EPSS: What Does It Mean To You

Usability Interface
EPSS: What Does It Mean To You

by Craig Marion
First published in InterCom, December 1998
Excerpted for Usability Interface by Susan Duncan
Reprinted from Usability Interface, Vol 6, No. 1, July 1999

Electronic Performance Support System(s), or EPSS, automates three types of traditional performance support for software users: training, documentation, and help desks. Integrating these support mechanisms into software -- using wizards, clear and simple interfaces, and various forms of embedded user assistance -- allows novice users to perform competently with minimal help from training, documentation or calls to help desks.

The central point of Craig's article is that we technical communicators need to be aware of the convergence of training, documentation and performance disciplines and the advances EPSS has made in moving assistance within users' workflow. It's no longer enough for us to describe functionality clearly and feel that we've done our jobs. The information needs to be integrated into the software and be available at point of need so users don't have to detour from their work to benefit from it.

Instead of protecting our small domains such as documentation, training, help desks--we need to prepare ourselves for the stage beyond the overlapping of these disciplines. Craig points to Cheryl Lockett Zubak's work on embedded help systems as a good starting place to learn about integrating information within software applications. Finally, he advises his readers to educate themselves about EPSS in order to create better user-centered information.

This article is also available online at http://www.chesco.com/~cmarion/PCD/EPSSImplications.html