In 2015 I undertook a work placement at Queen’s Park. Queen’s Park is a large organization with varied user groups. Microsoft File Explorer did not allow employees to work effectively and collaborate. The organization had decided to replace Microsoft File Explorer with another Enterprise Content Management System (ECM). A product called OpenText Extended ECM. It was made by Ontario company OpenText as the name suggests.

Queen’s Park had used Microsoft File Explorer for a long time. It did work well. Users were comfortable with File Explorer in both work and their personal lives. Most of the operating systems used in the organization were made by Windows as well. Given the level of familiarity with File Explorer, long time and new users would need to tutorials to assist them in making the transition to OpenText Extended ECM.

I worked under the supervision of David Cumming. He was the Application Administrator in the Legislative Assemblies’ Information Services Branch.

At the beginning of my project we met to discuss the needs and direction of the project. He provided the most vital information. There are three different user groups at Queen’s Park. Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs), party members who assist them and non party workers in The Assembly. These three groups had used ECM in very different ways and also had different proficiencies and requirements for learning. Most importantly MPPs and party staff enter and leave Queen’s Park depending on elections results. They can stay for years or possibly only months if they lose their seat. Queen’s Park staff stay regardless of election results and work to avoid disruptions when representatives are replaced.

A potentially quick turnover means some users would need to learn the new ECM quite quickly.

Ultimately the gaps in learning were dependant on the type of work the user did at Queen’s Park. The commonality was being unfamiliar with OpenText products, and a comfort with Windows platforms and File Explorer.

The tutorials had two major requirements to be considered successful.

   They must have a quick uptake.

   They must maintain legally mandated separations on which users were    allowed to access what information

The quick uptake was obvious as MPPs and staff from varied backgrounds would begin using the system at any time and would need to have output quickly.

The second requirement was more complex. As Queen’s Park deals with a lot of confidential information and varied ministries can’t share certain information teaching how to exclude others was as important as teaching them to share information.

The deliverable would be a series of tutorials on the use of the new ECM. Camtasia is one of the best video softwares for short instructional videos. It was chosen for the task.

I determined it would be better to create many short videos rather than a few comprehensive ones. This would be more manageable for incoming users and allow them to avoid knowledge of features they did not require for their work.

The work of Queen’s Park would continue to evolve after I left so the videos would act as a style guide rather than a total curriculum for the use of the software. My chief goal was to create a stylistic convention.

Making the tutorials was divided into two stages. Gathering information about what users did with File Explorer and would be expected to do with OpenText Extended ECM. The shortness of the tutorials meant that that the focus would be around specific functions of the software and not getting familiar with the entire UI layout.

Queen’s Park staff are always busy. Many of them work in confidential fields. Unfortunately this meant I would be unable to speak to those viewing the tutorials. My supervisor was able to provide me with learning outcomes for the tutorials I would be able to do in my timeframe.

   How to alter permissions

   Understanding hierarchies in Opentext

   How to move objects in and out of a shared drive

To create the best sequence of events for the video I modeled several theoretical use cases on paper. Drawing the UI out by hand allowed me to empathise with the users and see their information needs and potential points of confusion.

The second portion of the making was the creation of the Camtasia tutorials themselves.

I drew upon my experience using Camtasia to make function specific tutorials. A guiding principle for the three tutorials would be stylistic consistency. They would be the first of many tutorials and the decisions I made would need to be followed when later lessons were added

Animations were not used as they were deemed to be too distracting The audio of my voice was recorded separately from the video of the UI. While this may sound counter intuitive it allows for a better narration and quicker and better editing of the final product.

I spend several hours working on the first tutorial. My supervisor was impressed and this meant I could replicate the style and tone for the other two products. Deadlines were tight but I made sure to fine tune each tutorial.

When my Co Op term ended I was thanked for my work in beginning the tutorial series. The conventions I had laid out. Notably creating short videos avoiding animation and recording video and narration separately went on to inform by Queens’ Park staff.