conversation is key: the collaborative context of user assistance

Conversation is Key

The Collaborative Context of User Assistance

Bill Albing

© 2014 Bill Albing, Conversation is Key, WritersUA, October 2014

Summary

• UA is changing but it’s not

• UA is a challenge

• UA is still a conversation

• Conversation is Collaborative

• Connecting with the Customer is Key


User Assistance …

• … is about the user

• … is about assisting the user

• … is the right information at the right time

• … is not solely about the content

• … and is, with experience, not just one-way


Sure, multiple media• Context Sensitive Help

– topics / browser-based help

– server (web or intranet )-based content

– table of contents, glossary, and index

• User Interface

– wizards

– UI text: visible, labels, tooltips and rollover

– Siri

• Print(able)

– quick ref., user guide, dummy guide

– FAQs

– release notes

– tip sheets, ‘cheat' sheets

• Videos, Demos

– Training videos

– simulations and videocasts

– WebEx, LiveMeeting, etc.

• More Online, Social

– Community portal

– Knowledge base / Wikis

– Forums, blogs

– Twitter, RSS feeds, social sites

– YouTube

• Immediate-Interactive

– chat

– phone call

– logic tree

– email


But still User Assisting

• Still about assisting

– Providing answers

– Providing direction, context

– Teaching concepts

• Still about users

– Customers

– Newbie & Experienced

– Real people


New Face of UA

• Content for multiple …

– … media

– … audiences

– … forms of communication

– … available anytime

• Both responsive development & deployment

• Collaborative nature


When YOU need assistance:

• What about talking to real people?

• Do you ever talk to a colleague?

• For some questions, do you prefera person to digital content?


Focus on User

• Focus on more than the user of a product

• Also a person having an experience trying to accomplish a task


Assist User

• More than content strategy

• Conversation not just static content as if information is a product

• Not noun but a verb

• Not focus on narrative (story telling)or delivery (responsive design)

• Task Completion and Goal Awareness


Cross Silos

• Blur between

– Training

– Documentation

– Tech support

– Sales / Consulting (reqts gathering)

– all are integrated as part of a conversation with the customer


Responsive to Channel

• Responsive design for content viewing

• Let content be aware of how it is being viewed

• Chunk content so delivering only what customer needs


Responsive to Time (Agile)

• Agile isn’t just about the quickness of development or of a deliverable –

• It is about more frequent iterations and

• It is also about communication –

– Often

– Throughout the process


Prioritizing

• Pain points for customers – prioritizing

– Help topics for delivery (in any media)

– AND UI changes!

Patient: "Doctor, it hurts when I do this."

Doctor: "Then don't do that."

- Henny Youngman

Not a good way to do

user assistance.


Where is software going?

• More ubiquitous

• More complicated

– more features added for more users

– more functions added over time

• Has legacy as well as new features

– foundational features as well as add-on options

• Ease-of-use and consistency


Cloud and Mobile

• Cloud

– Virtual

– Omnipresent

– Always available

• Mobile

– Not just small device

– Scott Abel says “Local and immediate”

• Cloud and Mobile go together!


TechnoConvergence• Portable device is not just a phone

• Older folks had separate technologies for each type of info –

– TV is for entertainment, newspaper is for news, phone is for conversation with family & friends,

• But now all media on all devices –

– so no separation between news, ‘tainment, conversations


New Arena

• Internet is NOT just text-based mediaDo not limit to words and text

• Gamification – let’s do it

• Crowd-sourcing internal to customer site

• Books > Movies > Video Games > next


How Social?

• What role does Social Media play for companies that sell to other companies?

• How can we keep track of all the communication with so many channels?

• Can Social Media not just be feedback channel but also publishing channel?


Wider Context of UA

• Add videos, e-learning, and more

• Do regular web conferences with customers

• Site visits if possible

• Augment what we produce in terms of online help and a knowledge base


Customer

• Who are your customers?

• What types of customers? What markets?

• How does communication start with customer?

• How does it continue? Where does it break?

• Not just usability studies or focus groups,but real-time communication with customer


Learn Customer Process• An opportunity to learn about the customer

and what the customer likes and how the customer is doing their job, using the product may be only a part

• Be a part of their success

• Engaging with the customer

– start with free-standing user assistance but include feedback, ways to contact, even regular meetings or scheduled chat


First Step in Conversation

• Are we having a conversation?

• There's a bigger question than just Does my customer speak English?

• and that is "Does my customer know what I'm talking about at all?


Listen!

• In conversation, listening is as important as talking.

• In what ways do we listen to customers?

And I don’t just mean

customer satisfaction surveys.


Build Trust

• Part of conversation is learning about each other and about building trust

– Accuracy of information

– Timeliness of information

– Loyalty building takes time

– What we need when


Get to the point

• Not learning for it's own sake, buthelping with decision making.

• Sometimes that's info; sometimes it getting word from right person.

• But it's always about communication


Up Close & Personal

• Don’t be afraid to be specific

• Don’t be afraid to get to details

• Take names (and more)


Different Types of Info

• Info about what customer needs

• Info about what customer wants

• Process info of priorities and timelines

• Meta information


At Paragon, Agile Rules

• Software development and beyonduses Agile process/principles

• Responsive to customerson multiple levels

• Development is small sprints (steps)

• Stand-ups, etc. allow for frequent comm.

– Re-adjust process & daily tasks


At Paragon, UA means…

• Embedded online help with web app

• Tooltips, hover text in UI

• Regular WebEx with customers

• Videos and recorded demos

• People available by phone, email, etc.

• Relentless quest to help customer succeed


The Customer is Always …

• … Right?

• … Wanting to succeed

• … Needing something

• … Willing to give if relationship is there


Questions (for you!)

• Who are your customers?

– Are there types of customers?

• How do you 'converse' with them?

– How do you listen?

• How can you make more frequent and more direct communication with them?


Engaging

• Can you engage with customer providing feedback, answers, tips?

– social forum

– user groups

• Can you engage with visits, interviews,more than just feedback?


(Correct) Metrics

• Do you keep metrics ?

– of user assistance

– of questions answered

– of customer support

– of contact with the customer


Capturing Intelligence

• Do you record enhancement requests or other insights or ideasgained from the conversation?

– Improvements

– Ideas

– Intelligence


Can we improve this?

Pretty lame topic!


Questions (for me)

• How can I get to customer(s) when there are organizational barriers?

– Internal to your organization

– Internal to customer


Contact Me

• Bill Albing

• @BillAlbing

• www.billalbing.com

• Call me anytime

http://www.billalbing.com/

http://www.billalbing.com/