V Skill HF-D7.4-007 cross-sector 9 skills

Writing technical documentation

Writes manuals, support documentation and decision records that a reader without prior knowledge can follow step by step and that stay current.

How hrmforce measures this

The candidate performs a representative work sample under standardised conditions.

Level	Behaviour at this level
N1 Guided	Completes a documentation template with the steps of a task and has the text checked by a colleague. works under supervision and follows instruction · routine, one variable at a time · own task
N3 Proficient	Writes complete documentation for a system or process, tests it with an unfamiliar reader and maintains versions. sets own approach and seeks input proactively · several variables, some ambiguity · own team or process
N5 Leading	Sets the organisation's documentation standard and ensures documentation is part of every delivery. sets the standard and the policy · strategic, under high uncertainty · organisation, value chain or profession

N2 and N4 are deliberately not anchored. Raters place them between the anchors, following the O*NET convention.

These skills inherit the assessment route and the behavioural anchors of this construct.

T	Skill	Definition	Demand outlook 2026 to 2030
V	Writing a user manual User manual	Writes step by step instructions with screenshots that a new user can follow without help.	declining
V	Writing operations documentation Runbook · Operations documentation	Describes installation, settings, dependencies and recovery steps so an administrator can take over the system.	stable
V	Writing a README README	Describes purpose, installation, usage and contact point of a project in a file next to the code.	stable
V	Writing API documentation API documentation	Describes per call the parameters, example requests, responses and error codes with working examples.	rising
V	Writing an architecture document Architecture document	Describes components, data flows and choices of a system with diagrams that match reality.	stable
V	Writing release notes Release notes	Describes per version what changes for users and administrators and what they need to do about it.	stable
T	Diagramming a process or system Diagramming	Draws a flow or system diagram with unambiguous symbols that makes the working clear in one view.	stable
V	Keeping documentation current Documentation maintenance	Updates documentation with every change, monitors ownership and removes what is no longer accurate.	stable
V	Writing a knowledge base article Knowledge base article	Writes a short article with problem, cause and solution that the service desk can use directly.	declining