
top nidhi software solution freedownloadtop nidhi software solution freedownload
top nidhi software solution freedownload
 
Accelerate Enterprise Software Engineering with Platformless
Accelerate Enterprise Software Engineering with PlatformlessAccelerate Enterprise Software Engineering with Platformless
Accelerate Enterprise Software Engineering with Platformless
 
Using IESVE for Room Loads Analysis - Australia & New Zealand
Using IESVE for Room Loads Analysis - Australia & New ZealandUsing IESVE for Room Loads Analysis - Australia & New Zealand
Using IESVE for Room Loads Analysis - Australia & New Zealand
 
Paketo Buildpacks : la meilleure façon de construire des images OCI? DevopsDa...
Paketo Buildpacks : la meilleure façon de construire des images OCI? DevopsDa...Paketo Buildpacks : la meilleure façon de construire des images OCI? DevopsDa...
Paketo Buildpacks : la meilleure façon de construire des images OCI? DevopsDa...
 
Why React Native as a Strategic Advantage for Startup Innovation.pdf
Why React Native as a Strategic Advantage for Startup Innovation.pdfWhy React Native as a Strategic Advantage for Startup Innovation.pdf
Why React Native as a Strategic Advantage for Startup Innovation.pdf
 
Globus Connect Server Deep Dive - GlobusWorld 2024
Globus Connect Server Deep Dive - GlobusWorld 2024Globus Connect Server Deep Dive - GlobusWorld 2024
Globus Connect Server Deep Dive - GlobusWorld 2024
 
Prosigns: Transforming Business with Tailored Technology Solutions
Prosigns: Transforming Business with Tailored Technology SolutionsProsigns: Transforming Business with Tailored Technology Solutions
Prosigns: Transforming Business with Tailored Technology Solutions
 
TROUBLESHOOTING 9 TYPES OF OUTOFMEMORYERROR
TROUBLESHOOTING 9 TYPES OF OUTOFMEMORYERRORTROUBLESHOOTING 9 TYPES OF OUTOFMEMORYERROR
TROUBLESHOOTING 9 TYPES OF OUTOFMEMORYERROR
 
Vitthal Shirke Microservices Resume Montevideo
Vitthal Shirke Microservices Resume MontevideoVitthal Shirke Microservices Resume Montevideo
Vitthal Shirke Microservices Resume Montevideo
 
Large Language Models and the End of Programming
Large Language Models and the End of ProgrammingLarge Language Models and the End of Programming
Large Language Models and the End of Programming
 
Advanced Flow Concepts Every Developer Should Know
Advanced Flow Concepts Every Developer Should KnowAdvanced Flow Concepts Every Developer Should Know
Advanced Flow Concepts Every Developer Should Know
 
Globus Compute wth IRI Workflows - GlobusWorld 2024
Globus Compute wth IRI Workflows - GlobusWorld 2024Globus Compute wth IRI Workflows - GlobusWorld 2024
Globus Compute wth IRI Workflows - GlobusWorld 2024
 
Webinar: Salesforce Document Management 2.0 - Smarter, Faster, Better
Webinar: Salesforce Document Management 2.0 - Smarter, Faster, BetterWebinar: Salesforce Document Management 2.0 - Smarter, Faster, Better
Webinar: Salesforce Document Management 2.0 - Smarter, Faster, Better
 
Developing Distributed High-performance Computing Capabilities of an Open Sci...
Developing Distributed High-performance Computing Capabilities of an Open Sci...Developing Distributed High-performance Computing Capabilities of an Open Sci...
Developing Distributed High-performance Computing Capabilities of an Open Sci...
 
Explore Modern SharePoint Templates for 2024
Explore Modern SharePoint Templates for 2024Explore Modern SharePoint Templates for 2024
Explore Modern SharePoint Templates for 2024
 
Corporate Management | Session 3 of 3 | Tendenci AMS
Corporate Management | Session 3 of 3 | Tendenci AMSCorporate Management | Session 3 of 3 | Tendenci AMS
Corporate Management | Session 3 of 3 | Tendenci AMS
 

Developer Documentation Best Practices

  • 1. Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 1 Developer Documentation Best Practices Sam Richard - OpenView Growth Team
  • 2. Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 2 Challenges: • Developer-focused tools can greatly improve organic discovery and conversion by ensuring that their documentation acts as a side-door to the product. • Often, developer documentation is so product and feature focused that it doesn’t answer the question ”What’s in it for me with this product?” What OpenView did: • We researched 20+ developer-focused products’ documentation using the internet archive to understand trends and best practices used by top companies in the space. • It’s important to note that this is a follow on to our Developer Buyer Journey, and we recommend reviewing that first. Research background
  • 3. Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 3 Messaging • Prospects come to each product with a "mental checklist" to complete before getting started Direction • Direction is every part of the journey that gets a buyer to the point where they find value in the product • This includes the website, signup flow, documentation, and value discovery paths like guides and test data Value • This is the ‘aha’ moment for a user of the product, where they perceive value in the software • This moment of value could vary by persona Human Touchpoints • Human Touchpoints are the deployment of sales and support resources to move buyers along their journey Recall: What do developer audiences need? Documentation helps in the green boxes
  • 4. Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 4 How does documentation help? UI User Interfaces can also be helpful help new visitors navigate getting started and experienced users can search for what they need. A strong User Interface can help direct visitors to understand your offering if you have multiple products. Messaging Businesses shy away from “sales-y” language, but you should still inform your audience why each feature is beneficial to them. Discoverability Using an internal wiki might help with credibility, but if it’s not discoverable on the web, it’s never going to be a channel that grows your user base.
  • 5. Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 5 5 Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved User Interface Leveraging layout to give developers direction
  • 6. Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 6 “The documentation seems straightforward, so I trusted it, but it didn’t tell me steps to take after the first one.” “Now that I’ve shipped data to the product, ingesting it is in a totally separate part of the application and there’s no instructions on how to get there.” Potential buyers ran into many hurdles on where to find things, or where to go next. Recall: once in the application, participants often didn’t know what actions to take “I was expecting a self-serve module that allowed me to take action but ended up at what feels like a dynamic API document. That was unexpected. I need more explanation.” Adding Data to Product Guide the user through product set up via documentation the same as if you used in-app cues in a product. This includes highlighting your activation points, and clarifying which parts of the product are free, which are commercialized, and where users can find the most value. How Documentation can help: Documentation
  • 7. Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 7 Great Example: Stripe Stripe capitalizes on SEO (discoverability) and helps users route to exactly what they want to get out of the product with these common use cases highlighted outside of the left-hand navigation bar. Known Customer Journeys Single Call to Action Stripe forcefully guides developers to learn about how to get started with their documentation landing page. This helps keep the message and understanding of the product uniform.
  • 8. Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 8 Great Example: Snyk In 2017, Snyk differentiated by organizing docs with clickable images. Now, the navigation is welcoming to newcomers with strong calls-to-action to learn how to get started. 2017 2021
  • 9. Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 9 9 Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved Messaging Continuously driving home the value of your product.
  • 10. Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 10 Checklist Item Description Solves Need Users weren’t willing to try a tool out unless it make their “top 3 list” based on the website description. Social Proof 50% of prospects wanted to see what other companies used the tools we interviewed them about. Integrations The developer stack is huge and interconnected. Prospects want to be sure your tool can fit in. Pricing Buyers at smaller orgs wanted to see a pricing page. Recall: Developers come to a product with a mental “checklist” before trying This is why messaging is key in docs, too
  • 11. Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 11 Great Example: DataBricks DataBricks highlights more commercial language with blue boxes throughout their documentation. This color coding is helpful because it allows developers who are familiar with the offering to simply skip over it once they’ve seen it.
  • 12. Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 12 I particularly like how direct the team’s language is in the first sentence of this chapter of documentation. They have a feature + how you can add onto it later. The one thing I’d add for the Cypress team to make this page even stronger would be to elaborate on why recording tests is helpful. Great Example: Cypress.io
  • 13. Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 13 13 Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved Discoverability Many users discover products through direct links to their documentation.
  • 14. Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 14 Using Google Analytics: If there are no “landing pages” on your docs URL, you may not be discoverable. If you’re hosting your docs elsewhere, address discoverability with your provider. Make sure they’re not using code to block crawlers. How will you know if your documentation is discoverable?
  • 15. Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 15 15 Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved Takeaways
  • 16. Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 16 How does documentation help? UI User Interfaces can also be helpful help new visitors navigate getting started and experienced users can search for what they need. A strong User Interface can help direct visitors to understand your offering if you have multiple products. Messaging Businesses shy away from “sales-y” language, but you should still inform your audience why each feature is beneficial to them. Discoverability Using an internal wiki might help with credibility, but if it’s not discoverable on the web, it’s never going to be a channel that grows your user base.
  • 17. Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 17 About the author Director, Growth sam@ov.vc Sam Richard focuses on the customer’s journey to value in freemium and free trail software offerings with a special interest in Open-Source, Developer-Focused, and Security tools. In her work at OpenView, Sam conducts teardowns of free offerings for prospects and portfolio companies, interviewing dozens of developers about their tool and purchasing preferences. If you have questions or comments about the piece, please reach out via email or on LinkedIn! Sam Richard
  • 18. Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved 18 18 Proprietary and Confidential ©2021 OpenView Advisors, LLC. All Rights Reserved Thank You! Sam Richard - sam@ov.vc