Re: How users access Help?

Subject: Re: How users access Help?
From: "David M. Brown" <dmbrown -at- brown-inc -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2000 17:18:23 -0800

>
> Richard Smith asked: How many users key F1? How many users use
> "What's this" help? How many users first use the index v. TOC, etc.
>
> Geoff Hart responded: You need to actually contact the users of
> your product and find out how _they_ invoke help. Anything else is
> pure guesswork.


I would add a reminder that you can't go wrong by providing all three:
context-sensitivity, a comprehensive index, and a complete TOC.

Heck, throw in a site map and full-text search, too, if you have time.

Different people look for information in different ways.

--David

=============================
David M. Brown - Brown Inc.
dmbrown -at- brown-inc -dot- com
=============================

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