All-Around User Assistance: Delivering Information Layers

All-Around User Assistance: Delivering Information Layers

Nicky BleielSenior Information DeveloperComponentOneDocTrain East 2008Burlington, MAOctober 30, 2008

What we’ll discuss

• What is elegant user assistance?• The embedded, Dynamic Help solution• Demonstration of layered user assistance• Planning for and delivering information

layers

What is “Elegant User Assistance?”

Information when needed. Immediate. Now.Convergent with other UA; each layer works with others*

TooltipsWeb sitesBlogsForumsWikisJob AidsVideos/podcasts

* Don’t need to deliver all of these … ☺

What is “Elegant User Assistance?”

Satisfies different preferences for informationHas a feedback loopNo information dead ends

“Information when needed” — Embedded, Dynamic Help

• Provides immediate information, but can be hard to implement. Traditionally requires a great deal of Software Development and Information Development time.

• Changes time consuming.

• Updating difficult.

• Traditional online Help still a necessary deliverable

The solution?

Develop Help, use it to create Embedded, Dynamic User Assistance

In the User Interface …

… and in dialog boxes also

Popular UA Technologies

Source: 2007 WritersUA Skills and Technologies Survey http://www.writersua.com/surveys/skillstec h07/skillstech_techs.htm

Demo: Dynamic Help, Super ToolTips and other deliverables

How is this done?

• Dynamic Help control• Can be integrated in Visual Studio.NET applications• Information Development does mapping• Help file(s) and one XML mapping file returned to

Software Development.• Help file can be HTML Help (.chm) or uncompiled browser-

based Help (NetHelp)

More information: http://www.componentone.com/SuperProducts/DynamicHelp WinForms/

Demo: Mapping Help to the UI

Delivering Information Layers

Step 1: Design Dynamic Help

To create a deliverable that can be embedded, and still stand alone:Breakdown the UI elements (there must be a help topic for each relevant UI item) Breakdown major functionality (you may be able to map UI to these topics, but not always)Structure Help to explain UI, but expand out so additional information is layered on top.

Step 1: Design Dynamic Help (cont)

Decide what controls you will map Map Help individual toolbar buttons or ribbon groups?Map dialog boxes to field-level information or the entire dialog?

Then: do a sample TOC. Note mappings.

Step 2: Plan Convergence

• List other deliverables (existing and desired)• Analyze how deliverables compliment each

other. Eliminate overlapping.• Plan how these deliverables will be

integrated in UI.• Strike the right balance between too much

information and too little.• Make sure you have uniformity – for

example, will tooltips match or enhance Help?

Step 3: Create Help

Step 4: Map/Deliver Help

Use provided mapping interface.

Deliver proper files (Help and XML mapping file) to Software Development.

Step 5: Complete Convergence

• Integrate all other deliverables

• Verify that web resources are live

• Release

QuestionsContact information:Nicky BleielComponentOnePittsburgh, PAnickyb@componentone.comwww.componentone.com

Blog “Technical Communication Camp” http://blogs.componentone.com/CS/blogs/techcamp/default.asp x

Podcast on Tech Writer Voices/Interview with Tom JohnsonAnalyzing Your Users and Needs Before Creating help

Deliverables: http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2008/05/31/podcast- analyzing-your-users-and-needs-before-creating-the-help- deliverables-interview-with-nicky-bleiel/