RE: Hybrid document: user guide & training workbook

["Neumann, Eileen" <ENeuman -at- franklintempleton -dot- ca>]

Hi Catherine,

I am also in the situation of needing to produce a user guide for both training and reference purposes. I have no knowledge of training, so it's a bit of a challenge. It's also meant to be a business recovery document.

We're going very low tech here, so I don't have your technical challenges. One thing that I decided to do was to separate reference materials (function based) from procedural (task based). That's my main effort at educating while not mucking up the procedural steps with all kinds of extraneous material.

I plan to run an informal user test after I finish the first chapter.

Hopefully the technical gurus on this list can jump in with more info on single sourcing. Also, I'd be interested in comments to this thread too.

Eileen

Eileen Neumann
Business Rules & Procedures Specialist

FRANKLIN TEMPLETON INVESTMENTS





-----Original Message-----
From: Catherine Dexter [mailto:Catherine_Dexter -at- picis -dot- com]
Sent: Thursday, November 18, 2004 8:22 AM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: Hybrid document: user guide & training workbook




Does anyone have experience not only merging documentation and training
groups but also merging deliverables? I mean one document that serves
the purpose of a user guide and training workbook. 

Background:
My company merged the documentation group with the training group to
remediate a dire shortage of training materials without hiring new
staff. To cover the need for both documentation (manuals and help files)
and training materials (presentation slides, classroom workbooks,
exercises), a hybrid deliverable was conceived: a slide presentation
with a workbook that combines classroom material with detailed product
information, with an index and TOC. The document also serves as a source
file for the online help system. Units replace chapters roughly and each
unit can be presented alone, combined with others for a specific
training event, or bundled with all others to produce an all-inclusive
workbook that takes the place of the user guide for the product.

We create a slide presentation and create a workbook around it,
inserting an image of a slide at the start of the corresponding topic.
Underneath we put documentation content (background information, tips,
warnings, procedures, index markers), plus classroom activities and
exercises, notes to the instructor, cross references. There is a lot of
conditional text. We're using FrameMaker 6 and mifToGo.

I'm struggling mightily to create a source file that serves three
purposes. Experiences that help answer the following questions would be
greatly appreciated:

-Does the deliverable work well for both audiences?  
-Any tips on information design that works for both audiences?
-Where can I learn how to do this more effectively?
-Is this an effective way of single-sourcing?


Thank you.

Catherine Dexter
Learning Designer
Picis Learning Services
Picis


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