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

Hi, Walaa:

For me it's helpful to think about the different kinds of tasks that someone engages in, and I like to start from the different outcomes and figure out what's required.

For example, in my last job we had a set of policy documents related to pension administration. If I think of those as being in a searchable database, then I can imagine a couple of different tasks (which might not match yours, obviously):

• How do I create my search? You mention predetermined words -- are they in a drop-down list? A set of objects I can drag?
• Can I save or reuse a search? Can I modify one I've saved?
• How do I navigate the results of a search? Can I open one result then jump immediately to the next, or do I have to go back? Can I look at a list of results and refine it (to narrow it down)? Can I redo my original search from that result screen, or do I have to go elsewhere?
• What can I do with the specific result, such as one or more documents? Can I save them (not the search terms, but the results)? Can I print them? Forward them?

Depending on the detail, you've got maybe three parts (create including save; navigate; work with results). That could be one job aid, or three. If it were one, maybe the first part or page would be a link to each of the subparts.

Since I assume you don't know exactly what a person will be searching for, the search section might have explanations and simple examples.

• To search for all documents with governance  :: Click GOVERNANCE
• For all contracts related to services  ::  Click CONTRACTS and SERVICES
• For hiring procedures except for IT  ::  Click HIRING, PROCEDURES; hold CTRL, click X and IT

...Just some notions to get you started.