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Mar 6 2009   4:16PM GMT

Applications - Why User Documentation?



Posted by: Joe Coley
custom application development, Application Value, Application training, Application design, User Interface

I’ve stated before that my goal with applications I create is to provide an application so intuitive that if one knows the job for which the application was designed that the interface be so intuitive that no training would be required.  This is a lofty goal for sure — and not one easily achieved.  It might be better to set the goal to be more like 95% of the time “…the interface be so intuitive that no training would be required…”, or 98% or something like that.  My first answer to “Why User Documentation?” would have to be that it is what covers the shortfall percentage of design that just doesn’t measure up to the lofty goal.

Secondly I believe that most applications will have those activities which are only seldom performed, or performed only as a “fix” to something gone wrong.  The infrequently performed operations which just don’t fit into the everyday flow of the business function, and therefore also not of the business application should be documented for users.  Of course, any documentation available will be only as good as its availability.

Ready availability of documentation for an application, or more explicitly documentation specific to a particular operation is crucial.  As long as I’ve been around applications this has always been an issue.  First off, creating good user documentation (read this as usable user documentation), is not an easy task.  It can also be a costly task.  Ineffective and it won’t get used, unavailable and it won’t get used, confusing and hard to find answers and it won’t get used!

More often than not what I’ve seen is an attitude of “Why document - nobody ever looks at it anyway”, or, “Document the obvious, don’t worry about the details - let them (users) ask!”.  Personally I think application users deserve more respect than that.

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Aug 21 2008   11:00AM GMT

User Reluctance to Application Changes



Posted by: Joe Coley
Custom software development, Small Business Computing, User Interface, Small Business, Application training

Some things just never seem to change, and user reluctance to application changes is one of those situations which it seems, is always present - regardless of the form of change.  Sometimes I’ve found that even changes which had been requested by users, and that they kept looking forward to, once made, the changes are received with grumbling and every excuse possible being used to avoid incorporating the changes into their routine.

The question is, what do you do about it?  What does it take to bring the user around so that rather than condemning the changes, they embrace them with enthusiasm?  The answer is actually quite simple, although time consuming — it’s one-on-one training.  My experience with providing “training” applications which the user can access on their own to learn new application features has been highly ineffective since the users do not spend the time needed.  A “classroom” kind of setting also has been ineffective for my clients since often it is key people in the company that need to use the application, and they have a business to run!  (…read this as they’re TOO busy for training!)

However, the 1-on-1 approach has proven effective consistently since it provides the capability to work with the reluctant user with “real” information, in their setting (…always do 1-on-1 at their desktop!),  and your presence allows for instant answers to questions and concerns as they come up in the session.

This kind of training can also provide valuable feedback for further development of the application — for one thing, it allows for experiencing “real issues” for users “IF” such issues exist.  Certainly as developers we hope that there will be no “real issues” with our pride and joy of application, but I’m sure we all have experienced them.  Seeing exactly how the application performs for a user is important - many a “little issue” that I’ve seen when working with a user 1-on-1 has led to better the next iteration of the application.

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