Why & How to Create Docs that Rock

Workshop covering how to create great docs, what to write, an overview of the WooCommerce Style Guide, and how to test, revise and update.

*Delivered at WooConf 2017 https://wooconf.com/schedule/
Watch the video on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZBJgRW4vC8

Transcript

1. WHY AND HOW TO CREATE DOCS THAT ROCK KAT CHRISTOFER
3. OUTLINE ‣ I: TRUTH ABOUT DOCS ‣ II: WHAT MAKES A GREAT DOC ‣ III: HOW TO CREATE DOCS THAT ROCK ‣ IV: TEST YOUR DOC ‣ V: HOW TO MAINTAIN DOCS
4. SEXY SUPER FUN CUTE & CUDDLY TRUTH
5. SUPPORT RESOURCES GROWTH EMPOWERMENT
 - USERS - TEAM NOW ALSO TRUE
6. WHAT MAKES A GREAT DOC
7. GET READY TO ROCK A. WHERE > SITE > TYPES B. HOW TO PRESENT DOC > UX > TEMPLATES
10. GET READY TO ROCK A. WHERE > SITE > TYPES B. HOW TO PRESENT DOC > UX > TEMPLATES C. HOW TO PRESENT CONTENT > STYLE GUIDE
14. GET READY TO ROCK A. WHERE > SITE > TYPES B. HOW TO PRESENT DOC > UX > TEMPLATES C. HOW TO PRESENT CONTENT > STYLE GUIDE D. WHAT TO WRITE
15. WRITING A GREAT DOC ▸ Clear ▸ Consistent ▸ Empathetic ▸ Helpful ▸ Pithy ▸ Specific > Go to: ▸ Comprehensive ▸ Plain Language > Enables Translation
17. GET READY TO ROCK A. WHERE > SITE > TYPES B. HOW TO PRESENT DOC > UX > TEMPLATES C. HOW TO PRESENT CONTENT > STYLE GUIDE D. WHAT TO WRITE E. WHAT TO SHOW > SCREENSHOTS
18. TAKING A GREAT SCREENSHOT ▸ High quality ▸ Consistent - Theme, App, Arrows ▸ Context ▸ Current ▸ Complete but conservative > Audience/Mobile ▸ Alternative: Jetpack
19. HOW TO CREATE A GREAT DOC
20. ‣ TECHNICAL EDITING - JUDY TARUTZ ‣ INSIDER’S GUIDE TO TECH WRITING - VAN LAAN & HACKOS ‣ READ THIS FIRST - SUN TECHNICAL 1. ORGANIZE - STRATEGIZE 2. OUTLINE > DRAFT 3. ADD IMAGES 4. PREVIEW/REVIEW 5. PROOFREAD STEPS
21. NOT WRITING DOCS? HIRE SOMEONE. INVESTMENT IS WORTH IT LONG TERM. Write the Docs TEXT
22. TEST YOUR DOC
23. ‣ PROCESS USED AT WOO 1. PRODUCT TESTING 2. USE THE DOC 3. REVISE 4. REPEAT 5. REVISE AGAIN STEPS
24. HOW TO MAINTAIN AND UPDATE DOCS
25. METHODS AND SOURCES ▸ SUPPORT TEAM ▸ USER FEEDBACK ▸ RELEASE TRACKING
28. METHODS AND SOURCES ▸ SUPPORT TEAM ▸ USER FEEDBACK ▸ RELEASE TRACKING ▸ CHANNEL ▸ DATA > PROACTIVE
30. RESOURCES WOO DOCS
 https://docs.woocommerce.com/ TEMPLATES
 Payment Gateway https://docs.woocommerce.com/document/docs-template-payment-gateway/
 Extension/Add-on https://docs.woocommerce.com/document/docs-template-extension/ WOO STYLE & WRITING GUIDE
 https://woostyleguide.wordpress.com/ To be made public when Marketplace opens to new devs BOOKS Technical Editing by Judy Tarutz Insider’s Guide to Technical Writing by Kristan Van Laan Read This First Sun Technical Write the Docs community and resources http://www.writethedocs.org/ HOW TO CONTACT 
 WordPress Slack @californiakat
 GitHub @californiakat
 Twitter @katchristofer
31. THANK YOU! ☺
32. KAT CHRISTOFER @katchristofer