Stencil-Based Help and Tutorials

Users of traditional tutorials and help systems often have difficulty finding the components described or pictured in the documentation. Users also unintentionally miss steps, and perform actions that the documentation’s authors did not intend, moving the application into an unknown state. We introduce an interaction technique that uses translucent colored stencils containing holes that direct the user’s attention to the correct interface component and prevent the user from interacting with other components. Sticky notes on the stencil’s surface provide necessary help and tutorial material in the context of the application. We have implemented a Java Swing prototype that allows stencils to be built around components, rather than screen pixels, so the stencils will work at multiple resolutions and automatically adapt to minor layout changes in the user interface. A simple authoring tool allows authors of tutorials and help instructions to concentrate on explaining the steps rather than describing how to find particular interface components.