In the data-driven world of business, can just raw intelligence be enough? To gain an edge over the business scenario, organizations need to convert useful information into actionable insights. These get extracted to form some of the major strategic decisions.
All these technical processes get covered in words acting as a bridge between raw information and the business intelligence solutions. Decision-makers get armed with well-documented technical reports to uncover business realities into success stories.
There is a growing synergy between technical writing and business intelligence. Let’s showcase in the blog how this is done, drawing inspiration from real-life examples where technical documentation has made Business intelligence solutions easily accessible, acceptable, understandable and therefore, truly actionable.
Technical reports safeguarding BI in the real world:
- Clarity in Data Representation: One can imagine a BI report full of charts, graphs, and jargons. Decision-makers are usually not the typical data scientists, and technical writing may help them recognise and understand intricate details within BI solutions. One can explain the technical terms, highlight key patterns or make a roadmap.
Case Study: Manufacturing firm and cost cutting
A manufacturing company empowered with BI data can identify a concerning rise in its production costs, but the available data is rather crude. A technical writer here can produce a report breaking down all the cost contributors like energy usage, raw material consumption, downtime etc.
This carefully curated information can be referred by any stakeholder involved irrespective of their background.
Similarly, an AI business analytics tool can produce diverse information which has to be accessed by data scientists, developers, departmental managers, business analysts etc. What helps them all bring coherence to the process?
- Interpretation and Context: Data alone cannot be directed for better use if the context of broader business trends and market forces are not clear. Technical writers can usually tailor this larger narrative for other stakeholders. They can use historical datasets to compare, competitor analysis documents or basic industry benchmarks to understand relevant context and provide depth to BI reports.
Case Study: Digital Marketing company regaining traffic
A BI report run on a website indicates declining website traffic. As a technical writer, one can research on aggressive marketing campaigns employed in the industry. Adding a larger context creates an understanding to adjust the marketing strategies based on the target audience and regain lost ground.
Or in another instance, a technical report detailing threat analysis for a cybersecurity firm can involve any recent vulnerability, successful mitigation strategies, innovative cyber solutions in the industry etc. This will additionally arm the decision-makers with the information to prioritize security investments selectively.
- Add Recommendations: Technical writers can add to business intelligence solution and suggest actionable recommendations that may propose optimization strategies or better product development ideas as a result of initial interaction.
Case Study: A logistics company with route inefficiencies
Transportation involves wastage of energy and may easily become inefficient. A technical writer may not just point out the issue but upon research can analyze alternative routes, compare fuel costs and propose a viable alternative. Cost and energy saving efforts are appreciated by everyone and hence can lead to better customer satisfaction.
Conclusion:
Technical writing has never been just about documenting, it’s about facing the solution at first and transforming it along the way. By turning data into simple, contextual and actionable insights, technical writers play an active role in the pursuit of informed decision-making.
In the landscape of business intelligence, technical documentation transforms the language of data into the language of action, leading organizations to prosperity.
Combining business intelligence and technical writing, companies can get a competitive advantage by making informed choices that can provide sustained success in the dynamic business landscape.
