Use Context
Content Components
Look and Feel
Sample Pages
Use Context
Step-by-step guides are granular, highly-detailed guides. Each helps the user complete one specific, narrow task within an application. These guides are intended for harried, surgical users that need to accomplish goals quickly and precisely. Step-by-step guides are the most basic unit of the Knowledge Base.
Content Components
| Purpose | Style | Sample text | |
|---|---|---|---|
| title | states the task the user will accomplish. | The title begins with an imperative verb (if possible). | Allow Comments |
| introduction | provides context to the task and alerts readers to potential issues or prerequisites. Introductions are optional: use them sparingly. | The introduction is no more than two sentences long. | To create a WordPress site associated with UVa, first create a UVaCollab course or collaboration site. These WordPress accounts have additional features not associated with the free version of WordPress. |
| direction line | lists the primary steps the reader follows to complete the task, in numerical order. Each direction can include sub-direction lines, orientation lines and/or confirmation lines listed beneath them. | Directions are very specific and begin with an imperative verb. Do not use periods at the end of lines, and address the reader directly. | 1. Click on the button to the left |
| sub-direction line | lists smaller steps that help the reader complete the larger direction. These are rare: use them when the main direction is optional. Only use sub-direction lines if making them direction lines would impede the flow of the guide. | See style for direction lines. | See direction line examples. |
| orientation line | provides additional information to help readers complete the step. This includes location information, password requirements, etc. | Address the reader directly. Don't use periods at the end of the line.
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| confirmation line | describes what should happen after the direction is accomplished successfully. | Use future tense. Do not use periods at the end of lines. |
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| clickable link names | indicates which elements users can click within the application. | Use terminology and capitalization from the application if possible. | the red button Home Dashboard |
Look and Feel
direction line: use the numbered list in the editor
- Click on the button
sub-direction line: use the numbered list in the editor
- Click on the button
- Follow the directions on the screen
orientation line: use the bulleted list in the editor
- Click on the button
- The page will appear
clickable link names: bold in editor
- Click on Here
confirmation line: use Heading 6 and the bulleted list in the editor
- Click on the button
The page will appear