Knowledge Base Articles
Creating Knowledge Base Articles for Troubleshooting Common Errors
This prompt helps customer support teams develop knowledge base articles that address frequent error messages or issues users encounter. The focus is on providing clear explanations, step-by-step troubleshooting steps, and preventative measures to help users resolve errors independently.
Responsible:
Customer Support
Accountable, Informed or Consulted:
Customer Success
THE PREP
Creating effective prompts involves tailoring them with detailed, relevant information and uploading documents that provide the best context. Prompts act as a framework to guide the response, but specificity and customization ensure the most accurate and helpful results. Use these prep tips to get the most out of this prompt:
Identify common errors and their root causes from support tickets or system logs.
Collaborate with the technical team to verify troubleshooting steps and accuracy.
Prepare visuals, such as annotated screenshots or flowcharts, to guide users.
THE PROMPT
Help create a knowledge base article for troubleshooting the [specific error or issue] in [specific software product]. Focus on:
Error Overview: Describing the error and its possible causes, such as, ‘[Error Code 123] typically occurs when [specific scenario, like server connectivity is lost or invalid data is entered].’
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting: Outlining clear steps to resolve the issue, like, ‘Step 1: Verify your internet connection. Step 2: Check that [specific setting] is configured correctly. Step 3: Restart the application and attempt the action again.’
Additional Resources: Recommending other helpful articles or support options, such as, ‘If the issue persists, see our guide on [related topic] or contact support at [contact information].’
Preventative Measures: Providing tips to avoid the error in the future, like, ‘To prevent this error, ensure that [specific condition, such as keeping your software updated] is met.’
Visual Aids: Including suggestions for screenshots or video tutorials, such as, ‘Add a screenshot of the error message and highlight the key areas to check.’
Provide a structured troubleshooting article template that is easy to follow and user-friendly. If additional context about the error or its typical impact is required, ask clarifying questions to refine the article.
Bonus Add-On Prompts
Propose strategies for categorizing and tagging error articles for quick searchability in the knowledge base.
Suggest methods for including dynamic FAQs that evolve as users submit common questions about the error.
Highlight techniques for integrating interactive troubleshooting wizards into the article.
Use AI responsibly by verifying its outputs, as it may occasionally generate inaccurate or incomplete information. Treat AI as a tool to support your decision-making, ensuring human oversight and professional judgment for critical or sensitive use cases.
SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE
Focus on specific categories of errors, such as installation errors or runtime errors.
Include tips for explaining technical terms in user-friendly language.
Propose ways to update articles dynamically as software updates resolve known errors.
Highlight tools for tracking article usage metrics to identify high-impact topics.
Add suggestions for creating error-specific video walkthroughs to accompany articles.
WHEN TO USE
To empower users to resolve common errors independently.
When launching or updating a product that introduces new error types.
During support team training to standardize responses to frequent issues.
WHEN NOT TO USE
For errors that require detailed technical intervention or personalized support.
If the error is rare or not yet understood well enough for documentation.