Behind the Docs

Heretto
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Welcome to Behind the Docs — the podcast that spotlights the people who make technical content come to life. Whether you're a seasoned tech writer, content strategist, or just curious about the brains behind the docs you rely on every day, this show is for you. Each episode features real conversations with the folks who build help sites, craft user guides, and keep the content engine running behind the scenes. No jargon, just smart, engaging stories about the work, the wins, and the humans making it happen.

  1. 5月12日

    The Future of Docs Is More Human Than You Think with Fabrizio Ferri-Benedetti

    In this episode of Behind the Docs, Patrick Bosek sits down with Fabrizio Ferri-Benedetti to explore what AI actually means for the future of technical communication — beyond the hype. Fabri shares his journey from software reviewer and blogger to Principal Technical Writer at Elastic, where he helps shape documentation tooling, AI workflows, and collaborative content systems. The conversation dives into the evolving role of technical writers, why AI works best as a collaborator rather than a replacement, and how documentation teams are becoming increasingly responsible for architecture, tooling, and content operations. Patrick and Fabri also unpack the growing tension between AI acceleration and thoughtful implementation. They discuss the shift toward local and self-hosted models, the hidden value of “busy work” in building understanding, and why foundational content architecture matters more than ever in an AI-assisted world. The episode closes with a thoughtful look at what “great documentation” will mean in the future: content that is accessible to both humans and machines, structured with intent, and designed as coherent knowledge systems rather than disconnected pages. In This EpisodeFabri’s path from blogging and SEO into technical writingHow personal writing helps sharpen thinking in the age of AIWhy AI should be treated as a collaborator, not an autopilotThe role of technical writers in AI tooling and DocOpsHow documentation tools reflect organizational culture and “taste”Why AI hype may plateau over the next 18 monthsThe rise of local and self-hosted AI modelsWhat orchestration work looks like for future technical writersWhy foundational documentation still requires deep human expertiseThe importance of content types, metadata, and structure for AI consumptionAdvice for early-career technical communicators learning AIWhy the future of docs may look surprisingly similar to the past About the GuestFabri Ferri-Benedetti is a Principal Technical Writer at Elastic and a widely respected voice in the technical communication community. Through his blog, Passo Uno, and active online presence, Fabri explores the intersection of AI, documentation tooling, developer experience, and the evolving future of technical communication. Links & ResourcesFabri Ferri Benedetti’s Blog – Passo UnoElasticWrite the Docs

    35分

  2. 4月28日

    BtD at ConVEx'26!

    This episode of Behind the Docs is coming straight from the conference floor at ConVEx 2025 in Pittsburgh — a collection of candid conversations with the people who make this community what it is. From first-timers to veterans with decades in the field, the throughline is clear: this industry is in the middle of something real, and the people here are figuring it out together. They also dig into: why metadata keeps coming up in every single conversation — and why it matters more than ever for AIhow well-structured content is already separating teams that are succeeding with AI from teams that are strugglingwhat it actually feels like to show up to a TechCom conference as a newcomer (spoiler: everyone becomes an extrovert)the best real-world example of faceted search you've probably never thought to look at (hint: it's a knitting website)and why "garbage in, garbage out" is just as relevant today as its always been If you care about where this profession is headed — and you want to hear it from the people actually doing the work — this one's for you. Big, big thank you to the team at the Center for Information-Development Management (CIDM) for putting on another great conference. Looking forward to doing it again next year!

    32分

  3. 4月21日

    Special Episode! Who controls your content? AI and content governance - Sarah O'Keefe of Scriptorium

    In this special replay from Scriptorium's Content Operations podcast, Sarah O'Keefe sits down with our very own Patrick Bosek to tackle one of the thorniest problems in AI-powered content work: governance. Patrick and Sarah unpack why governing AI outputs gets harder as the technology improves, and why the structure you put into your content before it ever reaches a model may be your most important quality lever. They also dig into: why "garbage in, garbage out" is too simple and what good upstream governance actually looks likehow content structure serves humans first (and why that makes it better for AI too)what happens when end users start stripping warnings and summarizing away critical informationwhy you should never replace a working deterministic system with an AI one If you work in content strategy, technical writing, or are watching your organization stand up an AI team and wondering how to prepare, this one's for you. You can listen to this episode and many more Content Operations conversations on Scriptorium's website.

    41分

  4. 3月31日

    What Great Documentation Actually Means in Cybersecurity - Jeff Cross at Arctic Wolf

    Jeff Cross didn't plan to become a technical writer. He started a computer science degree, dropped out, spent a year trying to make it as a fiction writer, went back for a philosophy degree, considered academia, and then — almost by accident — realized that technical writing was the thing that made all of it make sense. Now Senior Manager of Technical Writing at Arctic Wolf, Jeff has spent years doing some of the most complex content work in the industry: documenting third-party security integrations he has no direct access to, managing a full DITA migration while keeping up with release cycles, and pulling off a content carve-out from a corporate acquisition with translated content in three languages and a hard deadline. In this episode, Jeff and Patrick talk about what it really means to do great documentation work, and why the hardest parts rarely show up in a job description. They cover: - Why the security space takes documentation seriously in ways other industries don't - What happened when a product rename turned "a" into "an" across thousands of content files - How AI helped a small team execute a DITA-to-DITA migration without outside help - The checkbox doc that nobody wanted to write — and that way more people read than expected - Why technical writing is less like writing and more like investigative journalism Plus: Patrick discovers mid-conversation that Jeff was the person who fixed the BlackBerry email signature problem that drove him personally crazy for a year.

    41分

  5. 3月24日

    Designing Documentation for Agents, Not Just Users - Dachary Carey of MongoDB and Agent-Friendly Docs Expert

    In this episode of Behind the Docs, Ren sits down with Dachary Carey of MongoDB to explore a rapidly emerging challenge: AI agents can’t reliably read your documentation and most teams don’t realize it. Dachary shares how a deep dive into agent workflows (sparked by tools like Claude Code) uncovered critical gaps in how documentation is structured, delivered, and consumed by machines. From truncated pages and hidden content to the unexpected importance of formats like llms.txt, this conversation reveals why even well-written docs can become effectively invisible to AI systems. They also dig into: how agents actually interact with documentation (and where they fail)why technical writers are becoming essential to AI successand the growing gap between companies investing in docs and those cutting them entirely If you’re thinking about AI, content strategy, or the future of technical writing, this episode is a must-listen. Important Links: Dachary's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dachary/Dachary's website: https://dacharycarey.com/The Agent-Friendly Documentation Spec: https://agentdocsspec.com/The GitHub repo for anyone who wants to contribute or leave feedback: https://github.com/agent-ecosystem/agent-docs-specThe npm tool (afdocs - for Agent-Friendly docs) that documentation teams can run to see how agent-friendly their documentation is: https://www.npmjs.com/package/afdocsThe GitHub repo for that tool for anyone who finds an issue or has a suggestion or request: https://github.com/agent-ecosystem/afdocs

    36分

  6. 3月17日

    Docs as Systems with Manny Silva of Skyflow and Doc Detective

    In this episode of Behind the Docs, Patrick sits down with Manny Silva, Head of Documentation at Skyflow, to explore what happens when technical writing evolves into full-scale content systems. From growing up building computers to working at Apple and Google, Manny shares how his path into technical communication led to a deeply systems-driven approach to documentation. Today, as a team of one, Manny is rethinking what it means to scale docs—building automated workflows that turn Slack threads into structured drafts, enforcing style guides with AI, and creating feedback loops that continuously improve content quality. He also dives into Doc Detective, his open-source project for testing documentation like code—validating procedures, capturing screenshots automatically, and ensuring docs stay accurate as products evolve. Along the way, Manny shares insights on: why technical writers are becoming content orchestratorshow AI agents are powered by documentation at their coreand what it really takes to reduce friction in modern content operations If you’re curious about the future of documentation, AI workflows, and doc ops, this episode is packed with practical ideas and forward-looking perspective. Docs as Tests website Docs as Tests book

    37分

  7. 3月10日

    AI Isn't the Main Character with Sara Feldman of the Consortium for Service Innovation

    In this episode of Behind the Docs, Ren welcomes back Sara Feldman, Director of Member Engagement at the Consortium for Service Innovation and longtime advocate for knowledge-driven customer experience. Sara began her career as a technical writer, spending a decade embedded with support teams before diving deeper into knowledge management through Knowledge-Centered Service (KCS). That journey eventually led her to the Consortium, where she now works with member companies around the world to explore new approaches to service innovation and knowledge management. Together, Ren and Sara discuss: How KCS helps organizations capture and reuse knowledge in real timeWhy demand-driven knowledge practices produce better documentation and supportThe rise of intelligent swarming and how it could reshape how work gets routed across teamsWhy many organizations are struggling to operationalize AI despite the hypeThe importance of structured, trusted knowledge in an AI-driven worldWhy reducing customer friction matters more than simply improving efficiency Sara also shares insights from working directly with industry leaders across customer support, customer success, and service operations—and why the future of AI success will depend heavily on strong knowledge foundations. If you’re curious about the intersection of documentation, knowledge management, and customer experience, this episode offers a thoughtful look at where the industry is heading next.

    42分

  8. 3月3日

    Clarity is the Hill with Melanie Denise Davis of Dragonfly Diva Docs

    In this episode of Behind the Docs, Ren sits down with Melanie Denise Davis — journalist-turned-technical-communication leader, AI Wrangler, and founder of Dragonfly Diva Docs. Melanie’s career spans the evolution of modern technology itself: from punch cards and mainframes to structured content and AI. She shares what it was like entering tech before technical writing was even a defined profession, helping shape the field alongside early STC efforts, and now contributing to the ISO standard defining technical communication management. Together, they explore: ✨ Why technical communicators are far more than “glorified typesetters” ✨ The difference between writing words and engineering information ✨ Why structured content is essential for AI success ✨ How technical writers are the natural curators of generative AI ✨ The importance of allies, mentorship, and resilience as a woman of color in tech ✨ Why clarity — not grammar — is the true hill to die on Melanie also discusses her role with The Content Wrangler, her work in the upcoming Women in Technology anthology, and why this may finally be the moment technical communicators step fully into their power. If you care about clarity, collaboration, and the future of AI-ready content, this episode is packed with wisdom you won’t want to miss. Helpful Links Melanie on LinkedinDragonfly Diva DocsWomen in Technical Communication

    39分
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番組について

Welcome to Behind the Docs — the podcast that spotlights the people who make technical content come to life. Whether you're a seasoned tech writer, content strategist, or just curious about the brains behind the docs you rely on every day, this show is for you. Each episode features real conversations with the folks who build help sites, craft user guides, and keep the content engine running behind the scenes. No jargon, just smart, engaging stories about the work, the wins, and the humans making it happen.

情報

  • クリエイター
    Heretto
  • 配信期間
    25年 - 26年
  • エピソード
    21
  • 制限指定
    不適切な内容を含まない
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Heretto
  • 番組のWebサイト
    Behind the Docs