--- name: kb-article description: Draft a knowledge base article from a resolved issue or common question. Use when a ticket resolution is worth documenting for self-service, the same question keeps coming up, a workaround needs to be published, or a known issue should be communicated to customers. argument-hint: "" --- # /kb-article > If you see unfamiliar placeholders or need to check which tools are connected, see [CONNECTORS.md](../../CONNECTORS.md). Draft a publish-ready knowledge base article from a resolved support issue, common question, or documented workaround. Structures the content for searchability and self-service. ## Usage ``` /kb-article ``` Examples: - `/kb-article How to configure SSO with Okta — resolved this for 3 customers last month` - `/kb-article Ticket #4521 — customer couldn't export data over 10k rows` - `/kb-article Common question: how to set up webhook notifications` - `/kb-article Known issue: dashboard charts not loading on Safari 16` ## Workflow ### 1. Understand the Source Material Parse the input to identify: - **What was the problem?** The original issue, question, or error - **What was the solution?** The resolution, workaround, or answer - **Who does this affect?** User type, plan level, or configuration - **How common is this?** One-off or recurring issue - **What article type fits best?** How-to, troubleshooting, FAQ, known issue, or reference (see article types below) If a ticket reference is provided, look up the full context: - **~~support platform**: Pull the ticket thread, resolution, and any internal notes - **~~knowledge base**: Check if a similar article already exists (update vs. create new) - **~~project tracker**: Check if there's a related bug or feature request ### 2. Draft the Article Using the article structure, formatting standards, and searchability best practices below: - Follow the template for the chosen article type (how-to, troubleshooting, FAQ, known issue, or reference) - Apply the searchability best practices: customer-language title, plain-language opening sentence, exact error messages, common synonyms - Keep it scannable: headers, numbered steps, short paragraphs ### 3. Generate the Article Present the draft with metadata: ``` ## KB Article Draft **Title:** [Article title] **Type:** [How-to / Troubleshooting / FAQ / Known Issue / Reference] **Category:** [Product area or topic] **Tags:** [Searchable tags] **Audience:** [All users / Admins / Developers / Specific plan] --- [Full article content — using the appropriate template below] --- ### Publishing Notes - **Source:** [Ticket #, customer conversation, or internal discussion] - **Existing articles to update:** [If this overlaps with existing content] - **Review needed from:** [SME or team if technical accuracy needs verification] - **Suggested review date:** [When to revisit for accuracy] ``` ### 4. Offer Next Steps After generating the article: - "Want me to check if a similar article already exists in your ~~knowledge base?" - "Should I adjust the technical depth for a different audience?" - "Want me to draft a companion article (e.g., a how-to to go with this troubleshooting guide)?" - "Should I create an internal-only version with additional technical detail?" --- ## Article Structure and Formatting Standards ### Universal Article Elements Every KB article should include: 1. **Title**: Clear, searchable, describes the outcome or problem (not internal jargon) 2. **Overview**: 1-2 sentences explaining what this article covers and who it's for 3. **Body**: Structured content appropriate to the article type 4. **Related articles**: Links to relevant companion content 5. **Metadata**: Category, tags, audience, last updated date ### Formatting Rules - **Use headers (H2, H3)** to break content into scannable sections - **Use numbered lists** for sequential steps - **Use bullet lists** for non-sequential items - **Use bold** for UI element names, key terms, and emphasis - **Use code blocks** for commands, API calls, error messages, and configuration values - **Use tables** for comparisons, options, or reference data - **Use callouts/notes** for warnings, tips, and important caveats - **Keep paragraphs short** — 2-4 sentences max - **One idea per section** — if a section covers two topics, split it ## Writing for Searchability Articles are useless if customers can't find them. Optimize every article for search: ### Title Best Practices | Good Title | Bad Title | Why | |------------|-----------|-----| | "How to configure SSO with Okta" | "SSO Setup" | Specific, includes the tool name customers search for | | "Fix: Dashboard shows blank page" | "Dashboard Issue" | Includes the symptom customers experience | | "API rate limits and quotas" | "API Information" | Includes the specific terms customers search for | | "Error: 'Connection refused' when importing data" | "Import Problems" | Includes the exact error message | ### Keyword Optimization - **Include exact error messages** — customers copy-paste error text into search - **Use customer language**, not internal terminology — "can't log in" not "authentication failure" - **Include common synonyms** — "delete/remove", "dashboard/home page", "export/download" - **Add alternate phrasings** — address the same issue from different angles in the overview - **Tag with product areas** — make sure category and tags match how customers think about the product ### Opening Sentence Formula Start every article with a sentence that restates the problem or task in plain language: - **How-to**: "This guide shows you how to [accomplish X]." - **Troubleshooting**: "If you're seeing [symptom], this article explains how to fix it." - **FAQ**: "[Question in the customer's words]? Here's the answer." - **Known issue**: "Some users are experiencing [symptom]. Here's what we know and how to work around it." ## Article Type Templates ### How-to Articles **Purpose**: Step-by-step instructions for accomplishing a task. **Structure**: ``` # How to [accomplish task] [Overview — what this guide covers and when you'd use it] ## Prerequisites - [What's needed before starting] ## Steps ### 1. [Action] [Instruction with specific details] ### 2. [Action] [Instruction] ## Verify It Worked [How to confirm success] ## Common Issues - [Issue]: [Fix] ## Related Articles - [Links] ``` **Best practices**: - Start each step with a verb - Include the specific path: "Go to Settings > Integrations > API Keys" - Mention what the user should see after each step ("You should see a green confirmation banner") - Test the steps yourself or verify with a recent ticket resolution ### Troubleshooting Articles **Purpose**: Diagnose and resolve a specific problem. **Structure**: ``` # [Problem description — what the user sees] ## Symptoms - [What the user observes] ## Cause [Why this happens — brief, non-jargon explanation] ## Solution ### Option 1: [Primary fix] [Steps] ### Option 2: [Alternative if Option 1 doesn't work] [Steps] ## Prevention [How to avoid this in the future] ## Still Having Issues? [How to get help] ``` **Best practices**: - Lead with symptoms, not causes — customers search for what they see - Provide multiple solutions when possible (most likely fix first) - Include a "Still having issues?" section that points to support - If the root cause is complex, keep the customer-facing explanation simple ### FAQ Articles **Purpose**: Quick answer to a common question. **Structure**: ``` # [Question — in the customer's words] [Direct answer — 1-3 sentences] ## Details [Additional context, nuance, or explanation if needed] ## Related Questions - [Link to related FAQ] - [Link to related FAQ] ``` **Best practices**: - Answer the question in the first sentence - Keep it concise — if the answer needs a walkthrough, it's a how-to, not an FAQ - Group related FAQs and link between them ### Known Issue Articles **Purpose**: Document a known bug or limitation with a workaround. **Structure**: ``` # [Known Issue]: [Brief description] **Status:** [Investigating / Workaround Available / Fix In Progress / Resolved] **Affected:** [Who/what is affected] **Last updated:** [Date] ## Symptoms [What users experience] ## Workaround [Steps to work around the issue, or "No workaround available"] ## Fix Timeline [Expected fix date or current status] ## Updates - [Date]: [Update] ``` **Best practices**: - Keep the status current — nothing erodes trust faster than a stale known issue article - Update the article when the fix ships and mark as resolved - If resolved, keep the article live for 30 days for customers still searching the old symptoms ## Review and Maintenance Cadence Knowledge bases decay without maintenance. Follow this schedule: | Activity | Frequency | Who | |----------|-----------|-----| | **New article review** | Before publishing | Peer review + SME for technical content | | **Accuracy audit** | Quarterly | Support team reviews top-traffic articles | | **Stale content check** | Monthly | Flag articles not updated in 6+ months | | **Known issue updates** | Weekly | Update status on all open known issues | | **Analytics review** | Monthly | Check which articles have low helpfulness ratings or high bounce rates | | **Gap analysis** | Quarterly | Identify top ticket topics without KB articles | ### Article Lifecycle 1. **Draft**: Written, needs review 2. **Published**: Live and available to customers 3. **Needs update**: Flagged for revision (product change, feedback, or age) 4. **Archived**: No longer relevant but preserved for reference 5. **Retired**: Removed from the knowledge base ### When to Update vs. Create New **Update existing** when: - The product changed and steps need refreshing - The article is mostly right but missing a detail - Feedback indicates customers are confused by a specific section - A better workaround or solution was found **Create new** when: - A new feature or product area needs documentation - A resolved ticket reveals a gap — no article exists for this topic - The existing article covers too many topics and should be split - A different audience needs the same information explained differently ## Linking and Categorization Taxonomy ### Category Structure Organize articles into a hierarchy that matches how customers think: ``` Getting Started ├── Account setup ├── First-time configuration └── Quick start guides Features & How-tos ├── [Feature area 1] ├── [Feature area 2] └── [Feature area 3] Integrations ├── [Integration 1] ├── [Integration 2] └── API reference Troubleshooting ├── Common errors ├── Performance issues └── Known issues Billing & Account ├── Plans and pricing ├── Billing questions └── Account management ``` ### Linking Best Practices - **Link from troubleshooting to how-to**: "For setup instructions, see [How to configure X]" - **Link from how-to to troubleshooting**: "If you encounter errors, see [Troubleshooting X]" - **Link from FAQ to detailed articles**: "For a full walkthrough, see [Guide to X]" - **Link from known issues to workarounds**: Keep the chain from problem to solution short - **Use relative links** within the KB — they survive restructuring better than absolute URLs - **Avoid circular links** — if A links to B, B shouldn't link back to A unless both are genuinely useful entry points ## KB Writing Best Practices 1. Write for the customer who is frustrated and searching for an answer — be clear, direct, and helpful 2. Every article should be findable through search using the words a customer would type 3. Test your articles — follow the steps yourself or have someone unfamiliar with the topic follow them 4. Keep articles focused — one problem, one solution. Split if an article is growing too long 5. Maintain aggressively — a wrong article is worse than no article 6. Track what's missing — every ticket that could have been a KB article is a content gap 7. Measure impact — articles that don't get traffic or don't reduce tickets need to be improved or retired --- Attribution added by YourAIKit. 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