Ditching the full-time technical writer hire for an agency

Companies are increasingly moving away from the traditional model of hiring full-time technical writers, instead choosing technical writing agencies to provide flexible and scalable documentation services. The shift seems to be driven by several factors, including cost efficiency, access to specialized skills, and the need for adaptability in managing projects of varying sizes. In this article, we’ll examine the reasons why agency-based solutions are replacing full-time technical writer hires.

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The traditional model: Full-time technical writers

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Traditionally, full-time technical writers can provide essential guidance to teams, overseeing the creation and management of pivotal documentation such as user manuals, training guides, and API documentation. While full-time technical writers can enhance internal collaboration and deliver consistency in their roles, the process of vetting, recruiting, onboarding, and retaining full-time technical writers can be costly and time-consuming. Additionally, a full-time writer may need assistance in keeping pace with fluctuating project demands, leading to documentation delays, quality issues, or the inevitable hiring of external resources, such as supplemental freelance technical writers or a technical writing agency.

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The rise of the agency model

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As businesses face competitive pressure to innovate faster and scale more efficiently, many are now turning to technical writing agencies as a cost-saving alternative to employing a full-time technical writer. Documentation agencies offer vetted, experienced teams of writers with diverse niche expertise and training to manage various projects, from one-off tasks to ongoing documentation needs, such as updating old documentation or managing technical debt. Agencies operate on a project-based or retainer model, allowing companies to scale their documentation efforts as needed. This flexibility makes agencies a more attractive option for businesses looking to stay agile. Industry trends show that more organizations are choosing to outsource technical needs rather than maintain a full-time technical writing team.

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Key factors driving the shift to agencies

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• Greater cost-effectiveness: Hiring a full-time technical writer involves salary considerations, benefits, training, and overhead costs. Agencies, on the other hand, provide a more cost-efficient model, allowing companies to pay for only the needed services without a long-term financial commitment.

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• Access to specialized expertise: Technical writing agencies access a wide range of writers with different technical specializations and experiences that can be directly applied to businesses in varying industries and niches. The shared knowledge within each agency can provide valuable insights far beyond that of a full-time technical writer.

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• Scalability and flexibility: Project timelines and documentation needs can change quickly. Agencies offer the flexibility to scale up or down based on project demands, whether an individual or team of writers is required for short-term or ongoing support.

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• Project-based work: Many businesses may not require constant documentation upkeep, making a full-time hire less efficient. Technical writing agencies are ideal for companies that require documentation on a project-by-project basis, ensuring they only pay for the work needed.

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• Faster onboarding: Agencies have established processes, allowing them to jump into projects quickly. They don’t require the same lengthy onboarding process that full-time employees typically do, reducing downtime and yielding faster, more efficient results.

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Common challenges with full-time technical writers

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• Limited bandwidth: Full-time technical writers may face overwhelming workloads during peak times, such as product launches or major updates. This limited bandwidth can lead to missed deadlines and lower-quality documentation, resulting in the hiring of external support such as freelance technical writers, which require additional vetting, or technical writing agencies.

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• Lack of specialization: While a full-time technical writer may have general expertise, they may not possess the deep, niche knowledge needed for highly technical or specialized projects. This lack of experience can result in gaps in documentation, especially if the writer is asked to cover areas outside their expertise.

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• Burnout and turnover: Full-time hires are often subject to burnout when consistently managing high workloads, reducing their productivity. Additionally, turnover can lead to delays in documentation as companies must go through the entire hiring and onboarding processes all over again.

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• Unavoidable need for agencies: Even after hiring a full-time technical writer, many companies must rely on documentation agencies to handle overflow work or large documentation projects. This is especially common when internal resources are stretched thin and the workload exceeds what a single writer can manage.

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Benefits of the agency model

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The agency model has many benefits, explaining the growth in outsourcing technical writing duties compared to hiring a full-time technical writer. The diverse expertise and insights a team of technical writers provides can help a small business grow or a large business solidify processes. Technical writing agencies can bring a fresh, objective viewpoint to documentation projects, identifying gaps, clarifying confusing content, and improving documentation quality with the internal bias that sometimes affects in-house teams. The flexibility and adaptability of agencies make them a better fit for businesses with fluctuating or unpredictable documentation demands.

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Which model is suitable for your business?

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As companies seek greater efficiency and scalability, the agency model will likely continue gaining popularity. We also expect to see further adoption of hybrid models, where businesses maintain a core internal documentation team but bring in agencies to handle larger or more specialized projects.

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The decline in full-time technical writer hires reflects the growing need for flexibility, specialized expertise, and cost efficiency in managing documentation projects. Many businesses will find that the agency model offers a more agile and scalable solution while delivering the consistency and knowledge that a full-time technical writer could produce. By working with agencies, companies can access a wider pool of talent, manage fluctuating workloads, and reduce costs.

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At DevDocs, we provide vetted, senior-level technical writers with deep experience implementing efficient workflows and delivering concise documentation for businesses of varying sizes and industries. If your company needs to ramp up content production or supplement your staff with expert technical writers, contact us today for a tailored solution to meet your needs.