Mobile application tutorials: Perception of usefulness from an HCI expert perspective

Abstract

Mobile application tutorials are an opportunity to educate users about a mobile application. Should a mobile application tutorial not be used, the number of frustrated users and uninstalled applications could increase, resulting in a substantial loss in revenue for mobile application developers. Yet, the historical ineffectiveness of printed documentation and online help may have a negative influence on the perception of usefulness of mobile application tutorials for more experienced HCI experts. This in turn may influence their design decisions, whereby they may choose to not design a mobile application tutorial when it may have been better for the user. Our research suggests that while there is a split in the perception of usefulness of mobile application tutorials within the HCI community, the length of time in an HCI role did not have a statistically significant effect on this perception.