WHAM! POW! Comics as User Assistance
Erika Noll Webb, Gayathri Balasubramanian, Ultan ỎBroin, and Jayson M. Webb
Journal of Usability Studies, Volume 7, Issue 3, May 2012, pp. 105 - 117
Abstract
In the Oracle Fusion User Assistance group, we are always interested in how to communicate information more effectively to users. In this particular set of studies, we wanted to study the use of comics as user assistance. Comics are easy to create with a number of free, online tools. Two studies examined how comics can be used to convey both task-based and conceptual information. In the first study, participants were shown a new feature in a software application—both in the form of a comic and in the form of a PowerPoint presentation. Both contained the same information. Based on the information in the training materials, the participants then performed tasks in a functional prototype of a Human Capital Management tool. Participants preferred the comic on two usability scales.
In the second study, the Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA) authoring and publishing model was presented to an audience of technical writers. Respondents were asked to view each of three information formats for the same information: metaphor- and non-metaphor-based comics and a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation. Metaphor-based comics scored better than the other two formats on usability scale ratings and on a multiple-choice test.
These studies suggest that the novel and affective format of a comic book should be considered as an alternative to more traditional training materials.
Practitioner’s Take Away
The following are some tips for usability professionals:
- Participants grasped information more quickly using comic strips rather than the more traditional slide presentations. Using comics to introduce information, such as participant study instructions, can be an effective and engaging tool.
- Comics can be created using intuitive tools that are available at no cost on the Internet. Websites such as Design Comics (www.designcomics.org) were specifically created for use by practitioners to convey design ideas, scenarios, and even report user studies. Practitioners should consider using comics in a variety of areas, including usability reporting.
- The use of metaphors within a comic can provide additional benefit to the understanding of information.
Article Contents
- Introduction
- The Studies
- Study 1: Task-Based Comics
- Study 2: Conceptual Comics
- Conclusions
- References
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WHAM! POW! Comics as User Assistance