Template Design

What are Templates?

Templates are interactive forms which can be created by Organisation Administrators and shared with their engaged Journal Owners. Organisations can use templates created by CloudJournals, such as the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, and CloudJournals can assist organisations create unique or specific templates suiting their own organisation's needs.

Templates provide a format, or framework, into which Journal Owners can insert information important them and/or organisations with which they are engaged. To be most effective, template gathered information should be of primary value to Journal Owners and the people they invite to later view their content.

Template Design

Form design in not something everyone easily or successfully accomplishes first time. To create a form that will collate the required information in a logical manner takes practice.

An article by Formulate says that forms (Templates) should follow the 4 C's. They should be:

• Clear

• Concise

• Clever and

• Cooperative.

Clarify Your Template Purpose

Before you start building your template, you must have a clear understanding of your purpose. Ask yourself:

• Why are we gathering the information?

• Who will use the information, and how important is it to the Journal Owner?

• What specific information is most useful to the Journal Owner and other users?

• Can the Journal Owner 'enter information once, but use it many times'?

• What is the minimum amount of information required to meet my purpose and minimise the time needed to fill in the template?

• What is the life of the information? Will I want people to respond more than once?

• Is there a simpler way to get the information? e.g Could some simple questions be asked of people in a staff meeting?

• Can I get the information from an existing source?