Master this essential documentation concept
Transcription is the process of converting spoken words from audio or video content into written text. In documentation, it enables teams to transform verbal information from interviews, meetings, webinars, and other spoken content into written documentation that can be edited, searched, and repurposed across knowledge bases.
Transcription in documentation refers to the systematic conversion of spoken language from audio or video sources into written text. This process serves as a critical bridge between verbal communication and written documentation, allowing teams to capture, preserve, and utilize valuable information shared during interviews, meetings, presentations, and other spoken exchanges. Modern transcription can be performed manually by human transcriptionists or through automated speech recognition (ASR) technology, with many documentation teams adopting a hybrid approach for optimal accuracy and efficiency.
When your team records training sessions, webinars, or meetings, valuable information remains locked in those videos until transcription occurs. Technical teams often rely on manual transcription to convert spoken explanations into usable documentation—a process that's both time-consuming and error-prone.
The challenge intensifies when dealing with technical content. Subject matter experts may perfectly explain complex processes in a recorded demo, but without accurate transcription, that knowledge remains inaccessible to those who prefer reading or need to quickly reference specific sections. Manual transcription of technical terms and processes often introduces errors and inconsistencies.
Implementing automated transcription as part of your video-to-documentation workflow transforms this process. When your recorded content is automatically transcribed, the resulting text becomes the foundation for structured documentation. Instead of starting from scratch, your documentation team can edit and enhance the transcription, preserving technical accuracy while improving readability. For example, a recorded product demo can be transcribed and transformed into step-by-step instructions, complete with properly formatted technical terms and commands extracted directly from the speaker's explanations.
Technical writers often struggle to capture complex information accurately during interviews with subject matter experts (SMEs), especially when discussing specialized terminology or intricate processes.
Record and transcribe SME interviews to ensure complete information capture without disrupting the natural flow of conversation.
['1. Schedule and record the SME interview (with permission)', '2. Use a specialized technical transcription service or tool', '3. Review the transcript for technical accuracy, flagging terms that need verification', '4. Organize the transcribed content by topic or feature', '5. Transform the organized transcript into structured documentation', '6. Send the draft back to the SME for validation']
More accurate technical documentation that fully captures SME knowledge, reduced need for follow-up questions, and a permanent record of the expert's explanations that can be referenced for future documentation updates.
Video tutorials for software products are valuable but not searchable, accessible to users with hearing impairments, or easily scannable for specific information.
Create transcripts and closed captions for all tutorial videos to improve accessibility, searchability, and user experience.
['1. Generate automated transcripts using video platform tools (YouTube, Vimeo, etc.)', '2. Review and correct transcripts, particularly for technical terms and UI elements', '3. Format transcripts to include timestamps and speaker identification', '4. Add descriptive text for visual demonstrations', '5. Publish transcripts alongside videos in documentation', '6. Create a searchable index of video content based on transcripts']
Improved accessibility compliance, better SEO for video content, enhanced user experience with searchable video content, and the ability to repurpose video content as written documentation.
User feedback sessions and usability tests contain valuable insights, but note-taking during sessions is incomplete and distracts from observing user behavior.
Record and transcribe user research sessions to capture complete feedback while allowing researchers to focus on observation.
['1. Set up recording for user research sessions (with appropriate consent)', '2. Use transcription software that can distinguish between multiple speakers', '3. Add annotations to the transcript marking key observations and pain points', '4. Categorize feedback by feature, severity, and user type', '5. Extract actionable insights and recommendations for documentation improvements', '6. Share annotated transcripts with product and documentation teams']
More comprehensive user feedback capture, ability to quote users directly in documentation rationales, identification of terminology confusion, and improved documentation that addresses actual user pain points.
Documentation planning meetings generate important decisions and action items that are often incompletely captured in notes, leading to confusion about responsibilities and requirements.
Transcribe documentation planning meetings to create accurate records of decisions, rationales, and assigned tasks.
['1. Record team meetings with clear notification to all participants', '2. Use a meeting transcription tool (like Otter.ai, Microsoft Teams transcription)', '3. Clean up the transcript to focus on key decisions and action items', '4. Format the transcript into a structured meeting summary with clear ownership', '5. Distribute the summary to all stakeholders', '6. Link decisions to specific documentation tasks in project management tools']
Clear accountability for documentation tasks, preserved context for decisions, reduced miscommunication, and a searchable archive of project decisions that new team members can reference.
The accuracy of transcription is directly proportional to the quality of the audio recording. Poor audio leads to more errors and increased editing time.
Technical terminology, product names, and industry jargon are often misinterpreted by automated transcription systems, requiring extensive corrections.
Raw transcripts follow conversation patterns rather than documentation structures, making them difficult to transform into usable documentation without significant reorganization.
Neither fully automated nor completely manual transcription provides the optimal balance of speed, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness for technical documentation.
Original recordings contain nuances, tone, and context that may not be fully captured in transcripts but could be valuable for clarification or future reference.
Modern documentation platforms enhance transcription workflows by integrating audio/video processing capabilities directly into content management systems. These integrations streamline the journey from recorded content to published documentation while maintaining version control and collaboration capabilities.
Join thousands of teams creating outstanding documentation
Start Free Trial