If you’re writing a tutorial, use this outline to help you organize your post. Make a copy of this document and fill in the blanks. Timebox this activity to 45 minutes. If you need more time, that’s ok, but let’s aim for 45 mins.

INTRO

  1. **In this tutorial, we’re going to _____________________. When you’re done, you will have ___________.**What are we doing in this tutorial? What can I expect to finish when I’m done?
  2. **If you are , this is for you. In order to complete this tutorial, you’ll need____.**Who is this tutorial for and what do I need? Are there any assumptions or prerequisites the reader should know about?
  3. **You’ll be able to use the skills and lessons in this tutorial in the real world when ________________.**Why is this tutorial valuable, particularly in the real world? Think about the pain point it addresses, the problem it solves, the projects a reader could build using this skill, or any other reason why someone might want to use your tutorial.

BODY

  1. Brainstorm two or three examples that could form the core of your tutorial. Example 1: _______________________Example 2: _______________________Example 3: ________________________
  2. Now evaluate your examples and pick the strongest one. Consider which one would be:
    1. Approachable: How much background knowledge does this assume? How many tools, technologies, etc. does this require? If you’re going for a more newbie audience, the fewer the requirements, the more approachable!
    2. Practical: Does this example help people build something useful? When might this example be useful? Be as specific as possible.
    3. Doable in a short time period: Can this tutorial be completed in 30-60 minutes? A few hours? If it’s longer than that, you might want to consider breaking this tutorial into smaller projects.
    4. Concrete and measurable: How will the reader know when they are done? Will they have something that they can post online? Will they have something visible, interactive, or complete and functional?
    5. Modifiable: Are there parts that are customizable? Consider using Glitch or CodePen to let people play around with your tutorial!The example I’m going to use for this tutorial is ___________________.
  3. What are the steps in your example? Make a list. It’s ok if there are a lot of steps. Don’t skip any. Each step should include any related commands, code snippets, and helpful screenshots. The more the better! For example, you could start like this:*First, go to your command line and _____________________. Make sure to start with nothing open or running (except your computer!)...*Steps: 1. ____________________________2. 3....(add more steps as needed)
  4. What is the final result? Be clear about what it will look like. Make note of possible differences. Include a screenshot, or even better, a gif or live CodePen!
  5. Bonus! Is there a test that your reader can use to make sure their project worked? If yes, write down how the reader might test their results, and write down what they should expect.

CONCLUSION

  1. Other applications: What else could the reader do with your tutorial? Try to think of fun ways that people can customize your tutorial to make it more fun, or more complex.
  2. Resources: What might your reader want to learn next? Write down keywords and resources. What background resources might your reader enjoy? (Historical, technical, other tutorials, games, Twitter accounts or other online communities?)

MAKE IT YOURS:

Now that you’ve gotten the pieces of your post down on paper, let’s see if we can take your answers and expand on them. You don’t have to be an expert to reach someone and make a difference in their coding journey. Just be yourself and be as helpful as possible. Here are a few ways that you can add your unique perspective to your post: