Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has been our guiding star for years. It has taught us how to craft meta descriptions, what keywords to sprinkle throughout our content, and how to structure articles so that Google will reward us with that sweet, sweet page one spot.

But something's been happening recently. Algorithms are getting smarter. Google isn't the only game in town anymore.

Answer Engines—like ChatGPT, Siri, and MicroSoft’s CoPilot—are changing how we interact with information. You no longer have to type keywords into a search bar and scroll through a list of results.

You can ask your device a question, and boom, an answer comes back to you. No endless clicking, no wondering whether you're on the right page. You get the info you need. Instant gratification.

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APIs power the digital world, but without clear, well-structured documentation, even the best APIs can be frustrating to use. Whether you’re a technical writer, developer, or anyone working with APIs, mastering API documentation is essential for creating a seamless developer experience.

Join API documentation expert Mark Wentowski (Docs Geek) for the Mastering API Documentation Workshop Series – Summer School Edition, offered in two sessions this summer:

• Summer 1: Begins May 5

• Summer 2: Begins July 7

This seven-course series covers everything from API fundamentals and structured data to OpenAPI, authentication, and refining API references. Each session is designed with hands-on exercises using industry-standard tools like Swagger UI, Postman, Curl, and Mermaid, ensuring you gain practical, real-world skills.

Don’t miss this opportunity to sharpen your API documentation expertise with guidance from an industry veteran. Choose the session that fits your schedule and take your API documentation skills to the next level!

About the instructor

Mark Wentowski (Docs Geek) is an API Documentation Specialist with over 13 years of experience producing global, web-based, developer-to-developer documentation for web services, libraries, and other software products.

Summer Session 1 — Class begins May 7, 2025

🗓️ May 5 — Course 1: Understanding APIs

This class introduces the fundamentals of APIs, covering their purpose, how they function, and how to interact with them using tools like Curl, web browsers, and JavaScript applications. It also explores API documentation, its key components, and the tools used to create and maintain it, with hands-on exercises in Swagger UI.

🗓️ May 12 — Course 2: Structured Data & JSON

This class explores structured data with a focus on JSON, covering its format, objects, arrays, and nesting. It includes hands-on exercises with Swagger UI and Postman to construct and send JSON requests, interact with APIs, and handle authentication.

🗓️ May 19 — Course 3: OpenAPI Deep Dive (Part 1)

This class provides a deep dive into OpenAPI and YAML, covering key components like the Info Object, servers, paths, operations, and responses. Through hands-on exercises in Swagger Editor and Curl, participants will practice structuring API definitions, troubleshooting errors, and making API requests.

🗓️ June 2 — Course 4: OpenAPI Deep Dive (Part 2)

This session focuses on query parameters, authentication, and CRUD operations in OpenAPI and Curl. Participants will practice constructing API requests, handling security schemes, and documenting API interactions using Curl and Swagger UI.

🗓️ June 9 — Course 5: API Flows & Diagramming (Part 1)

This session covers user journeys, API flows, and diagramming with Mermaid. Participants will map user interactions, translate them into API flows, and practice authentication flows in a React Admin Panel.

🗓️ June 16 — Course 6: API Flows & Diagramming (Part 2)

This session focuses on the sequence diagramming of API flows, including user login, admin login, and patron actions, using tools like Curl and Mermaid. Participants will diagram and analyze authentication and admin/patron API flows, then apply their learning with hands-on exercises using Postman.

🗓️ June 23 — Course 7: Refining API References

This session focuses on refining API references, covering topics like the difference between formal and informal elements, documenting endpoints, fields, and status codes, and writing error messages. Participants will practice these concepts through hands-on exercises in the Swagger Editor, improving the ability to create clear and detailed API documentation.

Register

Summer Session 2 — Class begins July 7, 2025

🗓️ July 7 — Course 1: Understanding APIs

This class introduces the fundamentals of APIs, covering their purpose, how they function, and how to interact with them using tools like Curl, web browsers, and JavaScript applications. It also explores API documentation, its key components, and the tools used to create and maintain it, with hands-on exercises in Swagger UI.

🗓️ July 17 — Course 2: Structured Data & JSON

This class explores structured data with a focus on JSON, covering its format, objects, arrays, and nesting. It includes hands-on exercises with Swagger UI and Postman to construct and send JSON requests, interact with APIs, and handle authentication.

🗓️ July 21 — Course 3: OpenAPI Deep Dive (Part 1)

This class provides a deep dive into OpenAPI and YAML, covering key components like the Info Object, servers, paths, operations, and responses. Through hands-on exercises in Swagger Editor and Curl, participants will practice structuring API definitions, troubleshooting errors, and making API requests.

🗓️ July 28 — Course 4: OpenAPI Deep Dive (Part 2)

This session focuses on query parameters, authentication, and CRUD operations in OpenAPI and Curl. Participants will practice constructing API requests, handling security schemes, and documenting API interactions using Curl and Swagger UI.

🗓️ August 4 — Course 5: API Flows & Diagramming (Part 1)

This session covers user journeys, API flows, and diagramming with Mermaid. Participants will map user interactions, translate them into API flows, and practice authentication flows in a React Admin Panel.

🗓️ August 11 — Course 6: API Flows & Diagramming (Part 2)

This session focuses on the sequence diagramming of API flows, including user login, admin login, and patron actions, using tools like Curl and Mermaid. Participants will diagram and analyze authentication and admin/patron API flows, then apply their learning with hands-on exercises using Postman.

🗓️ August 18 — Course 7: Refining API References

This session focuses on refining API references, covering topics like the difference between formal and informal elements, documenting endpoints, fields, and status codes, and writing error messages. Participants will practice these concepts through hands-on exercises in the Swagger Editor, improving the ability to create clear and detailed API documentation.

Register

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You're in luck if your content strategy could use a tune-up—or a complete overhaul. The content experts at Comtech Services are offering three upcoming training workshops to help you sharpen your skills and streamline your content operations. Whether you prefer instructor-led, in-person training or the convenience of virtual learning, there's an option that fits your schedule.

From harnessing AI in content strategy to building effective taxonomies and mastering advanced reuse strategies, these workshops will help you work smarter, not harder. Keep reading to find the session that's right for you!

Incorporating AI into Your Content Strategy

📅 May 6 – June 24, 2025
🔗 Details: https://comtechservices.com/training/ai-content-strategy/

If AI hasn’t yet infiltrated your content strategy, it’s only a matter of time. (It’s already in your inbox, your search results, and probably judging your Spotify playlists.) This workshop teaches you how to harness AI, ensuring your content operation gets more intelligent, faster, and slightly less soul-crushing. You’ll explore real-world applications of AI in content creation, management, and governance.

This workshop is available both in-person and online. Save 10% off the registration costs when you use discount code — TCW — at checkout.

Creating an Effective Taxonomy

📅 May 7 – June 25, 2025
🔗 Details: https://comtechservices.com/taxonomy/

Some people are naturally organized. Then there are the rest of us who have 47 open browser tabs and still can’t find the document we just downloaded. Taxonomy is the secret to a well-structured content world, and this workshop will teach you how to create order from chaos. If you’ve ever muttered, “Why is everything so hard to find?,” this one’s for you.

This workshop is offered online. In-person workshops for teams can be scheduled for 2 days onsite. Contact CIDM for details.

Save 10% off the registration costs when you use discount code — TCW — at checkout.

Advanced Reuse Strategies (India Standard Time)

📅 May 8 – June 26, 2025
🔗 Details: https://comtechservices.com/training/dita-reuse/

This one’s for the DITA diehards—those who get unreasonably excited about structured content and the thrill of reusing components across multiple deliverables. If your idea of a good time involves maximizing efficiency and reducing redundancy, this workshop will teach you advanced reuse techniques to make your content work twice as hard, so you don’t have to.

Plus, this session is scheduled for India Standard Time, making it ideal for global professionals who want to improve their DITA skills.

This workshop is available both in-person and online.

📌 Pick your workshop, register now, and get ready to make your content work smarter.

The Content Wrangler is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.