You ever have somebody look at something you made and see if in a whole new way?
That’s what happened to me recently.
I’d written another blog post for developer marketers. Something to help them understand their many audiences.
But what really made me proud was the graphic I created to communicate the main idea.
It used to be that I’d copy-paste-publish that sucker, but I have access to a fantastic editorial team (as you might imagine). A senior editor reviewed my work and the response to that graphic was something like this:
Tough, but fair. But I’m sure glad I had an objective review.
It’s hard to see those blind spots yourself. You’re too close to be objective.
You might expect me to say “work with EveryDeveloper” here. But you can force yourself to be objective with an exercise that will take you less than five minutes.
Here’s what to do:
- Review anyone else’s blog, docs, or website with a critical eye
- Take notes of anything you would change
- Now look where you make those same oversights
Yes, #3 still requires objectivity. But it’s far easier to spot issues if you first look for them from someone else.
If you really crank up your critical eye, you can even use an industry leader. In about three minutes, I show how Stripe’s docs might confuse a new developer.
Stripe has been known for great docs since its earliest days. But you can always find something… and turn it into a lesson in objectivity.
How can you turn it around into something that builds trust with your developer audience?