Comments on: Feedback, please: User-powered help inside Photoshop?

By: Glenn Hoechst

Glenn Hoechst — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 13:38:40 +0000

I am an avid supporter of your effort and generally agree with other responder’s comments. A feature similar to the one proposed is incorporated into a product where I work. While it presents as a small “oh by the way” feature it has provided noticeable productivity gains. While this discussion focuses on individual users there is an opportunity for a LAN implementation at shops with multiple staff using Adobe products. This could shorten the time to productivity for new hires. Anyway here is my devalued 2 cents worth:
As has been mentioned implementing this feature is going to require demonstrating a Return On Investment to your business.
I would suggest that the functionality be implemented in measured phases on a foundation that can be easily adapted to future enhancements.
The initial offering would be a basic, but valuable, tool that wouldn’t attempt to integrate sharing other user’s valuable and painfully acquired lessons. Postponing this provides the opportunity to collect metrics on the basic concept which can go a long way towards subsequent funding proposals for extended capabilities.
Ah yes metrics: With complete disclosure to the product’s user provide them the option of allowing Adobe to record the frequency and TYPE of references used. For example Web links, Adobe Help, Adobe tutorials, local notes, etc. each would be a separate category. I’m unsure that, as a user, I would want anyone tracking the actual address of information. This would mimic website analytic functionality that tracks the areas of the website that visitors access the most often. This is valuable tool in maintaining an effective website.
Postponing a globally shared user repository also provides time to address all the challenges associated with the valid concerns, from both the users and providers.
Certainly simplicity is the key. Adding links should be as familiar as internet bookmarks. Actually I liked the approach in your screen shots. As mentioned in previous responses, too much information is difficult to both manage and use. Personally I would find that a plethora of “sticky” notes everywhere to be counterproductive (but then I’m a bit stodgy). I would prefer a central repository for the quick links from all products. Categories could separate Premiere links from Photoshop links from Bridge links, etc.
It might be beneficial to leverage other vendor’s software where appropriate. For example Google provides a free desktop version of its search engine. Again this interface is familiar to most users. Google also provides functionality to tailor their capabilities to external applications. A search engine that already addresses multiple format sources of information repositories avoids the expense of enhancement and maintenance to inhouse applications.
I also like the concept of transparent links to subscriber based libraries. Perhaps a strategic partnership with vendors such as O’Reilly’s Safari would be mutually beneficial. O’Reilly could offer subscription incentives to Adobe users and manage subscription fees. They might also be open to small software modifications to take advantage of Adobe’s customer base.
I have mixed feelings about a web based repository. While it provides anyplace internet access to a broader audience, the management and required support would be expensive. And as mentioned by other responders the value and validity would raise concerns. Also this accessibility benefit might become a detriment when the user is away from their home base and readily available internet access.
By the way I’m disappointed in Adobe’s Help functionality. I assume that providing it on the web facilitates just in time updates. However, if automatic updates are available for the software, why not the Help data base? I would prefer a local help database coupled with a Google search engine. But then that’s just me.
I share your frustration with introducing new concepts to business owners. I’ve worked for 4 years to migrate a mainframe application to commodity hardware and software. After several successful prototypes that demonstrated superior throughput an actual production implementation may occur this year.
I am very encouraged that you are championing this effort. When it is incorporated into the product I hope this feature is highlighted in product promotions.
So Good Luck, Hang in there, Keep the Faith and take a VP golfing.

By: derek roe

derek roe — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 15:23:57 +0000

I like the idea, but if I may make a comment based on a perceptual idea from a very intelligent friend of mine, Andy Moorer PHD (you may know him)
“Sometime in the near future, the technology will make it possible to store all of the information in the world in a cube that’s 12 inches square….but the index to access that knowledge would take up an space 1/2 the size of the planet” (loosely quoted)
Perhaps that may apply to this idea?

By: Stephan Bollinger

Stephan Bollinger — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 05:21:35 +0000

first, i thought “what a great idea”, then your mockup-screenshots killed it a bit. i know, only mockups, but still. my first vision after reading your introduction was a little “*” button in every dialogbox. once you click it, a post-it note appears that allows me to enter whatever i want. i can resize it and “stick it” onto this dialog box (filter, whatever) wherever i feel fit. when the panel is closed, so is the postit. when i open the filter again, there it is, and floats with my dialog box.
i could make my real notes, post it right on my screen, on my panel or filter window, perfect!
for me to use it, it would have to be simplistic but sexy. not in a long list of comments, or even worse in the online help.
[Being able to attach notes anywhere is the goal, but we have to start somewhere, and that's why I depicted a single palette/panel (unsexily rendered). --J.]

By: Joseph Bailey

Joseph Bailey — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 13:14:43 +0000

So, I can see Adobe renting/leasing access to different apps on-line rather than selling them…..and then renting/leasing the additional info/educational links that go with them, i.e. Lynda.com links open from within Help or Napp one-minute tips open from contextual menus — if you pay — and access to all your projects kept online at Adobe – or Google – or some other mass storage facility — accessible from any computer — or smart-phone – or Hi-def cable TV, with access privleges rented to your whole work-group/company. Big monitization models available here!

By: Carey

Carey — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 11:04:18 +0000

There’s a church doing this kind of thing with the Bible. Check out LifeChurch.tv’s youversion.com for ideas.
I really like your idea!

By: Nicholas J. Nawroth

Nicholas J. Nawroth — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 08:28:35 +0000

John,
Great idea, I think to make it really sing, you should make it so that I can add note items w/o having to open Photoshop, etc. Like a little applet or palette window.
It would be REALLY cool if you get devise a plug-in for web browsers that could automatically collect the info (link, etc) and add it to the system, kinda like Google Notebook for the Adobe Suite… :)
Also, I wouldn’t put it under “help”, I rarely look under the help menu, it might need its own palette called “knowledge” or something to differentiate itself from the standard help system.
Nick

By: KVS Setty

KVS Setty — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 23:56:15 +0000

Great Idea,But scared of over information, so expect some sort of filtering and managing and organizing the content. Say for example i want to see Scott Kelby’s jottings and notes only i must be able to do so.
[Oh yes, most definitely. --J.]

By: Ashlea Godwin

Ashlea Godwin — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 12:40:17 +0000

I love this idea. About three weeks ago I had a similar idea for an adobe help pallet. It was simplier, just a help menu that functions as a pallet in the software. Yours is MUCH cooler!! I’m a graphic design student in austin tx, I even made a mock up as well for an interactive design class. I’d love to email you a pdf if possible.
[Sure, please do. --J.]

By: Brad Stiritz

Brad Stiritz — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 09:08:36 +0000

Great idea, John, with one caveat: make sure the system can be fully indexed, especially if you decide to include rich media! The lynda.com site (which was a great bonus idea for CS3 buyers, thanks! I’m a full subscriber now. Deke’s lessons are taking me to the next level :) has one Achilles heel: search results are extremely coarse. If you only remember that a particular tool or trick was mentioned somewhere in a 20-hour lecture series, good luck! Hopefully that trick is mentioned in the title or synopsis, otherwise you’re stuck. Rich-media resources need complete transcripts and correlated searching that can point one deep inside the material. ~Brad

By: Garon Salway

Garon Salway — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 17:44:22 +0000

Just what I need, the internet (with all of its warts) inside Photoshop.
But seriously, I like the idea of retaining personal knowledge of PS inside PS and making its retrieval context-sensitive.
Other than in the contexts of ‘back-up’ or ‘upgrade,’ portability of my knowledge to another machine is largely irrelevant since (1) I barely own a single copy of PS, and (2) my PS work is limited to a single machine.
Besides, my hard drive is always with my machine, my machine is NOT always on the internet.
(To be certain, I would love ‘zero-friction’ backup of my entire customized PS environment to a single location that I can find, like a CD or thumb-drive.)
As for the utility of shared ‘user-generated’ knowledge, I don’t want my ‘context-sensitive’ help to give me an ‘internet-polluted’ response. I think it is very telling how quickly the idea surfaced that PS users could limit “user-generated context-sensitive help” to just “expert-generated context-sensitive help.”

By: Daemon

Daemon — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 09:54:45 +0000

Just one question: how to combat spam? What would prevent someone from buying PS just to be able to send tons of notes around the web spamming his new porn website? There would have to be an administrator approving all the notes.
Idea generally speaking is good, but i see too much abuse revolving around it.

By: jared

jared — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 06:53:43 +0000

I think the biggest problem would be sorting through the mass of notes for the gem. Although, making it context specific (only unsharp masks notes are visible in the unsharp mask dialogue box) would help tremendously. I like the video idea too.

By: Viktoriya

Viktoriya — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 05:00:27 +0000

GREAT idea!

By: Doug Nelson

Doug Nelson — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 21:12:10 +0000

I suggest codename: Firehose

By: Kyle

Kyle — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 19:44:13 +0000

I love the idea. I don’t find myself with a lot of time to post on forums but I’ve got a thousand tips that I have jotted on post-it notes over the last 3 years that I’d love to share, but can’t realistically do it. I think that it could be particularly useful with a powerful search feature, as I find myself hard-up for information relating to pre-press uses of Photoshop, Acrobat, etc. The ability to easily share that information from within the program would be great.