New KB article : CREATE Knowledge Base Article - Using photos and images in Drupal CMS

[TroyA6]

Background context

What is the request for?

• Create a Knowledge Base Article for training/reference: how and where to use photos within the CMS.

• This KBA should describe

  • Where photos and images can be used
  • How to 'crop' photos and images
  • How to add photos and images
  • How to correctly place photos and images
  • Best Practices for photos and images

Person and team of requester:

• Stefanie & Troy, Helpdesk / User Support

Priority or deadline for request

Choose either Deadline or a priority:

• [ ] Deadline: [name the deadline here]
• [ ] Priority:
  • [ ] Critical - Without this, there is a large negative impact on the majority of editors causing negative consequences within the CMS; Should be completed as soon as possible
  • [ ] High - Without this, there is negative impact on some editors causing negative consequences within the CMS; should be completed within the current sprint
  • [ ] Medium - Without this, there is confusion for editors but not causing negative consequences within the CMS; Should be completed within the next 1-2 sprints
  • [x] Low - This is not currently causing confusion for many editors but would be a nice to have or is something that may be more impactful in the future; Should be completed within the next 3-4 sprints

Is the article associated with an ongoing product or feature update?

• [x] Yes Add the link to the relevant issue
• [ ] No

If requesting a new article:

Audience: Who is this intended for? Who would need this information? (i.e. All editors, only editors for a particular product, Internal use only, etc.)

• All CMS Editors

Related KB articles, if applicable:

• https://prod.cms.va.gov/help/vet-centers/how-to-add-a-vet-center-facility-photo

Any other relevant documentation, if applicable:

• Refer to the VA content style guide for voice, etc.

Process

1. Sitewide CMS and Helpdesk teams will review request and confirm no current, applicable KB article/content exists.
2. Refine request and prioritize
3. Update KB article tracker to indicate that the article has been requested and is in progress
4. Assign to appropriate product team
5. Draft article content
6. Sitewide CMS team will review for formatting and writing style guidelines
7. Helpdesk team will review for functionality and editorial tone
8. Publish
9. Update KB article tracker to indicate that the article has been published

Acceptance Criteria

• [ ] Article is created using KB content style guidelines
• [ ] Article is reviewed by Sitewide CMS
• [ ] Article is reviewed by Helpdesk
• [ ] Article posted to KB
• [ ] Impacts on other KB articles have been considered and any necessary changes have been made
• [ ] Once published, the person requesting the article has been notified

[laflannery]

Existing article here: https://prod.cms.va.gov/help/how-to-upload-images

Feedback from Dave C:

I don't think this article is sufficient. The way to do images in Drupal is different specifically because we want folks to understand that one image can have different aspect ratios and that you should upload high-res images and specify the aspect ratios/focuses by doing that as part of the upload process. Like: Before you begin: Will your image be mostly used horizontal or vertical? Is your image high-resolution? Does your image have no text in it? Steps: Upload image Edit the aspect ratio for 1:1 Edit aspect ratio for 2:1 (or whatever) Edit the aspect ratio for 4:3 (or whatever) etc because they should edit every single one of these because they can be reused!

Oooh, we should also start with "Have you checked to see if this image isn't already part of the library?" Arguably, we may want to consider breaking apart the image workflow away from the inline editor to get folks to think about re-usable assets. So that we encourage folks to "upload your images" separated from "build your page". Then, when we talk about "choose your image" in other areas of the CMS, we can tell them "the image you choose will use X aspect ratio.

Then, when building a page "Before you begin" -> Have you added all of the images you will use to the CMS on this page?

[ian-sears]

The issue we face, is that Editors only begin to understand the decisions necessary to make (above) after seeing an image they have produced.... show elsewhere on the site. After it "breaks".

What I mean by this is common when an Editor is using content type Story. When they add an image they are prompted to make ratio-decisions. This is a good thing. However they really have no idea what to do about that step.

So they choose something familiar, like 4:3 and move on, save, etc.

Later, when viewing their Facility(s) home page, they see the Story Teaser with image, and there, it is cropped off (typically the left and right edges are trimmed off.

It is here that they become frustrated and ask the CMS Help Desk to "fix" the issue.

Preview during the process of uploading the image, is insufficient (to the Editor) if it only displays one eventual implementation example.

[ian-sears]

Cross-linking a Discussion thread is DSVA Slack @TroyA6 https://dsva.slack.com/archives/CT4GZBM8F/p1706125756100029