> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.zarms.cloud/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Write cards people understand

> A card isn't a to-do note. It's the work of producing something you'll hand to someone. Name cards by what you'll produce and what counts as done. Bad and good examples, and when to use a card, steps, or a comment.

A ZARMS card isn't just a to-do note. It's **the work of producing something you'll hand to someone**, on one card. Write the card name so anyone can tell "what has to exist for this to be done." Then the Processor, Reviewer, and Receiver can all act without guessing.

## Name the card by what and when it's done

Put the thing you'll produce (the **deliverable**) and an action that marks it as done in the card name.

| Bad example | Good example | What changed |
| - | - | - |
| Training video | Publish the register checkout training video | Clear what you're making and when it's done |
| Budget | Submit the Q1 budget plan to Accounting | Clear who receives it and what done looks like |
| Attendance system thing | Narrow attendance system candidates down to three | Clear what the research needs to produce |
| Fix website | Update and publish the job listings on the careers page | Clear what to fix and what done looks like |
| Contact Company A | Tell Company A whether we'll exhibit at the trade show | Clear what the message must say to be done |
| Do my best on the slides | Prepare progress report slides for next week's team meeting | A thing to make, not a resolution |

Names like "the X thing," "consider X," or "handle X" mean different things to different people. The Reviewer doesn't know what to check, and the Receiver doesn't know what they're getting.

## Check three things after you write it

Reread the card name and make sure it tells you these three things:

1. **What will be produced** (a document, a video, a decision, an answer, and so on)
2. **Who will receive it** (who the Receiver is)
3. **What counts as done** (submitted, published, decided, and so on)

If some conditions don't fit in the name, write them as "Definition of done" in the card's Google Doc so the Reviewer isn't left guessing.

## Card, steps, or comment?

Choose where things go based on their size and nature.

| What it is | Where it goes |
| - | - |
| Work with a deliverable you'll hand to someone | A **card** |
| Work too big for one card, needing separate assignees or dates | Split into **child cards** ([Find, share, and duplicate cards](https://help.zarms.cloud/en/cards/organize.md)) |
| Steps or small tasks within one card | **Steps** ([Break work down into steps](https://help.zarms.cloud/en/cards/steps.md)) |
| Questions, extra details, and progress updates | A **comment** ([Let people know with comments](https://help.zarms.cloud/en/cards/comments.md)) |
| The description, meeting notes, and the deliverable itself | The card's **doc and folder** ([Write the description and add files](https://help.zarms.cloud/en/cards/documents.md)) |

For example, on a card called "Prepare progress report slides for next week's team meeting," put "Gather the numbers," "Make the charts," and "Get a manager to review" in its steps.

## Decide the roles at the same time

When you create a card, set the roles along with the name so the ball doesn't get stuck.

* Set the person doing the work as **Processor**
* Set the person checking the result as **Reviewer**
* Set the person receiving the result as **Receiver**

If you're doing all the work yourself, you can keep yourself in every role. For how roles work, see [Why cards have four roles and a ball](https://help.zarms.cloud/en/concepts/ball-and-roles.md).

## Related articles

* [Create a card](https://help.zarms.cloud/en/cards/create.md)
* [Set assignees and dates](https://help.zarms.cloud/en/cards/assignees-and-dates.md)
* [How ZARMS thinks about work](https://help.zarms.cloud/en/concepts/philosophy.md)


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