Linda Urban
Communications Home
Developing Online Help
| Course: |
UC Berkeley Extension, EDP
305722 |
| Quarter: |
Summer 2005 |
| Meetings: |
6 Saturdays, 9:30 to 4:30 (except on 6/4 and 7/23,
which are 9:30 to 12:30 ) |
| Dates: |
June 4 through July 23 (no class June 25 or July 2) |
| Instructor: |
Linda Urban (email: lurban@earthlink.net) |
Note: Weekly class content and assignments
shown below are subject to change throughout the course.
Be sure to refer to any additional handouts distributed in
class.
Click here for the Resource List
Click here to jump to Class Sessions and Assignments
Course Overview
This course teaches design and development of online help systems and the mechanics
of how to create Microsoft HTML Help. It is project-based--you plan and create
your own online help system. After identifying the goals and audience, you create
an outline and sample topics. You develop a navigation strategy to help users
find information, and create a navigation map. You learn to add links between
topics, display information in pop-up windows, build a table of contents and
an index, add graphics, and use cascading style sheets to format text.
In addition, you learn the basics of using Microsoft Help Workshop (available
for free from the Microsoft Web site), and discuss the difference between compiled
MS HTML Help and cross-platform, uncompiled Web-based help, and when to use
each. As time permits, class sessions may address additional topics such as
single-sourcing (what it is and how you can do it), context-sensitive help (what
you can do, what requires a programmer's assistance), and how to select a help
authoring tool for the needs of a project. Please come to the first session
with subject ideas for your class project. If you have any questions about what
might be suitable, please contact the instructor. Enrollment is limited.
Note: This is not a lab class. You should have access to a computer with Microsoft
Windows and the ability to download and install applications from the Web.
Prerequisite: Technical Communication I X465 or equivalent academic or professional
preparation.
Learning Objectives
- Learn a basic technique for carrying out an online help project.
- Learn basic concepts of information design, editorial design, and screen
design as they apply to online help.
- Learn the basic steps in creating Microsoft Windows HTML Help with the
MS HTML Help Workshop
- Apply what you’ve learned and create a working online help sample that demonstrates
proficiency in writing clearly and appropriately for online help.
- As time permits, learn about some of the advanced aspects and specialized
trends in online help such as single-sourcing and context-sensitive help.
Student Responsibilities
As a student in this class, you are expected to:
- Attend all class sessions, and arrive on time. Class will start promptly.
We don't have many meetings, so being at each one is important. However, I
do realize that sometimes emergencies occur that require you to miss a class
or arrive late. Please let me know—in advance, if possible—if you must miss
a class. And plan to get in touch with a classmate afterwards to discuss what
you missed.
- Participate actively. There will be individual and group work in class,
as well as instructor lectures and presentations. Bring your questions and
ideas to class.
- Turn in homework assignments when due, and do the assigned reading before
class. See the course outline below for details.
- You will be working with your classmates. Work collaboratively and with
respect for each other.
- Complete your class project, and turn it in at the final class. (More about
this below, under Class Project.)
- Demo your project to the class at the last class meeting, and discuss your
experience in developing it.
There is a wealth of resources about online help available—web sites, books,
discussion lists, and more. I hope you'll explore, learn more, and be inspired
by what is available.
Instructor Responsibilities
As the instructor, my role is to present you with information related to the
subject, provide opportunities for you to try out what you're learning, help you
understand the class material, and provide feedback on your work. Please feel
free to ask questions. I'm happy to arrive a bit early, stay a bit late, or talk
at the break. You can also reach me by email with questions.
I will also give you a grade. My expectations of you are outlined in this
syllabus. If you have any questions about what is expected of you, please ask.
Course Requirements
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Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes, actively participate
in class discussions, complete reading assignments and submit written
assignments on due dates.
Class Project
The purpose of the term project is to create an online help sample that may
serve as a part of your technical communication portfolio. The project must
exemplify the type of online help authoring performed by a technical communicator.
All projects must be approved by the instructor by the 2nd class. Changes or
modifications in the project proposal must be made in writing and approved.
Your help system project is expected to contain between 10
and 25 topics. (See the handout Expectations for Class
Project for specific requirements.).
You may select a topic that would contain significantly more
information when fully developed, and focus on a specific
section of it. If you are currently working on a technical
writing project, we may be able to work out a way for you
to use it as the basis for this project.
In addition to the help file itself, you will create a project plan that defines
the purpose, goals, and audience for the project, and identifies the topic types,
editorial and visual elements, link strategy, and navigation used in the help.
Each of these issues will be described in class. You will create this plan as
we discuss these issues in class.
The final term project must be presented at the last class meeting. No late
projects will be accepted without prior approval of the instructor.
Evaluation
Grades will be based on the following scale:
| In-class and small group participation: |
20% |
| Weekly development of class project (with assigned pieces turned in
as homework: |
20% |
| Final project and final presentation: |
60% |
Textbooks and Other Instructional
Materials
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Required
- Hackos, Joann, Standards for Online Communication, John Wiley & Sons,
Inc., 1997.
- Klein, Jeannine M. E., Building Enhanced HTML Help with DHTML & CSS,
from Hewlett-Packard Professional Books, through Prentice Hall. Copyright
2001.
Additional Books and Resources
For more, see the Class Reading and Resources list.
Course Outline and Class Assignments
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Week 1. Course Overview (June 4, 2005)
Topics
- Class introduction and syllabus review
- Instructor and student introductions
- What is online help?
- What do you need to know, as a help author??
- Demonstration of using HTML Help Workshop and
FAR to create MS HTML Help
- Discussion of class projects and homework
Readings and assignments due week
2
- Write short descriptions of
two possible topics for your project. Submit by
email by Thursday, June 9
- Download HHW and FAR. (For
links, see the Resources page.)
- Create and compile a working
HTML Help project and submit it by email by the
end of Friday, June 10.
(Create at least 4 topics, save as HTML, create an HHP file through
the Help Workshop and FAR, create a ToC, compile it all together.)
For your reference, you can download these sample files:
Exercise_Files.zip - Look at online help in FAR and HHW. What do
you think? What parts are most useful to you? Is there additional information
you would like?
- See handout from class, for additional
details about your homework.
Week 2. Planning Your Help System (June
11, 2005)
Topics
- Planning your project: Defining audience, purpose,
and goals.
- Information design: information types, types
of topics
- Understanding your users
- In-class work on your project,
related to audience, goals, information design, and beginning
to identify the specific content
Readings and assignments due week 3
- Create the first sections of an Information
Plan. Define: Subject, purpose, audience, types of topics, beginning list
of topics you’ll want to include, identified by type. Create your
plan as HTML Help and submit it by email.
- Continue to gather text and
content to be used in your project and bring it to class.
(You will work with during class.) You may use existing
text which you created for another format, such as for a
paper document. Consider bringing screen shots for reference.
- During the week, make contact with someone
else in the class for peer review. Discuss your Information Plans—subject,
purpose, audience, types of topics. In the listener role, ask questions to
clarify purposes and audiences for the project, make constructive suggestions.
Make adjustments to your plan, based on this review. Plan to spend 15-20 minutes
discussing each of your projects.
- Come prepared to write about content in class.
Week 3. Designing Your Project and Your
Topics (June 18, 2005)
Topics
- Designing your topics
- Separating content from presentation
- Structural issues: length
of topics, headings, layering elements
- Revising and chunking information
developed for print
- Look and feel issues--CSS and Accessibility
- Writing different types of topics
Readings and assignments due week 4
- Further develop the plan for your project:
Define the elements for each topic, make decisions about writing style and
document these.
- Write sample topics for each type of topic.
- Create a CSS for your project (you may adapt
the sample, if you like) and apply it to your topics
Format your topics with named styles.
- Continue to develop your list of topics.
Submit your files by email before the next class.
Bring 2 printed copies of your topics to class.
- Compare
notes with another student from the class.
Week 4. Designing User Access: Navigation
and Layering (July 9, 2005)
Topics
- Navigation methods and methods of layering
- How users move around
- Mechanics of Navigation systems
- Preparing for a user test
Readings and assignments due week 5
- Expand your project plan by creating a navigation
plan: Decide how topics will link. Draw a map or create a story boards.
Continue to work on your project, adding appropriate navigation.
- Complete the draft of your
topics. Submit by email by 7/14.
- Identify questions and issues for discussion.
- Decide what you want to have tested by another
student in class. Bring 3 printed copies of all topics.
Write a short list of tasks you want to see a user accomplish with your help
file. (These should be typical of what a user might want to do.)
Week 5. Pulling it All Together; User
Testing; Specialized Topics (July 16, 2005)
Topics
- Using graphics in a help project
- Issues submitted by students
- Specialized topics (as time permits)
Readings and assignments due week 6
- Writing/Developing Assignment (to turn in)
- Complete your help project and the associated
information plan.
Bring a copy of both on a floppy
Bring two printed copies.
Bring a SASE
- Come prepared to do a brief presentation (7
to 10 minutes) about your project.
Handout on presentation guidelines will be provided in class.
Week 6. Project Presentations by Students
(July 23, 2005)
Topics
- Project presentations
- What next? Learning more...
- Class evaluations
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