Pinpoint Perspective: Views and Opinions of 2004
This issue of Focus Forward offers some ideas and reflections on 2004—a singularly eventful year. These ideas reflect underlying attitudes and opinions that pinpoint important issues that affect every business. In the US, we elected a new President after one of the most divisive political campaigns and elections in history. The world’s stage has also changed significantly this year: Yasser Arafat’s death is re-shaping the West Bank, Afghanistan’s first president has just taken office, and disputed elections are paralyzing the Ukraine. And, to quote a New York paper’s headline—“Hell Freezes Over”—the Boston Red Sox are baseball’s 2004 World Champions! We can only wonder at what 2005 holds in store for us.
This issue discusses important trends in 2004 in these essential business areas:
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Each issue of Focus Forward features a viewpoint on a critical customer topic. We’ll focus on what’s happening and what’s coming down the line. These are issues that you’ve told us keep you up at night. Though we work with clients in the technology, healthcare, and financial services industries, we hope the newsletter will be informative to all.
Regulatory Compliance: Beyond the Deadlines
For many companies, much of 2004 was devoted to achieving and documenting regulatory compliance, largely driven by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOA), discussed in previous issues of Focus Forward. When Section 404 of SOA went into effect on November 15, 2004, US public companies were required to file the annual Form 10-K with the SEC. The deadline to fully comply with the provisions of SOA varies from company to company. Companies with a fiscal year that mirrors the calendar year face a December 31, 2004 deadline.
SOA, like similar regulations such as 21 CFR Part 11 in the pharmaceutical industry and HIPAA in healthcare, have brought about systemic changes in how businesses conduct their affairs. Though companies have worked diligently and spent millions of dollars to achieve compliance with these new regulations, the job is still not done. Each company must invest time and staff to maintaining compliance over time. Each company must continuously implement process controls and improvements, ensure the security and integrity of data, develop and maintain appropriate documentation, and implement backup/archiving procedures.
White Papers: Promoting Your Message
Some people think a white paper is just an extended sales pitch. In our series on white papers, we tried to dispel this myth and offer some insights into using industry-standard best practices when creating white papers. At the same time, creating a quality white paper is not enough to drive new business to your door. Certain companies expect that simply posting a new white paper on their website will automatically generate qualified leads for the sales team.
How should you promote the availability of your paper now that it’s written? If you’d like to get the most out of your white paper investment, we encourage you to listen to the TechTarget webcast entitled Getting on the “Short List:” Best Practices for White Paper Marketing. TechTarget produces the most targeted media for enterprise information technology (IT) professionals, including the TechTarget network of websites targeting specific sectors of the IT market. According to Marilou Barsam, VP of Client Consulting at TechTarget, “The white paper is the glue that holds any marketing program or campaign together.”
The webcast, based on an extensive study of TechTarget users, reveals that white papers are used very early in the technology buying cycle. “A white paper plays a critical role early on, so you have to look at it both as a branding vehicle and as a lead-generating vehicle,” explained Barsam. TechTarget’s research indicates that IT professionals use white papers as a decision aid when choosing among competing products. They also use white papers extensively to develop a short list of vendors.
Technical Documentation: Help Files No Longer Enough
Windows-based desktop applications dominate the hard drives of most computer users. As a result, compiled HTML help (also known as CHM help) has become the standard help format for these software applications. A key disadvantage of CHM help is that it is a proprietary help format suitable only for Windows-based applications. If you need to provide cross-platform support to your users, you should consider Macromedia’s RoboHelp or develop pure HTML help.
At the same time, traditional help files no longer provide the complete solution for user assistance. Different users learn how to use software in different ways, so static, online documentation is not sufficient for every learning style. As a result, forward-thinking companies are creating interactive simulations with Flash MX and software demonstrations with Captivate (formerly RoboDemo). In addition, technical support reps are being asked to write up their calls and publish the solutions in promptly in free knowledgebases and FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions documents) for use by customers. Technical writers and courseware developers are now looked upon as “knowledge engineers” who must be able to define, develop, and deliver the best package of user assistance based on demanding new user needs and tasks.
e-learning: Moving Up the Learning Curve
Are you behind the curve on e-learning? Brandon-Hall, a leading technology consultancy, recently conducted a survey of nearly 300 Chief Learning Officers (CLOs) and other key decision-makers. When asked to describe the scenario that best describes their present e-learning practices, the answers were as follows: (1)
- 38.8%—We’re providing either custom-built or off-the-shelf, self-paced learning courses and tracking results using a learning management system.
- 26.7%—We’re providing self-paced e-learning courses, tracking results using a learning management system, and providing live e-learning sessions using virtual classroom applications.
- 12.6% —We’re testing the e-learning waters by providing a few e-learning courses to our learner communities using off-the-shelf courses or converting some conventional training content to
e-learning.
In addition, when asked whether they had one or two major strategic business initiatives supported by e-learning, 80.9% of respondents answered “Yes.” (2)
There are a number of ways to drive these initiatives through to completion. Many organizations are utilizing a blended e-learning approach that requires creating or re-purposing PowerPoint presentations and developing training simulations with audio support. These can be developed using Qarbon’s Viewlet or KnowledgePlanet’s Firefly for self-paced learning.
Summary
Someone once said, “The only thing constant is change itself.” In this year alone we have experienced tremendous changes in many spheres of activity. Change is also a challenge. Whether it is a challenge to human existence or to business organizations, adjustment to change is the first condition for survival. Our ancestors evolved to survive and even thrive, despite dramatic changes in our planet’s atmosphere. The dinosaurs did not.
In recent times, technologies that handle the receipt and exchange of information have also evolved. Advances in communications technology have accelerated the pace of change in almost every other human activity to a point where many people feel compelled to be “on” 24x7x365. David Essel begins his recent book entitled Slow Down: The Fastest Way to Get Everything You Want, with these words:
The cornerstones needed to live an abundant life are intention, gratitude, and action, or the three keys to manifestation. The beautiful thing about them is that it takes nothing more than a mental awareness of their importance to benefit from what they have to offer. It takes little or no physical energy on your part to change—all that’s required is the simple act of acknowledgment to shift how you feel and even look. (3)
Have a great end of 2004 and a fabulous start to 2005!
Notes
(1) Executive Summary: A Buyer’s Guide to the Best E-Learning Content Development Applications.
(2) Ibid.
(3) amazon.com
Resources
Learn More
Tim Rosa Associates develops technical documentation, marketing communications, and training materials for technology, healthcare, and financial services companies worldwide. Our clients run the spectrum from startups to Fortune 500 companies. You can learn more about our company at www.timrosaassociates.com.
Thanks for reading,
Tim Rosa
Founder
Focus Forward Copyright © 2004 Tim Rosa Associates, LLC. All rights reserved. |
