Procedure: KM / Add public-facing content to the KB

Objective

• To provide instruction on adding proactive, public-facing Knowledge content to the Knowledge Base (KB)
• To provide links to templates typically used in a public-facing category: 
  • Public-facing article
  • Request article
  • Guide/Directory article
  • Best Practice article
  • Notice/Redirect/Prompt article

User

• Miami University IT Services
  • KB Contributor
  • KB Subject-matter Expert (SME) & Editor
  • KB Owner (Service Owner/Group Manager)
  • KB Publisher
• Knowledge Management Process Owner

Environment

• 348532: Knowledge Base (KB)
• 56345: Knowledge Management (KM 2.0)
• 349513: Knowledge Base Team Drives

Procedure

1. In the client portal, open the KB folder assigned to your group 
2. In the folder, click the + New Article button to open a new document
3. The Category field will be auto-populated with the name of the folder you selected
4. Leave the Order field set at 1
   • Do not check the Pin Article box
5. In the Subject field, enter the title of your article according to this format:
   • <Service, App, or Asset Name> / <Direct Action or Specific Issue>
6. In the editor tool bar, click the Templates option
7. From the drop-down, select the USER Instructions template
   • Your template will be automatically loaded into the editor window
8. Follow the instructional text under each header to complete each section
   • Write in complete thoughts, not complete sentences — this isn't a hi-tech tech paper 
   • Use the appropriate level of direction for your public reader — imagine explaining a tech procedure to your mom
   • Number procedural steps
   • Label links descriptively, and include the correct hyperlink for each
     • Example: Choose the right template for your KB article
   • Use proper names when referring to products, applications, etc — check out our approved spelling list! 
   • Do not use graphics or content attachments 
     • Ask about the Knowledge Base Team Drives, where you can store inaccessible content and generate a limited-permissions link for your KB article
   • Do not use images or tables, unless you know how to format to accessibility standards
     • Ask about the Knowledge Base Team Drives, where you can store inaccessible content and generate a limited-permissions link for your KB article
9. Leave Summary and Tags fields blank 
10. Click the Status field and select Submitted from the drop-down to submit your article for review and publication in the KB
    • Select Not Submitted from the drop-down if you are not ready to submit your article for publication
11. DO NOT CHECK the Published to KB check box
12. Leave the Next Review Date field blank
13. In the Owner field, enter and select the name of your group manager or the asset service owner
14. Check the Notify Owner on Feedback box
15. In the Responsible SME or Group list, check the box next to your name
16. Save! Save! Save!
    • Your saved and submitted draft will appear on my TDX report of drafts to be reviewed and prepped for publication

Notes

• Viewing Permissions
  • Your article will be published according to the viewing permissions of the category selected; most are public-facing
  • If viewing permissions should be restricted to an internal group, email the KBManager before submitting your article for publication
     
• What happens next? (Everything else you should know)
  • As your KBManager, it's my job to make sure that your content is readable, presentable, current, and properly curated until it is committed to the great archive in the ether
  • When you submit your article for publication, I will:
    • Review format and content for accessibility, accuracy, clarity, completeness, grammar, placement, and permissions
      • Edit format and content, if necessary
    • Add internal-use artifacts, like reporting tags, an asset record, and a currency review date
    • Add related article links and back-link from associated service request forms, as needed
  • And when everything is copacetic, I will publish your article to the KB
    • I will also notify you of publication in the Slack channel #kb_knowbodies
  • I will not research or write your article for you, and I will not harass you for missing information
    • Incomplete or inaccurate drafts will be returned to you with a detailed request for revision
    • Unsubmitted and unpublished drafts will be considered abandoned documents and, after ample and direct notice, removed from the KB

Related Documents

• Currency review of published Knowledge articles
• Retire obsolete KB articles to archive
• Consignment of abandoned or incomplete articles to the virtual round-file