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2	Shameless Plug Owner, HyperTrain dot Com California-based, but do mostly onsite work, do lots of conferences & talks Trained & consulted on Help Authoring Tools and technologies – JavaScript, HTML, Interactivity, CSS, DHTML, Web-based Help, etc. – since 1992ish Uncle Dave's motto: "Call me anytime." 888-722-0700, dgash@hypertrain.com
3	Session Overview Scope Examine role of procedures, consider other information delivery devices when procedures aren't appropriate Audience Hypertext authors at all levels Objectives To improve information delivery skills To improve the user's help experience
4	It's All About Procedures—Why? Consultants and trainers stress them Partly practical (many help systems lack good procedures), partly political (clients want efficiency and results) Many writers and managers don't even consider other information types "Users just need how-to s, right?" When time is short, procedures win "Ah, forget the secondary stuff; they won't read it anyway."
5	Procedures Are Important Help should have plenty of procedures and they should be properly formatted Topic title (gerund); often optional now See also device; offers quick navigation Conceptual element; introduces task Infinitive tag (to); often restates title Action statements; imperatives to user Feedback statements; ease surprises Special elements; tips, notes, cautions
6	Well-Formed Procedure Topic Elements present and used properly
7	What Else Is There? (more later) Command topics Menus, options, settings Overview topics Application sections, event sequence Error topics What happened & why, how to fix it, how to avoid it next time
8	Information Creepage When other info creeps into procedures
9	Information Creepage Problem #1: Embedded procedure info
10	Information Creepage Problem #2: Irrelevant & unneeded info
11	Information Creepage Problems resolved
12	Information Identity Crisis When other info is shown as a procedure
13	Information Identity Crisis Problem: This isn't a procedure!
14	Information Identity Crisis Problem resolved
15	Information Goulash (1) When good info goes totally bonkers
16	Information Goulash (1) Problem: Decent info, but all mixed up
17	Information Goulash (1) Problem: Decent info, but all mixed up
18	Information Goulash (1) Problem: Decent info, but all mixed up
19	Information Goulash (2) Problem: Decent info, but all mixed up
20	Information Goulash Problem resolved
21	What Else Is There? (revisited) Command topics
22	What Else Is There? (revisited) Overview topics
23	What Else Is There? (revisited) Error topics
24	Summary Have plenty of procedures, but not only procedures Put the right information in the right topic types Make other information available, but not required, to get to procedures Let the user decide if & when to view other information Provide multiple access points to all information