Using Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro and Adobe Presenter to Create Superior Documents and Training

Joe Ganci, Dazzle Technologies Corp.

During this hands-on class, you will learn and practice how to use the latest version of Adobe Acrobat to its full potential, allowing you to deliver media-rich and interactive documents. You will see how to use Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Presenter to enhance your technical documents and even allow for training applications within your documents, letting users try tasks themselves.

You will learn how to use Adobe Acrobat to:

• Incorporate video and audio directly in PDF documents
• Create Adobe PDF Portfolios for more navigable and attractive documents.
• Include interactive elements and tasks to engage users.
• Create a true immersive experience and deliver it through a standard PDF document.

You will also learn how to use Adobe Presenter to deliver even more immersive content. You will learn how to:

• Start with PowerPoint slides and add audio narration
• Further add Flash content and videos
• Create quiz questions quickly and easily, grouping and randomizing questions
• Track learner progress and send to a Learning Management System
• Communicate and collaborate, delivering information, documentation, media elements and interactivity securely and effectively to almost anyone, anywhere.
• Protect sensitive information and deliver information and training easily anywhere in the world.

Information Modeling in XML

Bob Boiko, Metatorial Services Inc.

In this workshop we will practice modeling information in XML. You will begin with your own or an imagined business context. From the context you will define one or more info types that bring value to that context. You will model your types in XML to flesh out their structure. We will then discuss the issues of reuse using XSL Transforms as a method for creating templates that the same information in different views. At the end of the session you should have a solid understanding of information type modeling, rendering and reuse and have a starting place for applying your knowledge.

Hour 1: Defining a business context that can define info types

• From goals to audiences
• From audiences to types
• From types to their structure

• XML modeling and syntax
• XML Techniques
• Modeling exercise

• XSL Transforms syntax and methods
• Rendering full views
• Rendering short views
• Rendering lists

• Info modeling skills
• XML skills
• Modeling at a larger scale

Writing Help Procedures That Work

Leah Guren, Cow TC

Users have come to expect task-based Help topics rather than mere descriptions of product features. They want to know how to accomplish tasks, not just understand interface isolated from the realities of their workflow.

Writing procedures deserves time, thought, and careful analysis. Help authors can follow these best practices throughout the process to create procedures that are more useful, more appealing, easier to follow, and supporting of the needs of the audience.

This workshop includes plenty of hands-on exercises and class participation.

Learning Objectives

Participants will:

• Determine which key tasks need to be documented in the Help system.
• Decide how to link between task-based and feature-based topics to meet user expectations.
• Explore strategies for supporting the needs of different user groups.
• Master best practices for procedures, from top to bottom.
• Gain ideas for simple usability testing of these procedures.

Session Outline

• Intro: The Need for Procedures
• Task-based vs. Feature-Based
• Procedures in Help vs. Other Docs
• Best Practices
• Performing Audience Analysis
• Identifying Tasks
• Intros
• Prerequisites
• Hazards
• Steps
• Layered Info
• Graphics
• Navigational Cues
• Testing
• Conclusion