By Jerry Grohovsky, Copyright 2014. JPG & Associates, Inc.

In order for JPG to make an accurate assessment of costs and resource needs for a specific client project, JPG requests that the client provide feedback:

  • Who is the audience? What level of detail does the audience require?
  • What is the primary objective of the documentation?
  • How will the documentation will be delivered or accessed?
  • Subject matter expert level of support by the client (readily available, or difficult to find?)
  • Depth of technical writing experience needed for this type of project.
  • How much of a subject matter expert (SME) does the writer need to be? If the writer needs specific product (or subject matter) knowledge, is “expert level” required?
  • Does the project require experience with a specific authoring tool (e.g., Captivate, Articulate, Dreamweaver, InDesign, etc.?
  • Who will be reviewing the documentation, and by what method?
  • Availability and access to product, server files, supporting documentation, other team members.
  • Does the project require 100% day-to-day presence at the client site (i.e., day-to-day interaction with team members and stake-holders, in-person meetings)?
  • Can the majority of the writing and production be performed off-site (i.e., from the writer’s own office)?
  • Will the client be providing any office space, computer, and/or software?