Chapter 14: Documentation and User Support (a.k.a.
Help)
Discussion Topics with Answers
1. Your documentation team has developed an online help support for instant
messaging client. You are hiring a usability testing firm to evaluate the online help
and recommend improvements. Prepare a contract that specifies how you want the
5.3.4 for the spectrum of usability testing techniques). Make sure students
are clear on the outputs of this contract, and they should include schedule per
above. They must specify deliverables (e.g. usability study results, user
2. Describe the difference between reading on paper and reading on a computer
display. Be sure to list at least three disadvantages for each method.
Advantages of computer display reading include:
• Currency of information
• Adjustable screen brightness and other user-customizable display settings
The potential disadvantages of reading from displays include these:
• Low contrast between the characters and the background and fuzzy
character boundaries also can cause trouble.
• Small displays require frequent page turning; issuing the page-turning
commands is disruptive, and the page turns are unsettling, especially if
3. Defend the use of on-line communities for user assistance. Ensure your argument
is well-rounded by pointing out both the weaknesses and strengths.
Google Groups, Yahoo Groups, Usenet Newsgroups and others are both a
collaboration method and an on-line user assistance source. They are ideal for
4. Describe the role user documentation and online help play in the lifecycle of a piece
of software. Decide when these help materials should be created in the software
design cycle.
5. State some guidelines for writing for the web, particularly in the context of online
help.
