Writing guidelines for Tutorial Builder

Section, Step, and Note counts

Below are the recommended number of sections and steps that you can use to create a tutorial, however, the shorter the better! 

Photoshop

• Sections: The best performing tutorials have less than 4 sections. Ten sections is the maximum.
• Steps: There should be less than 5 steps per section. Don't put all your steps in one section!
• For more guidance on how to write coach marks and notes, please head here. 

Illustrator

• Sections: A tutorial can have a maximum of 10 Sections
• Steps: There should be less than 5 steps per section, with the desired maximum of 3 Steps. 
• Notes: No more than 2 notes per Step. 
• You will need to preview the tutorial to make sure that the steps and notes are visible in the panel for each section (we want to avoid vertical scrolling).
• For more guidance on how to write Sections, Steps, and Notes please head here. 

Character counts

Each text field in the Tutorial Builder has a counter to help you keep track of character limitations.

Writing titles

Tutorial titles

• Clearly communicate what the tutorial is about in the title.
• Make the title searchable.
  • Include words that you think a user would use when searching for your topic. 
  • Do a Google search or use SEO software to find the most searchable words.
• DO stick the character counts for the Tutorial title.
• Start the title with an action verb, not with an “ing” verb.
  •  Do example: Make, Create, Brighten, Draw, Improve, Enhance…
  •  Do example: Brighten a dark photo with an adjustment layer
  •  Don’t example: Brightening a dark photo with an adjustment layer
• Avoid "How to" or "learn how to" in titles unless you discuss with your Community Manager.
  •  Do example: Make colors pop
  •  Don’t example: Learn how to make colors pop
• If you mention product features in the title, include what the feature will be used for.
  •  Do example: Remove objects from a photo with the Healing Brush tool
  •  Do example: Remove small objects from a photo
  •  Don’t example: Use the Healing Brush tool
• Make the title short 
  • 60 characters with spaces are the max. Shorter than that is better.

Section titles

• The section title should start with a gerund and summarize what end-users will accomplish by following the steps in a section.
  • The reason we made the choice to use gerunds was in response to the way some users read section titles as steps - changing from a verb to gerund helps set the right expectation. 
  • Examples: 
    •  Adding your own text
    •  Refining the artwork appearance
    •  Add your own text
    •  Refine the artwork appearance
•  Do not add a period at the end of a Section title

Writing descriptions

Tutorial descriptions

• The tutorial description appears under the tutorial title on the start screen. Use it to describe what the tutorial covers and why the tutorial is useful.
•  Do add a period at the end of the tutorial description.
•  Do example: A dark photo can hide important details in a photo. Shine light on those details by adding a Brightness/Contrast adjustment layer and painting on the mask that comes with the adjustment layer. 

Section descriptions

• An optional section description appears under a section title. You can use it to offer context and additional “why” for the steps in that Section.
•  Do add a period at the end of a section description.
• Section descriptions are optional.
•  Do example: A  layer mask lets you hide part of an underlying image layer without permanently changing the image layer.