Comments on: How Google Does Help http://idratherbewriting.com/2009/06/27/how-google-does-help/ The Latest Trends in Technical Communication Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:02:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Susan Wu http://idratherbewriting.com/2009/06/27/how-google-does-help/comment-page-1/#comment-142576 Susan Wu Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:11:46 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=3916#comment-142576 I don't think quick reference is necessary for all online apps. A quick reference guide for apps with more features and buttons is useful, but something like Twitter where there's really only one or two things you do (write an update with less than 140 characters) really does not need a quick reference. I tend to think of quick reference guides as a something that you refer to frequently when you can't remember which keys or buttons or shortcuts to use. If a new user wants to learn to use something for the first time, I think short video tutorials (like what Google Voice and Chrome did) tend to be more effective (for quick starts) than a step-by-step procedural help, but that's just my personal opinion. If Twitter had a short video demoing how to use Twitter, that should be sufficient (again, my opinion). That's not to stay that video tutorials should replace text-based documentation. There's a need for both, but I do think that the general trend for providing more "useful" documentation, especially for online apps should be more contextualized rather than linear. When Gmail changed how users can label their emails (drag and drop as if labels were "folders"), the first time I saw the change, I saw a text box that hovered over the labels explaining the change. It wasn't annoying like a pop-up box and disappeared when I moved the mouse away. I never saw the context help box again, but I thought that was an interesting and effective way of showing me a new feature/change. I don’t think quick reference is necessary for all online apps. A quick reference guide for apps with more features and buttons is useful, but something like Twitter where there’s really only one or two things you do (write an update with less than 140 characters) really does not need a quick reference.

I tend to think of quick reference guides as a something that you refer to frequently when you can’t remember which keys or buttons or shortcuts to use. If a new user wants to learn to use something for the first time, I think short video tutorials (like what Google Voice and Chrome did) tend to be more effective (for quick starts) than a step-by-step procedural help, but that’s just my personal opinion.

If Twitter had a short video demoing how to use Twitter, that should be sufficient (again, my opinion). That’s not to stay that video tutorials should replace text-based documentation. There’s a need for both, but I do think that the general trend for providing more “useful” documentation, especially for online apps should be more contextualized rather than linear.

When Gmail changed how users can label their emails (drag and drop as if labels were “folders”), the first time I saw the change, I saw a text box that hovered over the labels explaining the change. It wasn’t annoying like a pop-up box and disappeared when I moved the mouse away. I never saw the context help box again, but I thought that was an interesting and effective way of showing me a new feature/change.

]]> By: Tom http://idratherbewriting.com/2009/06/27/how-google-does-help/comment-page-1/#comment-142565 Tom Tue, 28 Jul 2009 05:09:16 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=3916#comment-142565 Susan, thanks for sharing your feedback and thoughts on Google's help. It's nice to see someone concur with some of my points. I think the quick reference guides for online apps should be a must-have deliverable for every app, no matter how seemingly simple. My father recently joined Twitter. After signing up, he said Now what? He wasn't sure where to go. I can hardly believe that a service like that doesn't have a clear quick reference guide. A tech writer who wanted to create volunteer quick reference guides to fill in the gaps could gain a lot of visibility doing this sort of thing. Susan, thanks for sharing your feedback and thoughts on Google’s help. It’s nice to see someone concur with some of my points. I think the quick reference guides for online apps should be a must-have deliverable for every app, no matter how seemingly simple. My father recently joined Twitter. After signing up, he said Now what? He wasn’t sure where to go. I can hardly believe that a service like that doesn’t have a clear quick reference guide. A tech writer who wanted to create volunteer quick reference guides to fill in the gaps could gain a lot of visibility doing this sort of thing.

]]> By: Susan Wu http://idratherbewriting.com/2009/06/27/how-google-does-help/comment-page-1/#comment-142533 Susan Wu Mon, 27 Jul 2009 08:18:11 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=3916#comment-142533 Google Voice documentation is very different from <a href="http://www.shanghaitechwriter.com/2008/09/09/technical-writing-at-google/">Chrome documentation</a> which I wrote about last year. I got my Google Voice number several few weeks ago and was going through Google Voice page to learn the basics. I also found it strange that all the videos are housed in the "About" page while text help is in a different location altogether (without any videos). Also, previously, I didn't think Google needed any documentation in print format because all its products are web-based. Most Google applications have intuitive UIs and are pretty user-friendly. Google's online help systems are usually organized by topic/task, which I think is sufficient enough for most users. There's really no need for a printed/linear manual. However, after using Google Voice, I find that I keep forgetting which buttons and numbers to push to perform certain tasks. I have to go online to search the help system. It would be great if there was a printed quick reference guide that I can keep near the phone. Google Voice documentation is very different from Chrome documentation which I wrote about last year.

I got my Google Voice number several few weeks ago and was going through Google Voice page to learn the basics. I also found it strange that all the videos are housed in the “About” page while text help is in a different location altogether (without any videos).

Also, previously, I didn’t think Google needed any documentation in print format because all its products are web-based. Most Google applications have intuitive UIs and are pretty user-friendly. Google’s online help systems are usually organized by topic/task, which I think is sufficient enough for most users. There’s really no need for a printed/linear manual.

However, after using Google Voice, I find that I keep forgetting which buttons and numbers to push to perform certain tasks. I have to go online to search the help system. It would be great if there was a printed quick reference guide that I can keep near the phone.

]]> By: Ellis Pratt http://idratherbewriting.com/2009/06/27/how-google-does-help/comment-page-1/#comment-141933 Ellis Pratt Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:38:33 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=3916#comment-141933 This is very much in the style of the CommonCraft videos. CommonCraft has created a number of videos for various applications (such as on Twitter and on wikis). I think CommonCraft's Lee LeFever has written some articles on the strength and weaknesses of this approach - might be worth a look. This is very much in the style of the CommonCraft videos. CommonCraft has created a number of videos for various applications (such as on Twitter and on wikis). I think CommonCraft’s Lee LeFever has written some articles on the strength and weaknesses of this approach – might be worth a look.

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]]> By: scottnesbitt's status on Sunday, 28-Jun-09 13:29:28 UTC - Identi.ca http://idratherbewriting.com/2009/06/27/how-google-does-help/comment-page-1/#comment-141774 scottnesbitt's status on Sunday, 28-Jun-09 13:29:28 UTC - Identi.ca Sun, 28 Jun 2009 13:29:36 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=3916#comment-141774 [...] Google does help - http://is.gd/1gYfw [...] [...] Google does help – http://is.gd/1gYfw [...]

]]> By: Anna H. http://idratherbewriting.com/2009/06/27/how-google-does-help/comment-page-1/#comment-141771 Anna H. Sun, 28 Jun 2009 10:16:20 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=3916#comment-141771 Hey Tom, Great post. Seems strange that they would be so inconsistent. I would say it's may actually be a part of their strategy. Did you ever see the Google Chrome comic (http://www.google.com/googlebooks/chrome/). I recently had a discussion with my team about this, and we decided such a thing works well for them as an overview/intro type of thing. Similarily, I think you have concluded their Voice help - intro is neat, and eye-catching while the rest is sort of unrelated and secondary. Plus, it's all on-line, not really printer friendly. Do the apps' usability make up for that? Cheers, A. Hey Tom,
Great post.
Seems strange that they would be so inconsistent. I would say it’s may actually be a part of their strategy.
Did you ever see the Google Chrome comic (http://www.google.com/googlebooks/chrome/). I recently had a discussion with my team about this, and we decided such a thing works well for them as an overview/intro type of thing.
Similarily, I think you have concluded their Voice help – intro is neat, and eye-catching while the rest is sort of unrelated and secondary.
Plus, it’s all on-line, not really printer friendly.
Do the apps’ usability make up for that?
Cheers,
A.

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