{"id":22,"date":"2022-01-14T16:29:40","date_gmt":"2022-01-14T16:29:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/digital-content-and-development\/?p=22"},"modified":"2022-01-14T16:29:40","modified_gmt":"2022-01-14T16:29:40","slug":"how-to-write-a-typecase-manual-a-manual","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/digital-content-and-development\/2022\/01\/14\/how-to-write-a-typecase-manual-a-manual\/","title":{"rendered":"How to write a Typecase Manual: A manual"},"content":{"rendered":"

This manual will explain how you, a Content Writer in the Digital Content Team, can create a\u00a0Manual for using Typecase.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Step one: Decide why you are writing a\u00a0Manual<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

After talking with all members of the Content team, you will decide that your main goal is to write a collection of guidance for all Typecase users, to help them to create clear, functional, and accessible content for the University of Bath website.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With the recent implementation of new components and Lens content types,\u00a0you and your team\u00a0will\u00a0agree that the Typecase guidance currently published on the website needs\u00a0to not only cover these changes but will\u00a0also\u00a0benefit from a complete restructure.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Step two:\u00a0Do some research<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Run a Google Analytics report on the current guidance\u00a0on the website\u00a0to assess its performance. Be pleasantly surprised at how popular some of the\u00a0guides\u00a0are.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Have a look at some other people\u2019s editorial style guides and CMS manuals, like Gov.uk, Mailchimp, University of St. Andrews, and Oxford Brookes. Create a document to list the pros of these guides (so you can adopt them) and the cons (so you can avoid them).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Step\u00a0three:\u00a0Build the\u00a0Component\u00a0Matrix\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Your\u00a0next task\u00a0is\u00a0to\u00a0understand\u00a0all\u00a0the\u00a0Lens components and\u00a0what they do.\u00a0Set up a spreadsheet\u00a0that cross-references\u00a0all 60\u00a0components and the Content types they can\u00a0<\/span>be\u00a0<\/span>used on. Subsequently, name it \u2018The Matrix\u2019 and refer to it throughout the Manual planning process.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Optional step:<\/strong>\u00a0Feel like Susie Dent in\u00a0Dictionary\u00a0Corner every time someone asks you\u00a0where\u00a0a component can be\u00a0used\u00a0and you know it (almost) off the top of your head.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Step\u00a0four:\u00a0Take part in a user story planning session<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Go to the real-life office (with a face mask and hand sanitiser) to see the Content team. Raid the stationery cupboard for Sharpies and sticky notes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On the sticky notes, write as many user stories as you can think of about the work Typecase users do and the tasks they're trying to complete. For example:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As a: Typecase editor\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

I need: to\u00a0know how to write a good page title\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

So\u00a0I can:\u00a0make sure people can find my page on the website\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Using a whiteboard or row of windows, arrange\u00a0everyone\u2019s sticky notes into a diagram of user journeys, also known as\u00a0a Wall of Crazy.\u00a0Use the Wall of Crazy to plan the structure of the Typecase Manual and decide which sections you will tackle first.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

You will decide that writing guidance on Lens components should be the first step, followed by guidance on each Lens Content type, then, in the future, guidance on formatting, language, content maintenance,\u00a0and writing for the web.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Just over the horizon, you will see a cloud of impending doom\u00a0in the shape of\u00a0a\u00a0Typecase for Courses\u00a0Manual. Don\u2019t look at this. Don\u2019t think about this.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Step five:\u00a0Write the manual<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Applying\u00a0every last\u00a0drop of the knowledge you have of Typecase, write the guides. Write in plain English, use accessible formatting, and follow the editorial style guide, lest you be accused of not following your own rules!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Step\u00a0six:\u00a0Find someone to user test the manual<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

At this point in the process, you will have a new Content Writer in the team.\u00a0Go for a celebratory lunch!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As they haven\u2019t used Typecase much before, the new Content Writer will be the perfect user tester for your guides. Get them to make some content in the Typecase Training site using the instructions from the Manual and ask them to write down anything that doesn\u2019t make sense or seems to be missing. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Use this feedback to edit the guides until they are clear and can be understood by everyone.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Step seven:\u00a0Request review and publish<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Let the Content Designers and Head of\u00a0Content\u00a0Strategy know that the Manual is ready to be reviewed so that,\u00a0by\u00a0utilising the\u00a0combined\u00a0genius\u00a0of the Content team,\u00a0you can produce, quite\u00a0frankly, The Greatest Manual Ever Written.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After review and edit, you will be able to publish the Typecase Manual on the University website\u00a0so editors can read it and create their best content.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sit back and relax in the knowledge that nothing will go wrong on the website ever again.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Optional step:<\/strong>\u00a0Print\u00a0the Manual\u00a0out.\u00a0Bind\u00a0and autograph it. Return to the office and, \u00e0 la Susie,\u00a0set up your own\u00a0Typecase\u00a0Manual Corner.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This manual will explain how you, a Content Writer in the Digital Content Team, can create a\u00a0Manual for using Typecase.\u00a0 Step one: Decide why you are writing a\u00a0Manual\u00a0\u00a0 After talking with all members of the Content team, you will decide...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1272,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-content-guidance"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/digital-content-and-development\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/digital-content-and-development\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/digital-content-and-development\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/digital-content-and-development\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1272"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/digital-content-and-development\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/digital-content-and-development\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/digital-content-and-development\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/digital-content-and-development\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/digital-content-and-development\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}