Designing online help systems for reflective users

Abstract

Empirical studies have revealed that most users are dissatisfied with current help systems. One of the causes for many of the problems found in help systems is a lack of coupling between the process for creating online help and the human-computer interaction design of the application. In this paper, we present a method for building online help based on design models according to a Semiotic Engineering approach. We argue that there may be important benefits to the users if designers communicate their design vision, and we also point at the need to change current design practices to encourage creative and intelligent use of computer applications. We show how this proposal opens a direct communication channel from designers to users, and we hope this will contribute to introducing this new culture.

Supporting End User Reporting of Hci Issues in Open Source Software Projects

“…Higher affordance levels include problems associated to "conceptualizations and decisions involved in problem-solving processes" (strategic level) and to "a plan, or a sequence of actions, for executing a certain task" (tactical level) (Silveira et al, 2004). It is possible to observe in Table 9 that problems at higher affordance levels were not frequently reported.…”

“…Engineering a designer has accomplished a successful communication with the users when they can perceive the intended application affordances (Silveira et al, 2004). Is there any other way to do this?…”

“…This utterance group is related to problems associated to strategic-level affordances, which means they are related to "conceptualizations and decisions involved in certain problem-solving processes and in the embedded technology" (Silveira et al, 2004). These utterances are particularly important from the perspective of Semiotic Engineering because they explicitly express the reporter's disagreement to what the designer's message states.…”

“…(operational) This utterance group is related to problems associated to tactical-level affordances, which means they are related to "a plan, or sequence of actions, for executing a certain task." (Silveira et al, 2004). This group consists of utterances describing situations where the reporter was not able to express his communicative intent in terms of an interaction plan.…”

“…(tactical, operational) What happened? (tactical, operational) Where This utterance group is related to problems associated to operational-level affordances, which means they are related to "the immediate and individual actions that users need to perform" (Silveira et al, 2004). This group consists of utterances describing situations where the reporter was not able to understand what the system's interface is communicating.…”