Scope

Full spectrum of user assistance and training for complex data-visualization software. The solution needed to support:

• 4+ versions of the product (each customer had slightly different functionality)

• Monthly releases for each version

• Eventual split of single product into 2 products, with 2 distinct users

Deliverables

1. Overall content strategy that was phased, scalable, and used single-sourced authoring to enable reuse and consistency

2. XHTML-based knowledge centers for each product + version (see examples down below) with topics, videos, tutorials

3. Embedded assistance and online help to increase product usability

4. Role-, product-, and skill-based training curriculum

   • Blended: Instructor-led (classroom and virtual), self-directed

   • Hands-on, problem-solving approach (see an example here)

1.

When I started, Rhiza’s SaaS-based data visualization software had been sold to large media groups (Cox, Comcast, BBC) — researchers could combine powerful datasets to uncover and visualize insights that helped sales teams plan, buy, and sell media.

But they didn’t. The product was complex and there was no real training or documentation. To complicate things further, each customer had its own version of the product, with slightly unique functionality and different datasets. Sometimes, the product even had a different name.

The customers were frustrated. The company was frustrated, too: The tool was under rapid development and there was no way to convey the changes to existing users, or show how awesome it was to potential customers.

Time to triage.

2.

I started by working with each person — from the CEO to the support rep — to understand the current situation, the business objectives, and stakeholder needs. I simultaneously immersed myself in the tool — time for thorough task, feature, and content audits — and sat in on customer meetings to understand their goals and pain points.

My strategy: Use a single-sourced, topic-based approach to start building out the content — it could scale and could be easily customized / reused to support the current product differences, as well as a planned product split.

I collaborated with devOps, development, UX, and design to start implementing the tools, processes, and content.

3.

First stop: Essential training and documentation to help existing users:

• New XHTML-based knowledge center that contained the most fundamental topics (one KC per customer).

• What’s New element in the UI to alert users to monthly release updates, with pointers back to newly-updated KC.

• Basic training for existing users (instructor-led, hands-on).

• Start implementing embedded assistance and online help in the product

Iteratively: More robust docs and training:

• Updated KCs with advanced topics, tutorials, and videos (+ monthly feature updates)

• Training curriculum that centered around roles and skills

  • Core set of courses that could be quickly customized based on customer

  • Leveled by skill, with hands-on problem solving exercises to cement skills

  • Weekly office hours to answer questions

  • Plans for social-based certification program to enable power users and drive adoption

• Newer KCs that supported multiple products and learning pathways