After years in the technical writing trenches at industry giants like Cisco, Riverbed, and Akamai, I now lead the Sysdig Documentation team. I’m Shuba Subramaniam, and I’m passionate about creating content that truly helps people — whether they’re exploring Sysdig for the first time or troubleshooting a tricky issue at 2 a.m.
What I do
I lead the Documentation team at Sysdig, where I hire and train team members, plan and design content, and publish Sysdig Secure and Monitor documentation.
In today’s fast-paced tech environment, being a manager is about more than overseeing deliverables or tracking metrics. It’s about fostering growth, building confidence, and helping team members reach their full potential. As the Documentation Team Manager at Sysdig, I’ve learned that mentorship isn’t just a responsibility — it’s an opportunity to make a lasting impact.
The power of daily guidance
The real magic happens in small moments — reviewing a pull request, brainstorming ways to improve communication with engineers, or helping someone navigate a challenging stakeholder conversation. These daily touchpoints require careful attention to time zones and communication styles, but they’re essential for building trust and fostering growth.
Playing to strengths
Great documentation comes from empowering people to follow their passions. Some team members love diving deep into UI workflows and user testing, while others thrive on crafting elegant API documentation and automation scripts. By aligning projects with individual interests, we create opportunities for everyone to excel while also pushing their boundaries.
Embracing technology as an enabler
Modern mentorship means leveraging technology effectively. Our team uses AI tools for script writing and task automation, freeing us to focus on customer journeys, testing, strategic planning, and continuous process improvements. By embracing technology, I guide the team in adapting and thriving in an ever-evolving technical landscape.
Creating a culture of growth
The most effective mentorship happens within a culture that values continuous learning. As a manager-mentor, I strive to:
- Create a safe space for questions and experimentation
- Share knowledge openly, including lessons from my own experiences
- Encourage peer-to-peer learning and collaboration
- Celebrate both successes and lessons learned from failures
Looking forward
The rewards of mentorship flow both ways. While our junior and staff writers gain expertise and confidence, I continue to learn from their fresh perspectives, technical insights, and innovative approaches to documentation challenges. This reciprocal relationship makes our team stronger and more adaptable to change.
Great mentorship isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about asking the right questions and creating an environment where everyone can grow together.