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Onsite vs. Offsite

Clients often require technical communications experts to work onsite. While technical writers or business analysts need to interview people, use the hardware or software, or be available for meetings, much of what they do is designing, writing, and clarifying data. The bulk of this work can be done best away from the interruptions and hubbub of a corporate office.

Technical writers, especially, can usually be more productive if they can work a significant amount of time offsite. Information development is a solitary task, and one that requires concentration.

In the competitive technical community of the Bay Area, clients often want the most senior writers–typically the ones that prefer to work offsite. Many of the most talented technical communications specialists refuse to take assignments that require them to work full-time onsite.

Thus, if you’re looking for the best talent, the most efficient delivery, and the best value, being flexible on the onsite requirement is key, and is often beneficial to the project itself.

Usually the most productive mix is to have the information developer meet the team, do initial and follow-up interviews, participate in key meetings onsite, and to perform most of their work offsite. In this mix, the client gets the benefit of the consultants’ onsite time as necessary as well as their undivided concentration on developing usable material.

The best managers often will not consider working with someone highly qualified because they live in another area or even another state, because an onsite requirement stands in the way of choosing the most qualified person for the job.

If we are the leaders of technology, shouldn’t we use the very technology we write about: the Internet, DSL & Cable connections, FTP capabilities and teleconferencing (etc.), to our advantage?

We’d love to hear your feedback on this question.