Methodology

Delivering a successful documentation project is as much about having a clear authoring method as it is about strong project management. For each document to be effective, it needs to be:

• Designed to meet its purpose
• Developed efficiently
• Delivered in ways so that the reader can easily access, understand, and act upon the content

3di customers know that we will take care of these important considerations, and others, whenever they ask us to carry out a project. In situations where our customers have established methods, processes, and house styles in place, 3di are happy to comply with these. In others situations, where nothing is in place, we will propose to apply our own methodology, Information Mapping.

The Information Mapping method offers a proven approach to the analysis, organisation, and visual presentation of information. The approach is based on research into how the human mind actually reads, processes, remembers, and retrieves information. At 3di we use the method as our internal standard and apply the method to customer projects whenever possible.

What is Information Mapping?
In practice, it is made up of an integrated set of easy-to-learn principles, techniques, and standards that enable authors to break complex information into its most basic elements and then present those elements optimally for readers. The result is a set of precisely defined information modules that are consistent from author to author and document to document.

The method is independent of both subject matter and media; that is, it can be applied to the subject matter of any industry, and it can be presented on paper, on a computer screen, verbally, or in a multimedia presentation.

Information Mapping is a basic tool that has been used successfully in a wide variety of documents in every industry. Any business or technical information will benefit from this method, whether it is intended for initial communication, education, training, reference, or performance support.