Fireside Chats: Gong's Approach to Software Documentation

Jeffrey Aftel, Director of Product Writing at Gong, outlines his strategy for transforming legacy software documentation by focusing on incremental improvements and recognizing documentation as a vital component of the product. Aftel emphasizes hiring technical writers who are inquisitive, challenge norms, and possess a profound understanding of the product to create impactful, value-added documentation. His approach involves working in cross-functional pods that include engineering, product, design, and technical writing to ensure comprehensive context and subject matter expertise. Aftel's key principles include treating documentation as part of the product, ensuring content is valuable and engaging, and advocating for the user experience through well-informed, problem-solving writing.