Job-Aid Design: Tips, Tricks, What to Include, How to Format?

Best resource (IMO) to break it down to essential actions and support resources is Cathy Moore's Action Mapping: http://blog.cathy-moore.com/action-mapping-a-visual-approach-to-training-design/

After going through Cathy's process, look at context, and format carefully.  A user at a desk with a computer may have access to multimedia or clickable links to unveil each layer of information as it's needed, with progressive depths of information.

A user in a fire with a fire extinguisher needs a sticker on the side that can be understood in under 5 seconds.

So after Cathy's process, I find context/format (the function) to drive the best choices for form.

If David didn't post it, I was going to.

Are you creating a Just in Time job aid, or something more complex. If you were in need of the job aid, what do you need to know??

Depending on what the job aid is to be used for, I might suggest an infographic.  

Hi Nicole, 

This is a great discussion.  I recently had to develop some for regulatory compliance at a call center.  As everything else we do, I started with the business need.  Our business need was for agents to be completely aware of Medicare regulations regarding a customer's right to an appeal.  I used PowerPoint in a portrait layout to build the attached job aid. It seemed to work well along with dedicated coaching from supervising staff.  In terms of formatting, I always picture a job aid to have a START and STOP point.

I think the most important thing for these kind of learning interventions is familiarity. What I mean is you should get in the learner's space. What is their workflow? How do they use systems? What interferences do they have? What are the typical periods during the workday that they take breaks? For how much time?

Once you know the environment, the job aide should just come to you.

A lot of really fabulous tips here... thanks for everyone's insights... some of the top tips I think I'm pulling from this are...

• Put yourself in the learners shoes and consider what they need/want on the job 
• Understanding work environment, business requirements, and the context is key to ensure the job-aid is usable in a real-life situation
• Consider  creating an infographic or something more visual 

These are awesome tips so far! You guys rock :)

Ooh, nice example, Alexander! Thanks for including that,it's always soooo helpful to see real-life examples. A picture of a job-aid is worth a thousand words! haha

Hi Nicole:

David's link to Cathy Moore's Site led me to her Twitter Feed, where I found this:

http://eppic.biz/2016/02/18/a-damn-good-job-aid/?utm_content=bufferd7c5a&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Guy Wallace's blog post is a little on the thin side, but he does make one or two interesting points about Job Aids and who should/how to go about building them. ;)

I think everyone has said this already... but functionality is a huge driver of the design of the job aid.  Is this job aid a procedural reminder or call to action?  Is it a reference document?

If it's a procedural reminder, then I try to go with a simple statement that sums up the objective.  Any additional words, graphics, or images should direct the learner to the statement.  For example, if the message is "Verify Every Call!"  I might design an aid that explains the repercussions of failing to properly verify a caller.  The options are pretty open with this one.

If it's a reference document, I'm focusing on usability and convenience more than attractive design.  In this case, a simple word document with a neatly designed chart will do.

I have made design and content reasons based on page size too.  If it's an aid that will be kept at an agents desk, I do whatever I can to neatly fit the information on a one-sided 8.5 x 11 page.  Employees here will do better with a simple one page reference document taped up on their cubicle than they will a detailed three page document that they have to flip through.

Ultimately, I'm trying to make it as easy as possible for our employees to make a correct decision or follow the proper procedure.  I want to do that in the least amount of clicks/page turns/sentences possible

Preston:

I LOVE this idea/insight.  If I were building a Job-Aid, the first thing I'd be looking to do is to see how many of these concepts I might work into this.

Example Ideas (personal "light-bulbs" from this Insight):

• Use an Infographic(s) either at the center OR periphery of my Print-Out or Job-Aid Slide, and then add thought balloons, captions, or other Post-It-Notes-like elements around it.
• Use a flowchart approach along with a combination of select text and graphics visuals to overview, evaluate, or underscore the desired learning process(es) that Job Aid supports.

I guess the most obvious question(s) that comes out from this is:

"What exactly IS a Job Aid?"

and

"How far should a/how detailed should a... particular Job Aid go/be?"

I'm happy to help Nicole, anything you need  ;  )

Ok, so this is not so much related to the format of the job aid, but one think I can add is that it's also extermely important where and how easily users can find the job aids. I've seen dozens of projects with great job aids not adding much value because users don't where to look.

When writing a procedural job aid e.g. data entry steps - has anyone found a format that is easy to use, attractive and easily transferable to accessible technology such as JAWS for the visually impaired?

Hi @Tania, 

I think you might benefit more from the guidance and techniques to make content easily read by JAWS or similar software.  This affects anything from a web page to a Word document.  For example; a Word document can be perfectly adapted for JAWS if is properly formatted.  Here in the US we follow 508 compliance. See this post for more info (although the force tells me you already know this ;  )

I echo Ben's suggestion to focus on the current users and what they look for in the work space. This helps you determine what they need and how they use it. Another quick tip on gathering this info: look at their workspace, especially the sticky-notes they place around the monitor or anywhere within view. This is the content they use the most often, and may struggle to remember. Then map them to the specific tasks where they use them. That should prompt some ideas on how to create something useful. Infographics, flow diagrams, something similar to Alexander's example could be some ways to present the info.

In a similar vein, when (if) you get the users/learners in a classroom or conference room, and after reviewing important information or a specific lesson (regulations, procedures, etc.) I've had them work in small groups to create their own job aids on a white-board or flip-chart. Pose the challenge: "What was most difficult about what we just covered? What do you think you might need the most help with when applying this on the job?" Give them time to design a "poster." Take a photo of their output, re-work it in the software of your choice, have accuracy vetted by a SME, and get it back to them. They created the original, it should look familiar, and this increases the likelihood they will make use of it. Or if their original work is THAT good, just send them copies to print and post at their desks or workspace.

Nothing to add here other than Dave Ferguson's Ensampler. He's been studying, designing, and developing job aides for a couple of decades and has a wealth of information. 

Way to much to explain here so I'll just leave you this gem: http://www.ensampler.com

That's a super helpful resource. Love it!! Thanks so much for sharing that Kevin.

I know I am late  to this discussion, but I would consider the physical environment in which the job aid is to be used.  If the job aid is to be used outside in the field, i would suggest a laminated sheet.  Also, I would consider if the sheet needs to be full sized.  If the work is done with a computer nearby, consider making a video job aid or micro-elearning session.  That is what we are starting to do.

FYI Dave Ferguson site not up as of 6/29/16..may come back up but not up now

Just came across this thread. Thanks to Kevin and Nicole for their kind words, and apologies to Tracy -- I had a malware problem on both my blogs, which has since been fixed.

Creating job aids won't reduce the crabgrass on your lawn or make you a better singer, but if you use them when the nature of the task suggests them, you'll help your audience save time and money, avoid stress, and (most important) achieve results that matter.

I've just returned from the Institute for Performance and Learning's 2016 conference, where I offered my Building Job Aids workshop. That's spurring me to share ideas more often at Ensampler.com, including how-tos and makeovers of less-than-optimal job aids.

Great headstart. I just dont know where to start till I found this and almost hired a graphic designer virtual assistant. Thanks!

Thank you so much! Have been struggling to create a job aid for two weeks and I needed to see something new.

Those are great ideas, Terry.  I'm going to use the 'create your own' idea next week!

Natalie

The suggestions are very helpful. I am working on a job aid project and the design is based on search by pre determined words for policy related answers.  Any recommendations to how to proceed?