Comments on: Sierra Says Help Needs to Be Human, Conversational, and Geared Towards Panicky Users

By: Myths, Myths, Myths about Technical Writing | I'd Rather Be Writing - Tom Johnson

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 06:35:45 +0000

[...] user who seeks human help rather than cold robotic formalese. The talk that changed me forever was this keynote by Kathy Sierra at SXSW, where she explains the need for human qualities in help material when users, in desperate [...]

By: Samson Zoom H4 Digital Recorder: Six Ways to Maximize Your Use of This Awesome Device | I'd Rather Be Writing

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 01:13:17 +0000

[...] working on that) can be like oasis in a desert for starving, frustrated users. The voice also makes your help human again — an extremely important element that is often missed without [...]

By: syed

syed — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 04:21:54 +0000

i really liked the idea suggested by Joe…it would be great to see it working.

By: Tech Writer Voices: Podcasts on Technical Writing » Making Help More Human, and other discussions

Sun, 08 Apr 2007 03:52:55 +0000

[...] Kathy Sierra’s keynote at the South by Southwest conference [...]

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 02:29:36 +0000

Joe,

Thanks for the comments. I also agree that starting with a search option works well to address a panicky situation (provided the search returns meet the user’s questions).

Re competence, I once read that users decide in 5 seconds or less whether help “sucks or rocks.” I can’t remember where I read that, so if anyone has the reference, please let me know. Certainly if help rocks (is competent), it should alleviate frustration quickly.

Re tracking actions and then correlating help topics, that would really be something. I don’t know what kind of help system could be that powerful. It seems like it would require custom programming. But maybe in a few years, it will be the norm. Who knows.

By: I’d Rather Be Writing » Finding Work You Love Vs. Loving the Work You Find

Thu, 22 Mar 2007 02:23:06 +0000

[...] Knowledge helps me become better at what I do, moving me past the “suck threshold,” as Kathy Sierra says, and into the “really good” zone where I can become [...]

By: Joe

Joe — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 20:33:54 +0000

I totally agree with the “panicky” issue. Users don’t venture into online help because they are curious… They do it because they are under a deadline and can’t figure something out. I also believe the help system should start with letting the user ask a question. Microsoft Office does this, and I think it works very well (and that is coming from someone who dislikes almost everything that comes out of Redmond).

Relating to the human element, I think an important element missing from the article is competence. If a user feels the help system is actually going to be helpful, then stress levels fall, and the user can be more receptive to the answers provided. The help system needs to feel like it is there to take care of the user.

And while I’m at it, why can’t the help system track what I’m doing and then infer what my question is going to be? For example, if I am using my word processor, and I click on the alignment buttons several times, and then click on the help button, the help system should open with the option to ask a question (like I mentioned above), and ask me if I have a question about alignment.

Anyway, good article! And I agree with the author that help systems need to be less stuffy and more human.

By: Eco-Geekery

Eco-Geekery — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Recent Comments Chris L speaks up about SXSW ABS (Attendee Blog Search): Adventures in OPML to RSS conversion for Pipes.I’d Rather Be Writing » Sierra Says Help Needs to Be Human, Conversational, and Geared Towards Panicky Usersspeaks up about Kathy Sierra SXSW KeynoteJR speaks up about SXSW ABS (Attendee Blog Search): Adventures in OPML to RSS conversion for Pipes.seo speaks up about Eureka! One mystery solved. And another created.