As an independent contractor, I have worked on a wide variety of software documentation and training projects, including:
When user documentation does exist, why do so few people read it? Is it a manual that's cumbersome and difficult to place alongside the computer? Perhaps it's poorly indexed, and it's hard to find what they're looking for? Or is it simply inaccurate and out-of-date?
These days, the trend towards larger screens and higher resolutions makes it possible to put user documentation on-line in a separate window, which is both convenient and easily searched.
If printed materials are needed, its physical attributes are very important: it must be conveniently-sized, and ideally spiral- or ring-bound to open flat easily.
Whether on-line or in printed form, clarity, accuracy and a comprehensive index are essential requirements.
Despite the declared intentions of government to cut red tape, many of today's organisations must prepare and adhere to well-defined procedures in the workplace.
We can help you to design such procedures, and write them up in an easy-to-follow format.
Very few organisations can afford to be without a web "presence", which provides website visitors with comprehensive information about what your organisation is and does, and how to get in touch. Some of our customers report that web enquiries are now their principal source of sales, so it's important that your products and services are clearly explained, to avoid frustrating your own staff as well as your enquirers.
We don't believe in flashing or moving images, which distract the eye and often waste valuable time. For graphic design work, we partner with a professional designer, Checkley & Co.. We can work with your preferred hosting company, or else with our own Internet Provider, Houxou.com.
Since the days of Prestel we have worked with an unusually wide range of CBT platforms, including CD formats and proprietary platforms, but nowadays most training is delivered via a web browser, using such tools as Javascript and Flash, as well as audio and video segments.
Rather than specialise in such a wide range of tools, our role is to act as overall designer and project manager for these materials, using well- defined approaches to specify the specialist materials required by means of clipboard and other outlining techniques. We will also write scripts for audio and video recording.
Documenting the technical features of a computer system is essential for maintaining it in the future. It also helps management to understand the progress of development work, as well as enabling new technical staff to grasp important information about the system before starting work on it.
Having programmed with several different programming languages and platforms, we are well placed to understand the work of IT professonals and explain the technical aspects of systems as far as possible in plain English.