So you're new to Spaces on Confluence... now what!?

[#1]

Confluence is a great tool....!

Some companies like mine, TWNKLS, use it to manage the projects in the most straightforward and efficient way possible - SPACES !

Others, like Triodos Bank, are using high level programs like Re-Fined Wiki to build glorious company-wide social intranets to manage their entire business governance.

By doing so the lives of the employees are so much more comfortable and easy-going!

And then there’s you... new to Confluence and in particular Spaces... and unaware of the true power this tool possesses and unsure how to unleash it!

So what’s your role!? Maybe a developer within a team? Maybe a PO for software development projects? Perhaps a Global HR manager responsible for employee on boarding?

What are your you day-to-day tasks / responsibilities and how do YOU want Confluence to make your life more comfortable and easy-going!?

After reading this blog you will go away and start using SPACES with determined enthusiasm to make IT work for YOU!

So here are my main tips to get you started:

KISS 💋 

As the saying goes “Keep It Super Simple”.

Don’t make it over complex with a hundred parent pages and limitless amounts of child and sub-child pages.

Here’s a screenshot of my favourite Confluence page at TWNKLS right now due to it’s simplicity. (Wish I didn't have to block out the full page due to a strict NDA....!)

To keep Spaces and Pages neat and tidy do use the provided templates as much as possible!

Read more on keeping it simple here:

Keep it Simple, Silly - 5 steps to highly engaging Confluence content

Well structured! 🔨👷

A well structured Confluence page is an unbelievably powerful tool.

Is your Quality Assurance page a child page under Development and people don’t know it’s there? Make it a Parent Page!

When teams and individuals alike can find their way to the information they need in a blink of an eye, it helps them deliver their tasks faster and more efficiently.

And again... use the templates. They’re not perfect but they are extremely useful.

Efficient! Effective!

Also learn how to move/copy pages PLUS do a simple re-organisation of pages via the view in hierarchy - in the top right of a page use the drop-down menu for these functions. Here's how view in hierarchy works:

Link to Atlassian tools 🛠

If you’re on confluence you and your Colleagues are probably are also on other apps like JIRA/Bitbucket/OpsGenie/Slack/etc.

If that’s the case, get them LINKING

Nothing gives more Atlassian-pleasure than when I see a User Story in Jira with a link to its relevant Tech Design on Confluence and Vice Versa!!

Hot tip: Starting a new project in Jira!? Immediately use the Confluence Space Templates for software projects and link the two.

Learn the short cuts. ✂

If you’re writing up a new page type: “@“ and see what happens...

Better yet type “/“ and check the drop down menu.

My favourite is “//“..... 😯2️⃣0️⃣1️⃣9️⃣

There’s a lot Confluence can do and most of it is at the touch of a button!

Get acquainted with the shortcuts and quickly learn which are most useful for you day-to-day

Tag people.

So did you do the first one above... “@“?

That’s right... you can Tag people! 🤩🌟

This is really handy functionality especially when it comes to assigning tasks, using meeting notes, decision log or getting a person involved in a topic of discussion.

Make it your OWN. ❣🤘

Confluence is highly customisable which is great because you don’t have to be bound by its templates, styling etc.

Like I wrote at the start of the blog, linchpin, refined wiki and more offer great programming for turning Confluence into a company branded  social intranet.

Word of warning though ⚠️ : do ensure that there is a company wide policy on how to structure and stylise confluence so that everyone is onboard and using it to its full potential. You do want it all to look and feel the same and be used with the same work method.

Come to the Community 😎🖐

Knock knock! Who’s there!? Nerd! 🤓 Nerd who? Major confluence nerd who spends their life on Community!

Got stuck on Confluence and Spaces...? Come and ask those in the know!!

Here's another awesome article on Confluence to get you inspired!

6 (plus 1) ways to make friends with Your Confluence

GO FOR IT ! 💝😍🕵

So that's it for now guys.... the rest it up to you. Just go for it!

[PJ Wysota]

Nice piece, @Andy - PTC Redundant! I really enjoyed reading it.

[Andy - PTC Redundant]

Thanks so much @PJ Wysota! I'm still reading through yours... so funny whilst sooooo informative ! :-D

[Michele Lim [Cprime]]

Loved this!! Your emoji game is on point @Andy - PTC Redundant

[Andy - PTC Redundant]

What a great reaction ! You made my day @Michele Lim [cPrime]. Thank you kindly! 🙏😍

[Leo Diaz DEISER]

It is easy and for everyone! nice article!!

[Andy - PTC Redundant]

Thanks @Leo Diaz DEISER 👍😁