[Sigia-l] Forcing practice

[Laura S. Quinn]

In regard to Peter's need to make sure the users correctly enter data
without changing the app...

This isn't actually an IA solution, but if you haven't thought about it, it
might be worth considering an offline training course.  I've done some work
with federally regulated pharmaceutical systems were you need to be able to
prove that the users were trained in the system.  For one project, we did
some research and found that our users dramatically preferred just a
traditional hour training course over a mandatory online training thing
(which seemed way easier for the users to us).  I guess maybe they're just
more used to mandatory training courses than mandatory online training.

Either online or offline training would have the advantage that the users
would be able to plan the time for it.   It seems to me that a forced
orientation upon logging in might be poorly placed, timewise, as you'd hit
the user when they're specifically trying to do something (other than be
trained) and they'd be impatient to get through it.  And either training
method allow you to evaluate user knowledge at the end, easier than
something in the app itself.

You can also say all sorts of things in training that you can't easily write
down (like "if you enter the number this way, you won't get paid for it).

Or just another thought - if Clippy would be technically possible (if
hideous), could you do some kind of similar technology - a floating
contextual help window always on top, which would read the context from your
app without actually being associated with it, and provide timely
information?  No idea how you would technically implement this...

Just some thoughts...

Laura S. Quinn
Alder Consulting
212-208-8172
www.alderconsulting.com