There are three hurdles that stop technical staff from producing high-quality technical documents. These are the same hurdles that usually stump non-technical staff, whatever their background.

The hurdles are:
1. Poor planning
2. Poor execution
3. Poor time management and procrastination

As with any project (not just writing!), the optimum outcome begins with a clear and concise definition of the subject you are writing about. Following a lead from the marketing world, ensure your topic is not overly broad. Instead, target your writing on a specific niche. Tackling a smaller niche allows for more effective research. So instead of trying to write on 'Metal Trading', pinpoint your scope with an article on 'Hedging on the London Metal Exchange'.

As well as topic, you should have a good idea who your audience are. You do have an audience in mind already, yes? If you know who will read your article, you will have a better idea what language to use. Knowing how much background info and jargon to use can have a large impact on the time it can take to produce the article.

To avoid (or at least reduce) the amount of time spent faffing around, you should also know the specific purpose of your article. Is it for a reader of your monthly sales brochure? Or is it for your end-of-year management report? Have a think about what underlying message you might want to communicate to the audience, as well as simple facts.

In step 2 you'll learn the importance of research.