Always consider the completed Help file when planning Help for your product. For example, develop a strategy for using secondary windows that can be consistently used throughout the Help file. When possible, work with an online designer to plan such elements as white space, color, leading, and other visual grammar.
If you plan to localize the Help file, work closely with your international team to determine the best localization strategies for your product.
Current Microsoft Help systems include: Help menu, main and sublevel Contents, Indexes, and individual Help topics. This section offers guidelines for each of these elements.