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Introduction to BookStack

Session 1: Understanding the Characteristics of a Good Knowledge Management System

Duration: 15-20 minutes
Theme: Understanding what makes a good knowledge management system

Methodology

  1. Ground Rules (to be used in all sessions):

    • Bring only essential devices.
    • Mute mobile phones before the session begins.
    • Practice "Take Space, Make Space" to ensure equal participation.
    • Maintain a safe space with no discrimination in speech or action.
    • Emphasize that there are no right or wrong answers.

  2. Activity:

    • Ask participants to think of their favourite knowledge management tools (like Google Docs or any other tools they use) and note down two key features they appreciate.
    • Form small groups and have each group present three key characteristics from their collective input.
    • Group the characteristics under categories like "Ease of Use," "Collaboration," "Customization," etc., and use this to introduce the importance of selecting the right tool for knowledge management.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Learn what makes a good knowledge management system.
  • Understand why simple design and clear structure are important for sharing knowledge."-friendly design and structure in effective knowledge sharing.
Session 2: Introduction to BookStack

Duration: 1 hours
Theme: Introduction to BookStack, its use, and capabilities

Methodology

  1. Ground Rules (same as Session 1).

  2. Overview of BookStack:

    • Briefly introduce BookStack as a platform for managing organizational knowledge.
      • BookStack is a simple, user-friendly platform used to organize and manage knowledge within an organization
    • Highlight its simplicity and its focus on a "Book > Chapter > Page" structure.
    • Show examples of how aikyam use BookStack for knowledge sharing.

  3. Facilitator Note: Show a live example of BookStack (pattick) to give participants a visual understanding of its layout and features.

Materials Needed: Screen, Laptop, and Pre-prepared BookStack instance.

Outcome: Participants will understand the purpose of BookStack and feel ready to explore it.

Session 3: Creating an Account and Setting up BookStack

Duration: 20 minutes
Theme: Setting up a BookStack account

Methodology

  1. Account Creation:

    • Guide participants to create a BookStack account.
    • Walk them through the process of logging in and accessing the main dashboard.

  2. Activity:

    • Ask participants to create an account on the instance shared by aikyam before the session.
    • Provide a hands-on experience for them to set up their profile and familiarize themselves with the dashboard.

Materials Needed: Participants' devices, shared BookStack instance URLs.

Outcome: Participants will have their own BookStack accounts and access to the dashboard.

Session 4: Dashboard Overview of BookStack

Duration: 30 minutes
Theme: Understanding the main features of the BookStack dashboard

Methodology

  1. Dashboard Tour:

    • Show the layout of the BookStack dashboard and explain its sections:
      • Books: Collections of content like projects or organizational knowledge.
      • Chapters: Sub-sections of books, often used for larger topics.
      • Pages: Individual pieces of content, like articles or notes.

  2. Facilitator Instructions:

    • Share your screen and explain each section in detail.
    • Show how to navigate between Books, Chapters, and Pages.

Outcome: Participants will understand the structure of BookStack and how to use its main navigation features.

Session 5: Creating Books, Chapters, and Pages

Duration: 30 minutes
Theme: Hands-on creation of content in BookStack

Methodology

  1. Content Creation Walkthrough:

    • Creating a Book: Guide participants on how to create a new book, name it, and set its description.
    • Creating Chapters: Show how to organize chapters within a book.
    • Creating Pages: Teach participants how to create pages, add text, and format content using headers, bullet points, images, and embeds.

  2. Facilitator Instructions:

    • Demonstrate the editor's features, such as adding images, links, and attachments.
    • Highlight the use of markdown and formatting options.

  3. Activity:

    • Participants create their own Books, Chapters, and Pages.
    • Task them with creating one Book, three Chapters, and at least three Pages, using at least five of the editor's formatting features (like bold text, headers, lists, links, and images).

Outcome: Participants will be able to create, edit, and format Books, Chapters, and Pages in BookStack.

Session 6: Organizing and Structuring Knowledge

Duration: 1 hour
Theme: Organizing content effectively within BookStack

Methodology

  1. Content Organization:

    • Explain the difference between Books, Chapters, and Pages.
    • Emphasize best practices for organizing knowledge logically and clearly.

  2. Facilitator Instructions:

    • Show examples of well-structured Books with logical navigation and chapter breakdowns.

  3. Activity:

    • Ask participants to create a structure for their own "Knowledge Guide" on a topic they are familiar with.

Outcome: Participants will be able to organize and structure their knowledge logically using Books, Chapters, and Pages.

Session 7: Page & Book Settings

Duration: 20 minutes
Theme: Understanding the differences in settings for Books, Chapters, and Pages

Methodology

  1. Settings Overview:

    • Explain how to access and edit settings for Books, Chapters, and Pages.
    • Highlight important features like visibility, access permissions, and tags.

  2. Facilitator Instructions:

    • Demonstrate where to find settings for each content type and how to update them.

Outcome: Participants will understand how to customize and manage access to content.

Session 8: Collaborating on Content

Duration: 15 minutes
Theme: Using BookStack for team collaboration

Methodology

  1. Adding Team Members:

    • Show how to invite and manage users in BookStack.
    • Explain different roles (Admin, Editor, Viewer) and their permissions.
      • Admin: Full access to settings, users, and content.
      • Editor: Can edit and update content.
      • Viewer: Can only view content but cannot edit.

  2. Facilitator Instructions:

Demonstrate the process of (1)inviting team members, (2)assigning roles, and (3)setting permissions. 

  • Inviting Team Members

      1. Log in to your BookStack instance with an Admin account.
      2. Go to "Settings": Click on the setting at the top-right corner of the screen.
      3. Select "Users": From the list of options, click on "Users".
      4. Invite a New User:
        • Click the "New User" button.
        • Fill in the user’s name, email address, and password (or you can let them set it themselves).
        • Select the role for the user (Admin, Editor, Viewer, etc.).
        • Click "Save"
  • Assigning Roles to Users
  1. Access the User List:
    • Go to Settings > Users.
  2. Find the User:
    • Look for the user you want to update.
    • Click the edit (pencil) icon next to their name.
  3. Change the Role:
    • Scroll to the "Role" section.
    • Choose from Admin, Editor, or Viewer.
    • Click "Save".

Users can have only one role at a time, but roles can be changed whenever needed.

  • Setting Permissions for Books, Chapters, and Pages

Permissions can be customized for specific Books, Chapters, or Pages. This is useful when certain content should only be seen by certain users or roles.

  1. Go to the Content (Book, Chapter, or Page) you want to set permissions for.
  2. Click on the "Lock" Icon: This is located at the top-right of the page.
  3. Customize Permissions:
    • Uncheck "Inherit Permissions" (if checked).
    • Click "Add Permission" and choose the specific role (Admin, Editor, or Viewer) or individual users.
    • Select whether they can View, Edit, or Delete the content.
  4. Save Permissions: Click "Save" to apply the changes.
Example Scenario
  • You invite Priya as a Viewer so she can only view content.
  • Later, you change Priya's role to Editor so she can help update and add new content.
  • You set custom permissions for the "HR Policies" Book so that only the HR Team can view or edit it.

 

  1. Activity:

    • Participants invite a "team member" (a fellow participant) and assign them as an Editor or Viewer.

Outcome: Participants will be able to add team members, assign roles, and collaborate on content.

Session 5: Revision, Export, Move, Copy, and Watch Features

Duration: 20 minutes
Theme: Advanced content management features in BookStack

Methodology

  1. Overview of Features:

    • Revisions:

      • Show how to view page revisions and revert to a previous version.
      • Explain how this feature supports version control and collaboration.

    • Export:

      • Demonstrate how to export Pages, Chapters, and Books as PDF, HTML, or plain text.
      • Highlight the use cases for exporting content, such as sharing offline or creating printed documentation.

    • Move:

      • Explain how to move a Page or Chapter from one Book to another.
      • Show how to maintain content structure when moving it.

    • Copy:

      • Demonstrate how to copy content, like duplicating a Page or Chapter.
      • Explain how this feature helps when creating templates or reusable content.

    • Watch:

      • Show how to "watch" a Book, Chapter, or Page to receive notifications when content is updated.
      • Explain how to manage watch notifications in user settings.

  2. Activity:

    • Each participant creates a new Page, makes several edits, and then reverts to an older version.
    • They will then export the page to a PDF and move or copy it to another Book.
    • Finally, they will "watch" one of the Books and check for notifications of changes.

Outcome: Participants will be able to use advanced features like Revision, Export, Move, Copy, and Watch for better content control and collaboration.

Session 9: Customization, Theme Settings, and Final Q&A

Duration: 30 minutes
Theme: Customizing themes, site settings, and Q&A session

Methodology
  1. Customization:
    • Teach participants how to customize themes and set the site's logo, title, and homepage layout.

Customizing the theme allows you to change the overall look and feel of your BookStack site. This includes changing colors, fonts, and layout styles.

Steps to Customize the Theme:

  1. Log in as an Admin.
  2. Go to Settings (found in the side navigation).
  3. Select Appearance/Customization (or "Site Settings," depending on your version of BookStack).
  4. Here, you can adjust various aspects of the theme, such as:
    • Primary Color: Change the main color used in headers, buttons, and highlights.
    • Secondary Color: Choose a secondary color to complement the primary color.
    • Custom CSS/HTML: If you have advanced customization needs, you can add your own CSS or HTML code.

Customizing the theme allows your organization to match BookStack’s appearance with its brand colors, making the system look more professional and familiar to users.

Setting the Site’s Logo

Adding a logo makes your BookStack site feel more branded and official.

Steps to Set the Logo:

  1. Go to Settings and open the Site Settings tab.
  2. Look for the option to upload a Logo.
  3. Upload an image file (like PNG or JPG) from your computer.
  4. Save the changes.

The logo appears at the top of every page, making the platform feel like part of your organization's official tools. It also improves brand recognition for users.

 

Setting the Site’s Title

The site title is the name that appears in the browser tab and on the homepage.

Steps to Set the Site’s Title:

  1. In the Settings menu, go to Site Settings.
  2. Find the Site Title option.
  3. Enter the name of your site (e.g., “Aikyam Knowledge Hub” or "Team Documentation").
  4. Save the changes.

A proper site title gives context to users about what the platform is for. It also helps with SEO (search engine optimization) and makes it easier for users to recognize your site in browser tabs.

Setting the Homepage Layout

The homepage layout controls what users see when they first visit the site. You can decide to display a welcome message, specific books, or other content.

Steps to Set the Homepage Layout:

  1. Go to Settings and open Site Settings.
  2. Look for the Homepage Content option.
  3. You can choose what content to display:
    • List of Books: Display a list of all Books.
    • Custom Welcome Page: Set up a custom page as the homepage.
  4. Save the changes.

Setting a homepage layout helps new users understand the purpose of the site immediately. It provides quick access to important content, making navigation easier.

 

  • Show how to manage settings like default visibility and export options.

Activity: Participants customize the site logo, title, and homepage.

Outcome: Participants will know how to customize the appearance and functionality of their BookStack instance.

Learning Outcomes for the Entire Module
  • Understand the purpose of BookStack for knowledge management.
  • Create Books, Chapters, and Pages.
  • Customize content using various formatting features.
  • Add and manage users, roles, and permissions.
  • Able to use advanced features.
  • Know how to customize the appearance and functionality of their BookStack instance.
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