1. User Support Chapter 8

2. Overview Assumption/IDEALLY: If a system is properly design, it should be completely of ease to use, thus user will require little or no help/training. But: It is far from true even for the best- designed systems available.  Thus, a helpful approach is to assume that … Users will require assistance at various times >> design HELP into system

3. Types of assistance >> varies and is dependent on many factors; Their familiarity of the system The job they are trying to do (and others..) Basic requirements of assistance available but unobtrusive accurate and robust consistent and flexible Overview

4. Types of Support 1. Quick reference 2. Task specific help 3. Full explanation 4. Tutorial

5. Types of support 1. Quick reference reminder of details; assumes familiarity & has used before eg command syntax, options, etc. Usage: telnet [-8] [-#] [L] [-a] [-d] [-e char] [-l user] [-n tracefile] [-r] [host-name [port]] 2. Task specific help addresses problems encountered with particular tasks focused on what is currently being done

6. Types of Support 3. Full explanation for more experienced and inquisitive (curious) users likely to include information not needed now E.g., Unix man command 4. Tutorial aimed at new users Provides step-by-step instruction (how to use tool)

7. Types of support Four types are complementary Required at different points based on user’s experience with the system and fulfill needs What users want? Definitions, examples, known errors, error recovery information, command options, accelerators What is the different btw help systems and documentation? Help system: problem oriented & specific Documentation: system oriented & generic

8. Requirements of User Support 1. Availability 2. Accuracy and Completeness 3. Consistency 4. Robustness 5. Flexibility 6. Unobtrusiveness

9. Requirements Availability accessible any time during system interaction Accuracy and completeness Must support the whole system accurately (updated) & completely (all parts) Consistency consistent in content, terminology and style of presentation

10. Requirements Robustness Help system itself should be robust (correct error handling and predictable behavior) Users should be able to rely on getting assistance when required Flexibility Allow user to interact appropriate according to his needs Unobtrusiveness shouldn’t prevent user from continuing with normal work; not interfering with users’ system

11. Approaches to User Support 1. Command Assistance 2. Command Prompts 3. Context-Sensitive help 4. On-line tutorials 5. On-line documentation 6. Wizards 7. Assistants

13. Approaches to user support Command assistance Basic approach User requests help on a particular command and is present with a help screen or manual page E.g. UNIX man help system or DOS help command or Windows help user must know what to look for; seeking reminder or detailed information

14. Command prompts provide information when error occurs good for syntactic errors won’t tell you if you need a different command Approaches to user support

15. Context sensitive help Appears according to the context in which it is called, and will present help accordingly depends on what user is doing eg. completing a dialog, tool tip Approaches to user support

16. Approaches to User Support On-line tutorials introduces user to components of system User can progress at own speed, can repeat tutorial if needed includes examples, automated demonstration Have no intelligence – they know nothing about the user and their experiences. useful, but inflexible

17. On-line documentation printed material in electronic form Designed to provide full description of the system’s functionality and behavior in a systematic manner E.g. readme files continually available but can be difficult to browse Thus, online documentation that uses hypertext allows it to be more accessible esp. for inexperienced users Approaches to user support

18. Approaches to User Support Wizards task specific tool that leads user through task step- by-step, using information supplied by user in response to the questions given User will answer ‘questions’ along the way constraining - may not offer options, may request information that user does not have

19. Approaches to User Support Assistants Tools that monitor user behavior and offer suggestions or hints when they recognize familiar sequences unobtrusive and under user control ‘Clippy’ not unobtrusive, suggestions inappropriate

20. Intelligent- Type of Help: Adaptive Help Systems Use knowledge of the user, task, domain and instruction to provide help adapted to user’s needs. A class of interactive systems also known as intelligent systems. E.g., domain-specific expert systems, intelligent tutoring systems How does it operate? By monitoring user’s activity and construct model of user (experience, preferences, mistakes or combination of some/all). With these info, the system will present help relevant to user’s current task and suit user’s experience.

21. Sound fantastic! But, in practice, it is not as simple as it sounds. Why? Problems: Knowledge requirements considerable, but data on interaction are difficult to interpret Issue of control - should it take an active role & remove some control from user? What should be adapted? What is scope of adaptation? Intelligent- Type of Help: Adaptive Help Systems

22. Designing User Support Systems User support is not an ‘add on’ - it should be designed integrally with system. Should concentrate on content and context of help rather than technological issues Focus on two main issues: presentation issues and implementation issues

23. Designing User Support : Presentation issues 1. How is help requested? Decision to be made – how the user will access help 1. Command 2. button 3. function (on/off) 4. separate application

24. 2. How is help displayed? Decision to be made - How user will view the help 1. New window 2. whole screen or split screen 3. pop-up box 4. hint icons Designing User Support : Presentation issues

25. 3. Effective presentation of help Help screens and documentation should be designed similar to the interface designed – focus on effective writing and presentation clear, familiar, consistent language instructional rather than descriptive language  E.g., To close the window, click on the box in the top right-hand corner of the window NOT! (Windows can be closed by clicking on the box in the top right-hand corner of the window) avoid of blocks of text (use logical sections) Provide summary and example

26. Focus on implementation decisions – physical constraints 1. Is help – operating system command – meta command – application 2. Structure of help data – single file – file hierarchy – database Designing User Support : Implementation issues

27. 3. What resources are available? – screen space – memory capacity – speed 4. Issues – flexibility and extensibility – hard copy – browsing Designing User Support : Implementation issues

28. Summary Concerned with user support in the form of help and documentation ‘Help’ should be an essential part of the system design Users require different types of help, depending on context and circumstances, and the user support facilities should support. Different style of help support different requirements and different types of users