DITA, Topic-Based Authoring, and Information Mapping: What Authors Need to Know

Information Mapping Launches New e-Workshop Series

VHA Realizes Benefit from Newly Developed Policies and Procedures Guide and Web site

Download IMI's E-mail and the Decline of Business Communications White Paper

IMI Events Bring You Solutions to Business Problems

FS Pro Hints & Tips: Using 'Copy and Paste' in FS Pro Documents

Case Study: Aurora Health Care

Employee Profile: Joyce Southward

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March 2007	www.infomap.com	Vol. 15, No. 1

DITA, Topic-Based Authoring, and Information Mapping: What Authors Need to Know

By Cynthia Whitty, Public Relations Specialist

Why so much buzz about Darwin Information Typing Architecture, or DITA, at training and documentation conferences? Why is it gaining popularity among technical writers? And how can authors use DITA and Information Mapping together to create usable content?

A frequent speaker at conferences throughout the country, Deborah Kenny, Vice President and General Manager of Learning Solutions at Information Mapping, Inc., answers these questions and others.

Click 'Read this article' to learn more.

Information Mapping Launches New
e-Workshop Series

By Cynthia Whitty, Public Relations Specialist

Information Mapping, Inc. (IMI) recently launched, a new series of interactive, instructor-led online workshops. The e-Workshop series makes high-quality training in communications skills more accessible to busy professionals through short, focused, online training sessions that they can attend from their desks. E-workshops are only 2½ hours long and will include online instruction, interactivity, small class sizes, and the opportunity to complete individual exercises or activities.

Click 'Read this article' for information about our upcoming e-Workshops.

VHA Realizes Benefit From Newly Developed Policies and Procedures Guide and Web Site

By Cynthia Whitty, Public Relations Specialist

The VHA Chief Business Office (CBO), responsible for developing administrative processes, policies, and directives associated with the delivery of VA health benefit programs, produces information widely used by VHA field staff members, including patient enrollment coordinators, fee and revenue staff, and program analysts, to determine eligibility.

However, since the formats varied and much of the information was out-of-date, critical policies and procedures were difficult to find, use, and understand.

As part of its mission to produce quality products, manage effectively, and measure results, the CBO engaged Information Mapping to revise and redesign its information and develop a Web site.

Click 'Read this article' for more.

Download IMI’s E-mail and the Decline of Business Communications White Paper

By Jason Murtagh, Marketing Coordinator

If you are like most business professionals when faced with an overflowing e-mail inbox, your primary concern is to quickly clear your plate in anticipation of the next inevitable round of incoming messages. But by spinning off short, rapid-fire responses without regard to organization and structure, are you only setting yourself up for even more aggravation?

Vague or disorganized messages can often lead to an endless barrage of response e-mails from coworkers and customers who are unclear as to how they should take action. You can quickly find yourself spending several hours each day simply deciphering and responding to the deluge. This is a sizeable hit to you and your organization’s daily productivity.

Research has shown that taking a little bit of extra time to make sure your intended message is clear and accessible can have a dramatic effect on your recipients ability to understand and, in turn, act upon your e-mails.

E-mail and the Decline of Business Communications, part of IMI’s White Paper Series, is the result of a recent survey of close to 600 business professionals which showed that people are so overwhelmed by the sheer number of poorly executed e-mails they are receiving that they are finding it increasingly more difficult to follow the content and take appropriate action.

Click 'Read this article' for more information.

IMI Events Bring You Solutions
to Business Problems

By Cynthia Whitty, Public Relations Specialist

This spring visit Information Mapping online or in person to learn how to solve communication problems that can lead to performance errors, swamped help desks, poor product quality, failed audits, and high stress. Join us as we discuss important issues that concern business professionals, managers, program directors, writers, course developers, and anyone who is concerned with customer and user satisfaction, improving compliance, and saving money. Get answers today to painful business problems!

Click 'Read this article' to view a list of upcoming events.

Formatting Solutions Pro Hints & Tips: Using 'Copy and Paste' in FS Pro Documents

By Jason Brantley, Client Services Manager

Formatting Solutions™ (FS) Pro documents can become corrupt if you copy text from non-FS Pro documents or other sources, such as e-mail or the Web, and paste it into your new document. The problem is that you are carrying over the formatting associated with the original document or source. Fortunately, this problem can be avoided by using Microsoft® Word’s Edit>Paste Special function.

Click 'Read this article' to see my tips on copying and pasting Block Text, Table Text, and Images into FS Pro documents.

Case Study: Aurora Health Care

By Cynthia Whitty, Public Relations Specialist

With over 25,000 employees, Aurora Health Care is the largest private employer in Wisconsin and home to Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center, Wisconsin’s largest private hospital. Aurora provides care at facilities in more than 90 communities throughout eastern Wisconsin, including 13 hospitals, more than 100 clinics, and over 120 community pharmacies. More than 3,400 physicians are affiliated with Aurora Health Care, including 680 who make up the Aurora Medical Group.

Aurora has recently adopted the Information Mapping® methodology to create an organized library of over 2,000 policies, procedures, and training documents. As a result, they are able to provide services consistently to all populations, accurately bill patients, and save time training personnel.

Click 'Read this article' to learn more.

Employee Profile: Joyce Southward

By Jason Murtagh, Marketing Coordinator

The success of any Information Mapping workshop depends greatly on the knowledge and experience of its instructor. Information Mapping prides itself on working with certified instructors who exhibit exceptional skill and professionalism in their work, giving its stamp of approval only to those who have a clear and thorough understanding of the Method and a true passion for helping business professionals achieve their goals.

For over 15 years, IMI instructor Joyce Southward has embodied this profile. Her enthusiasm and dedication to Mapping have made her a favorite of workshop attendees.

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Published by Information Mapping, Inc. Information Mapping® and Formatting Solutions® are registered trademarks of Information Mapping, Inc.
© Copyright March 2007. All rights reserved.

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