IT Services - "How To" Article - Information Technology

Overview

How To's are articles with step-by-step instructions for completing a tasks and procedures.

How To titles will usually contain action words to indicate a task or process
How To's contain 3 sections:
- Overview - Concise description of the process - What is this? What is it used for? Who uses this (faculty, staff, students)?
- Critical Concepts - Key ideas - things to keep in mind, common misunderstandings, definitions
- Steps to Follow - instructions or flow chart, detailing the steps of a process or procedure

Select How To template to setup article structure. The templates options are located underneath the article body section.

- If you have a process that has many primary substeps , use How To (Steps w/substeps). See example linked below if unsure.
- Make sure to select Knowledge Type: How To
This will divide the page into 3 sections with the following headings (using Heading 2 (h2)):
- Overview
- Critical Concepts
- Steps to Take
In Overview section enter a concise description of the process, considering the following questions:
- What is this?
- What is it used for?
- Who is the primary audience of this article?
In Critical Concepts section, enter bullet points of Key Concepts:
- Include the following as needed:
  - Things to keep in mind
  - Goals
  - Definitions
  - Prerequisites to the process
  - Common misunderstandings
- Ask yourself:
  - Is this a step that needs to be taken OR is this something to keep in mind. If it is something that needs to be "done" to accomplish the goal, it is most likely a Step to Follow.
In Steps to Follow section, rename subheadings as needed (or erase if no further breakdown necessary)
Enter detailed walkthrough of the process, this can include:
- Step-by-Step procedures, instructions
- Work flow charts, process maps

If you need further assistance with creating or editing Knowledge Base articles, please submit a ticket or email us at servicedesk@ucsd.edu