Author training (bespoke course)
This bespoke course is for technical people who need help with writing user guides, manuals, online help systems and other forms of instructional material.
The course content is similar to our off-the-shelf author training course for software developers. The main benefit of this course is that the exact course content depends on the needs of the participants. We perform a training needs analysis: we look at your existing materials and we discuss with you in detail the issues that give your writers the most problems. The course then addresses these issues. Your existing materials form the basis of practical exercises.
Typical topics that we cover are:
- Poor writing and ambiguity. How to write what you mean. Plain English.
- English grammar skills.
- Active voice and passive voice. When to use each form.
- Lists and tables.
- User and task analysis. Anticipation of the readers' problems, questions and environment.
- User-centred delivery: writing for the readers. Procedural versus system-centric writing.
- Procedures.
- Notes, cautions and warnings.
- Modularity. Avoiding repetition. External resources. Training.
- Layout and design. Delivery issues (paper and electronic options).
- Graphics (screenshots, drawings and other artwork).
- Terminology management: defining a glossary of terms.
- Structuring the content.
- Tools use. Using styles and style sheets.
- Indexing to provide access to content.
The course is "hands-on"; we do not spend much time on theory. The course is intense, and we recommend that no more than eight participants attend.
Duration: one day.
Location: your company site or at some other location that is convenient to you.
Fee: £3250.00 + VAT plus travel expenses (fee is for the course, maximum eight participants).
Booking and further information: contact Mike Unwalla, 0114 266 6933 or mike@techscribe.co.uk.
Terms and conditions for bespoke on-site training.
Comments from participants
"This was a thought-provoking day that will help me in my future documentation."
Phil Ayers, Rail Operations Support, Atos Origin (www.atosorigin.com).
"It was particularly interesting to be made to confront some of the problems with our existing documentation and to see how, with a little effort, this could be improved. Mike has put a great deal of effort into building the course around our own material and has given us some excellent ideas for constructing better documentation."
Christine Grove, Customer Training Manager, Transport Operations, Atos Origin (www.atosorigin.com).
"Very pleased with the content and how it will help TNT improve its technical writing."
Paul Tebbutt, Technical Services, TNT (www.tnt.com).
"Very well presented and tailored to TNT's requirement."
Ian Boaler, ERC, TNT (www.tnt.com).
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