Getting Started with Customer-Centric Application Notes

This is a transcription of a video - to watch or listen to the 6-minute video click here: evergreen-ink.com/articles/2020/11/20/getting-started-with-customer-centric-application-notes

Hi Everyone! Sam Alleva of Evergreen Ink here to help you with your technical documentation needs. Today’s topic: how to get started writing customer-centric application notes!

One of the most common types of technical documents engineers are asked to write are application notes (also referred to as app notes or tech notes). App notes are documents that customers can reference when using your product in their specific application. These documents often include any industry regulatory standards and requirements summarized conveniently for the customer’s reference. When done properly, app notes are an invaluable resource for both your engineers and your customers. 

Though a well-developed app note can provide significant end-user support, they can be daunting to take on. App notes tend to be written for engineers, and as such must be technical and get into the “nitty gritty” of the product and its varying uses (as appropriate). This type of technical documentation is not for those who shudder at derivations, diagrams, or plots. Starting is often the toughest part to writing anything, and this can certainly be the case for application notes. As such, this blog post will delve into how to initiate your application note to ensure its foundation is solid and can support your “nitty gritty.” With a solid foundation and a deep understanding of the physics behind your product, a well-written app note’s value to your customers (and therefore your business) is indispensable.

Topics = f(Objective)

As with most documentation, strategizing the structure of your app note before writing anything will save hours of effort. Consider the ultimate objective of your app note: is it to summarize a complex regulatory standard for your customer’s reference? Or is it to detail the requirements of the product when used in a specific application, condition, or environment? Once the objective is set, strictly consider the table of contents (TOC). The topics within the document should be a function of the objective, and be directly aligned to achieving that objective. I repeat: 

The topics within the application note that your customers will refer to should only include the content that relates directly back to the objective of the document.

Without total TOC control the app note can transform into an app novel, and no engineer wants to spend the time reading a novel when learning how to use your product in their specific conditions. Keep the topics consistent with the objective, and keep the document concise.

Abstract

Once the document’s objective and order of topics is developed, a brief statement of the contents within the app note should be written at the very start of the document. Consider this an abstract of the paper. Oftentimes this abstract is right on the title page. This will help your customers quickly ascertain what the app note is about, and allows them to instantly determine if it applies to their situation. Keep this brief and only include the objective of the app note, and potentially a brief statement of any key takeaways. This abstract should be no longer than 3-5 sentences, maximum. Note: some authors prefer to write their introductory abstract after the paper is written, but if the topics are all planned out and the key takeaways are in alignment with the objective, this should be an easy outline to write. When effectively planned, this abstract should inherently mirror the outline of the paper.

Introduction to the Application or Regulatory Standard

The first section of the document should clearly and concisely articulate the application or regulatory standard the app note addresses. If the document is intended to guide customers in regulation compliance, the introductory section should detail any governing standards, what the governing body of the regulation is, and the specific concerns they need to address with your product. Keep this section customer-centric and concise. They may not need to know about all 50 pages of the regulatory standard. But they do need to know how it applies to them.

Similarly, if the app note is intended to show your customers how to properly use your product in a relatively common environment or condition, introduce the environment or condition that the app note will discuss and how the product is commonly used within it. Keep it brief - there is plenty of time later in the document to detail derivations, trends, and diagrams.

This introductory section is also a good place in the document to include any variable definitions, jargon, or other new terms the reader will need to understand to proceed. By familiarizing your customer with these variables and terms, your customer will inherently feel more comfortable with your product - and the app note itself as a valuable resource.

Body of the App Note

Once you’ve properly introduced the document and the objective, it is time to get into the body of the application note. Here is where all the detailed information that is critical to your customer’s success should be contained. Every topic and section up to this point should only be introductory - now that the customer knows they are in the right place and are familiar with the objectives, they are ready to dig in.

The body of the application note will probably include the following:

• safety restrictions or requirements
• physical laws or constraints of the product or regulation
• calculations, diagrams, and other vital knowledge your customer needs to know
• recommended or required testing or calibrations
• common troubleshooting or FAQs
• contact information for your technical customer support team

Final Thoughts

I hope this article helps guide you in developing a proper foundation for your application - or technical - notes. If any further professional documentation assistance is needed, please do not hesitate to contact the Evergreen Ink team at evergreen-ink.com/contact. As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns I welcome feedback at sam@evergreen-ink.com. I hope you enjoyed this article, and thanks for reading!