Documentation 4.0

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"I don't know what it is, but I can already tell you that I don't have time!"

Nowadays, users are not expected to read the manual before using an application. In general, people do not want to waste time learning how to use the interface, they just want to complete a task with the least amount of time and effort possible.
However, this behavior is paradoxical in more complex software that requires knowledge of business, flows and processes , such as central management systems. In these systems, learning how to use resources effectively can actually save time and improve the user experience in the long run.

It is necessary to overcome the idea that learning to use these systems is the same as using a social application on a smartphone . No matter how well designed the processes and interface are , there is always an intrinsic kuwait whatsapp number database of business knowledge, as well as the complexity of the workflows themselves, which, until the products are completely intelligent, requires documentation.
In this sense, it is important to rethink the way we document and execute cognitive and affective processes associated with learning, placing them in the real context of the user. This issue is already being studied by an emerging field in the area of ​​educational technologies and user experience – Learning Experience Design (LXD) .

Learning Experience Design

LXD is an interdisciplinary field of expertise that incorporates elements from different disciplines such as interaction design, neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and teaching. This area deals with the design of educational experiences, including videos, presentations, e -Learning , infographics, games, onboarding, simulations, Learning Management Systems (LMS) , and Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) , among others.
In this context, it is pertinent to analyze LXD through four quadrants:

Human-Centered – Based on a holistic human-centered approach, placing users’ needs and desires at the center of experience development;

Learning theory – Requires an understanding of the learning processes in the human mind;

Goal-oriented – The formulation of learning goals must occur before the design of the experience and, only then, the means or technology to be applied must be chosen, according to the intended result;

Practical application of learning – Allows the user to achieve the desired learning outcome through the practical application of knowledge.

Instructional Design

In fact, LXD is a combination of two already known domains: Instructional Design (ID) and User Experience ( UX ) , both of which are embodied in Human-Centered Design (HCD) . For those who have never heard of ID, Instructional Design is defined as the practice of systematically designing, developing and delivering instructional products and experiences, both digital and physical, to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge in an efficient, effective, engaging and, above all, attractive way.

We can find Instructional Designers not only in companies specializing in Educational Technology, but also in almost all large organizations in the most diverse areas, from training to documentation, including teams dedicated to communication and multimedia production.

Documentation evolution

Documentation standards are currently in a transition phase, in which Help Centers and Knowledge Bases must coexist with more interactive and contextualized instructional artifacts in the product. In summary, we can segment the evolution of documentation into 4 phases:

Paper - In the beginning, software companies primarily used printed documentation in the form of extensive manuals.

PDF – When they concluded that it was not scalable to print a manual for each new user, and that these quickly became out of date, they began producing manuals in PDF format and even in HTML .

Knowledge Bases – This is when manuals were divided into articles and hosted in a knowledge base with search, categories and other features to help you organize the information and make it accessible.

Contextual help - To support the product, the software uses tips, videos, tours and widgets that support the user in a preemptive, contextual and behavior-based or persona-based way.

To meet user expectations and improve the way they learn, it’s time to evolve to more appropriate and effective ways of designing our product documentation. From a purely strategic perspective, the evolution towards “self-service” help has become critical to running a SaaS business at scale, with knowledge bases and contextual help becoming a necessity.