Writing for the Knowledge Base
This knowledge base (https://docs.waukeshamakers.com) is where Waukesha Makerspace keeps its finished reference knowledge. This page explains what belongs here, what does not, who can read what, and how to write a page.
What belongs here
Finished reference knowledge only:
- Equipment SOPs and maintenance procedures
- Safety information
- Training and certification
- Volunteer runbooks (how to run an orientation, an open house, and so on)
- Shop rules and facility information
- Board-adopted policies
- Class outlines and handouts that are ready to reuse
If a member could follow it tomorrow and it would still be right next month, it probably belongs here.
What does not belong here, and where it goes instead
| If it is... | It goes to... |
|---|---|
| A draft, a proposal under review, or committee working notes | Google Docs, or the board's governance-scribe repository. Publish here only when it is finished. |
| A policy that has not been adopted yet | Stays a draft. A policy gets its own page only after the board adopts it. The Policy Register (in the Policies book) lists every policy's status. |
| Technical documentation for WMI software | The project's git repository. |
| Marketing: about us, mission, history, pricing, how to join, events, partners, donations | The public website, waukeshamakers.com (Makers CMS). Link to it from here. |
| Event announcements and one-time notices | The website, Discord or member email. |
BookStack keeps page revisions but does not support two people editing the same page at once, which is another reason drafts belong in Google Docs.
One home per fact
Do not copy lists that live in another system. Link to the system instead:
- Equipment inventory: Atlas (https://atlas.waukeshamakers.com)
- Who is certified on what: Journeyman (https://journeyman.waukeshamakers.com)
- Joining, membership rates and events: https://waukeshamakers.com
Never write membership prices or fees in the knowledge base. They change; link to the website.
When you mention another page in this knowledge base, use its name in bold, for example "see Shop Safety: Incident and Near-Miss Reporting", and add a link.
Who can read what
Public by default. Almost everything here is readable by anyone on the internet, without signing in. That is on purpose: new and prospective members should be able to see how the space works before they join.
Only two books are restricted:
| Book | Who can read it | What goes in it |
|---|---|---|
| Member Access | Members | Security-related information members need (opening and closing, Wi-Fi and shop computers). |
| Board Handbook | Board | Personal information, finances, admin runbooks and full meeting minutes. |
Content is restricted only when it holds personal information or is security-related. On any public page:
- Board members' names and the role email addresses (chairman@, vicechairman@, secretary@, treasurer@, info@, admin@waukeshamakers.com) are fine.
- No other names tied to finances, donations or discipline.
- No personal phone numbers, personal email addresses or home addresses.
- No member lists.
Never write door, alarm, lockbox or Wi-Fi codes anywhere in the knowledge base, not even in the restricted books. Codes are given in person.
Equipment SOPs
Every equipment SOP starts from the SOP Page Template and begins with this banner:
Reading this page does not replace training. You must be checked off on this tool before using it.
Each shop area has its own book (Wood Shop, Metal Shop, Digital Fabrication, Electronics Lab, Fiber Arts, Flex Space) with three chapters: Overview, Equipment SOPs and Maintenance. Area overviews start from the Area Overview Template.
How to write a page
- Plain, friendly and direct. Write to the member as "you".
- Short sections and bullets. People read these at the machine.
- No headings above level 2. BookStack shows the page name as the title, so start at "##".
- Never guess. If you do not know a fact (a location, a setting, a contact), say so with a warning callout ("To be confirmed: ...") instead of making it up.
- No em-dashes or en-dashes, and no spaced hyphen used as punctuation. Use a period, comma, colon, semicolon or parentheses instead. Hyphens inside words (one-time, 3D-printed) are fine.
- No emoji.
- Use current names. The Flex Space (formerly the Automotive area, renamed in July 2026) includes the paint and spray booth. Textiles, sewing and leather are the Fiber Arts area. WMI is at 2111 S West Ave, Unit 58, Waukesha, WI 53189.
- Strip working notes. Do not paste event-specific dates, to-do checklists or internal notes into a reference page.
Getting edit access
Everyone signs in with Login with Keymaster; there is no separate knowledge base account. Your permissions come from your roles in Roster and update each time you sign in. Editors have the kb-editor role and can create and edit pages in every book except the Board Handbook, which board members maintain.
To be confirmed: who to ask for the kb-editor role.
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