Strategies to Support Your Users:
Custom Documentation and Help Files
Karen M. Campbell, Rutgers University
Mathieu Plourde, University of Delaware
Jonathan Bolte, Indiana University

Session Agenda
• Introduction
• Panel Presentations
• University of Delaware
• Rutgers University
• Indiana University
• Conclusion
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Help Files and Documentation at the
UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE
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Types of Contents
• Help Files
• Support and Training Website
• Handouts
• Captivate Videos
• FAQs
• Practices
• News and Technical Updates
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Workflow
Request
USERS
Answer
HELP CENTER
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Workflow
Request Trouble
Ticket
USERS
Answer
HELP CENTER
LMS TEAM
July 2009 10th Sakai Conference - Boston, MA, U.S.A.

Workflow
Request Trouble
Ticket
USERS
Answer
HELP CENTER
LMS TEAM
July 2009 10th Sakai Conference - Boston, MA, U.S.A.

Workflow
Most Frequent
Requests
Request Trouble
Ticket
USERS
Answer
TECH WRITER
HELP CENTER
LMS TEAM NEW/REVISED
DOCUMENTATION
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Workflow
Most Frequent
Requests
Request Trouble
Ticket
USERS
Answer
TECH WRITER
HELP CENTER
LMS TEAM NEW/REVISED
DOCUMENTATION
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Help Files
Help pages are hosted on another server,
allowing us to update the information
instantly without rebooting.
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Support and Training Website
http://www.udel.edu/sakai/training/
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News and Technical Updates
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Help Files and Documentation at
Rutgers University
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Background
• Use • Support
• over 50,000 students, • 3 partial support staff
8,000 fac/staff • 1 dedicated developer
• K12 use • 3 partial developers
• 40,000 unique users • 1-3 student staff
per week
• 50% course sections
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Background
• Open use of Sakai
• users create own sites
• add rosters
• choose tools, add content
• faculty, staff, & students create sites
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Goals
• Give users a chance to help themselves
• Give users resources to teach themselves
• Provide examples of ways to use Sakai
• Give users ideas for new things to try
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Structure
• Getting Started
• Tool Overview
• FAQ
• Doc for each tool:
• Intro
• Comprehensive guide
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Updates
• Minor updates throughout year
• correct errors, clarify instructions, new
features
• user suggestions
• Annual overhaul
• coincides with system upgrade
• adjust structure & content, update
screenshots, reevaluate docs
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Updates
Sakai Docs
Docs Coordinator
Proofs docs
Checks docs in & out
Student Staff Incoming Staff Other Staff
Edits/rewrites docs Edits/rewrites docs Edits/rewrites docs

Future (Immediate)
• Fill in holes
• 1 page quick start guide
• “Alert” boxes
• Navigation within docs
• Printer-friendly versions
• How-to videos
• Redo general info & getting started
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Future (Long-term)
• More videos, examples, & pedagogy-based
content
• Example sites - challenge!
• Centralized collaborative repository
• Way to track docs use and helpfulness
• More advanced docs exploring other
angles
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Reasons for Success
• Use students
• Train new employees
• Invest resources
• Settle for what you can do
• Keep up with updates
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Help Files and Documentation at
Indiana University
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Challenge #1
• Addressing different needs for different
users and site types.
Course Project Portfolio
Instructor Organizer CIG Coordinator
Student Member CIG Participant
Teaching Assistant Evaluator
Content Assistant Reviewer
Custom
Guest Observer
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Challenge #2
• Keeping track of all the changes and
establishing a workflow.
• Maintaining up-to-date documentation
which involve constant attention
(foreverism).
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Challenge #3
• Using community-contributed content.
• Branding is an issue for screenshots and
videos.
• Different tool sets are used in different
institutions.
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