Past Events

Docs as Code: The basics of Git and GitHub

Git is a distributed version control for tracking changes in source code during software development. In other words, git is a content tracker or map. Github is a git repository hosting service. It provides access control and collaboration features.

As a Technical Writer, we treat Documentation as Code by hosting in GitHub. Using GitHub, you make it easier to get excellent documentation. Their help section and guides have articles for nearly any topic related to git that you can think of.

We had a session on The Basics of Git and GitHub by Alfeo Raymond on 25th June 2022. In case you missed the session, Here is the Link to the webinar.

Introduction to API Documentation

What is API documentation? API documentation is technical content that documents the API. It includes instructions on how to effectively use and integrate the API. It also provides updates on the API's lifecycle such as new versions. Some aspects of API documentation can be generated automatically via Swagger or other documents.

What is API documentation in technical writing? API documentation is a deliverable of a technical writer which describes, with examples, how to effectively use a Software, Hardware or Web API. It requires a thorough understanding of the API, its arguments, its return type and the languages and interface it supports.

What should API documentation include? API documentation should provide an example of every call, every parameter, and responses for each call. It should include code samples for commonly used languages such as Java, JavaScript, PHP, and Python. Documentation should provide an explanation for each API request and examples of error messages.

We had a session on Introduction to API Documentation by Kartikey Rawat on 11th June 2022.

Understanding Your Audience

Technical Writing requires an understanding of the audience you are writing to. Users have their own goals that may or may not match those of your organization. An initial review can help identify any initial gaps or mismatches between these different sets of goals. Knowing your users’ goals will guide your research and focus your efforts on documenting the most relevant information.

Why are you writing this documentation in the first place? You don’t just want your users to know something about your software; you want them to complete a set of tasks or change their behavior in some way. There is an engineering goal (for them) and a business goal (for you) that you want your users to reach.

Once you determine your goal for users of your product, write it down. Later, you can measure the success of your documentation by how well it meets your goal.

We had a session on Understanding Your Audience by Hillary Nyakundi on 28th May 2022.

Docs as Code: Introduction to Markdown

Docs as Code simply means, treating your documentation the same way as code.

Markdown is a free markup language with simple formatting syntax. Markdown is used for creating webpages, documents or any text that needs to be transformed into other formats like HTML.

Markdown makes it easier for non-tech writers to produce documentation that can be collaborative and flexible at the same time.

We had a session on Docs as Code: Introduction to Markdown by Adrienne Moherek on 14th May 2022. In case you missed the session here is the Link to the video.

Write your First Technical Article/Blog

If you're yet to write a technical article, it can seem a bit overwhelming. You might ask yourself, “Where do I even start?”.

If you've written technical articles before, you might wonder if your pieces meet the writing standards.

This event is meant to help you break down the whole writing process and take you through the various writing guidelines.

We had a session on Write your First Technical Article/Blog by Ivy Walobwa on 26th March 2022. In case you missed the session here is the Link to the video.

Kickstart Your Technical Writing Journey

We'll be discussing how to kickstart your Technical Writing journey, whether professionally or as a hobby.

We'll also explore the various paths one can take as a Technical Writer and share some tools that will make you successful in your journey.

We'll also launch our community study groups, and our organizers will share directions to join specific study groups.

We had a session on Kickstart Your Technical Writing Journey by Cynthia Peter on 12th March 2022. In case you missed the session here is the link to the video.

Community Launch: Intro to Technical Writing and Documentation The launch of Write the Docs Kenya and introduction to Technical Writing. The session included a panel discussion of a Q&A session. The speakers were: Ankita Tripathi, The Great Bonnie, Harun Wangereka, Linus Muema, Faith Kilonzi and Maureen Josephine.

In case you missed the launch, Here is the link to the video.