Clear Spring Information Systems Documentation

Overview of Products

Clear Spring has created many different types of products providing information systems documentation. These include traditional, paper-based user manuals, an on-line version of a paper-based user manual, an on-line reference explaining the use of and products of an information system, and a number of different paper-based job aids summarizing important information to guide the use of information systems. Clear Spring user manuals are generally structured around the tasks the user performs with the system, rather than the features or structure of the system. Clear Spring staff are proficient at creating documentation for systems concurrent with system development.

Project Listing

For a large government organization: Clear Spring developed detailed job aids for two PC-based spreadsheet applications, to be used at the desktop following the completion of accompanying self-instructional courses and criterion-referenced tests. The job aids provide the basic steps for performing the most common types of spreadsheet tasks performed by agency staff.

For a large government agency: Clear Spring has developed a series of paper job aids providing easily accesssible information of various types for use in entering data, requesting data, and interpreting data from a large contract management information system. Included were information such as subsystem maps, identifying the sequence of menu choices for desired transactions; error message tables, identifying the meaning of error codes along with the probable causes and potential fixes; authorization tables, indicating who is authorized to edit different data fields in the system; and overall process flow charts indicating the sequences of system transactions required to perform particular contract management tasks. Most of these job aids provided imprtant detailed information to be used on the job subsequent to completion of related computer-based training or paper self-instructional courses.

For a large government agency: Clear Spring created a specialized on-line reference system providing information about all of the on-line inquiries that can be performed and reports that are available from a mainframe subsystem of a contract management information system. Highlights of the reference include step-action charts detailing the steps for performing key inquiries; and copies of key reports, with information about the meaning of the data in various fields on the report accessible by clicking on the field. This on-line job aid also supplemented users after completion of a related computer-based training lesson introducing the transactions and reports.

For a large government agency: Clear Spring developed a self-instructional course that was structured to function as a desk reference after the training, with consistently formatted and easy- to-locate steps for performing common tasks. The course addresses the performance of important property management tasks using a PC-based property management system.

For a scientific consulting company: Clear Spring designed and developed a highly-graphical, highly-detailed user's manual for sophisticated decision support software. The guide was designed to be accessible from the user perspective, rather than the system designer's perspective. This manual, with hyperlinks added, was also made available on-line in a Windows Help format that could be viewed concurrently with software use.

For an economics consulting company: Clear Spring designed and developed a user's manual for a software tool used to classify and analyze hospital costs.

Learn about other Clear Spring projects:

Computer-Based Training (CBT) and Multimedia
On-Line References and Documentation
Instructor-Led Training Development
Self-Instructional Materials (Paper-Based and Videotape)
Studies and Consulting Services

To contact Clear Spring:

By E-Mail: Partner@clearspringinc.com
By phone: (610) 469-8923
By fax: (610) 469-8943
By mail: P.O. Box 276, Birchrunville, PA 19421-0276
Express Delivery: 1645 Birchrun Road