40-Point Technical Writer Evaluation Checklist
Score technical writers on field experience, mobile usability, and integration depth, not corporate portfolio polish. Surface the gaps that cause documentation projects to quietly fail before you sign.
Scoring Framework
Rate each answer 1 to 5 based on specificity and depth. Writers consistently scoring below the midpoint tend to deliver documentation that looks professional and goes unused. Field experience weight should dominate, since it predicts project success more reliably than writing credentials alone.
Evaluation Criteria
Field Work Experience and Trade Knowledge
30% weightEvaluates specific experience with construction trades, understanding of field conditions, and knowledge of how technicians actually work. The strongest single predictor of documentation success for contractor clients.
Sample Questions
- Can they explain why standard procedure formats fail when technicians wear work gloves and safety equipment?
- Do they understand OSHA 1926 construction standards and how they shape procedure documentation requirements?
- Can they describe the difference between apprentice and master technician information needs for the same procedure?
- Do they know how local code variations affect procedure documentation across different jurisdictions?
- Can they explain why emergency procedures require different writing techniques than standard operating procedures?
Mobile and Field Usability Design
25% weightAssesses ability to create documentation that works on mobile devices in real work conditions. Most corporate writers optimize for desktop reading, which is what makes the resulting field documentation unusable.
Sample Questions
- Do they show examples of single-step screens optimized for phone navigation with work gloves?
- Can they demonstrate procedures that work offline when connectivity is unavailable in basements or remote locations?
- Do they understand touch target sizing and gesture navigation for technicians with limited hand mobility?
- Can they format complex multi-step procedures for minimal scrolling on small screens?
- Do they plan for voice-command integration when hands-free operation is required?
System Integration and Workflow Connection
20% weightEvaluates plans for connecting documentation to existing field management systems like ServiceTitan or FieldEdge. Standalone documents in knowledge bases tend to go unused.
Sample Questions
- Can they show specific examples of field service platform integrations with automatic procedure triggering?
- Do they understand API connectivity requirements for workflow automation with existing dispatch systems?
- Can they demonstrate how technicians access relevant procedures automatically based on job-type assignments?
- Do they plan for integration with inventory management and parts ordering systems?
- Can they connect procedure completion tracking to job reporting and quality control processes?
Performance Measurement and Business Results
15% weightAssesses ability to measure documentation impact on business metrics like job completion time, rework rates, and safety incidents. Writers focused only on deliverables tend to skip the measurement framework entirely.
Sample Questions
- Can they propose specific metrics for measuring procedure effectiveness with baseline measurement plans?
- Do they show before-and-after data from previous contractor clients with measurable business improvements?
- Can they explain how to track documentation impact on technician productivity and job completion rates?
- Do they understand the connection between procedure clarity and customer satisfaction scores?
- Can they measure training time reduction and knowledge retention improvements from better documentation?
Maintenance and Long-term Usability
10% weightEvaluates systems for keeping documentation current when busy supervisors need to update procedures for part changes or code revisions. Complex maintenance is the most common cause of long-term value decay.
Sample Questions
- Do they provide simple editing interfaces that non-writers can use without breaking formatting?
- Can they demonstrate change tracking and version control systems appropriate for field supervisors?
- Do they plan for content ownership and export capabilities (Markdown, DITA, or similar) if you switch writers later?
- Can they show template systems that maintain consistency when multiple people make updates?
- Do they understand the difference between maintenance capabilities and ongoing service dependencies?
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