INF3280 – 13 March 2018
User interface for learning • Aim: – Design for and evaluate learnability – Writing inline help – Basis for Assignment 5 • Core literature – Chapter 6 • Additional literature – Grossman et.al. (2009) A Survey of Software Learnability: Metrics, Methodologies and Guidelines – Furnas et.al. (1987) The vocabulary problem in human-system communication – Laue (2017) Anti-Patterns in End-User Documentation – Purchase and Worrill (2002) An empirical study of on-line help design: features and principles 1
Feedback from IT
Reinforcement strengthens learning Punishment weakens learning
A wanted event or the removal of an Unwanted event or removal of a wanted unwanted one one • Wanted > prnt rapport.text Output which we wanted ILLEGAL USER ACTION! • Removal of unwanted PRINTER DAMAGED! No more error messages • Extinction • Informative reinforcement – No new stimulus from the You are now logged in environment • Immediate reinforcement > cd MyFiles < 1 second > • Repeated reinforcement at variable ratio or interval
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Jens Kaasbøll INF3280 – 13 March 2018
Design for learnability kidosphere.com
• Some computer applications are complex – Additional help needed
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Inline help in the program
• Responding to users’ current problem à Guidance à Not a tutorial primarily designed for teaching • Users want to do, not read à Minimal distraction from task à Short à Recognizable language à Recognizable graphics
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Jens Kaasbøll INF3280 – 13 March 2018
Help – Types
Inline – Context-sensitive Context-free • Tooltip • Help system • Wizard • Web • Help button à Search if you don’t know • System-initiated where to go à Help where you are
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Balloon help
• Appeared immediately on mouseover • Cluttered the screen
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Jens Kaasbøll INF3280 – 13 March 2018
Tooltip – Screentip
• Help where the user is at the moment • No need for search 1 s delay à Avoiding distraction
Minimal manual? c Instructions? Functional model? Structural model?
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Wizards carrying out the operations
Minimal manual? c Instructions? Functional model?
Structural model? 8
Jens Kaasbøll INF3280 – 13 March 2018
Help button à Document
Minimal Manual? c Instructions? Functional model? Structural model?
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System initiated – Clippy
• Annoying • Irrelevant • Too trivial help
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Jens Kaasbøll INF3280 – 13 March 2018
Help system 1. Click Help in the application 2. Wait for the help system to start 3. Select software 4. Search 5. Select hit
Minimal Manual? Instructions? c Functional model? Structural model?
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Recognizable language can compensate for cumbersome search
• Laue (2017) 12 • Borenstein (1986) Help Texts vs. Help Mechanisms: A New Mandate for Documentation Writers
Jens Kaasbøll INF3280 – 13 March 2018
Ranked help features
• 32 students • Purchase and Worrill (2002) An empirical study of on-line help design: features and principles
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Ranked principles
• Purchase and Worrill (2002) An empirical study of on-line help design: features and principles 14
Jens Kaasbøll INF3280 – 13 March 2018
Qualities of IT applications • Learnability – From novice to expert user • Time from first encounter to use • Time before understanding what the application can be used for • Time before understanding how the representation system of the information enables and restricts operations – Intermittent users • Time to recall • Usability – Efficiency • Time and effort used to achieve the result – Satisfaction • Comfort and acceptability amongst users • Usefulness – Effectiveness
– The quality of the result achieved 15
Qualities of help
• Way of accessing the help One click Separate search system
• Contents – scaffold for Skill Understanding
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Jens Kaasbøll