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Single-sourcing
If you've been writing as topics, you're on to a good start
As an example,
9 steps to create training materials from online help
1. Identify, outline how you want training to be conducted (this will
determine number of books or PowerPOints, and duration of sessions)
2. Plan, sequence topics to be included in training
3. If you're using a HATT, like Flare, you can create a new TOC, with
restructured topics for training content.
4. If you're selecting Powerpoint deliverables, create simple slides, insert
a few overview screenshots of the application or solution with callouts.1
screenshot 1 slide. 40 pt font is also good for slides. Using visual
examples are good.
5. Create lead-in's to your help or additional resources. Include notes or
best practices you may have in online help.
6. Include assesment questions at the end of the module.
7. Write a brief case study culled from lessons learned (that demonstrates
how the features or solutions can be applied to an actual problem). Write an
outline of the approach or objectives the case study is to achieve.
8. Include examples, recommendations and non-examples. ie. If you have to do
XYZ, select widget x so you can finish ABC.
9. Create 5 short objective self assesment questions at the end of each
module. Remember to provide answers.
For most customer user training,
Focus on solutions to users jobs or problems. Tasks that save time or
shortcuts are great attention getter. Focus less on cool program features or
tech wizardry.
FAQs or cheat sheets are great supplements to training materials.
If its a sales product training pitch,
its still good to focus on providing options and solutions to problems, and
not engineering prowess.
Daniel
-----Original Message-----
From: Donna Marino [mailto:domarino -at- earthlink -dot- net]
Sent: Thursday, September 17, 2009 2:27 AM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Turning online help into training materials
My client wants me to create self-paced training materials for our customers
using online help content that already exists. Has anyone done this? If so,
can you offer suggestions about the best way to proceed?
Free Software Documentation Project Web Cast: Covers developing Table of
Contents, Context IDs, and Index, as well as Doc-To-Help
2009 tips, tricks, and best practices. http://www.doctohelp.com/SuperPages/Webcasts/
Help & Manual 5: The complete help authoring tool for individual
authors and teams. Professional power, intuitive interface. Write
once, publish to 8 formats. Multi-user authoring and version control! http://www.helpandmanual.com/
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