Industry Leaders Select Lasselle-Ramsay

Hewlett-Packard

Lasselle-Ramsay has been developing training programs, web content and documentation for many Hewlett-Packard divisions since our founding in 1983. We have completed over 750 separate projects for HP business units to date.

Industry: High technology/information technology

Deliverables: Web portal development, online learning programs, web content development and ongoing updates and maintenance, XML development.

HP CPC: HP's customer support agents must have instant access to information and training on all aspects of HP and vendor-interfaced desktop computers and consumer electronics. The Customer Support Center needed an easy-to-update and scalable online system to deliver documentation and product training to these front-line customer support agents whose performance has direct impact on HP customer satisfaction.

LR's CPC Solution: LR designed and built a solution moving HP from instructor-led courses to a web portal supplying technical reference materials, web-based classes, new product information and training materials in a single, easily accessible online source. The portal design makes updates easy and scales to accommodate new product lines. LR converted the information to XML, permitting the same content to be used for multiple content sites.

HP ProCurve: Hewlett Packard’s customers needed a comprehensive Command Line Reference Guide, but the cost and time to produce one exceeded the resources available to its team.

LR's ProCurve Solution: Lasselle-Ramsay developed a largely automated process that transforms the user help embedded in a switch’s firmware into a complete CLI Reference Guide.  Our unique approach allowed us to harvest and extract the rich information already available in the embedded online help system and derive the syntax for complex commands needed for the reference.  The result was the ability to generate and edit a 500 page PDF in a few days with almost minimal manual intervention. The direct cost savings for the first edition of a guide exceeded 25%. During a subsequent edition, the development cost for the manual decreased an additional 50%, with the time to publish reduced to a matter of weeks.

» Read a Case Study on LR and HP.

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Boston Scientific

Lasselle-Ramsay has worked with Boston Scientific for over five years, producing projects ranging from complex multi-part learning programs to straightforward job aids and documentation.

Industry: Bio-technology

Deliverables: Documentation, job aids, interactive and online learning programs.

Problem: Boston Scientific was rolling out a new product for performing intravascular ultrasound called iLab. For the 510k submission, they required a training roadmap, which included audience analyses, a learning plan, and a complete information design schema.

LR's Solution: LR wrote several versions of the 510k documents, then later developed the flash-based iLab learning program, wrote and produced all supporting documentation and job aids plus release updates, and managed the program's translation into 14 languages, using a partner.

A follow-on project involved developing training for IVUS Essentials, which included a learning roadmap with 40 training events ranging from dinner with the experts and lunch-n-learns, to formal in-class training sessions, and the virtual iLab. The virtual iLab is built in flash; other training was done in Word and ppt; documentation was built in xml. We implemented a content management system for this project using Cybersafe.

Other Boston Scientific projects include writing job aids for a CAPA (corrective action/preventive action) program, with an emphasis on photos and symbols to support procedures, written in simple, concise language for varied audiences.

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Tyco Federal Credit Union

Lasselle-Ramsay is working with Tyco Federal Credit Union to develop a roadmap with high-level recommendations for the redesign of their credit union site.

Industry: Finance

Deliverables: High-level requirements implementation and recommendations report for next-generation website.

Problem: Tyco Federal Credit Union wants to expand their employee membership base and improve the customer experience by redesigning the GUI to deliver a richer virtual presence.

LR's Solution: LR's recommendations report includes competitive market analysis derived from primary and third-party market research as well as current membership analysis research and interviews to determine visitor buying behaviors and usage goals. LR developed User Personas—profiles of archetypal users based on research data—to identify how the site can best support user needs, objectives, and feature development for the next generation site.

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Palm

Lasselle-Ramsay has partnered with Palm to complete over 700 documentation and training projects since 2000.

Industry: Consumer electronics/high technology

Deliverables: Write and produce end-user documentation for Palm's product lines.

Problem:  Palm wanted to use a professional partner to develop a broad range of end-user information tools. Key considerations were the partner's ability to meet aggressive time-to-market goals with materials that were elegant, easy to use, and an embodiment of the Palm brand.

LR's Solution: LR and Palm have worked together since 2000 to produce award-winning documentation and training for the entire Palm product suite, including user guides, set-up posters, online tutorials, and a redesign the user assistance materials for brand identity and to increase customer satisfaction. All projects were developed in FrameMaker.

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Fireman's Fund

Lasselle-Ramsay has partnered with Fireman's Fund to develop complex eLearning courseware, learning standards, and procedures.  Since 2002, LR has produced over 100 projects for Fireman's Fund.

Industry: Insurance

Deliverables: eLearning programs, user's guides, job-aids, webinars and learning support materials.

Problem: Fireman's Fund needed to get better business results through an elearning program but lacked the internal expertise to move to the new medium.   

LR's Solution:  Our first assignment was developing eLearning courseware, then standards and processes to support eLearning in the organization.  LR also did consulting and coaching to ensure the knowledge transfer to make FFIC self sufficient.  FFIC continues to rely on Lasselle-Ramsay to design and develop learning and documentation for highly visible, large system implementations, including two underwriting systems and an enterprise-wide Claims system. The multi-part projects include user manuals, quick reference guides, job aids, classroom training, Webinars, and eLearning. 

» Read a Case Study on LR and FFIC.

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Verizon Business

Lasselle-Ramsay worked with Verizon to develop training programs for federal government agencies in support of the rollout of telecom services for the Networx Universal and Enterprise contract vehicles.

Industry: High technology / Telecom / Government

Deliverables: Instructor-led and online training and learning programs, with live online demos.

Problem: Verizon Business is required by the GSA to provide training to all federal agency executives, designated agency representatives, and network operators on the features and benefits of Verizon's extensive telecom service suites. Each audience and each agency requires unique training for the Universal and Enterprise contract vehicles.

LR's Solution: To support the sales of Verizon Networx, we developed half- and full-day in-class training programs, including student handbooks and live portal demos. Our instructors continue to deliver these courses to federal agency personnel in Washington DC and at sites nationwide. Our instructional designers also converted these courses to VILT and deliver them online to Verizon's agency customers.

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Cisco

Cisco and Lasselle-Ramsay have worked together on many technical documentation and learning programs.

Industry: High technology

Deliverables: Technical documentation for user and programmer audiences in FrameMaker; CMS training program for staff in Word and PPT.

Problem: Cisco needed technical documentation for various products and a learning program for an internal CMS.

LR's Solution:  Lasselle-Ramsay has provided technical documentation, in FrameMaker, for Cisco voice communications products, routers, and switches running Cisco’s internet operating system (IOS). Our most recent project is a learning program to train Cisco-internal staff on how to author in DITA and to gain maximum efficiency from its new content management system.

» Read a Case Study on LR and Cisco.

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Safeway

Lasselle-Ramsay worked with Safeway to provide instructional design for internal Proact methodology training.

Industry: Consumer Goods

Deliverables: Instructional design, templates, revisions for training and learning programs.

Problem: Safeway needed instructional design tools and templates to make pre-existing training  programs more effective.

LR's Solution: LR worked with Safeway and their training partners to apply instructional design methodologies and formats to pre-existing content, thus leveraging the training's measurable impact. LR's approach is always to inventory existing content and re-use and re-purpose what is readily available, in addition to designing new conent.  In this project we increased the utility and effectiveness of existing training assets.

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Genentech

Lasselle-Ramsay and Genentech partnered on series of courses for their regulatory affairs organization.

Industry: Bio-technology

Deliverables: Documentation, training and learning programs.

Problem: Genentech needed an internal training program to ensure that regulatory processes were followed across all functional business units.

LR's Solution: LR developed a series of workshops and classroom-based instructor-led training courses, in powerpoint and Word, to help Genentech meet business-critical regulatory compliance goals across the company.

» Read a Case Study on LR and Genentech.

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Xilinx

Lasselle-Ramsay worked with Xilinx to develop engineering personas, resulting in myriad recommendations on how to improve Xilinx's documentation effectiveness.

Industry: Semiconductors

Deliverables: A set of user personas containing detailed recommendations on strategies to improve technical publications content for maximum utility by engineering users.

Problem: Documentation for Xilinx's complex chip design tools did not serve technical users well: things were hard to find, unclear, and disorganized.

LR's Solution: Disorganized documentation coupled with a lack of audience definitions and needs resulted in a daunting user learning curve and subsequent poor product adoption rates. Xilinx's goal was to radically alter the product information to make engineers more productive, resulting in shortened troubleshooting cycles and increased effiency. To target the documentation, LR developed a set of user personas that identified information consumption patterns, goals, and behaviors. LR conducted extensive interviews with technical users across the enterprise and internationally, combined the data with research, and built a targeted information plan for Xilinx based on the user personas.

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Beckman Coulter

Beckman Coulter needed to bring new product documentation into the "One Look" program, using xml templates to update and bring consistency to the structure of disparate product line documentation, while also allowing single-source development into several output media.

Industry: Bio-technology and medical devices

Deliverables: Technical manuals in print, pdf and xhmtl

Problem: Many manuals from different product lines in legacy formats; duplicated effort to produce print, pdf, and html versions.

LR's Solution: LR worked with Beckman Coulter's XML team to develop and deliver complex medical device manuals for three different product lines, in pdf and html output formats, from a single source. LR converted the manuals from FrameMaker to Structured FrameMaker and worked with the EDD team to develop new elements to accommodate the information design.

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Nektar

Nektar needed to strengthen internal QOS processes.

Industry: Bio-technology

Deliverables: Information design and documentation.

Problem: Nektar's internal quality initiatives were not being met.

LR's Solution:  LR produced process documentation and documented procedures to ensure that internal Quality of Service (QOS) targets were well-understood and met by stakeholders inside the organization.

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Micron

Lasselle-Ramsay helped Micron transition their documentation and development processes to a CMS implementation.

Industry: High technology

Deliverables: Information architecture, conversion of documents from FrameMaker to DITA XML, CMS stylesheets development plus training on how to use them.

Problem: Micron needed help implementing a content management system for their internal documentation. The project involved document conversion and also, the change management training required for success.

LR's Solution: To move Micron's team to a CMS, LR started with a pilot project. Phase One involved content analysis, followed by an information architecture design plan, then the content conversion from FrameMaker to DITA XML and integration with Astoria's CMS. Then we developed stylesheets based on the information models.

Phase Two is a stylesheet upgrade plus critical knowledge transfer in the form of documentation and training for staff on how to use stylesheets.

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San Francisco Mint

The San Francisco Mint needed tiered training programs to certify Mint die-setters and cutters.

Industry: Government

Deliverables: Three-level tiered testing and certification training program

Problem: The San Francisco Mint required a multi-part training program to certify die setters and cutters.

LR's Solution: Lasselle-Ramsay inventoried existing learning materials then designed a certification roadmap for the manufacturing training program. The program LR designed is a three-part curriculum: bronze, silver, and gold. Each part requires testing for certification before moving to the next part. Completion of the training program certifies proficiency.

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Agilent

Agilent's eArray web tool for the Life Sciences division needed online help and learning.

Industry: bio-technology

Deliverables: XML-enabled flash animated tutorials

Problem: Agilent's Life Sciences group needed a help system for a new online product.

LR's Solution: eArray is an online tool that provides information and enables scientists to research genetic material. Lasselle-Ramsay developed a series of flash animated tutorials, with Captivate and voiceovers, to introduce Agilent scientific users to this eArray web tool.

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Iridex

Lasselle-Ramsay worked with IRIDEX to prepare technical documentation for a global market.

Industry: bio-medical devices

Deliverables: Technical documents, content reuse strategy, templates, and managed translation services

Problem: Iridex's costs for translating and printing technical documentation were growing too quickly.

LR's Solution: Lasselle-Ramsay identified and standardized content shared across all documents with single-source techniques. Using terminology management, simplifying the template, and removing extraneous product images reduced the page count and production costs. As a result, costs for revising, translating, and preparing the documentation for printing were less than the original quotes for translation alone. Standardizing this way speeds the updating of existing documents and quickens the regulatory approval process.

» Contact us for password access to a portfolio of samples.