Simulink Solver Documentation

Context:

When I was a technical writer at Mathworks, I was part of a team that managed core Simulink documentation. Simulink is a modeling software that operates on a foundation of mathematical equations. The type of solver you choose to solve these equations can have a profound impact on your modeling experience. The choice is not easy and it requires a complex understanding of important modeling concepts.

Process:

I interviewed several subject matter experts (SMEs) on the Simulink team and ultimately talked to one of the engineers who had created some of these solvers. That conversation was insightful and helped me understand the challenges in communicating essential information about choosing a solver. When I realized the scope of available options, I mapped them out in diagrams and completed reviews to verify the information. Then I worked with an illustrator to create graphics for my purpose.

Finally, I rewrote several chunks of the topic and introduced the new graphic in time for an upcoming release.

Result:

Within a month, Choose a Solver became the second most visited topic in Simulink documentation.