Cambridge Publications: Ten Things to Ask a Documentation or Training Vendor

Ten Things to Ask a Documentation or Training Vendor

To find the right outsourcing vendor for a training or documentation project, you need to do some careful questioning and probing. As you may have already discovered, the cost of going with the wrong vendor can be very high, in terms of money, time, and frustration. Here are some questions to ask yourself to help increase your chances of choosing the right vendor.

1. Does the vendor have the resources to give you a complete, end-to-end solution?

Look for a vendor who offers a complete package--from planning to instructional design to content development to production to delivery. Tell them up front exactly what you expect them to provide you with

2. Do they understand your product well enough to put the right team together?

Make sure they have people who understand your product. If your product is highly technical, for example, be sure the vendor provides you with a team that has the necessary technical depth.

3. Can they communicate well to your audience?

Find people who know how to reach your specific audience. Let's say you need help developing a training course for salespeople. Be sure your training vendor has worked with salespeople and understands their concerns and perspectives.

4. Can they manage your project from beginning to end?

One of the advantages of using an outsourcing company is that you have less managing to do. So be sure there's a project manager at the helm to coordinate the project, keep you updated, and get the work to you on time.

5. Do they have well-defined systems in place?

You want to know that the minute your project is started, it will follow a pre-determined path. Find out if they have a set process that they use for all jobs. Confirm that they'll draw up a project plan for your review during the first phase of the project.

6. Do they have clear review procedures?

Ask if they have specific client reviews built into their process. Things will go much more smoothly if you know up front exactly when and how often you'll be able to check the work.

7. How would you feel about working with them on a long-term basis?

Think long term. After all, once they've come up to speed on your product, you may want to use them for other projects as well. Do they seem easy to work with? Their skills may be top notch, but be sure you can work with them comfortably through the life of the project and beyond.

8. What tools and technologies do they use?

Do they use the latest tools and technologies that are appropriate for your project? In addition, are they flexible enough to accommodate any software preferences that you specify?

9. Have they worked with companies similar to yours, in terms of industry, size, and so forth?

The more they understand about your business, products, and strategies, the more likely it is that they can make a valuable contribution to your project and your team.

10. How's their track record?

These steps may be obvious but are worth mentioning:

Visit their web site
Check several references
Find out if they have long-term relationships and repeat customers
Request samples of their work

In short, take the time to find the right vendor. You'll save time and money and get better results.

For a more complete discussion of this subject, see our Checklist for Choosing a Documentation or Documentation Vendor.