We've developed an Excel-based software product and we need to create an effective and easy-to-use training guide for our users.
As a temproary measure we wrote a 60-page training guide in Word but users don't like it - they would rather have a hyperlinked document on their hard disks which they access through their web browsers.
Does anyone know the best way of doing this? Should we use Word, raw HTML, or a simple eLearning package? If the latter, which one?
Alan Weaver
One Response
Use the one that gives them what they need…
Alan,
Okay, the summary is a little cryptic, but I’ll explain:
All the options you mentioned would produce some form of basic interactive resource. However, your skills and ability to write e-Learning will make that a learning programme.
So what do your people need? Is it training or is it a resource? If it’s the latter you can take your Word document, insert hyperlinks and save it for the web. HTML would be another option but that adds more specialised skills to the mix. Finally, an e-Learning package such as Macromedia Captivate would give you not only the reference manual but demonstrations as well – BUT, it does need even more skills than the previous two.
The last option you didn’t mention would be to outsource – this will almost certainly give you the best results.
If you would like any more help feel free to contact me. You can send me the document if you wish and I’ll give you some more focused ideas and options.
Good luck.