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BRowser OnLine Guide Applet (BROLGA)
BROLGA is a helper application for call centre consultants. It sits over the Internet browser to inform about products and services and guide through new processes. It monitors the user's progress and navigation, assesses learning, evaluates its own usefulness and feeds back information to system developers.

 

We don't need to keep repeating everything

The traditional project development process usually involves some or all of:
  • Project Requirement Brief and Design Specification
  • Processes and Work Instructions
  • Learning needs analysis and learning strategy
  • Facilitator guides, overhead transparencies, learner notes and handouts
  • Job aids and updates.

The same information is repeated over and over with ever greater detail and complexity. This is way too slow for web-based projects! As well, changes are made and the originating documents have to be continually updated at each step.

 

BROGLA Development

With BROLGA, we get in early and define what training or support the project needs.

Topics are designed right from the start with integrated job aids and evaluation and update path built in.

If formal training is required, BROLGA can be used in demonstration mode.

The same materials can be used to spread information among team members as the project progresses so that all users become participants in development and maintenance.

 
It's all in the way it's written

The BROLGA development process is:
  • Storyboard using MS Word and graphics.
  • Review and edit the Word storyboard.
  • Export the storyboard as a text file using the inbuilt macro.
  • Put the text file and graphics up on the intra/internet.
  • BROLGA automatically downloads and presents new topics at startup.

Because BROLGA guides users through the actual web site, information can be high level, without having to spell out all the details. Insead of writing something like, "Type your name in the Login field and click the Ok button.", we might write "Log in." Then we see if they can do it!

 
Useability and support, not training! Web screens (and system screens) should explain themselves. If not, we need to know why and fix it. Training should be minimal and we should catch and report problems quickly. BROLGA provides assessment and rapid feedback to:
  • product development teams
  • web page developers
  • training materials developers.

Whatever can't be fixed by them, we change in BROLGA so the right information is there next time.

 

Page types

Brolga uses the following page types:
  • Navigation pages are automatically generated from the text file. They are the Topic menu, Sub-topic menu and the individual Sub-topics contents. All are clickable for navigation and change colour to show progress.
  • On Info pages, text and graphics are placed and formatted in a standard sized window over the top of the browser. The field and screen are sized automatically for graphics and made scrollable when needed. The small size limits obscuring the browser and writers can specify an alternate position so it's not in the way of other objects on screen.
  • Job aid pages lead to a clickable list, flowchart or graphic with drill-down, hovertext and hyperlinks.
  • FAQ pages contain searchable information which can be constantly refreshed. New issues can be logged on the spot and automatically sent to the development team.
  • Guide pages pages are used to point out elements of a web page or application screen. They contain interaction instructions for a guided walkthrough with hyperlinks to other web pages, files, programs or job aids.
  • Check pages have multiple-choice questions to check learning. The results are automatically sent to the BROLGA development team to feed back information for further BROLGA development and improvement and to suggest changes to web site design.
  • Evaluation pages have multiple-choice participant evaluation questions. These are automatically sent to the BROLGA development team to feed back information for further BROLGA development and improvement.

The search facility means you can find things quickly and jump straight to the information you need and a Copy button lets you copy it to the Windows clipboard.

 

The BROLGA modes

There are four modes in BROLGA which give users different views of the topic:
  • WalkThrough mode is the basic learner mode. All page types are available and are used for a formal walkthrough of the whole topic including the self-check and Topic evaluation.
  • Facilitator mode converts all the page headings to bullets which a facilitator can expose individually on a datashow while talking.
  • In UpDate mode Nav, Info and Job aid pages are available for a high level overview. This is useful for a quick scan of the main features.
  • In OnDuty mode all pages area available through the Sub-topic contents list and Search.

For any mode, usage figures can be periodically reported by e-mail and a link is available for new issues and FAQs reporting.

 
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