Emphasize different sections with bolding, colored boxes, indentations, etc.Ĭonsider using block authoring to make it easier to move sections on your policies and procedures as you are writing them.ĭon’t just tell end-users what they need to do - show end-users what they need to do by incorporating screenshots and images. Use design tools that help make it easier for the reader to skim the article. Leave out corporate jargon.Ĭlear knowledge base articles go beyond written words. Your knowledge base articles should be clearly written with language that your end-user uses. If your knowledge base articles are confusing, then they aren’t serving their purpose. By following procedures, finding policies, and accessing other important company information, end-users know what to do. Your knowledge base articles help your end-users when they get stuck. Clear knowledge base articles that are easy to follow It will make editing knowledge base articles easier. However, it can be a long and arduous process to incorporate screenshots.Ī good knowledge base will have tools to make the writing process, including simplifying the screenshot and embedding steps with tools.Īlso, make sure your knowledge base software has collaboration options. Most, if not all, knowledge base companies include embedding images and videos. One common challenge knowledge base authors encounter is how to incorporate images in articles. Provide them with a knowledge base that has tools that speed up and simplify the creation process. Make it easy for your content authors to create knowledge base articles. And someone has to write all of those articles. Your knowledge base is (or will be) home to a lot of knowledge base articles. to make it easier for end-users to access the information they need. Other ways knowledge base companies improve the search experience is by using other tools - like contextual help, bookmarks, etc. Not all knowledge base software achieves this.Ī good search function makes it fast and easy for end-users to find the guides they need. One way knowledge base companies do that is via the search bar. Your knowledge base is a private Google for your business. So, I’ll say it again - a high-functioning search engine is essential to your knowledge base. You need your end-users to be able to find your knowledge base articles if you want them to support your end-users. Think about it: the purpose of your knowledge base is to store all the important knowledge in your company. The functionality of your search engine is so important in your knowledge base. If you write your guides in a web-based knowledge base, those applications are designed to react when you adjust the screen’s size.Įven without a mobile app, a web-based knowledge base allows you to pull it up on your phone and make it smaller so it can be on the screen without needing to make adjustments to the document. Or you end up scrolling left-and-right and up-and-down when you need to make your document fit in a smaller part of your screen. Depending on your knowledge base software, that could include features like foldable sections, pop-up links, interactive decision trees, or other interactive elements.Īdditionally, the difference between a web-based and a desktop knowledge base is that the web-based knowledge base can be responsive.įor example, if you are writing your knowledge base articles in Microsoft Word or PDFs, then you can’t resize those documents without doing a whole lot of maneuvering. It doesn’t live on your desktop.Ī web-based application allows you to have more interactive features and functions. The best knowledge base software is a web-based or cloud-based application. This first tip may feel like a “no-duh,” but it is important to remember. □ Related: 5 Tips For Choosing the Best Knowledge Base Software For Your Business 1. Here are 12 best practices for your knowledge base to help make your end-users effective and efficient as they use your knowledge base. This research has helped me understand the different elements that make up a good knowledge base. Every software has different things that it excels at as well as weaknesses.īy researching these different knowledge base software services, I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t work. It needs to help them accomplish the tasks they set out to do.Īs the content manager for ScreenSteps - a knowledge base software company - I’ve researched a variety of different knowledge base software. You want your knowledge base to help your end-users get unstuck. When it comes to your knowledge base, making it good is less about an opinion as much as it is about the results your knowledge base yields. Like mom’s home cooking, is it good or is it just what you grew up on? (In case anyone is wondering, my mom’s cooking really is good.)
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