Forum Discussion
Job-Aid Design: Tips, Tricks, What to Include, How to Format?
Hello helpful instructional design & training peeps,
I've been working on designing a few job-aids lately and I was looking at templates and ideas for how to format it online when I though...
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?"
