Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, the student will be able to:

• Determine suitable content for a Help system, based on audience needs and logical workflows.
• Organize information into different topic types (conceptual, procedural, reference, and wayfinding) and know the basic structure of each topic type.
• Design a consistent and predictable information flow and visual schema to help users quickly and easily find the information they need.
• Write topics to industry standard guidelines.
• Provide multiple pathways to access information by developing a table of contents, index, and effective links. They will also be able to explain how progressive disclosure and various search methods affect a user's ability to access information.
• Ensure the quality of a Help system by testing and completing quality checklists.
• Understand the differences between standard Help formats such as HTML Help, WebHelp, and Flash Help.
• Assess industry standard help-authoring tools to determine which will best meet organizational and user needs.
• Understand how the emergence of XML Help, task panes, push versus pull delivery, and an integrated approach to user-support may impact traditional Help systems.

Effective as of Fall 2006