[Sigia-l] Forcing practice

[Livia Labate]

: Peter wrote:
: We can't change the app.

I'm assuming you can't add contextual help, that would be my best bet. Given
the great constraints, I like the idea of a cheat sheet. I don't know how
long the process is, but a step-by-step guide (printed even) could be a
better option to avoiding such horrible outcomes (I'm scared of your app
Peter *L*)

I've seen something similar a few years ago with IRS forms online, when they
were first implemented here in Brazil (1995/1996?). You'd get this guide in
print that would tell you exactly how to fill it out. It showed every
question with instructions, an example and warnings on common mistakes for
each critical field.

Apparently it was very effective, because people do not want to be called by
the IRS for verification and don't want to be deducted more than the minimum
required :) I guess the financial implications are a bit similar to your
app's problem.

Note: This system evolved quite well since the first implementation. Today
we have an awesome app, so easy to use and intelligent (very well designed),
that I don't even mind paying taxes. :P) But when their limitations were
technical, the guide was a great help.

Ziya's idea of an alternative front-end which dumps data to the backend
seems interesting as well. A high-tech band-aid :)

: What Peter really asked:
: what form should that learning process take, and how
: can we ensure they actually learnt something and
: didn't just click through the popup?

Assuming you really HAVE to use that teaching pop-up... Can the users
reverse their actions at all in the app? Or edit part of it at least? Maybe
your teaching-popup could turn into a checking pop-up, asking them to double
check the information or something.

Also, for your pre-app pop-up, have you considered a demo for the teaching
process? Perhaps a video capture of someone filling it out and a narrator
talking about how to do it (or not do it - addressing the app's problems)?

Oh yuck, band-aids are nasty :þ


Livia Labate
http://livlab.com | liv at livlab.com