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

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?

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

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.

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!

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?   

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.

I design system trng with sims and so on, but lately, the request has been for job aids. These are basic to the point and in a table layout. I added bookmarks to skip steps but left out the links to other documents due to the nature of the change beast right now. I also created a storyline file where they could hover over the areas of the screen they didn't understand and it provided an explanation. 

More often than not, they are seldom used. You can have it easily available, specific, clear, and even interactive and if it gets a 10% hit rate you're happy. 

Don't overthink it and go with what works best for your client's situation. :)