TWR

Information Architecture and Topic-based writing

· Sofiya

Information architecture is arranging your information to ensure usability, readability, and information flow. Best way to ensure implementation of information architecture is arranging information logically, using self-explanatory headings.

Arranging information on the basis type of content brings us to topic-based writing. A topic is an independent chunk of information that covers a single idea or task. Any information that you write can be grouped in to one of the following topic types:

  • Concept
  • Task
  • Reference

Concept

This topic type includes conceptual or overview information. These topics provide background information for users about a product or a process so that they can use or learn more about them. Concepts can be broken into sections, but they are primarily comprised of simple paragraphs and unordered lists.

For example, if we are documenting authoring in markdown? A concept topic for this will be Markdown or Markdown overview. This will give user some idea about what is Markdown before they start authoring in it. It can contain information related to markdown, such benefits or key features.

Task Topics

We use task topics to document procedural steps performa a task, or to document the stages within a high level process. A topic gives user information on, how to do something. Using the same example of authoring in Markdown, a task topic can be “Create a Markdown File”.

A task consists of the following sections, and must contain numbered lists:

  • Title Title the starts with a verb. You can use simple present or gerund form of the verb. For example, Create a Markdown File or Creating a Markdown File. Use title case for titles, unless your organizations says differently. Title should be about the task being done in the topic and not about the tool.
  • Before you begin or Prerequisites
  • Procedure
    • Step (Purpose, location, action)
    • Step result
    • Step example
    • Step information
  • Example task
  • Postrequisites -Next Steps
  • Related Topics

UX documentation is mostly about tasks and reference topics.

Reference

This topic is used to explain more information about a concept or task topic, such as codes, types, field description or commands. Any information that needs to go in a table usually goes in a reference topics. In authoring markdown example, a table of various markup options can be a reference topic.