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What is a detailed guide?
Detailed guides tell users the steps they need to take to complete a clearly defined task.
Use this format for content that is regularly updated, for example, if the process to complete a task changes.
A detailed guide:
- usually answers a specific, task-orientated user need
- addresses professionals and practitioners
- is something government has a duty to provide
- is written and updated by agencies and departments themselves
For example, guidance for mainstream audiences (citizens and any general audience) is created by GDS and then fact-checked by the agency.
Examples:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tick-surveillance-scheme
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-uks-exit-from-the-eu-important-information-for-uk-nationals
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/register-your-clients-trust
Why use the detailed guides format
Detailed guides are:
- dynamic, so they don't require a publication attachment
- easy to update in Whitehall Publisher - no additional publishing requirements
- accessible - they meet our legal requirements for providing accessible content
- good for SEO - detailed guides have a prominent place in the GOV.UK architecture
The 'Publication: Guidance' format is for more traditional print publications and requires a PDF/Word/Excel/ODS/ODT document, or an HTML attachment.
It can be too broad and vague, and written like a report or factsheet rather than answering a specific user need.
We should try to provide HTML content in a detailed guide about a specific task.
When to use detailed guides
Detailed guides are the best solution when you need to:
- explain a task
- incorporate internal and external links to web pages and collections
- include links to video and other media
- include images or infographics
However, you should not include:
- Information about the history of the guidance
- the reasons for it, or the policy objectives
If your content does not fit the criteria, you will find that it is most likely:
- a policy paper
- a document collection
Best practice for detailed guides
Titles
You should:
- make titles active (for example, ‘Submit Statutory Declarations’ not ‘Using and submitting Statutory Declarations’)
- use a colon as a separator, if you need one (for example, ‘Breast screening: education and training’ or Brucella: laboratory and clinical services)
If the guide does not involve a direct action and is information-led:
- front-load the title with the most popular search terms
- make sure the title provides a full context (use ‘potato growers: guidance’, not ‘potatoes’)
If there are a number of guides with a repeated phrase in the title (for example, Manufactured goods: automotive, Manufactured goods: electronic), change it so the most important information or phrase comes first, like ‘Automotive sector: import and export regulations’ or ‘Chemical sector: import and export regulations’.
Summary
Use the summary to explain the point of the guide, what it will help users do or understand, and who it’s for.
Remember:
- you can use ‘An introduction to…’ if it’s an introduction (for example, the guide is short and links to other sources for the main information)
- using ‘How to xxx’ and ‘Find out xxx’ etc is good
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Example: Title: Organic produce: how to become an importer Summary: Find out which organic products can be imported into the UK, how to register as an importer and how to get import authorisation. |
Structure
Section titles should be active (so, ‘Apply for a licence’ not ‘Applying for a licence’)
Do not use:
- technical terms in section titles unless unavoidable - and then only if you’ve already explained them
- ‘introduction’ as your first section – users do not want an introduction, they want the most important information
- questions in section titles
- FAQs - you will not need them if your content is concise, well structured and written in plain English
- ‘we’ - users can arrive at your page from anywhere, so ‘we’ may not be clear to them
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