Challenge

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Qualcomm's AI Engine Direct SDK documentation suffered from critical usability issues:

• Complex, error-prone setup processes frustrated developers
• Inconsistent information across platforms created confusion
• Technical content lacked user-focused organization
• Outdated references and tools caused installation failures
• Poor navigation structure buried essential information

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Approach

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DevDocs led a full-scale overhaul of the SDK documentation, guided by a four-step methodology:

1. Strategic Audit — Identified over 40 usability issues, from critical blockers to minor friction points, by mapping the full developer journey.
2. User-Centric Restructuring — Reorganized content based on developer needs rather than internal logic, creating clear pathways for users at all expertise levels.
3. Cross-Platform Validation — Tested and corrected instructions across Windows and Ubuntu, using custom scripts to resolve platform-specific errors.
4. Problem Classification — Prioritized fixes based on impact, delivering actionable recommendations for both quick wins and long-term improvements.

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Results

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• 80% less reading required to complete tutorials (from 15 pages to just 3)
• 60% fewer potential setup failure points
• 70% decrease in time needed to locate relevant information
• 16 modular, interconnected documentation pages replaced a monolithic structure
• Delivered in clean, production-ready reStructuredText (RST) format for easier maintenance

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Business Impact

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Our documentation transformation directly addressed Qualcomm's strategic goals:

• Expanded developer accessibility with simplified onboarding that opened Qualcomm's AI technologies to a broader developer audience.
• Reduced support burden using clear instructions and validated steps that minimized setup-related support tickets.
• Enhanced developer experience through intuitive navigation.
• Future-ready structure built using a modular design for seamless expansion.

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Key Insights

This project reinforced critical principles for effective technical documentation:

• Documentation must mirror actual user workflows, not internal product organization.
• Cross-platform verification demands systematic testing rather than assumption-based rewrites.
• Modular content dramatically improves usability and maintenance.
• Documentation issues often signal broader UX problems.

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By transforming Qualcomm’s AI SDK documentation, DevDocs helped drive developer adoption and increase clarity in complex AI tooling.