Exploring embedded Help

It's interesting to think about "embedded" help and documentation. See WinWriter's "The Trend Toward Flash as a Tool for Web Application Development," Deborah and Eric Ray's "Embedded Help: Background and Applications for Technical Communicators," and William Birn's "The Future of Help? Nine Trends in Online User Assistance."

I think it's a good trend, it indicates that forward-looking authors are starting to break out of the "book" mindset that permeates the profession. A printed tome is clearly an adjunct to the product, and most help systems are implemented as books-without-paper, but when help is made inseparable from the user experience it finally stops being mere "documentation."

Posted: March 2, 2003 link to this item, Tweet this item, respond to this item