At 11:11 AM 6/6/97 +0100, Bart wrote:
>Hi all,
>
>Has anybody experience, research, examples about a help system on the internet?
>
>I working on such a system. Not for a information site but a system where
>you can do rather complicated transactions.
>I know you should design so good to make helpfile not necessary, but still...
>
>Most of the time you'll find a FAQ style page with questions and answers.
>You'll find one like these at Newspage:
>         http://www.newspage.com/NEWSPAGE/questions.html
>
>Another option would be to try to imitate the typical Windows online
>helpfile. But I'm not sure this would be a good idea, and also if it would
>be possible to do so...
>
>What do you think?

Bart,

I've been working for the past six months on a Web-based application for a
major US
telecommunications corporation.  While this isn't an internet site, maybe my
experiences can help you, since it is more transaction-like.

The Help Desk people who support the application for the users tell us that
many of their users don't use on-line help.  They won't even read small
amounts of text.  Now, this is probably no surprise to us in the Web-HCI
community.  :-)  I would suggest using small examples right at the point on
the screen where you think your users might have problems.  Examples that
focus on the problems they are likely to have problems -- or, if your web
site is already in production, where they have already had problems.

-- Louise

--
Louise Penberthy                                Voice:  (404) 875-5620
Information Designer                            Fax:  (404) 870-0895
Atlantis New Media, Inc.                        [log in to unmask]
390 Trabert Ave., Atlanta, GA  30309            www.atlnewmedia.com