The Microsoft Word Challenge: Questions and Answers

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 2.0 and 2.0a

SUMMARY

This article contains information about the marketing program called "The Word Challenge." In this program, WordPerfect for DOS users compared Microsoft Word version 2.0 for Windows with WordPerfect for Windows.

MORE INFORMATION

General Information

1. Q. Who designed the Word Challenge test?

   A. Microsoft, with the help of National Software Testing Laboratories,
      designed the Word Challenge. We based it on common tasks people
      perform using their word processors.

2. Q. Who gave the test?

   A. National Software Testing Laboratories (NSTL) administered the
      test. NSTL is located in Pennsylvania and is one of the largest
      independent microcomputer testing laboratories in the United States.

3. Q. How many people took the NSTL test?

   A. Twenty four (24) WordPerfect for DOS users.

4. Q. What were the requirements for these WordPerfect users?

   A. The WordPerfect for DOS users who took this test were recruited by
      NSTL. They had to have at least an intermediate level of knowledge of
      WordPerfect for DOS. In addition, they could not have previously used
      Microsoft Word in the MS-DOS or OS/2 environment or any Windows-based
      word processors.

Validity

5. Q. Who paid for the test? Did this affect the test?

   A. Microsoft paid for the test, but the reason for having National
      Software Testing Laboratories administer the test was to ensure the
      test was administered fairly. NSTL is one of the largest independent
      microcomputer testing labs in the country. The test was done in their
      facility. NSTL recruited the users and did not reveal that Microsoft
      was the sponsor of the test until after the test when NSTL revealed
      who makes the products.

6. Q. Why did Microsoft test only 24 people?

   A. It was felt the sample size of 24 was a valid number for this test.
      Because we are excited about the results, NSTL will be taking the
      test across the country to over 250 WordPerfect users in 10 cities.
      We have even made it possible for you to test Word for Windows and
      judge for yourself.

7. Q. What is the catch? WordPerfect for Windows has to be easier for
      a WordPerfect user to learn and use.

   A. There is no catch. Microsoft designed the test around common,
      everyday word processing tasks. We wanted the test to represent what
      users do on a daily basis, not tasks only a few people use. We had a
      neutral third party (NSTL) administer the test.

      There are two main reasons why the WordPerfect users tested found
      Word for Windows easier to learn and use than WordPerfect for
      Windows. One reason is that Word for Windows does a better job than
      WordPerfect for Windows in helping transition WordPerfect users from
      the character-based world to the Windows environment. Word for
      Windows has a "Help for WordPerfect Users" feature to aid users in
      making the transition from WordPerfect commands to Word commands. All
      users were given a WordPerfect for DOS keyboard template so they
      could use these WordPerfect commands in either product. However, the
      vast majority didn't rely on WordPerfect for DOS commands very often.
      Instead, they learned each product by browsing through the menus and
      clicking the buttons.

      The second reason why these WordPerfect users thought Word for
      Windows was easier to learn and use is that the features in Word are
      at your fingertips. The features in Word for Windows are either more
      accessible through the ribbon, ruler, and tool bar or are easier to
      find in the menus than the features in WordPerfect for Windows. Users
      found the layout of WordPerfect for Windows menus to be less logical
      than those of Word for Windows.

8. Q. People don't use borders on paragraphs, do they?

   A. Yes they do. In fact, borders on paragraphs was one the most-
      requested features for Word for Windows 2.0.

9. Q. Will this test work on any document?

   A. We chose a business letter for the test because in marketing
      research studies, we found that 8 out of 10 word processing users
      write business letters and memos. In fact, the business letter came
      up as the most common document type. We used common things that users
      do while creating such letters (bold, indent, and so forth) so that
      this test would be meaningful to the largest group of people.

      We do not know what the results of a similar test with different
      tasks would be. However, we do believe that because we designed Word
      for Windows for ease of use (as evidenced by the "Help for
      WordPerfect Users" feature, the tool bar, and the easily accessible
      rich feature set), WordPerfect users would find Word for Windows
      easier to use than WordPerfect for Windows in general.

10. Q. Couldn't WordPerfect create a test of their own and win?

    A. WordPerfect could create their own test. If WordPerfect created its
       own test, the results might differ. However, because Microsoft
       focused on easy access to everyday features and achieving this goal
       through usability testing during the product development of Word for
       Windows, we are confident Microsoft Word for Windows would come out
       ahead in most tests that test the tasks that users actually do on a
       daily basis.

11. Q. This test shows that it takes longer for users to complete the
       test in WordPerfect for Windows than in WordPerfect for DOS. Aren't
       all applications slower in Windows?

    A. There are two types of speed to consider: the raw speed of the word
       processor and how fast you can accomplish your tasks. Windows-based
       applications are as fast as their character-mode counterparts if
       they are set to their character-mode equivalent, commonly called
       draft mode.

       For task speed, it depends on the product design. Because Windows is
       graphical, you can make applications much easier to learn and use,
       which means you can accomplish tasks faster. In the NSTL test,
       WordPerfect users took longer to accomplish the tasks using
       WordPerfect for Windows than using WordPerfect for DOS. This is
       because of WordPerfect for Windows' product design and not the speed
       of the product. In contrast, when these same WordPerfect users took
       the NSTL test using Word for Windows, they completed the test in a
       shorter time than when they took the test in either WordPerfect for
       Windows or WordPerfect for DOS. On average, it took the users 43
       minutes to complete the test in Word for Windows, 53 minutes in
       WordPerfect for DOS, and 1 hour and 11 minutes in WordPerfect for
       Windows.

Conversions

12. Q. Isn't file format compatibility the most important feature?

    A. Microsoft recognizes that conversions are very important to users
       who are considering a new software package. Our conversions team is
       as large as our development team and is constantly working on
       improving our converters. The WordPerfect file converters that ship
       with Word 2.0 for Windows are greatly improved; most document
       information converts seamlessly with these converters. A document
       outlining what information cannot be converted also ships with Word
       2.0 for Windows.

Why is the Word Challenge Important?

13. Q. So what is newsworthy about this?

    A. WordPerfect users may assume that moving from WordPerfect for DOS
       to WordPerfect for Windows is the easiest path to Windows. However,
       this test demonstrates that the easiest upgrade is actually
       switching to Word for Windows. It also shows that Word for Windows
       can help to make your everyday word processing tasks easier because
       Word for Windows is easier to learn and allows users to get their
       work done faster.

14. Q. How does this test relate to what I do?

    A. This test involves only one document. However, some of the tasks
       used to modify the document may be the tasks that you use to create
       your documents. If you chose to use Word for Windows, you will have
       better transition aids for WordPerfect commands, and the features
       you use everyday will be more accessible in Word for Windows than in
       WordPerfect for Windows. More importantly, you will be able to
       finish your word processing tasks faster and easier with Word for
       Windows.