Consider the following aspects in designing the work experience:
- Helping users begin doing meaningful things they want to do
- Providing active assistance as the default
- Teaching how to use supplied applications in everyday tasks
- Providing easy and quick support in case of difficulty
Goal: Productive use of the product doing tasks that users want to do.
Provide a smooth transition to tasks that users want to do.
At this point users know that the product is working, they have had the opportunity to see some demonstrations, and they may have even tried a few sample tasks. Now they are ready to put the product to work doing their own tasks.
Provide a smooth transition between the sample tasks and support for the users' own work. For example, provide a wizard or task guide that helps users perform their Top Ten tasks identified from user surveys, focus groups, and other sources.
Provide ongoing levels of assistance that ease users into self-sufficiency.
Provide "training wheel" assistance that help users become more familiar with the product as they use it, but which can be bypassed as they becomes more proficient. Employ active assistance techniques like wizards and task guides that help users complete their work. Don't rely on traditional Help text approaches that simply tell them how to do generic tasks.