The annual MEGAComm conference – one of the most significant gatherings of communication professionals, was held from February 22-23, 2023. And it was a blast! So many captivating presenters, and ClickHelp was one of them. The company's team of experts was on hand to provide demos, answer questions, and share insights into how businesses can optimize their technical writing processes.
This article is for those who missed a chance to listen to ClickHelp’s session. We're happy to introduce a summary of our presentation and our impressions of the conference.
Documentation teams are always aligned with the satisfaction of their clients, tech writers, or developers. So ClickHelp is constantly introducing the features that help make your work on the content fulfilling.
OpenAPI Specifications in ClickHelp
ClickHelp has been providing functions for creating API documentation since 2021, including code examples, Quick Parts, and other features. We're excited to announce that we have now added an OpenAPI format to this list.
There are several challenges that can arise when creating API documentation in the form of an OpenAPI definition that turns into documentation with automatic tools like Swagger, such as:
- developers' reluctance to write documentation,
- lack of brevity,
- scarcity of visuals,
- and isolation of API docs from other documentation.
However, ClickHelp offers a solution to these challenges by combining auto-generated API docs and other documentation types in a single location. This allows for seamless collaboration with developers while authoring OpenAPI specifications using API design tools. With ClickHelp, you can easily streamline your documentation process, reduce delays, and create more comprehensive, user-friendly documentation.
Talking About Git
Developers have several options when it comes to source control systems for storing, reviewing, and versioning their source code. Among these, git has emerged as one of the most popular choices in recent years. With its distributed architecture, powerful branching and merging capabilities, and support for a wide range of development workflows, git has become the de facto standard for many software development teams.
In some cases, development teams may ask technical writers to store documentation in a git repository. However, this can be challenging as it requires additional processes and tools, especially when version updates are needed. Fortunately, ClickHelp offers a solution for storing documentation snapshots alongside code in git repositories. With a special git-friendly project backup format, documentation can be easily versioned, compared, and merged using git functions.
This format preserves all dynamic elements and metadata, ensuring that nothing is lost when importing the project back into the portal. As the format is textual, it is easy to compare different versions of a topic and even cherry-pick changes from one version to another before importing it back to ClickHelp. By using ClickHelp's git-friendly backup format, technical writers can seamlessly collaborate with developers and keep documentation up-to-date with code changes.
Confluence Migration
Atlassian Confluence is a widely used platform for internal knowledge bases, although it can also be used for hosting public documentation. However, as it was not specifically designed for technical writers, some essential features may be missing, making it less than ideal for some documentation needs. In such cases, it may be necessary to migrate documentation to a more suitable tool.
ClickHelp offers an automated content migration process from Confluence, which can save significant manual effort. The migration mechanism can handle various Confluence macros, such as Code Blocks, Excerpts, or Panels, and convert them to corresponding ClickHelp entities, making the migration process smoother and more efficient. With ClickHelp, technical writers can ensure a seamless transition to a more suitable platform and continue creating high-quality documentation with minimal disruptions.
Participants About the MEGAComm 2023
ClickHelp was proud to participate in the MEGAComm 2023 conference and showcase our latest product updates, including the OpenAPI format and the ability to store documentation in GIT repositories. We received positive feedback from attendees who were impressed by our commitment to providing the tool that makes document creation and collaboration easier. We were thrilled to be a part of such an engaging and informative event. Other attendees also enjoyed the event. Here’s what they say:
The host of a conference Paula R. Stern expresses her personal joy at being able to meet and learn from others in the industry: “MEGAComm 2023 was an amazing gathering of tech writers from over a dozen different companies. It was online and it was in-person. It was about seeing people and networking once again. On a personal level, I was just so happy to connect with people, learn about what's challenging or industry and see what new features and solutions have been developed recently.”
Maiken Blok – a technical documentation specialist, shared her impressions of the conference: "The Israeli tech comm community faces similar challenges with documentation management to those in Europe, making it easy for us all to collaborate and find solutions. People were curious and eager to network, approaching others for conversations. It was great to meet and connect with so many new people. In addition, as a self-proclaimed foodie, I was thoroughly impressed. I had never seen such a variety of treats at a conference before and was delighted to indulge in them."
Rivka Teller from TechTav highlighted the pleasure of engaging in insightful conversations about technical writing: “At MEGAComm 2023, we were able to meet many technical writers in person and online, including prospective, current, and past clients. It was a pleasure to meet everyone and share thought-provoking conversations about technical writing, as well as hear some world-renowned speakers in the field.”
All in all, we were delighted to have the chance to listen to different perspectives on common industry challenges, learn new approaches and techniques, and gain valuable insights into emerging trends and technologies. Through networking and connecting with other professionals in our field, we were able to establish new relationships and exchange ideas that will benefit us in our work going forward.
Conclusion
MEGAComm 2023 was an excellent opportunity for ClickHelp to connect with other professionals in the industry, learn about the latest trends, and share experiences and expertise. The conference provided a unique platform for knowledge sharing and networking and was an engaging and enriching experience for all attendees.
Although we are already a few months into 2023, there are still many upcoming techcomm conferences that you can attend. ClickHelp also plans to participate in some of these events. Take the time to attend conferences, and network with other professionals in the field to share your experiences and gain new insights.
Good luck with your technical writing!
ClickHelp Team
Author, host and deliver documentation across platforms and devices