How to Write Release Notes?
As a rule, release notes are considered to be one of the most boring types of technical documentation. And, frankly speaking, sometimes this statement is true to life. Who wants to read about fixed bugs and new features? I guess very few people. Especially if the language is highly technical and dry. Let’s figure out what to do to improve your release notes!
First of all, why is this document so important? Release notes contribute to communication between users and vendors. It is the right document to tell customers which bugs were fixed and what new features appeared. Vendors show what they have been working on and try to meet customers’ expectations. That definitely helps to build long-term relations with customers.
Why people don’t like reading release notes:
- Complicated and highly technical language. Even if release notes tell readers about technical things, it doesn’t matter that the language itself should be complicated. Keep it simple so that users can understand what you are telling them about.
- Endless text. Release notes are often too long. No one likes documents like that, as an endless wall of boring text doesn’t seem inspiring. Omit what seems to be excessive. Leave just the necessary information.
- Vague explanations. Sometimes companies do not go into detail telling about the latest changes. Surely your changes will provide them with a better user experience, so tell them how exactly the bug fixes or new features will make their interaction with a product better.
- Timely delivery. One of the most important things in creating release notes is the right and timely delivery. There are users who are eager to learn about your product’s updates, so they should get this information at the right time but not someday after the release. That’s why there should be several methods of delivery: email notifications, blog posts, social media, etc. Each channel has its own target audience.
- Lack of visuals. These are screenshots, videos, images, gifs, etc. They are highly informative and enjoyable. In most cases, they help to make release notes user-friendly and unambiguous. It is a well-known fact that people don’t like spending time reading and figuring out the sense; they like when the idea is represented in a very clear way.
Release notes, like any other document, should be user-centric. But at the same time, this type of documentation is not a user guide. It should be brief. In case you are getting ready for a big release, it makes sense to involve marketers to take part in writing content to attract potential customers. Release notes are not a document that can be written on the spot. It requires a well-thought-out plan. If your team has been working hard on new features or bug fixing, release notes definitely should reflect that. Technical documentation should show users that your team does a lot to improve the product.
