Dr. Amanda Patterson, Comtech Services
July 15, 2025

CIDM members will help guide the technical communication industry forward by sharing insights in the CIDM Benchmark Survey 2025: Content Delivery. The survey will be sent to the CIDM main member contacts for the Individual, Individual+, Silver, Gold, and Platinum memberships.

Drawing of a lightbulb picture formed by using words. Why It Matters

Technical communication is evolving rapidly. Advances in AI-assisted authoring, modular content strategies, and immersive technologies like AR/VR are changing how we create, manage, and deliver content. Yet many questions remain about which tools and delivery channels are gaining traction, how teams are integrating AI, and the challenges professionals face with governance and compliance. By participating, these CIDM members will contribute to a collective understanding of where our field is heading while helping identify effective practices, emerging opportunities, and persistent challenges.

The CIDM members’ participation in this survey will:
• Contribute to benchmarking emerging practices across industries
• Identify common challenges and effective solutions
• Inform best practices for content workflows, governance, and technology adoption
• Provide valuable feedback to vendors to improve the tools we use daily
• Give early access to aggregated findings, allowing members to guide their strategy with data-backed insights

These CIDM members will help shape the future of technical communication while ensuring the findings reflect the real-world experiences of professionals in the field.

What the Survey Covers

The CIDM Benchmark Survey 2025 explores a comprehensive range of topics reflecting today’s dynamic technical communication environment. Members will have the opportunity to share what types of content they produce—such as user guides, API documentation, e-learning materials, and user guides—and how they deliver this content across mobile, web, PDFs, videos, and emerging interactive formats.

Content strategy and governance are central to many organizations, and the survey covers practices related to content reuse, modular approaches, and maintaining consistency while meeting compliance and regulatory requirements. The survey examines the tools and workflows members use, including CCMS platforms, headless CMS, docs-as-code pipelines, and structured authoring with DITA or Markdown. It also explores what challenges teams face with current content creation and delivery, as well as organizational barriers that may hinder the cultivation of new content delivery channels.

They will also be able to share their investment priorities, such as plans to adopt AI tools, advanced analytics, or interactive content delivery, and highlight the challenges they face in maintaining up-to-date documentation, engaging users, and navigating privacy and compliance regulations.

Overhead photo of a white square puzzle being put together on a table with a laptop. Fast, Respectful, and Valuable

The survey is designed to be straightforward and typically takes 10 minutes to complete. It balances multiple-choice and open-text questions to capture both quantitative and qualitative insights while respecting members’ time. Whether these members are in a technical writing role, a leadership position, or driving innovation in their organization, they will contribute to a stronger, more informed technical communication community.

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Membership registration link

Joining the Center for Information-Development Management (CIDM) offers technical communication professionals access to a powerful network of peers, thought leaders, and industry innovators. CIDM provides cutting-edge resources, events, and insights on content strategy, DITA, AI integration, and documentation best practices. Members gain exclusive opportunities for professional development, benchmarking, and knowledge exchange, helping them stay ahead in a rapidly evolving field. Whether you’re leading a documentation team or refining your content operations, CIDM fosters the expertise and connections you need to succeed. It’s more than a membership—it’s a strategic investment in your growth and your organization’s content future.