AI Overview
To set up a procedure on Discourse for creating knowledge base articles, you should: first define a dedicated category for knowledge base articles, establish clear guidelines for writing style and formatting, designate specific user roles for article creation and review, implement a tagging system to categorize topics, and utilize Discourse’s built-in features like topic linking and version control to manage content effectively; then, encourage users to submit new articles within the designated category, following the established guidelines, with a review process involving designated editors before publishing.
Key steps to set up a Discourse knowledge base procedure:
- Category Structure:
- Create a dedicated category:
Establish a top-level category specifically for knowledge base articles, ensuring clear separation from other forum discussions.
- Subcategories (optional):
Depending on the complexity of your knowledge base, create subcategories to organize articles by topic or functional area.
- Content Guidelines:
- Style guide:
Develop a comprehensive style guide outlining preferred writing tone, formatting standards (headings, lists, bold text), and terminology to maintain consistency.
- Article structure:
Define a preferred structure for knowledge base articles, including sections like introduction, steps, examples, and related topics.
- User Roles:
- Contributor role:
Assign a “Contributor” role to users who can create new knowledge base articles within the designated category.
- Editor role:
Designate “Editor” roles to users responsible for reviewing, editing, and approving articles before publishing.
- Tagging System:
- Relevant tags:
Implement a tagging system to categorize articles by topic, allowing for easy search and filtering.
- Tagging guidelines:
Provide clear instructions on how to use tags effectively, avoiding redundancy and maintaining consistency.
- Content Creation Process:
- New topic creation:
Encourage contributors to create new topics within the knowledge base category.
- Title clarity:
Emphasize the importance of using clear and descriptive titles for easy discoverability.
- Content quality:
Guide users to write concise, informative articles addressing specific issues with step-by-step instructions when necessary.
- Review and Publishing:
- Review process:
Once a contributor submits an article, designated editors should review it for accuracy, style, and completeness.
- Feedback and revisions:
Editors should provide feedback to contributors and allow for necessary revisions before approval.
- Publishing:
Once approved, the article should be published within the knowledge base category.
- Maintenance and Improvement:
- Regular updates:
Encourage users to update existing articles with new information or to report outdated content.
- Feedback mechanism:
Implement a system to gather feedback from users on the quality and relevance of knowledge base articles.
Important Considerations:
- Discourse features:
Utilize Discourse features like topic linking to connect related articles, version control to track changes, and the search function to improve accessibility.
- Community engagement:
Promote active participation by encouraging users to contribute and share their knowledge.
- Training:
Provide clear instructions and training for users on how to create and manage knowledge base articles within the Discourse platform.