http://tc.eserver.org/authors/Rice,_William_H._IV A bibliography of works by Rice, William H. IV in the field of technical communication. en-us Copyright (c) 2005-08 by the EServer. All rights reserved. tclib-editorial@eserver.org (TC Library Editorial Board) webmaster@eserver.org (Geoffrey Sauer) http://tc.eserver.org/images/newlogo.gif http://tc.eserver.org/dir/Rice,_William_H._IV http://tc.eserver.org/22367.html http://tc.eserver.org/22367.html An article on writing course evaluations that measure the effectiveness of training courses, in relation to business objectives and return on investment. http://tc.eserver.org/14416.html http://tc.eserver.org/14416.html Screen recordings are a valuable tool for enhancing training, tutorials, manuals and websites. Companies use this technique to produce streaming and downloadable content. The recording tools are readily available and affordable. In this article, we explore some techniques, tips and tricks for recording sound, mouse movement and happenings from your screen to an AVI file. We will talk in both general terms and use specific examples. The examples pertain to HyperCam, a downloadable screen recording application from Hyperionics Technology. Like most screen recording applications, HyperCam captures the action from your Windows screen -- including cursor movements and sound -- and saves it to an AVI movie file. http://tc.eserver.org/14415.html http://tc.eserver.org/14415.html You need to write the user guide for a complex product. There must be a dozens of functions and hundreds of tasks that can be performed with the product. Where do you begin? How to start writing? Conventional wisdom says: start at the beginning with an introduction to the product, and work your way through each function or task in the order the customer will use them. Don't! Here's a tip I learned the hard way after my ninth or tenth year tech writing: start in the middle, and work your way outward. This article presents a method of writing user documentation that you may find easier and more effective than starting at 'Chapter 1.' http://tc.eserver.org/10869.html http://tc.eserver.org/10869.html Most tech writers have their favorite software for capturing and processing static screen shots. I won’t compare these applications or try to tell you how to use them. Instead, I’ll give you techniques that help you produce the best possible screen shots, no matter what application you choose. This article assumes that you’ve taken screen shots before. It uses terms like “hot keys” and “time delay” and “capture cursor.” If you don’t know what these terms mean, look them up in the help for your screen capture software. They represent standard features that are found in most screen capture applications. http://tc.eserver.org/10871.html http://tc.eserver.org/10871.html After you've tested the in-class exercises, polished the presentation materials, printed the handouts and workbooks, and created the data files for class, are you ready to hand over the course to an instructor? Not yet. You have one more thing to do before calling your course finished: Create the instructor kit. An instructor kit often differentiates a good course from an exceptional course. It is more than a pretty package or a finishing touch. It is an integral part of any training course that you must hand off to an instructor. The instructor kit's ultimate goal is to increase the quality of the students' experience, by helping the instructor to assimilate, set up, and deliver your course. http://tc.eserver.org/10872.html http://tc.eserver.org/10872.html This link formerly referenced a free Microsoft Project 98 project plan for designing and developing technical courseware. This has been expanded into a 78-page ebook on how to write a successful software training course.