9 Ways To Create Peer Reviews for Technical Writing Projects

I’ve always had mixed feelings about peer reviews. What they’re done right, we all learn but like Lesson Learned review can easily degenerate into bitching sessions if not managed correctly.

Peer Reviews for Technical Writers

We’ve started to do this on our web-based Technical Writing projects.

Why?

I wanted to take myself more out of the writing tasks and focus more on the project management side of things.

Also, I wanted others to grow into more senior roles and take more responsibility.

And I want the quality of documents to move in the right direction.

This means that at the end of each phase of the Content Development lifecycle, we arrange a peer review between junior and senior technical writers.

Some like it, others not so much. That’s part of managing people!

Peer Reviews Guidelines

You can use these peer review guidelines to get started.

Peer Reviews ensure that your writers benefits for having their documents checked by more experienced developers, writers and testers.

Start the template by adding the following at the cover sheet:

Team Member:

Date Reviewed:

Version:

Team:

Next, describe the steps for the reviewers:

‘Please complete the following form. Attach a copy of the documentation showing your corrections. Highlight needed revisions/errors on this copy.’

Create a checklist as follows:

1. Mistakes – Is the document free of format, spelling and other mistakes?
2. Grammar – Does the document have grammar errors?
3. Typing errors – Does the document have spelling errors?
4. Wording – Is the wording concise?
5. Comprehensive – Is feedback from previous reviews included?
6. Format – Was the proper format or template used?
7. Version – Is the document version correct?
8. Consistent – Is this document consistent with other deliverables?
9. Readiness – Is the document ready to be reviewed?

Include a Comments section so that all evaluators can add their notes. Share the information with all Technical Writers in the review cycle.

Are Peer Reviews Worth the Effort?

We’re beginning to see the returns of this exercise. But it does take time to setup.

How about you? Where do you see most peer reviews going wrong?

Related posts:

1. Lessons Learned for Web-Based Technical Writing Projects
2. Do Technical Writing projects need a Documentation Plan?
3. 7 Ways to Improve Your Technical Writing
4. Future of Technical Documentation, problem with user-generated content in Open Source projects
5. Using Microsoft Word to Create Large Documents – Lesson 1

Tagged as: Code, Feedback, Grammar, guide, guidelines, Lessons Learned, Peer Review, Root Cause, template