System and method for providing a state-based guidance and technology view for an application

• US 20070067722A1
• Filed: 09/19/2005
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Koehnke, Mathias, Kotitschke, Christian, Ames, Andrea
• Granted Patent: US 9,361,389 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/709
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2216/07 Guided tours
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

A state-based guidance system provides to a user operation guidance and technology guidance for an application. The system walks the user step-by-step through an existing interface and guides the user to provide the appropriate input in the appropriate places in the existing interface. Individualized guidance is dynamically provided based on a user profile in addition to state and context of the application. The system describes the technologies used to perform actions presented in the user interface of the application and indicates where these technologies are used, providing an overview of which technologies are used in the application and in what capacity those technologies are implemented.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of providing a user with a state-based guided tour of an application, comprising:

selecting the guided tour;

displaying a set of steps in the guided tour;

emphasizing a current action step from the set of steps to preselect the current action step;

executing the preselected current action step to follow the guided tour;

determining a state of the application to determine a next step from the set of steps to display; and

wherein if the state of the application changes;

displaying a subsequent step from the set of steps, becoming a new current step;

displaying a descriptive text associated with the new current step;

displaying a step previous to the new current step;

displaying a step following the new current step; and

emphasizing a new current action area in the application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein emphasizing comprises any one or more of:

highlighting, using bold characters, changing a text color, changing a graphical element color, boxing, flashing, animating, italicizing, circling, and capitalizing.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein executing comprises manually executing the preselected current action step.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a state-based technology view for an application.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein providing the state-based technology view for the application comprises selecting a state-based technology view.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein providing the state-based technology view for the application further comprises displaying a set of technologies in a technology list.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein providing the state-based technology view for the application further comprises selecting a desired technology from the set of technologies.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein providing the state-based technology view for the application further comprises emphasizing the selected technology in the set of technologies.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein providing the state-based technology view for the application further comprises displaying a descriptive text associated with the selected technology.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein providing the state-based technology view for the application further comprises providing access to descriptive information about the selected technology.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein providing the state-based technology view for the application further comprises emphasizing a visible aspect of the application utilizing the selected technology.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein providing the state-based technology view for the application further comprises, if a state of the application changes, selecting a newly visible aspect of the application utilizing the selected technology, in order to visualize at least one underlying technology used in the application.

13. A computer-implemented method for providing a user with a state-based technology view of an application, comprising:

selecting a state-based technology view;

displaying a set of technologies in a technology list;

selecting a desired technology from the set of technologies;

emphasizing the selected technology in the set of technologies;

displaying a descriptive text associated with the selected technology;

providing access to descriptive information about the selected technology;

emphasizing a visible aspect of the application utilizing the selected technology; and

wherein if a state of the application changes, selecting a newly visible aspect of the application utilizing the selected technology, in order to visualize at least one underlying technology used in the application.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein emphasizing comprises any one or more of:

highlighting, using bold characters, changing a text color, changing a graphical element color, boxing, flashing, animating, italicizing, circling, and capitalizing.

15. A computer program product having program codes stored on a computer-usable medium, for providing a user with a state-based guided tour of an application, comprising:

a program code for displaying a set of steps in the guided tour;

a program code for emphasizing a current action step from the set of steps to preselect the current action step;

a program code for executing the preselected current action step to follow the guided tour;

a program code for determining a state of the application to determine a next step from the set of steps to display;

a program code for performing the following steps as the state of the application changes;

displaying a subsequent step from the set of steps, becoming a new current step;

displaying a descriptive text associated with the new current step;

displaying a step previous to the new current step;

displaying a step following the new current step; and

emphasizing a new current action area in the application.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein executing comprises manually executing the preselected current action step.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising providing a state-based technology view for an application.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein providing the state-based technology view for the application comprises selecting a state-based technology view.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein providing the state-based technology view for the application further comprises displaying a set of technologies in a technology list.

20. A processor-implemented system for providing a user with a state-based guided tour of an application, comprising:

an operation guidance system for displaying a set of steps in the guided tour;

the operation guidance system emphasizing a current action step from the set of steps to preselect the current action step;

a user input for executing the preselected current action step to follow the guided tour;

the operation guidance system determining a state of the application to determine a next step from the set of steps to display; and

wherein if the state of the application changes the operation guidance system further performing the following functions;

displaying a subsequent step from the set of steps, becoming a new current step;

displaying a descriptive text associated with the new current step;

displaying a step previous to the new current step;

displaying a step following the new current step; and

emphasizing a new current action area in the application.

21. A computer program product having program codes stored on a computer-usable medium, for providing a user with a state-based technology view of an application, comprising:

a program code for displaying a set of technologies in a technology list for the application;

a program code for emphasizing the selected technology in the set of technologies, to enable a desired technology to be selected from the set of technologies;

a program code for displaying a descriptive text associated with the selected technology;

a program code for providing access to descriptive information about the selected technology;

a program code for emphasizing a visible aspect of the application utilizing the selected technology; and

wherein if a state of the application changes, a program code utilizing the selected technology displays a newly visible aspect of the application, in order to visualize at least one underlying technology used in the application.

22. A processor-implemented system for providing a user with a state-based technology view of an application, comprising:

a technology guidance system for displaying a set of technologies in a technology list for the application;

the technology guidance system emphasizing the selected technology in the set of technologies, to enable a desired technology to be selected from the set of technologies;

the technology guidance system displaying a descriptive text associated with the selected technology;

the technology guidance system providing access to descriptive information about the selected technology;

the technology guidance system emphasizing a visible aspect of the application utilizing the selected technology; and

wherein if a state of the application changes, the technology guidance system utilizing the selected technology displays a newly visible aspect of the application, in order to visualize at least one underlying technology used in the application.