QuickDocs: Fast-Paced Tech Writing Talks on Innovation & Industry Trends

QuickDocs is a series of technical writing talks featuring up to four speakers, each delivering a 15-minute presentation on a topic related to technical documentation. Each talk will be followed by a 5-minute Q&A session with the audience.

Join us for professional development, networking opportunities before and after the talks, and to stay up to date with the latest insights in the technical writing industry.

Speaker #1: Radhika Puthiyetath

Talk Title: From Paddy Fields to Github: Driving Innovation through "Kambala Natti", a Festival of Rice Farming

Talk Description: What could a traditional rice farming festival in Wayanad, a hamlet nestled in the Western Ghats of South India, have in common with the fast-paced world of the software industry? Surprisingly, quite a lot. This talk draws striking parallels between Kambala Natti, a unique rice farming celebration and Hackathons. Both are time-bound events designed to foster collaboration and achieve remarkable results in a short period. Drawing from the speaker’s experiences in both worlds, this session explores how traditional practices like Kambala Natti provide invaluable insights into fostering collaboration, enhancing productivity, and integrating external expertise to improve effectiveness in small teams and drive innovation.

Speaker Bio: Open Source enthusiast. Staff Technical Writer at Sysdig.

Speaker #2: Andrew Davis

Talk Title: Your Tech Comm Career Survival Kit for 2025

Talk Description: Andrew will share his take on the current and foreseeable job market for software industry Technical Writers in the US. He'll briefly discuss in-demand skills, job-seeking strategies, contract and salaried compensation trends, the outlook for remote vs hybrid roles, and near-term career hurdles.

Speaker Bio: Andrew Davis recruits technical content developers for software development and life sciences companies. He is a former software industry Technical Writer and has a reputation for both understanding and championing the role of content development. He recruits Technical Writers, Technical Trainers, Courseware Developers, Instructional Designers, and Content Strategists for challenging staff and contract roles.

Andrew enjoys helping those who communicate complex information get ahead by recognizing and refining their value to technology companies. He's candid and connected and, just as importantly, he likes to help tech industry workers gain their independence and operate without intermediaries. He's usually the last person to leave the room and welcomes questions. Or you can just get on his calendar at https://techcommtalent.youcanbook.me.

Speaker #3: Puneet Arora

Talk Title: Leveling Up Developer Experience Through Better Docs

Talk Description: Discover why up-to-date documentation is your most critical asset for Developer Experience in today's AI-driven landscape. This talk unpacks how to transform your docs from a mere necessity into a powerful engine for pre-sales wins, seamless post-sales success, and future-proofing for AI information needs.

Speaker Bio: Co-Founder & CEO of Ekline.io, transforms user-facing docs into growth engines. With a background in AI at Atlassian, he helps startups scale faster with clear, impactful documentation.

Speaker #4: Sarah Deaton

Talk Title: AI for the reluctant technical writer

Talk Description: Four months ago, Sarah was an AI skeptic who joined Writer despite her reservations about generative AI. Now she's an advocate who uses AI to eliminate tedious tasks like API documentation maintenance and release notes, freeing up time for strategic work like information architecture. This talk addresses common concerns about AI and shares practical entry points for hesitant writers, like low-stakes experiments with style guides or diagram generation. Learn strategies for getting started with AI and see how it can be a productivity multiplier that respects your expertise and amplifies your impact.

Speaker Bio: Sarah Deaton is a Developer Experience Engineer at Writer, focusing on developer-facing documentation. Previously, she was a Developer Educator at Twilio, where she helped customers build with voice, video, and other communication channels. When she's not writing docs or experimenting with AI tools, she enjoys knitting.
Company website: https://writer.com

Tentative Agenda for Wednesday, May 29 (Pacific Time)

Event Start & Host Welcome: 6:00 – 6:05 PM

Speaker #1: Radhika Puthiyetath

• Talk: 6:05 – 6:20 PM
• Q&A: 6:20 – 6:25 PM

Speaker #2: Andrew Davis

• Talk: 6:25 – 6:40 PM
• Q&A: 6:40 – 6:45 PM

Community Announcements: 6:45 – 6:50 PM
Are you hiring? Job-seeking? Finished a cool documentation project? This is your moment for professional networking!

Speaker #3: Puneet Arora

• Talk: 6:50 – 7:05 PM
• Q&A: 7:05 – 7:10 PM

Speaker #4: Sarah Deaton

• Talk: 7:10 – 7:25 PM
• Q&A: 7:25 – 7:30 PM

Group Selfie Time!
Let's turn on our cameras and capture the moment with a virtual group photo!