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Bruce A. McGraw
Performance support, task-based interface, coaches, wizards, advisors, help, documentation, knowledge base support.
© 1997 Copyright on this material is held by the authors.
Simply satisfying the user of a system does not necessarily translate into long-term benefits for the user's organization. Today, clients want 'performance-centered' interfaces. One of the best ways to ensure that a system is performance centered is to provide performance support. The tutorial on which this article is based helps participants characterize each component of performance support, apply development and design guidelines to develop performance support, and avoid common hurdles.
A 'system' of performance support provides multiple, interlinked types of computer-based guidance and information, integrated into the normal working environment. Goals of performance support include improving human performance and productivity, optimizing workloads, and enhancing user satisfaction with a system. These can be accomplished by providing users of a complex system with the structure, knowledge, and support they need to enhance job performance and satisfaction [1].
A task-based, user-aware interface is the best foundation for a performance-centered system. Support tools include help and documentation, coaches, an advisor or wizard system, a tutor, and knowledge bases. The importance of a task-based, user-aware interface is well understood. The sections that follow briefly describe the other support components.
The purpose of the help and documentation system is to tell the user how to do a task and show the user other information that might be useful. This type of support is effective in conveying information such as basic facts, definitions, and general steps or procedures and their expected results [2]. The user should be able to access this information in several different ways--by selecting a topic from an index, responding to a system message that suggests a topic, or selecting context-specific assistance for a particular field.
Coaches, advisors, and wizards all provide the performer with more dynamic, interactive support than does help. Coaches provide specific 'how to' information to help a user over a minor hurdle. Coaching typically consists of basic information, context-sensitive hints or tips, or procedural steps required to complete a specific, complex task.
The content of an advisor usually includes hints, tips, reasoning support, and explanations of complicated concepts. Advisors can help novice performers make decisions and complete tasks more like experts and provide explanations for reasoning, enabling continual performance improvement. They are appropriate when performers want to find out how to do a more complex cognitive task, understand why a specific step must be done, or determine why a specific decision was suggested.
Wizards help performers complete tasks by offering brief, action-oriented assistance in response to performer need. Instead of simply telling the performer how to use the system, wizards present choices, prompt for input, transform data, screens, or states, and automate tasks [3].
Tutors present brief interactive experiences that simulate the task or function to be learned. Their purpose is to enable almost immediate competent performance, even by novices. Tutors are recommended for tasks that are extremely difficult to learn, complex to do, or critical. Tutors should be designed for fewer than 20% of the tasks that must be performed.
Knowledge bases furnish ongoing access to information and enable continual, user-directed learning and improvement. Knowledge base content includes rules and information for the advisor system, rules for adapting the interface, and corporate and personal knowledge that is compiled over time for use by an entire organization.
Your performance support project can be successful if you understand what type of performance support is needed and follow some general suggestions, including:
Common mistakes include little user involvement or ownership, support components that have too much text, no evaluation in the workplace, and no provision for updating. Finally, for a performance support project to be successful, you must deal with four potential hurdles:
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