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 2 Jens Kaasbøll INF3280 – 13 March 2018 Design for learnability kidosphere.com • Some computer applications are complex – Additional help needed 3 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 4 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 5 Balloon help • Appeared immediately on mouseover • Cluttered the screen 6 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? 7 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? 9 System initiated – Clippy • Annoying • Irrelevant • Too trivial help 10 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? 11 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 13 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 16 Jens Kaasbøll.