# Project definition

## Definition

A technical writing project adds value to products and helps the company market its offerings more effectively. As with R&D or marketing projects, project definition is key to estimating the budget and benefits.

## Why it matters

Communicating technical information without understanding the audience or purpose is futile. Before initiating a technical writing project, it is essential to clearly define its parameters.

## Key principles

Specifically, you need to determine:

| Element                  | Description                                                                                                                                     |
|--------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Its goal                 | Increase company awareness, boost media coverage, encourage prospects to contact the company, reduce technical support costs, etc.              |
| Its scope                | Which topics, products, or versions are covered and which are excluded, the expected length or depth, and how scope decisions are made and revised. |
| Its target               | General public, journalists, prospects, customers, etc.                                                                                            |
| Its format               | White paper, instruction manual, user guide, brochure, flyer, website, company magazine, in print or online, etc.                       |
| Its language             | Depending on your field of activity and target markets, the project may need to be available in multiple languages.                  |
| Its distribution channel | The final document can be published on an Internet or Extranet site, sent as an attachment by email, delivered in person in paper format, etc. |
| Its success criteria     | How the goal's impact will be measured after publication: support-ticket deflection, page views, reader satisfaction, sales-enablement usage, etc. |

To record these parameters for your project, use the [documentation project plan template](https://docs.redaction-technique.org/en/toolkit/documentation-project-plan-template/).

Once these parameters are defined, the next step is [gathering information](https://docs.redaction-technique.org/en/tech-writing-process/gathering-information/) from all relevant sources. Analyzing project results then provides valuable information for further improving the impact of subsequent projects.

## Related articles

- [Content creation](https://docs.redaction-technique.org/en/tech-writing-process/content-creation/)
- [Validation and quality control](https://docs.redaction-technique.org/en/tech-writing-process/validation-quality-control/)
- [From technical writing to technical communication](https://docs.redaction-technique.org/en/costs/copywriting-to-technical-communication/)

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Source: https://docs.redaction-technique.org/en/tech-writing-process/project-definition/