Master this essential documentation concept
Individual pieces of content or documentation pages within a larger knowledge base or documentation system, each focusing on a specific topic or task.
Articles form the backbone of modern documentation systems, serving as discrete units of information that collectively build comprehensive knowledge bases. Each article is designed to be self-contained while contributing to a larger documentation ecosystem.
Technical teams often record meetings, training sessions, and product walkthroughs that contain valuable information about specific features or processes. These videos capture detailed knowledge that should become well-organized articles in your documentation system.
However, when critical information remains trapped in hour-long recordings, knowledge workers struggle to locate specific details, cross-reference related topics, or update outdated information. Your subject matter experts may be creating excellent content in video form, but without transforming these into structured articles, much of that expertise remains inaccessible.
Converting your video content into proper documentation articles solves this challenge by extracting the essential information and organizing it into focused, searchable pages. Each article can be structured around a single topic, making it easier for users to find exactly what they need. When your video demonstrations become step-by-step articles, you can maintain consistency across your knowledge base, apply proper categorization, and ensure content remains current through regular updates—something impossible with static video recordings.
Users struggle to understand new product features due to scattered information across multiple sources and lack of step-by-step guidance.
Create dedicated articles for each feature with standardized templates including overview, prerequisites, step-by-step instructions, and troubleshooting sections.
1. Audit existing feature documentation and identify gaps 2. Develop article templates specific to feature types 3. Create individual articles following the template structure 4. Implement cross-linking between related features 5. Add visual aids and interactive elements 6. Establish review cycles with product teams
Users can quickly find comprehensive information about specific features, leading to improved product adoption and reduced support tickets.
Developers need quick access to specific API endpoints and methods but current documentation is monolithic and difficult to navigate.
Structure API documentation as individual articles for each endpoint, method, or resource with consistent formatting and interactive examples.
1. Break down API documentation by endpoints and methods 2. Create standardized article templates for API references 3. Include code examples, parameter descriptions, and response formats 4. Implement automated testing for code samples 5. Add interactive API explorers within articles 6. Create overview articles linking to detailed endpoint documentation
Developers can quickly locate specific API information, test endpoints directly from documentation, and integrate more efficiently with reduced development time.
Support teams spend excessive time answering repetitive questions while customers struggle to find solutions to common issues.
Build a comprehensive troubleshooting knowledge base with articles addressing specific problems, symptoms, and solutions.
1. Analyze support ticket patterns to identify common issues 2. Create problem-solution article templates 3. Write articles for each identified issue with clear symptoms and step-by-step solutions 4. Implement tagging system for issue categorization 5. Add search functionality with symptom-based keywords 6. Create feedback loops for article effectiveness
Reduced support ticket volume, faster issue resolution for customers, and improved support team efficiency with standardized solution documentation.
New employees experience inconsistent onboarding with missing information and unclear progression through required training materials.
Develop role-specific onboarding articles organized in logical sequences with progress tracking and completion indicators.
1. Map onboarding processes by role and department 2. Create article series for each onboarding track 3. Implement article sequencing and prerequisites 4. Add progress tracking and completion checkmarks 5. Include interactive elements and knowledge checks 6. Establish feedback collection for continuous improvement
Streamlined onboarding process with consistent information delivery, improved new hire satisfaction, and reduced time-to-productivity for new employees.
Each article should address one specific topic, task, or question to ensure clarity and improve searchability. This approach makes content easier to maintain and allows users to find exactly what they need without information overload.
Standardized article templates and formatting create predictable user experiences and streamline the content creation process. Consistent structure helps users navigate content efficiently and enables authors to focus on content quality rather than formatting decisions.
Articles should be designed with findability in mind, incorporating relevant keywords, metadata, and cross-references. Proper optimization ensures users can locate information through search engines, internal search, and browsing navigation.
Documentation articles require ongoing maintenance to remain accurate and useful. Regular review cycles ensure content stays current with product changes, user needs, and industry best practices.
User feedback provides valuable insights into article effectiveness and identifies areas for improvement. Feedback mechanisms help documentation teams understand user needs and continuously improve content quality.
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