"users don't use help" means users don't use the crap-tastic help that is normally provided. FAQs are about the best 'standard issue' help out there. And they such.
Tool-tips are often panned and people forget that they are help. So here is the deal. If the user has to stop what they are doing and go somewhere else and god-forbid try to figure out what to call what they were doing and find it. They won't use it. Would you? This is one of the major drawbacks to voice command. I've only ever seen two good solutions. But you aren't going to like them much. 1. Stressed command words in context. 2. WIDE variety of command words. Play a lot of old text adventures and computer RPGs, particularly the Ultima series. These often exhibit both kinds of help. But they aren't -really- help. Franklin: (Go) to the [Mountain of Fire] and (thrust) the [Sword of Pain] into the [Alter of Nightmares]. You: Where is the Mountain of Fire? Franklin: I don't know, kid, go (ask) someone else, like [Bonno the Mapmaker] Then accept all kinds of words for go, ask and thrust. You can get the same effect by having the words users can say stressed heavily when spoken by the machine. Magic Voice: Hello, "name", would you like me to give you [directions]? Or perhaps you'd like more [options]? Anyway. I hope these thoughts were helpful. (Now off to watch Star Trek) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=41773 ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
