Help and Documentation CSCI324, IACT403, IACT 931, MCS9324 Human Computer Interfaces

Help and Help and DocumentationDocumentation

CSCI324, IACT403, IACT CSCI324, IACT403, IACT 931, MCS9324 931, MCS9324

Human Computer InterfacesHuman Computer Interfaces

OverviewOverview

Users require different types of support at Users require different types of support at different times but all user support should different times but all user support should fulfil some basic requirements.fulfil some basic requirements.

Implementation and presentation both need Implementation and presentation both need to be considered in designing user support.to be considered in designing user support.

Types of user supportTypes of user support quick referencequick reference task specific help (context sensitive)task specific help (context sensitive) full explanationfull explanation tutorialtutorial

OverviewOverview

These may be provided by help These may be provided by help and/or documentationand/or documentation help help

problem-oriented and specificproblem-oriented and specific documentation documentation

system-oriented and generalsystem-oriented and general The same design principles apply to bothThe same design principles apply to both

RequirementsRequirements

Availability Availability continuous access concurrent to main continuous access concurrent to main

application.application. Accuracy and completeness Accuracy and completeness

help matches actual system behaviour and help matches actual system behaviour and covers all aspects of system behaviour.covers all aspects of system behaviour.

Consistency Consistency different parts of the help system and any different parts of the help system and any

paper documentation are consistent in paper documentation are consistent in content, terminology and presentation.content, terminology and presentation.

RequirementsRequirements

Robustness Robustness correct error handling and predictable correct error handling and predictable

behaviour.behaviour. Flexibility Flexibility

allows user to interact in a way allows user to interact in a way appropriate to experience and task.appropriate to experience and task.

Unobtrusiveness Unobtrusiveness does not prevent the user continuing does not prevent the user continuing

with work nor interfere with applicationwith work nor interfere with application

Approaches to user Approaches to user supportsupport

Command assistanceCommand assistance User requests help on particular command.User requests help on particular command. e.g., UNIX man, DOS help.e.g., UNIX man, DOS help. Good for quick reference.Good for quick reference. Assumes user know what to look for.Assumes user know what to look for.

Command promptsCommand prompts Provide information about correct usage when Provide information about correct usage when

an error occurs.an error occurs. Good for simple syntactic errors.Good for simple syntactic errors. Also assumes knowledge of the command.Also assumes knowledge of the command.

Approaches to user Approaches to user supportsupport

Context sensitive helpContext sensitive help Help request interpreted according to context in which Help request interpreted according to context in which

it occurs.it occurs. e.g., Spy, Balloons Help.e.g., Spy, Balloons Help.

On-line tutorialsOn-line tutorials User works through basics of application in a test User works through basics of application in a test

environment.environment. Can be useful but are often inflexible.Can be useful but are often inflexible.

On-line documentationOn-line documentation Paper documentation is made available on computer.Paper documentation is made available on computer. Continually available in common medium but can be Continually available in common medium but can be

difficult to browse.difficult to browse. Hypertext used to support browsingHypertext used to support browsing

Intelligent HelpIntelligent Help

Use knowledge of the individual Use knowledge of the individual user, task, domain and instruction to user, task, domain and instruction to provide help adapted to user's provide help adapted to user's needs.needs.

ProblemsProblems knowledge requirements considerableknowledge requirements considerable who has control of the interaction?who has control of the interaction? what should be adapted?what should be adapted? what is the scope of the adaptation?what is the scope of the adaptation?

Knowledge Knowledge representationrepresentation

User modellingUser modelling All help systems have a model of the userAll help systems have a model of the user

single, generic user (non-intelligent)single, generic user (non-intelligent) user- configured model (adaptable)user- configured model (adaptable) system-configure model (adaptive)system-configure model (adaptive)

ApproachesApproaches quantification quantification

user moves between levels of expertise based on user moves between levels of expertise based on quantitative measure of what he knows.quantitative measure of what he knows.

stereotypes stereotypes user is classified into a particular category.user is classified into a particular category.

overlay overlay an idealised model of expert use is constructed and an idealised model of expert use is constructed and

actual use compared to it. Model may contain the actual use compared to it. Model may contain the commonality between these two or the difference. commonality between these two or the difference.

Special case: user behaviour compared to known Special case: user behaviour compared to known error catalogue (UT)error catalogue (UT)


Domain and task modellingDomain and task modelling CoversCovers

common errors and taskscommon errors and tasks current taskcurrent task

Usually involves analysis of command Usually involves analysis of command sequences.sequences.

ProblemsProblems representing tasksrepresenting tasks interleaved tasksinterleaved tasks user intention (AT)user intention (AT)


Advisory strategyAdvisory strategy Involves choosing the correct style of Involves choosing the correct style of

advice for a given situation. E.g. advice for a given situation. E.g. reminder, tutorial, etc.reminder, tutorial, etc.

Few intelligent help systems model Few intelligent help systems model advisory strategy but choice of strategy advisory strategy but choice of strategy is still importantis still important


Techniques for knowledge representationTechniques for knowledge representation rule based rule based

knowledge presented as rules and facts interpreted using knowledge presented as rules and facts interpreted using inference mechanism. E.g. logic, production rules. Can be inference mechanism. E.g. logic, production rules. Can be used in relatively large domains.used in relatively large domains.

frame based frame based knowledge stored in structures, each having slots which knowledge stored in structures, each having slots which

can be filled. Useful for a small domain.can be filled. Useful for a small domain. network based network based

knowledge represented as relationships between facts. knowledge represented as relationships between facts. E.g. semantic network. Can be used to link frames.E.g. semantic network. Can be used to link frames.

example based example based knowledge represented implicitly within decision knowledge represented implicitly within decision

structure. Trained to classify rather than programmed structure. Trained to classify rather than programmed with rules. Requires little knowledge acquisitionwith rules. Requires little knowledge acquisition


Problems with intelligent help Problems with intelligent help systemssystems knowledge acquisitionknowledge acquisition resourcesresources interpretation of user behaviourinterpretation of user behaviour

Issues in intelligent help Issues in intelligent help systemssystems

initiative initiative does the user retain control or can the system does the user retain control or can the system

direct the interaction? Can the system interrupt direct the interaction? Can the system interrupt the user to offer help?the user to offer help?

effect effect what is going to be adapted and what information what is going to be adapted and what information

is needed to do this? Only model what is needed.is needed to do this? Only model what is needed. scope scope

is modelling at application or system level? is modelling at application or system level? Latter more complex. E.g. expertise varies Latter more complex. E.g. expertise varies between applicationsbetween applications

Designing user supportDesigning user support User support is not an ‘add on’ User support is not an ‘add on’

it should be designed integrally with the it should be designed integrally with the system.system.

Should concentrate on content and context Should concentrate on content and context of help rather than technological issues. of help rather than technological issues. ********

Presentation issuesPresentation issues How is help requested?How is help requested?

commandcommand buttonbutton function (on/off)function (on/off) separate applicationseparate application

Designing user supportDesigning user support

How is help displayed?How is help displayed? new windownew window whole screenwhole screen split screensplit screen pop-up boxespop-up boxes hint iconshint icons


Effective presentation requiresEffective presentation requires clear, familiar, consistent languageclear, familiar, consistent language instructional rather than descriptiveinstructional rather than descriptive languagelanguage avoidance of blocks of textavoidance of blocks of text clear indication of summary and clear indication of summary and

example informationexample information


Implementation issuesImplementation issues Is helpIs help

operating system commandoperating system command meta commandmeta command applicationapplication

What resources are available?What resources are available? screen spacescreen space memory capacitymemory capacity speedspeed


Implementation issuesImplementation issues Structure of help dataStructure of help data

single filesingle file file hierarchyfile hierarchy databasedatabase

ConsiderationsConsiderations flexibility and extensibilityflexibility and extensibility hard copyhard copy browsingbrowsing

Mandel’s rules for the Mandel’s rules for the user interface designeruser interface designer

Give users control of the InterfaceGive users control of the Interface Reduce users’ memory loadReduce users’ memory load Make the Interface consistentMake the Interface consistent

Principles to give the Principles to give the user controluser control

Use modes judiciouslyUse modes judiciously Let users use keyboard or mouse (flexibility)Let users use keyboard or mouse (flexibility) Let users change focus (interuptible)Let users change focus (interuptible) Display descriptive messages & text (helpful)Display descriptive messages & text (helpful) Provide immediate & reversible actions and Provide immediate & reversible actions and

feedback (forgiving)feedback (forgiving) Provide meaningful paths & exits (navigable)Provide meaningful paths & exits (navigable) Cater for different skill levels (accessible)Cater for different skill levels (accessible) Make the interface transparent (facillitative)Make the interface transparent (facillitative) Let users personalise the InterfaceLet users personalise the Interface Let users directly manipulate Interface objects Let users directly manipulate Interface objects

Principles to reduce Principles to reduce memory loadmemory load

Relieve short term memory (remember)Relieve short term memory (remember) Rely on recognition, not recall Rely on recognition, not recall Provide visual clues (inform)Provide visual clues (inform) Provide defaults, undo and redo Provide defaults, undo and redo

(forgiving)(forgiving) Provide interface shortcuts (frequency)Provide interface shortcuts (frequency) Promote an object-action syntax (intuitive)Promote an object-action syntax (intuitive) Use real world MetaphorsUse real world Metaphors Use progressive disclosure (context)Use progressive disclosure (context) Promote visual clarity (organise)Promote visual clarity (organise)

Principles for Principles for consistencyconsistency

Sustain the context of users’ tasks Sustain the context of users’ tasks (continuity)(continuity)

Maintain consistency within & across Maintain consistency within & across products (experience)products (experience)

Keep interaction results the same Keep interaction results the same (expectations)(expectations)

Provide aesthetic appeal and integrity Provide aesthetic appeal and integrity (attitude)(attitude)

Encourage exploration (predictability)Encourage exploration (predictability)

Documents

Help and Documentation CSCI324, IACT403, IACT 931, MCS9324 Human Computer Interfaces