Knowledge Base Article Requirements Rubric

• Is this article for our customers?
  • If yes:
    • Is it general content for everyone?
      • The article should have Public view (default; see the Permissions tab for the article
    • Is it UO-focused content (i.e., security guidelines, recommendations, etc.)?
      • The article should not have Public view:
        1. Go to the article's Permissions tab
        2. Deselect the Public checkbox,
        3. Then select Save.
  • If no,
    • It is for internal-use only and may need to reside in Confluence, SharePoint, or a file share.

• Proper web headings are used to separate sections
  • Purpose or Overview (Heading 2)
  • Main content headings (Heading 2)
  • Content sub-headings (Heading 3-7)
• Headings are used in sequence:
  • Heading 2 leads to Heading 3 leads to Heading 4
  • Not: Heading 2 to Heading 4

• Clear article summary
  • Brief description of the article's contents
• Its intended audience
• Any access prerequisites including:
  • Software installation
  • Account access
  • Knowledge requirements

• Ensure there is a tag for the specific audience of the article (i.e., students, faculty, staff, retired, courtesy, etc.)
  1. Go to the article's Settings tab,
  2. Enter the appropriate tag(s)
  3. Then Save.

• Refer to the Knowledge Base Style Guide and UO Editorial Style Guide for further reference on any specifics
  • Helpful link: Knowledge Base Glossary of Terms

• Internal and external links need to be descriptive using the article's title (do not copy-paste the URL)
• Links may be within either a separate section or in-line with the content

To add an related article or service:

1. Go to the article's Related Article (or Related Service) tab,
2. Enter the name of the article (or service)
3. Select Save to finish the relation. 

• Question/Solution
• FAQ
• Getting Started
• Issue/Cause/Resolution
• Process/Procedure

1. Bold for words in a link or button (with exact text referenced; no quotation marks)
2. Italics for emphasizing words (no quotation marks)
3. Hyperlinked text is descriptive (e.g., not click here or a URL but the university's homepage)
4. Use Formatted text or computer code font for any code references
5. Use bulleted lists for unordered lists
6. Use numbered lists for specifically ordered lists (e.g., for step-by-step guidance)
7. Images are within the list formatting (Shift+Enter to create space to add the image)
   1. Images should be placed below the text describing it unless it is explaining an annotated image with multiple labels.
8. File extensions properly referenced (e.g., PDF file, DOC file)
9. One space after all punctuation, zero spaces for list items, hyphens, and ends of paragraphs
10. Time - (H)H:MM (a.m./p.m.)
11. No use of directional text (i.e., above, below, left, right, etc.) unless it is incorporated within the name of the reference.

• Do I?
• Note
• Please Note
• Success
• Warning

• Ensure that alt text is being used to describe the image or its conveyed meaning for web accessibility compliance
  • Keep alt text at 125 characters or fewer
• Ensure that all semantic icons have their aria-label changed from "icon" to "your desired meaning" (Can only be done in the Source view of the article editor.)
  • For example: For a check mark icon indicating yes, change the aria-label from "icon" to "yes"
• Annotate images if you're pointing to a specific location (e.g., when describing a process using screenshots)

• High audio fidelity and quality
• Included with a transcript

• High video resolution and quality
• Subtitles or captioning is used to describe speech, audio/music, or instructions