Evaluation of a Software User Coach for Manpower Planning
Abstract
This research project explored the feasibility of improving user performance on manpower planning tasks by employing a "user coach." A user coach is a software aid, often built directly into software applications, that assists the user at critical stages. The user coach developed for this project closely resembles the "wizards" that are commonly used in commercial software today. The user coach was applied to a software tool known as SKIPPER, a manpower modeling tool that is employed by the Enlisted Community Managers (ECMs) at the Bureau of Navy Personnel (BUPERS). This report describes the user coach and documents a formal evaluation of its effectiveness. The evaluation compared the use and understanding of SKIPPER (1) with the coach, (2) with the coach and a visual metaphor (a hydraulic system representation of the enlisted personnel system), and (3) without the coach or the metaphor. All users (experienced and inexperienced) were able to complete their manpower plans significantly faster using the coach than using SKIPPER unaided. Neither performance on the manpower planning task, nor the user's understanding of the task, was influenced by providing a visual picture of the process. It appears that users found the procedural "what to do" aids useful, but aids designed to help the user understand the purpose and dynamics "why do it" of the task were not effective.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA350160
Entities
People
- B. C. Tatum
- Barbara Freeman
- Gary A. Ropp
- Jean Macmillian
Organizations
- Bureau of Naval Personnel