8.5. Quick start content guidelines Copiar enlaceEnlace copiado en el portapapeles!
8.5.1. Card copy Copiar enlaceEnlace copiado en el portapapeles!
You can customize the title and description on a quick start card, but you cannot customize the status.
- Keep your description to one to two sentences.
Start with a verb and communicate the goal of the user. Correct example:
Create a serverless application.
8.5.2. Introduction Copiar enlaceEnlace copiado en el portapapeles!
After clicking a quick start card, a side panel slides in that introduces the quick start and lists the tasks within it.
- Make your introduction content clear, concise, informative, and friendly.
- State the outcome of the quick start. A user should understand the purpose of the quick start before they begin.
Give action to the user, not the quick start.
Correct example:
In this quick start, you will deploy a sample application to {product-title}.Incorrect example:
This quick start shows you how to deploy a sample application to {product-title}.
- The introduction should be a maximum of four to five sentences, depending on the complexity of the feature. A long introduction can overwhelm the user.
List the quick start tasks after the introduction content, and start each task with a verb. Do not specify the number of tasks because the copy would need to be updated every time a task is added or removed.
Correct example:
Tasks to complete: Create a serverless application; Connect an event source; Force a new revisionIncorrect example:
You will complete these 3 tasks: Creating a serverless application; Connecting an event source; Forcing a new revision
8.5.3. Task steps Copiar enlaceEnlace copiado en el portapapeles!
After the user clicks Start, a series of steps appears that they must perform to complete the quick start.
Follow these general guidelines when writing task steps:
- Use "Click" for buttons and labels. Use "Select" for checkboxes, radio buttons, and drop-down menus.
Use "Click" instead of "Click on"
Correct example:
Click OK.Incorrect example:
Click on the OK button.
Tell users how to navigate between Administrator and Developer perspectives. Even if you think a user might already be in the appropriate perspective, give them instructions on how to get there so that they are definitely where they need to be.
Examples:
Enter the Developer perspective: In the main navigation, click the dropdown menu and select Developer. Enter the Administrator perspective: In the main navigation, click the dropdown menu and select Admin.Use the "Location, action" structure. Tell a user where to go before telling them what to do.
Correct example:
In the node.js deployment, hover over the icon.Incorrect example:
Hover over the icon in the node.js deployment.
- Keep your product terminology capitalization consistent.
- If you must specify a menu type or list as a dropdown, write "dropdown” as one word without a hyphen.
Clearly distinguish between a user action and additional information on product functionality.
User action:
Change the time range of the dashboard by clicking the dropdown menu and selecting time range.Additional information:
To look at data in a specific time frame, you can change the time range of the dashboard.
Avoid directional language, like "In the top-right corner, click the icon". Directional language becomes outdated every time UI layouts change. Also, a direction for desktop users might not be accurate for users with a different screen size. Instead, identify something using its name.
Correct example:
In the navigation menu, click Settings.Incorrect example:
In the left-hand menu, click Settings.
Do not identify items by color alone, like "Click the gray circle". Color identifiers are not useful for sight-limited users, especially colorblind users. Instead, identify an item using its name or copy, like button copy.
Correct example:
The success message indicates a connection.Incorrect example:
The message with a green icon indicates a connection.
Use the second-person point of view, you, consistently:
Correct example:
Set up your environment.Incorrect example:
Let's set up our environment.
8.5.4. Check your work module Copiar enlaceEnlace copiado en el portapapeles!
After a user completes a step, a Check your work module appears. This module prompts the user to answer a yes or no question about the step results, which gives them the opportunity to review their work. For this module, you only need to write a single yes or no question.
- If the user answers Yes, a check mark will appear.
- If the user answers No, an error message appears with a link to relevant documentation, if necessary. The user then has the opportunity to go back and try again.
8.5.5. Formatting UI elements Copiar enlaceEnlace copiado en el portapapeles!
Format UI elements using these guidelines:
- Copy for buttons, dropdowns, tabs, fields, and other UI controls: Write the copy as it appears in the UI and bold it.
- All other UI elements—including page, window, and panel names: Write the copy as it appears in the UI and bold it.
- Code or user-entered text: Use monospaced font.
- Hints: If a hint to a navigation or masthead element is included, style the text as you would a link.
- CLI commands: Use monospaced font.
- In running text, use a bold, monospaced font for a command.
- If a parameter or option is a variable value, use an italic monospaced font.
- Use a bold, monospaced font for the parameter and a monospaced font for the option.