Building DocsWriter AI: Alden DeSoto’s Journey from Google to Startup Founder
How a former Google technical writer is harnessing generative AI to transform product documentation for product managers
In my latest Fireside PM interview, I had the pleasure of catching up with an old colleague, Alden DeSoto, the founder of DocsWriter AI. We both crossed paths at Google over a decade ago, and now Alden is on an exciting new journey. He’s transitioned from his role at Google to starting his own AI-powered product, and he shared valuable insights about his experience launching DocsWriter AI, a generative AI tool designed to assist product managers with technical documentation.
As Alden put it, “I’m positioning DocsWriter AI as a partner to PMs, not just as a writer but as an integral part of the product team, asking the right questions and helping to create better documentation with minimal effort from the team.”
From Ranch Life to Startup Life
Before diving into the details of DocsWriter AI, Alden took a moment to reflect on his personal journey. After years in Silicon Valley, Alden moved to Bend, Oregon, where he and his wife built a 40-acre ranch. He embraced the remote work trend early, being one of Google’s first fully remote employees in tech.
After selling the ranch and moving to New Orleans, Alden decided it was time for a new chapter. “We sold the ranch, our son had moved out, and my wife and I decided to move to New Orleans. Now, just six weeks in, we’re adjusting to city life,” he explained, laughing about how his dog, used to the wide-open ranch, is struggling with the adjustment to a more urban environment.
The Inspiration Behind DocsWriter AI
Alden’s deep background in technical writing and his love for AI were key drivers behind the creation of DocsWriter AI. During his time at Google, he helped train a generative AI support bot for Google Analytics. “It was one of the last things I did at Google, and it really opened my eyes to the potential of AI in creating technical documentation,” he shared.
After taking a machine learning course by Amit Bendov (whom I had previously interviewed), Alden started piecing together the concept for DocsWriter AI. “I wasn’t initially sure where the idea would lead, but over time, it became clear to me that there was a real opportunity to bring generative AI into the product documentation process.”
Solving the Right Problem
The problem Alden is solving with DocsWriter AI is twofold. First, technical writing is often misunderstood. “There’s this misconception that writing user documentation is the work itself. It’s not. It’s an artifact of the work, much like a UX designer’s job isn’t just to create wireframes,” Alden said. He emphasized that the real value in technical writing comes from understanding what the user needs and creating documentation that not only helps the user but also reduces support costs.
Second, Alden pointed out that companies often try to save money by outsourcing documentation to teams far removed from the product. “The problem with that approach is that these writers aren’t close to the product team. They don’t understand the intricacies of the product, and that results in poor documentation,” Alden explained. DocsWriter AI aims to keep documentation closer to the product team by acting as an AI-powered tech writer that understands the product’s needs.
How DocsWriter AI Works
DocsWriter AI is still in its pilot phase, but it’s already showing promise. The process starts with the PM providing the product requirements document (PRD). “You feed DocsWriter AI your PRD, and from there, it generates a solid draft of the documentation,” Alden said. It’s not just user guides—DocsWriter AI can generate admin and developer guides as well, depending on the needs of the product.
The goal is to save time and make sure the documentation is as accurate and thorough as possible. “The PRD often contains user stories and use cases, which DocsWriter AI can incorporate into the documentation. But we’re also working on making the AI smarter by ensuring it asks the right questions when key details are missing from the PRD,” Alden explained.
Competing with ChatGPT
One of the most interesting parts of our conversation was when we discussed the inevitable comparison to ChatGPT. Many PMs might wonder: Why not just use ChatGPT for this? Alden acknowledged this point but stressed that DocsWriter AI is built with specific features that go beyond what a general-purpose tool like ChatGPT can offer.
“For now, DocsWriter AI might only be slightly better than ChatGPT at technical writing,” Alden admitted. “But we’re adding things like style guides, templates, and built-in best practices that you wouldn’t get with ChatGPT. Plus, DocsWriter AI is designed to act as a partner to the PM, asking the kinds of questions a tech writer would ask, making sure the documentation is really adding value.”
We also touched on long-term plans for DocsWriter AI. Alden envisions it evolving into a tool that becomes an expert on your product over time, learning from previous documents and iterating with the team. He’s already gathering feedback from PMs who have tested the tool and is constantly improving the product based on their input.
The Future of DocsWriter AI
Alden’s goal for DocsWriter AI is to reach widespread adoption, and he’s already making headway. “The feedback I’m getting from early testers is invaluable. I’m making regular updates and adding features based on their wish lists,” he said.
But adoption is key. “If people aren’t using the tool, then I know there’s something wrong. My focus right now is on getting as many people as possible to try DocsWriter AI and give me feedback. The product will evolve based on what they tell me,” he shared.
One of the best pieces of feedback Alden has received so far? A suggestion to integrate the tool with production code to ensure the documentation stays up to date, even as the product evolves. “It’s a great idea, and it’s something we’re exploring,” Alden said, noting that one of the biggest challenges with documentation is keeping it relevant as products change.
Advice for Aspiring Founders
Toward the end of our conversation, I asked Alden what advice he had for aspiring startup founders, especially those in the tech space. His response was simple but powerful: “Build something. Even if it’s just a rough pilot or a mock-up, get it out there. You learn so much more from actually creating something than from just thinking about it.”
Alden revealed that he wrote the website for DocsWriter AI before he even built the product. “It helps to make your idea feel real. Once it’s out there in the world, things start to happen. People give you feedback, and you can iterate. But if you keep the idea in your head, it’s never going to go anywhere.”
He also emphasized the importance of feedback. “Every bit of feedback, whether positive or negative, helps you refine the product. The more you put yourself out there, the faster you’ll get to something that people actually want to use.”
Wrapping Up
As we wrapped up the interview, Alden shared his excitement for the future of DocsWriter AI. “It’s still early days, but I’m confident we’re onto something here. The idea of using AI to improve product documentation is only going to grow, and I’m excited to see where it takes us.”
For product managers, DocsWriter AI represents a potential game-changer, offering a faster, more efficient way to create high-quality documentation that’s closely tied to the product itself. It’s clear that Alden’s passion for AI and technical writing is driving this venture forward, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for him and DocsWriter AI.
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