Differences
This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.
| Both sides previous revision Previous revision Next revision | Previous revision Next revision Both sides next revision | ||
|
best_practices_for_managing_this_wiki [2009/04/28 18:21] mbanach |
best_practices_for_managing_this_wiki [2009/05/14 14:21] mbanach |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| ====== Best Practices for Managing This Wiki ====== | ====== Best Practices for Managing This Wiki ====== | ||
| - | Topics on this page address common practices, or standards, for creating, editing and managing content on the Acquisitions, Cataloging & Processing Staff Wiki. Applying these conventions will create a more friendly environment for wiki users. In addition to what's covered here, the [[http://webman.library.umass.edu/doku.php?id=bestpractices|Best Practice Guidelines for Web Content Creation]] is a useful and relevant document. | + | Topics on this page address common practices, or standards, for creating, editing and managing content on the Acquisitions, Cataloging & Processing Staff Wiki. Applying these conventions will create a more friendly environment for wiki users. In addition to what's covered here, the UMass Libraries Web Coordinating Committee [[http://webman.library.umass.edu/doku.php?id=bestpractices|Best Practice Guidelines for Web Content Creation]] is a useful and relevant document. |
| + | ===== Creating new pages ===== | ||
| + | Before you create a new page, review existing pages on the wiki to look for the same or related content. Browse the index or body of the Start page, and do a search for terms that describe the subjects in your new page. If your documentation might be integrated into an existing page, discuss the possibilities with its primary contact. If the workflow or procedure you are describing is related to another one, link to it. Our goal is to provide a streamlined set of documents without redundancy. This also relates to [[http://wws.library.umass.edu/wikis/acp/doku.php?id=best_practices_for_managing_this_wiki#documenting_workflows_that_span_across_more_than_one_unit|Documenting Workflows that Span Across More Than One Unit]]. | ||
| ===== Naming new pages ===== | ===== Naming new pages ===== | ||
| When you create a new page, type the shortest, most descriptive and sensible title possible. Start with a word that is essential to what the file is about, e.g. "serials" or "monographs", rather than its type, e.g. "workflow" or "procedure". Give this some thought before you actually create the file. Make it plain English. It's easier to choose a good name at the outset than it is to delete a file and create a new one with a better name. | When you create a new page, type the shortest, most descriptive and sensible title possible. Start with a word that is essential to what the file is about, e.g. "serials" or "monographs", rather than its type, e.g. "workflow" or "procedure". Give this some thought before you actually create the file. Make it plain English. It's easier to choose a good name at the outset than it is to delete a file and create a new one with a better name. | ||
| Line 24: | Line 26: | ||
| A job that involves multiple units should be documented in one file and linked from multiple departmental areas of the home page. Furthermore, headings should be used to designate different parts and areas of responsibility, thus generating the file’s Table of Contents and navigation links. For a good example of this, please see the [[Serials New Titles]] file which covers steps taken in several units to add a new serial title to our collections. This will make it easier for staff to understand the entire workflow rather than just their own narrow function in the workflow. Knowing who else is involved in the workflow and what their responsibilities in the workflow are can often be helpful. | A job that involves multiple units should be documented in one file and linked from multiple departmental areas of the home page. Furthermore, headings should be used to designate different parts and areas of responsibility, thus generating the file’s Table of Contents and navigation links. For a good example of this, please see the [[Serials New Titles]] file which covers steps taken in several units to add a new serial title to our collections. This will make it easier for staff to understand the entire workflow rather than just their own narrow function in the workflow. Knowing who else is involved in the workflow and what their responsibilities in the workflow are can often be helpful. | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | ===== Reviewing a page draft ===== | ||
| + | After you've written a new page, solicit feedback from your colleagues about its clarity, accuracy and comprehensiveness. It's difficult to transfer a process you know well from your head to writing, and something that might be crystal clear to you might be confusing to others. Try to consider others needs for the documentation and incorporate it in the text and/or formatting. | ||
| ===== Signing up for email notifications about changes made to wiki pages ===== | ===== Signing up for email notifications about changes made to wiki pages ===== | ||
