How can I manage expectations to save my reputation
   and still keep the customer happy?

How should I manage projects with vendors to
   guarantee all expectations are met?

How can I use a storyboard to set expectations for e-learning?

Hot Topics - Take a breather and browse through the resources below to discover how you can strengthen your professional relationships and your training with crystal clear expectations.

Cool Insights - Check out our research team's favorite tools and tips from sites around the web to give you a leg up, spark inspiration or make your day a little brighter. Scroll down to learn more.

Techniques to Manage Expectations - Your training customer has unrealistic expectations for the amount of time and work involved in a project. Sound familiar? How do you handle the project without damaging your good reputation? Manage customer expectations! Read this article for tips on keeping customers happing by ensuring they know what to expect.

Best Practices for Managing Vendors and Consultants - You have a new training development project with a vendor or consultant, and you want to manage expectations from the get-go. What are some issues and challenges you may face, and how can you effectively address them early on? In this Brainshark course, you'll learn how to set objectives, plan the project, evaluate vendor partners, maintain the project and handle exceptions when Murphy strikes.

Storyboarding Strategies for Success - Storyboards are the blueprints for e-learning courses. But how do they help set expectations for the final product? Effective storyboards define all aspects of the training so you can get reach a consensus on the design before starting development. In this course, you will learn the importance of storyboards, the components of an effective storyboard, your roles and responsibilities as a storyboard developer and some tips for writing storyboards.

Our Favorite Picks - With innovative ideas and tools sprouting up each week, it's difficult to figure out what may work best for your organization. No worries—we research innovations daily and tag the cream of the crop using our del.icio.us account, so we can share our favorites with you. With a del.icio.us account of your own, you can let us know your faves, too! Note: Michaels & Associates is not affiliated with del.icio.us or its parent company, Yahoo.

For more helpful tips and valuable information, visit our expanded free resources collection. (No login required.) Here you will find articles on a wide range of training and documentation topics developed specifically for you by experienced consultants. And no need to keep these a secret! If you have a friend who'd be interested in a free resource, send them a link to this newsletter right now.

Look for more Hot Topics and Cool Insights in the next issue of ACHIEVE