Context Sensitivity

Context-sensitive Help provides the user with specific Help on actions and parts of the screen. Areas for which you can provide context-sensitive Help include menu commands, dialog boxes, error messages, language elements, command-line commands, fields, functions, screen regions, and tools.

The user receives context-sensitive Help by pressing F1 in an open menu or dialog box, or by choosing the Help button in an error message or dialog box. The user can also request it by pressing SHIFT+F1 or clicking the Help toolbar button and selecting a screen element, field, or menu item.

Pressing F1 or SHIFT+F1 provides the same context-sensitive Help but suggests different user motivation. By pressing F1, the user is asking for Help on the current context. By pressing SHIFT+F1, the user is choosing the context-sensitive mode in anticipation of requesting Help on a particular command or item.

Principles

nProvide specific, context-sensitive Help for menu commands, dialog boxes, fields, parts of the screen, tools, language elements, functions, and statements.

nHelp on error messages should be context sensitive.

nIf you choose to write Help topics for error messages, write a unique topic for each error message. Work with developers to eliminate redundant messages.

nWrite a unique Help topic for each tool. Avoid long tables listing tools and their descriptions.

Strategies

nNegotiate with development and program management for greater depth of context sensitivity.

Developers assign context identification numbers to parts of the product, so they determine how much of the product can be context sensitive. They are also responsible for the functionality of the Help tool and the placement of Help buttons in error messages and dialog boxes.

nInclude a Help tool on the default toolbar for products that use toolbars.

nInclude a Help button in error messages and dialog boxes as a visual reminder that context-sensitive Help is available.