Logo
  • Home
  • Equipment
  • Tutorials
  • Calendar
  • TPZ Staff Page
  • (Beta) Tech Ai Support
The Possible Zone
Fab Lab Website
Fab Lab Website
/
Tutorials
/
Tutorials Database
/Documentation Template [Replace with Title] (1)
Documentation Template [Replace with Title] (1)
Documentation Template [Replace with Title] (1)
Documentation Template [Replace with Title] (1)

Documentation Template [Replace with Title] (1)

Project

[Replace with what the project is Example: “Stained Glass Butterfly Charm”]

Date Created
January 7, 2026
Author
U
Untitled
Tools
[CoF] Careers of the Future
Select COF
Launch Lab Connection
Competency
  • Material List
  • Safety First
  • [Title 1 Example: “Station Set Up”]
  • Add Tutorials to a Specific Page
  • Editing Properties & Adding Tags
  • Easy to Navigate
  • Syncing Notion Blocks
  • Formatting Table of Content
  • Creating Table of Contents
  • Clear
  • Goals and Assumptions
  • Story Telling
  • Accessible
  • Guidelines

[Replace with description. Description should be 2-3 sentences explaining what the workshop is, what they will do and what STEAM/COF skill they will learn. Example: In this workshop you will learn intermediate soldering techniques through making a stained glass butterfly charm. We will explore the science behind stained glass making, along with the actual process of applying copper tape, flux, and solder to connect your pieces. At the end of this 2 hour workshop you will have a completed butterfly charm to take home! ]

💡
[Replace text with any risks or prerequisites]
‣

Material List

Supplies
Quantity
URL

Safety First

‣

[Title 1 Example: “Station Set Up”]

[Description on what is going to be covered in this step]

‣

Add Tutorials to a Specific Page

For making documentation for a specific page first head to the desired page.

Then select the database view that you would like to write documentation for.

Each view already has a filter in place that will show tutorials that are relevant for that page.

For example

If you opened Equipment - Bernette, under the Project Tutorials database view, click on New (in Blue) as seen in Figure 2; this will create a new document in the database with the tag ‘bernette’ automatically added.

Or if you headed to Course Resources and added a tutorial under the Discover database view it would auto create a tag for Discover

Image shows picture of the database of Equipment in a grid view. The grid shows the image and name of the equipment.
Figure 1: Equipment Database
Image shows an image of the tutorial database with a filter to show only sewing tutorials. There is a blue button labeled New on the right of the database.
Figure 2: Bernette Tutorial Database view
💡
You can always add or remove tags later if needed. Note that all tutorials are under the same database. The Filter allows for some tutorials to be seen and others not.
‣

Editing Properties & Adding Tags

Once documentation is created edit the properties to make sure the resource can be found easily by other pages.

On the top of the database tutorial you will see a list of properties (Figure 3). Take a moment to update the following:

Tags: Add relevant tags; all equipment used in this tutorial or skills

Author: Your name

Date: when this was created or edited

Class: Add what classes that use this resource in their curriculum

Class Section: If this is apart of a section in a class add it here.

Documentation Type: Label if this is a Manual or other type of documentation. Equipment Master Docs are considered Manuals.

Image shows a list of properties in the sewing machine tutorial. Properties in the image includes Tags with sewing and bernette, Author with Simeon, Date with empty, Class with empty, class selection with empty, Documentation Type with Empty.
Figure 3: Sewing Tutorial Tags

Easy to Navigate

To make documentation easy to navigate, add a table of content on the top left of the page. Table of content allow users to have a clear idea what will be covered in the documentation and when. The also allows users to jump to the desired part of the page quickly. Setting text to a specific heading type will define what each section is about and how the table of content is structured. Toggles can be add to allow users to see

‣

Syncing Notion Blocks

Some videos below on how to used synced blocks in Notion

‣

Formatting Table of Content

Before creating a table of content (ToC) it is important to place this table in a clear to find place. For our tutorials the ToC will live in the top left corner of the documentation.

Because ToC can take up a lot of space we can use the right of the page to start writing our documentation as seen in the Nomad tutorial in Figure 4.

To do this we will use the 2 column layout block in Notion. click on the + to add a block and scroll down to 2 columns (Figure 5).

In the left column add your table of content and on the right begin your documentation.

image of a preview of the Nomand tutorial. Tutorial shows an image of the nomand milling machine on the right and on the left a table of content for that tutorial.
Figure 4: Nomad 3 Tutorial
User interface elements showcasing options for text formatting and column layout organization.
Figure 5: Block dropdown men
‣

Creating Table of Contents

To create a Table of Contents simply click + to add a block; head down to the advance block and select Table of Contents as seen in Figure 6.

Contents in the Table of contents will automatically be added depending on headings in your documentation.

You may notice that heading 2 will be set as a title for the section and heading 3s will be set as a subtitle.

For example in this document our sections ‘Easy to Find’, ‘Easy to Navigate’, ‘Clear’ and ‘Accessible’ are all set to Heading 2. While ‘Add Tutorials to Specific Page’ and others are set to Heading 3 to allow them to be nested under the Heading 2 Sections as seen in Figure 7.

An image showing a user interface with options for adding different types of content blocks, including a "table of contents" and "block equation.
Figure 6: Table of Content block

Image of table of content in the documentation
Figure 7: Table of Content
💡
Be selective on when you use Headings to ensure that sections can be found.

Clear

To make documentation clear it is important to communicate the goals of the documentation, what past knowledge is assumed and communicate content as a vivid story.

‣

Goals and Assumptions

In the beginning of your documentation write a description at the top that states what the purpose and/or goal of the tutorial is (Figure 6). This way users can identify what the documentation will cover.

Adding a disclaimer on what skills or knowledge is assumed in the document will let the user know if they have the skills to work trough the tutorial. If available offer users a prerequisite tutorial if needed.

Image of the Description and Disclaimer from earlier in this doc. Image reads “In this tutorial we will be going over best practices to ensure that documentation can be read and accessed by everyone. Good documentation should always be - Easy to Find - Easy to Navigate - Clear - Accessible 💡 This documentation assumes a basic understanding of how to use Notion. [Look here for Notion basics](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aA7si7AmPkY)”
Figure 6: Description & Disclaimer
‣

Story Telling

Documentation:

Documentation should be written in a concise way. Aim to get to the point quickly. Plan out your documentation so that it flows and avoid jumping around topics.

Photos: Photos in documentation should be added to help explain what is written. For our documentation we will keep photos to the right and text on the left (as seen in this tutorial). Don’t feel the need to add photos as filler.

Add captions to your photos to explain what the users are looking at. Label photos as Figure numbers and reference them in your text so that your users know when to be addressing them (see Figures 1-6).

GIFs:

GIFs can be a very helpful way to show a lot of information in only one image. If

Layout:

The layout of your documentation should be consistent throughout as not to confuse your audience. The use of color and highlights should be used minimally as a way to organize and direct attention. Avoid adding too much as this can be distracting.

💡
Avoid duplicating information in

Accessible

To make documentation accessible keep in mind all possible audiences. This should include audience with accessibility needs as well as taking into consideration what platform they are using to read your documentation (such at desktop or cellphone).

‣

Guidelines

Use Text alternatives (“alt text”) on images:

This will allow people with screen readers to know what the content and purpose of the images is. You can use a AI generator to help create these.

To add Alt text click on the 3 dots on a image and click “alt text”. You will then have the option to fill in this text as you see in Figure 7.

Make sure you have captions on videos:

All videos in notion should have captions. Caption benefit all users with understanding content but especially for those that have hearing impairments.

Avoid text & backgrounds that create poor color contrast: 

Poor contrast can make text difficult for users to read text if there is not enough contrast between the text and background.

Don’t use color or images alone to convey information:

Keep in mind that not everyone can distinguish between colors. Due to this don’t use color alone to convey information. Text on images may not be readable if users are using a cellphone and can not be read with a screen reader. Important information should always be put in text.

Check multiple devices:

When writing documentation take a moment to check multiple viewing devices to insure that content is visible (see Figure 8).

Link accessibility:

Where able, if you include a link, consider including a QR code as well in case someone wants to view the link on their phone (or if someone is referencing a printed version of the documentation).

Image showing figure 1: Equipment Database and the alt text corresponding to it.
Figure 7: Example of Alt text
Image shows a screenshot of this tutorial from a cellphone view.
Figure 8: Phone view of Tutorial
TemplateTemplate