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User assistance

User assistance is a general term that represents a package of help and assistance that is made available to users. It is usually offered to the users of software applications, but can also accompany hardware items.

User assistance typically comprises:

		Online help.
		Animated demos/tutorials/video help, with or without voiceover.
		Hard copy user guides (either physical, or supplied in PDF format for users to print their own copies).

User assistance is more global and dynamic than traditional forms of help or documentation, and it typically provides:

		Guided assistance to take users, step-by-step, through the key tasks that they need to carry out.
		Immediate access to other information that may be useful to the user, such as high level concepts and detailed reference material.
		A means of educating the user how to learn how to use the application and make the most of its features.

Offering a variety of solutions in this way improves the user's experience using the product, increasing their satisfaction and decreasing support costs.

The Armada approach

To develop a user assistance solution for one of our clients, we need to analyse their product to determine the tasks the user follows in their use of the product. Then, we can work out which tasks are appropriate for online help, animated demos, hard copy user guide or a combination - in other words give the user a choice of guided assistance solutions.

The precise choice of tools to use for the written help and animated demos, and their exact appearance and technical implementation, depends on the project's parameters. What's important is to make sure there's a co-ordinated, joined-up approach to the entire solution.

Popularity

We are finding that an increasing number of our customers like the idea of multiple ways of assisting the user, instead of the traditional "just give them a manual". By providing a user assistance package comprised of online help, animated demos and user guides, you can offer your users a choice of solutions to meet their needs.

See for yourself

User assistance solutions are always tailored to suit the project. To see a sample of user assistance we have produced for one of our clients, see User assistance sample.