Re: Alerting existing users to changes in a new version of software

[Smokey Lynne L Bare <slbare -at- JUNO -dot- COM>]

Jim,

I'll share with you what has been successful in the past for some
companies I worked for as a marcomm person.

If your client base is paper-oriented for product upgrades, mailers on
bright lemon yellow paper with a black, caution-graphic trim border was
used (universal caution/warning signal).  Florescent orange background
color has also been successful.  In large bold font....something like
UPGRADE NOTICE  -  IMMEDIATE ATTENTION... was printed on the front
(usually a 5 x 7 postal card).

For  a manual,  the same colors, same text, but a heavy-weight paper
stock (slightly larger) than the text page size (usually
following....about this book info and/or trademark disclaimers) were
successfully used.

For online, same process....placement is everything in the site
map...along with simple and large.

....gets the users' attention

....information is handy when placed in green hanging files, as the color
strikingly sticks out

....be creative with front side info/graphic....get some ideas out of
...say.....Paper Direct's catalog for the cartoons they use for
notices.....  how many of us remember certain Dilbert strips, or have
them posted in our offices or cubes...hmmmm.  Recall accountability and
usability is what you are shooting for here.

Smokey

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