Welcome to Information that Works! The Fundamentals of Information Mapping.

Information Mapping will help you create high quality content that is

• clear

• accessible

• modular, and

• reusable.

Information with value. Information that works!

People and information are a company’s most valuable assets.

When they work together, the results are astonishing.

But with the wealth of information we have today, matching people with the information they need can be difficult.

Too often information looks like a "wall of words" with long paragraphs and pages of text.

Readers get lost or discouraged. They guess what to do, ask someone for help, or try short cuts.

This lowers productivity and causes mistakes and frustration.

But all is not lost! Not if you have a Map!

Information Mapping breaks down the wall of words into small, concise units called Maps.

Maps create a clear, visual structure for information that helps readers find their way.

Maps are made up of Blocks—which hold valuable nuggets of information.

Maps and Blocks make complex information easy to find, read, and understand, so that people can do their jobs more effectively.

They also provide a standardized approach to writing and a common vocabulary that everyone in your company can learn, so that documents don’t look like a mixture of styles and approaches.

By the end of this course, you will understand the fundamental tools of Information Mapping— tools that will help you avoid creating a wall of words.

The first unit will help you identify and analyze the types of information your readers need — using six Information Types.

The second unit will help you organize content into modular and reusable Blocks and Maps.

The third unit will show you how to present content clearly using text, tables, and graphics.

To begin creating information that works, view

• the Show Me Demo, to see how Information Mapping can improve the readability of your documents

• How to Use this Course, for helpful advice on taking the course, and

• the first unit of the course, Analyze the Content.

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