Designing Help Docs That People Actually Read

Published October 03, 2025 • 8–12 min read

Transform help documentation with plain language, strong information architecture, and task‑first patterns that reduce support tickets.

Start with Top Tasks

List the 10 most common user goals from support tickets and search logs. Build pages around tasks, not features. Each task gets a verb‑led title, prerequisites, and quick steps.

Page Pattern: Problem → Steps → Expected Result → Troubleshooting

Open with a short description of the problem, then show the steps in a numbered list. Include the expected result to set user expectations and a troubleshooting block for common failure modes.

Design for Skimming

Put callouts and warnings where users will see them, not after the steps. Keep paragraphs to 1–3 sentences. Use screenshots sparingly and focus on critical states.

Link Smartly

Cross‑link related tasks and reference pages. Add anchors for long pages. Avoid sending users to dense release notes when a one‑line definition will do.

Measure Success

Watch task success rates, time to complete, and bounce rate. If a page is popular but has a high return‑to‑search rate, it is not answering the question fast enough. Improve the first screen and the first 100 words.

Task‑First Patterns

“Do this first” checklist before long text.
Short steps (start with verbs) + screenshots.
Common errors with fixes directly underneath.
Version flags (what’s new / changed).
Link to deeper topics after the solution, not before.

Deflection Metrics

Track article success with search exits, time to solution, and ticket deflection rate — not just pageviews.

Navigation that Reduces Friction

Expose the top four tasks on the start page.
Use short, verb‑first titles for procedures.
Link to related tasks after the solution, not before.
Keep one URL per task; avoid “kitchen sink” articles.

Doc Template (copy/paste)

Goal: <one sentence outcome>
Before you start: <requirements>
Steps:
1) <verb> ...
2) <verb> ...
Fixes for common errors:
- <error> → <resolution>
What’s next: <related task or decision>

IA Patterns that Scale

One URL per task; keep pages short and purpose‑built.
Hub → spoke structure: overview then specific tasks.
“What’s changed” callouts near version updates.
Inline links only after the solution, not before.

Search Intent Labels

Add tags like setup, how‑to, reference in the first line to set expectations and reduce bounces.

Ticket Tagging & Measurement

Tag tickets with doc slugs. After a doc rewrite, watch volume and repeat issues for 2–4 weeks. A drop in duplicates signals success even if traffic is stable.

Snippet Guidelines

One task per snippet; start with a verb.
Screenshot only the necessary area; add alt text.
Link to deeper reference at the end.

Minimalist Screenshots

Crop to the smallest area that communicates the step. Add arrows or circles sparingly and describe the action in the caption.

Release Hygiene

Update “What’s changed” blocks with versions/dates.
Redirect retired pages; avoid “zombie” docs.
Audit the top 10 error tickets monthly for new articles.

Outcome‑First Intros

Start each article with a “reader promise” — one sentence stating what the reader will achieve. It sets expectations and filters intent.

When to Use Video

Short, single‑task procedures benefit most.
Always include a text equivalent and transcript.
Place the video after the step list, not before.