User oriented communication of risks in online help systems

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User oriented communication of risks in

online help systems

Claudia Villiger

University of Applied Sciences Hanover

Encompassing the Instructive Text

Aarhus School of Business

Thursday 18 May 2006

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Claudia Villiger | University of Applied Sciences Hanover | May 18 2006 2

User oriented communication of risks in online help

systems: Overview

Aim: user and risk oriented design for online help systems

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User oriented communication of risks in online help

systems: Overview

 task orientation in online help systems

 function of online help systems in online documentation

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User oriented communication of risks in online help

systems: Overview

 features of task oriented online help systems  risk information in online help systems

 types of risk information in software documentation  four component model

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User oriented communication of risks in online help

systems: Overview

 features of task oriented online help systems  risk information in online help systems

 types of risk information in software documentation  four component model

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Task orientation

Approach

 technical communication  minimal documentation

(cf. Carroll et al. 1988; Duffy/Palmer/Mehlenbach 1992; van der Meij 1992)

 task orientation in standards

(cf. EN ISO 9241-10 1995)

 task analysis

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Task orientation

Approach

 technical communication  minimal documentation

(cf. Carroll et al. 1988; Duffy/Palmer/Mehlenbach 1992; van der Meij 1992)

 task orientation in standards

(cf. EN ISO 9241-10 1995)

 task analysis

(cf. Diaper/Stanton/Neville 2004)

 linguistics

 speech act theoretic approach to task orientation

(cf. Rothkegel 2002)

 task oriented strategic model for the design of online help texts

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Function of online help systems

Online documentation

system messages

error messages

online help system

online manual and read me tutorial and update information

embedded help tooltips

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Function of online help systems

Online documentation

system messages

error messages

embedded help tooltips

extensive help (depth, breath)

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Function of online help systems

Online documentation

system messages

error messages

embedded help tooltips extensive help (depth, breath) immediate help at work

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Function of online help systems

User perspective

 users do not find the information they need

(cf. Steehouder 1994; Wagner 1997; Jakobs/Villiger 1999)

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Function of online help systems

User perspective

 users do not find the information they need

(cf. Steehouder 1994; Wagner 1997; Jakobs/Villiger 1999)

 users very rarely make use of online help systems

(cf. Nielsen 1996)

 users prefer print documentation (cf. Purchase/Worrill 2002)

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Online help system: 'check for macro virus'

Successful search

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Example

: '

_{check for macro virus'}

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Example

: '

_{check for macro virus'}

Unsuccessful search

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Example

: '

_{check for macro viruses'}

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Example

: '

_{check for macro viruses'}

Unsuccessful search

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Example

: '

_{check for macro viruses'}

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Example

: '

_{check for macro viruses'}

Unsuccessful search

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Access to information

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Task orientation and modularisation

Hypertext

node/

online help text

link

 modularisation

according to tasks (Villiger 2002)

 at most three links (Duffy/Palmer/Mehlenbach 1992, 31)  realized by various types of hypertext structure (Storrer 1999)

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Task orientation and modularisation

Hypertext structure

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Task orientation and modularisation

Example

'check for macro viruses'

14 major tasks in MS Word online help system

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Task orientation and modularisation

Example

'check for macro viruses'

14 major tasks in MS Word online help system

sub task 'security' in MS Word online help system

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Task orientation and modularisation

Example

'check for macro viruses'

sub task 'viruses' in content of MS Word online help system

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Task orientation and modularisation

Example

'check for macro viruses'

sub task 'viruses' in content of MS Word online help system

sub task 'macros' in content of MS Word online help system

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Demands on task orientation in online help systems

 modularisation of information units according to tasks of user  simple task: e.g. one online help text in hypertext net

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Demands on task orientation in online help systems

 modularisation of information units according to tasks of user  simple task: e.g. one online help text in hypertext net

 complex task: e.g. several texts in hypertext grid  search tools

 task oriented indexing  consider user language  consider flexion

 consider collocations for indexing  provide various search tools

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Definition of risk types

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Risk types according to the American National

Standard Institute (ANSI Z535.4)

... imminently hazardous situation

which, if not avoided, will result in death or serious injury. ...

DANGER

... Potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in death or serious injury. ...

WARNING

... potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may result in minor or

moderate injury. It may also be used to alert against unsafe practices.

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Risk types for the software domain

Graduation

NOTICE

IMPORTANT

Risks that disrupt functionality of the software.

Risks that could lead to a decline in operating convenience, affect the functionality of the software, or

disturb the efficiency of the work with the software.

Risks that cause damage to your own computer or to the computer of

others.

 graduation of risks differs with respect to domains (cf. Villiger 2003; Rothkegel/Villiger 2005)

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Risk types for the software domain

Signal words

NOTICE

IMPORTANT

Risks that disrupt functionality of the software.

Risks that could lead to a decline in operating convenience, affect the functionality of the software, or

disturb the efficiency of the work with the software.

Risks that cause damage to your own computer or to the computer of

others. CAUTION/

WARNING

IMPORTANT

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Modularisation and presentation of risk information

Placement

 presentation of risk information close to the

actions or states that evoke the respective risk (Rothkegel 2002; Steehouder/van der Meij 2005)

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Modularisation and presentation of risk information

Linking

 presentation of risk information close to the

actions or states that evoke the respective risk (Rothkegel 2002; Steehouder/van der Meij 2005)

 linking: consider topics with risk information

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Formulation of procedural instructions

Four Components Model: states

Four Components Model

(Steehouder/van der Meij 2005, 797)

Desired state: The goal presented to the user

Prerequisite state: The condition for moving toward the desired state

Interim state: The intermediate state or sub goal Unwanted state: The to-be-avoided states (e.g.,

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Formulation of procedural instructions

Four Components Model: actions

Desired state: The goal presented to the user

Prerequisite state: The condition for moving toward the desired state

Interim state: The intermediate state or sub goal

Unwanted state: The to-be-avoided states (e.g., errors, malfunctions)

Human actions: The actions taken by the user System actions: The responses of the system

External actions: The events or actions from outside (e.g., power shortage) that may affect the

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Formulation of procedural instructions

Example 'create macro'

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Formulation of procedures

Example 'create macro'

Prerequisite state: 

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Formulation of procedures

Example 'create macro'

Unwanted state: partially Prerequisite state: 

Desired state: 

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Formulation of procedures

Example 'create macro'

Unwanted state: partially Prerequisite state: 

Desired state: 

Interim state: 

Human actions: partially System actions: partially External actions: partially

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Task and risk oriented design for online help

systems

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Task and risk oriented design for online help systems

Task orientation: task analysis

 analysis of tasks leads to sets of procedural information

 task analysis provides appropriate index entries (search tools)

 clear distinction of procedural and declarative information (e.g. heading, usage of imperative)

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Task and risk oriented design for online help systems

Task orientation: hypertext structure

 analysis of tasks leads to sets of procedural information

 task analysis provides appropriate index entries (search tools)

 clear distinction of procedural and declarative information (e.g. heading, usage of imperative)

 task oriented formulation of procedures  hypertext structure

 differentiation of simple tasks and complex tasks  declarative information is linked with procedural

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Task and risk oriented design for online help systems

Risk orientation

 risk oriented task analysis provides all risks relevant to a specific procedure

 online help texts that describe risks are linked with all online help texts that are relevant to the specific risk

 risk information is presented with corresponding procedural information

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Task and risk oriented design for online help systems

Modular text production

 modular production of documentation results in reusable units  expansion of online help texts

 tutorial

 online manual

 better identification of reusable units

 product update, similar tasks in various types of product  better results for the application of Translation Memory

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References

Carroll, John M./Smith-Kerker, Penny L./Ford, Jim R./Mazur, Sandra A. 1988. The Minima.l Manual. In: Doheny-Farina, Stephen (Hrsg.): Effective documentation: what we have learned from research. Cambridge, Mass. Etc.: MIT Press, 73-102

Diaper, Dan/Stanton, Neville (Hrsg.). 2004. The Handbook of Task Analysis for Human-Computer Interaction. London: Erlbaum

Duffy, Thomas M./ Palmer, James E./Mehlenbacher, Brad. 1992. Online help: design and evaluation. Norwood, NJ: Ablex

DIN EN ISO 9241-10.1995. Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs) - Part 10:

Dialogue principles (ISO 9241-10 : 1995).

Hazard Communication Systems, LLC. 2002. Providing Saftey Labels for Worldwide Markets.

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References

Jakobs, Eva-Maria/Villiger, Claudia. 1999. „Das versteht kein Mensch ...“. Verständliche Gestaltung von Hilfesystemen für Softwareprogramme. In: Textproduktion. HyperText, Text, KonText. Jakobs, Eva-Maria/ Knorr, Dagmar/Pogner, Karl-Heinz (eds.). Frankfurt a. M. etc.: Lang, 211-228.

Nielsen, Jakob. 1996. In defense of print. Alertbox for February 1996. http://www.useit.com//alertbox/9602.html. [cited

2006-05-14]

Purchase, Helen C./Worrill, Joshua. 2002. An empirical study of on-line help design: features and principles. In:

International Journal of Human-Computer Studies 2002/56, 539-567

Rothkegel, Annely/Villiger, Claudia. 2005. Modellierung von Risikowissen und multilinguale Textproduktion. In: Braun, Sabine/Kohn, Kurt (Hrsg.): Sprache[n] in der

Wissensgesellschaft. Frankfurt am Main etc.: Peter Lang, 205-212.

Rothkegel, Annely. 2002. NORMA – Nutzerorientiertes

Risikomanagement in der Technischen Kommunikation. Konzept eines Autorensystems. In: SDV – Sprache und Datenverarbeitung, Jg. 26, Heft 2, 57–80

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References

Schmitt, Peter A. 1999. Translation und Technik. Tübingen: Stauffenburg, 88-90.

Steehouder, Michael.1994. The quality of access: helping users find information in documentation. In: Steehouder, Michael/Jansen, Carl/van der Poort, Pieter (Hrsg.): Quality of technical communication. Amsterdam/Atlanta: Rodopi, 131-143

Storrer, Angelika. 1999. Kohärenz in Text und Hypertext. In: Text im digitalen Medium. Linguistische Aspekte von Textdesign, Texttechnologie und Hypertext Engineering. Henning Lobin (ed.). Opladen/Wiesbaden: Westdeutscher Verlag, 33-66.

Villiger, Claudia (2002). Vom Paragraf zum Hypertext – Strategien der globalen Textorganisation in Online-Hilfetexten der Softwaredokumentation. Göttingen: Cuvillier

Wagner, Jörg. 1997: Miß- und Nichtverstehen als Ursachen mißlingender Men-Computer-Interaktion. Der Computer als cognitive load beim Schreiben. In: Jakobs, Eva-Mara/Knorr, Dagmar (Hrsg.): Schreiben in den Wissenschaften. Frankfurt a. M.: Peter Lang.

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Manual and online help systems

Wolf GmbH. 2004. Service Manual. Gas condensing boilers.

http://www.wolf-heiztechnik.de/wolfshop/bilder/pdf/3044826_0704.pdf