The Doc Shop, Inc. Vendor Qualifications Checklist

Depending on the service(s) you need for your documentation project, select the appropriate questions from the checklist below and apply them to each documentation vendor you are considering for a project.

The vendor can:

• Ensure skills assessment testing and careful screening of their technical writers and editors.
• Supply technical communicators with knowledge of your industry.
• Develop a comprehensive work plan to ensure that your customers' needs and all project responsibilities are addressed and that project objectives and/or marketing messages are identified before writing begins.
• Prepare a preview draft (or sample art, if applicable) to ensure that the work plan is being implemented according to your expectations.
• Conform to an in-house style guide (or to your company's style guide) and international standards (if applicable).
• Use techniques proven effective in improving accessibility of information in technical manuals and job aids.
• Observe multicultural and multinational requirements in preparing documents intended for international audiences.
• Use Controlled English (or similar technique) in preparing documents that may/may not be translated for international audiences.
• Coordinate meetings with key project players to "kick off" the project (that is, to establish schedules, budget, and project scope, obtain source information, and determine client expectations), as well as to conduct interim and/or "tabletop reviews" of documentation drafts.
• Direct appropriate draft reviews, including in-house peer, editorial, technical, and legal reviews and usability testing.
• Contribute to in-house project status meetings in-person or by telephone.
• Keep project costs low by using freelance talent.
• Provide adequate management of freelance talent to ensure quality.
• Offer seamless and reliable transfer of electronic files and information.
• Use document development tools (such as, Word for Windows 95) compatible with our project requirements.
• Cooperate with the appropriate project representative from our company to complete necessary paperwork, review final project output for approval, and update schedules and budget throughout the project.

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