Creating Killer Handouts for Your Training Classes

1. Creating Killer Handouts for Your Training Classes Richard Binning Highlights: Remember The Three Cs - Content, Character, And Consistency Saying More With Less - White Space Is Not A Bad Thing A Picture Tells A Thousand Stories - Working With Graphics Building Bridges - Connecting The Content With Conduct ED24-1

2. Richard Binning INTRODUCTION • The Haskell Company • Trainer, Applications Architect, Systems Analyst • AUGI Board of Directors; Officer, Secretary • Manager; Local User Groups, Exchange Team, Web Team, Forums • Trainer: • Adjunct Instructor – Florida Community College Jacksonville • Instructor - AUGI Training Program, In-house Stds • Speaker; Autodesk University, AUGI CAD CAMP

3. AGENDA • Handouts • What they are and aren’t • The True Purpose of a Handout • Constructing Handouts • Using Visual Design Rules • Legibility & Readability • The Unfortunate Acronym • The Three C’s • Stylizing Your Documents • A Picture tells a thousand stories

4. Handouts Have Purpose ABOUT HANDOUTS • Killer Handouts • Motivate • Focus • Direct • Expand, Support, Remember • Killer Handouts Aren’t: • PowerPoint Slides • An Accessory • Merely An Outline • A Replacement for Missing the Course

5. Purpose Cont. ABOUT HANDOUTS • Killer Handouts Should: • Lead • Liberate • Guide • Represent • Killer Handouts Will: • Enhance Career • Act as a Reminder • Reinforce Learning • Give You Credibility

6. Visual Design CONSTRUCTING HANDOUTS • Killer Handouts Use Visual Design Rules • Design School • OJT • Experience • Visual Design Rules: • Legibility • Readability

7. “Legibility refers to the recipient’s ability to recognize the message being delivered…” Legibility CONSTRUCTING HANDOUTS • Killer Handouts Have Legibility • Recognition • Definition: BrainyDictionary • Capable of being read or deciphered; distinct to the eye; plain; -- used of writing or printing; as, a fair, legible manuscript. • Capable of being discovered or understood by apparent marks or indications; as, the thoughts of men are often legible in their countenances.

8. Legibility - Typeface CONSTRUCTING HANDOUTS • 3 Basic Types • Serif • Sans Serif • Decorative Times Tahoma Mistral

9. CONSTRUCTING HANDOUTS • Remember: • Legibility can be a Deal Killer! • Cognitive Impaired • Vision Impaired • Its better to have a Killer Handout than for your handout to be a Deal killer!

10. “Readability is… the ease with which a topic or subject can be readily understood…” Readability CONSTRUCTING HANDOUTS • Killer Handouts Have Readability • Comprehension • Definition: Wikipedia • is a measure of the comprehensibility or understandability of written text. The ease with which something can be understood.

11. Readability CONSTRUCTING HANDOUTS • Readability is directly related to Visual Design • Involves: • Layout of the Page • Graphics • Tables • Text • Our Unfortunate Acronym

12. Acronym CONSTRUCTING HANDOUTS • Contrast • Distinguish Between Elements • Draw Attention • Quick Test • Repetition • Unity through Planning • Provide Subtle Training • Identify Information

13. Acronym CONSTRUCTING HANDOUTS • Alignment • Provide Flow • Rhythm & Context • Justification • Proximity • Assists Reinforcement • Visual Reminder • Lend Importance

14. Three C’s CONSTRUCTING HANDOUTS • Killer Handouts get you noticed and lead your students to Learning by adherence to: • Content • Character • Consistency C C C

15. Content CONSTRUCTING HANDOUTS • Content • Outline • Basics • Public Domain • Clear Objectives • Step by Step C C C

16. Character CONSTRUCTING HANDOUTS • Character • Pleasing • Appropriate Use Of Graphics • Clean Copies • Quality Representation • Master Copies C C C

17. Consistency CONSTRUCTING HANDOUTS • Consistency • Template • Header • Styles • Footer • Fonts • Maintain Convention • Graphics • Contrast C C C

18. White Space CONSTRUCTING HANDOUTS • Killer Handouts aren’t afraid of White Space • — the space between visual elements — is an integral part of the message. White space tells you where one section ends and another begins. • Don’t Trap It • Avoid Rivers • Provides Breathing Room • Guides the Viewer -

19. White Space CONSTRUCTING HANDOUTS • Killer Handouts aren’t afraid of White Space • — the space between visual elements — is an integral part of the message. White space tells you where one section ends and another begins. • Don’t Trap It • Avoid Rivers • Provides Breathing Room • Guides the Viewer -

20. Graphics CONSTRUCTING HANDOUTS • Killer Handouts Have Lots of Graphics • Choose Graphics that • Increase Learning • Focus Attention • Reinforce Points • Improve Performance • Activating Prior Knowledge • Provide Familiarity with Task

21. Graphics CONSTRUCTING HANDOUTS • Killer Handouts Have “Lightweight” Graphics • Choose Graphics Formats that • Minimize File Size • Are Targeted for Learning • Cropped or trimmed • File Types (GIF, JPG, PNG) • Screen Captures

22. Screen Capture?

23. Graphics CONSTRUCTING HANDOUTS • File Types (GIF, JPG, PNG) • 347x186 pixels each • Which is Lightest? • Which is Best Quality

24. Graphics CONSTRUCTING HANDOUTS • BMP • 190kb • Best Quality

25. Graphics CONSTRUCTING HANDOUTS • JPG • 14kb • Quality?

26. Graphics CONSTRUCTING HANDOUTS • GIF • 13kb • Good Quality

27. Graphics CONSTRUCTING HANDOUTS • PNG • 7kb • Good Quality

28. TIP: Always Open MSPaint or other image editing software to unload images copied to clipboard. Graphics CONSTRUCTING HANDOUTS • Screen Capture How To: • Manual Method – See Page 9 of your handout • “Alt + PrtScrn”-copy window • “PrtScrn”-copy desktop • “Ctrl + V” to Paste

29. TIP: Learn the Hotkeys. Adjust settings prior to creation. Assign Application settings. Graphics CONSTRUCTING HANDOUTS • Screen Capture How to: • Professional Method: • Secure Dedicated Screen Capture Software • HyperSnap DX - http://tinyurl.com/6qdbu • SnagIt - http://tinyurl.com/3gb8 • Others - http://tinyurl.com/5ry5g

30. Working with Graphics TIPS AND TRICKS • Screen Capture Software – Get some! • Remember Optimal File Types – PNG, GIF • Use Cropping Tools and Image Editing Software • Don’t resize to increase, recapture it! • When replacing text captured from Screen – Choose • Font: Tahoma (Font used by Windows) • Size: 11 pt • Turn of Text Smoothing • Match Graphics – Scale one…Scale ‘em all • PDF Printing? – No image compression in distiller • Resolution no higher than 150 ppi

31. Connected Content BUILDING BRIDGES • Focus your Handouts by connecting Content with Conduct • Identify Discrete Goals • Generate Multiple 1-3 page Handouts • Provide True Step by Step Procedures • Solicit input/review from Newbies • Post them on Company Intranet or other known location. • Advertise their existence.

32. “Handouts should both expand and support your presentation as well as serve as an important memory aid.” PARTING THOUGHTS... • Killer Handouts: • What they are and aren’t • The True Purpose of a Handout • Constructing Handouts • Using Visual Design Rules • Legibility & Readability • The Unfortunate Acronym • The Three C’s • Appropriate White space • Graphics Tips-n-Tricks • Connecting Content to Conduct • Double Check on Delivery!

33. HOUSEKEEPING • Evaluations • Handout & Ppt • More Available • http://www.integr-8.com/AU2004/Index.htm

34. QUESTIONS? http://www.integr-8.com/AU2004/Index.htm