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Subject:RE: Help? (getting users to read) From:"Laurel Hickey" <lhickey -at- 2morrow -dot- bc -dot- ca> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Mon, 10 May 2004 19:33:37 -0700
Sideways sometimes works well over time.
On one website undergoing redevelopment, we're experimenting with adding
random "tips" content. If your user guides are delivered via a database
(or you are willing to add a tips data table or tables just for this)
then a short "Trouble with ??? Want to do blah, blah, blah??? You can
find out more about this here..." can be drawn at random from the
database and appear on every page or selected pages of the website
(sidebar or wherever you want ... depends on the layout of the site).
Every time they go to a new page or refresh the page, the tip would
change. Another page could be set up to show all the tips ... and might
even be the same thing as the FAQ page.
Technically, this is extremely simple to do ... At least with mySQL and
php. The random bit is to keep these things fresh. Things like table
background colour of the tip or font or whatever could also be set to
change to draw the eye to it)
Another method is to include quizzes and/or polls (on select pages?)
which also are loaded at random and which deal with the material and add
a link to the complete info. You can also invite participation in this
process by soliciting new tips (which must reference the material)...
and especially the real-life experience that they used it in.
Another is to have a good looking tips email (html preferred) newsletter
... with links back ... and polls or surveys with prizes... Well, you
get the idea.
:-) Laurel
-------------------------------------
Laurel Hickey
2morrow writing & document design
lhickey -at- 2morrow -dot- bc -dot- ca http://www.2morrow.bc.ca
-----Original Message-----
From: bounce-techwr-l-135139 -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
[mailto:bounce-techwr-l-135139 -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com] On Behalf Of Steve
Schwarzman
Sent: May 10, 2004 4:22 PM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: RE: Help? (getting users to read)
Peggy wrote:
>I've written new user guides for various sections of a naval medical
website
>and am now trying to determine best practice/method to get our user
>community to read them!
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