Support Materials for Impromptu Management Training

A cross-section of items from different parts of Novatek's system of web tools: the Friday before Christmas we had an all-managers meeting to set the stage for changes coming in 2013.  I provided the visuals by assembling a set of mockups from the backlog of not-yet-implemented designs.  I also drove while the COO gave the presentation (switching between the live site and the visual aids, etc.).

Quick rundown of the images, left to right, top to bottom: a drill down screen with an overlay showing all time allocations of one individual, a service work order summary screen, a prototype work order summary screen with an overlay showing machine time, a profile screen with emphasis on newly added data, an alert on the main time allocation overview screen, an individual time allocation, a service work order in edit mode, and a machine time summary screen.

(As with other proprietary items, the copyright of the component images belongs to Novatek and
the thumbnails pictured are intentionally shown at a size that obscures all the good stuff, alas.)

Assorted Flowcharts

A handful of charts for various technical and business processes, including an overview of screens and functions for the third revision of my iOS app (the app of my design, at least).  These have been used both for management approval and programmer reference.

Most of my charts are created with Visio, but some are custom-made mixes that include interface mockups and other graphic-type cues as needed.

(As with other proprietary items, the copyright
 of the component images belongs to Novatek
and the thumbnails pictured are intentionally
shown at a size that obscures many details, alas.)

Annotated Mockups for Profile Module

The image below is a composite of a few composites, all prepared in the course of working with an independent off-site programmer/developer to update the profile editor portion of the Novatek employee portal. These images were used together with standalone specs, flowcharts, and correspondence (phone, e-mail, and Basecamp).

(Standard disclaimers apply: the copyright of the component images belongs to Novatek and

 the mockups pictured are intentionally shown at a size that obscures all the good stuff, alas.)

Company Business Overview Report

A multipage report made to provide a high-level overview of the company for select external partners.  As with the publicly-available press report [post forthcoming - available here in the meantime], this was designed to work both as a printed booklet and as an all-digital package.  Some design cues also taken from the capabilities report.

As indicated in the tags for this post, the project required a combination of creating new content, finding and adapting existing content, copy writing/editing, and then bringing it together into a cohesive whole.

The copyright on these images belongs to Novatek, and the versions posted are intentionally shown at a size that obscures the finer details, alas.  Though it's probably overcautious on my part, I've also blacked out some sections, just to be sure nothing even remotely sensitive is wrongly hinted at.  A further disclaimer: a period of time after the first drafts were proofed, the report was updated before further internal or external distribution, but what's posted here is the old, outdated content.

Family Cards

Forty laminated credit card-sized pictures with initials and color-coordinated backgrounds (more on the color scheme below).

These were made to help keep track of who's who on both sides of the family, but they have been used in many other ways, too.  The letters are good for learning the alphabet, the family groupings allow games of Go Fish, and there are many different ways to rearrange by type (to see which side of the family has more members, to see if there are more boys than girls overall, to see how many people wear glasses, etc.).

Colors indicate relationships (all cousins have a blue background, for example), and the letters are placed to show maternal or paternal relationship (letters for people on the father's side are on the left, those for the mother's side on the right, as below).

Climatic Branch Overview Briefing

I made this PowerPoint briefing completely from scratch to replace one that was very old and ugly.  Some key attributes of the new version:

• Curb appeal: a polished, professional look that's clean and simple rather than gimmicky and cluttered. 
• Flexibility: the core slides can be used effectively for a five-minute overview, but they are backed by dozens of supplemental slides that contain enough information to use for test program negotiations. 
• Navigability: both the person giving the briefing and those receiving it benefit from the visual cues to the organization of the content.  Extensive linking allows for easily diving into details at any point and for easily returning to the point of departure.
• Maintainability: Updates and edits can be made without triggering a cascading set of consequences.  This was especially important in that an expansion of facilities and some organizational changes were imminent at the time this was produced. 

Test Procedure Documentation

From the middle of 2005 to late in 2006 I worked at a government test lab.  The hydrostatic pressure test was one of the most complicated procedures we did, and surprisingly it was also completely undocumented.  After I finally learned how to do the test I decided that it would be a good idea to help future testers by documenting the procedure.

Because the software tools available were very limited, I settled on using hand-drawn illustrations in a Word document.  A scan of some of the original drawings is to the right, and a PDF of the full test procedure is linked below.