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Telenet hired Human Interface Group to develop and write a full-fledged documentation set for its innovative Digital TV project. It proved to be a decision well-made, as the documentation set enhanced the product's user-friendliness and won awards in the process.

The Project

Telenet is one of the leading players in the Flemish telecommunication business, offering telephone, internet and television products via cable. The young and audacious company led the Flemish cable-tv viewer into a whole new era in September 2005 with Digital TV. A set-top box - a Digibox or Digicorder - grants the user access to a wide array of television channels and interactive applications on the television screen.
 

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The Challenge

The launch of Digital TV meant the introduction of a revolutionary concept in TV land. Not only can users watch television; they can interact with their television using their remote control. Translating this innovation to a highly diverse audience called for the expertise of usability specialists.

The Users

Human Interface Group started with a user and task analysis to determine exactly who the Digital TV users are and what they should and can do in order to enjoy Digital TV. This is what the analysis revealed:

• The users represent all age categories and all levels of relevant experience with audiovisual devices and computer applications. In addition, the users have little frame of reference as the product represents a completely new concept.
• The tasks a user can perform vary from basic tasks (e.g., consulting the electronic TV guide) to intermediate (e.g., ordering a film-on-demand) and advanced tasks (e.g., installing the hardware and configuring the security settings).

Based on the user and task analysis, Human Interface Group developed a set of personas - fictive characters representing the users for whom the documentation is written. This fictive family was kept in mind throughout the whole documentation process.

What We Did

We established the different kinds of documentation that had to be developed.

The documentation set is tailored to the users' profiles and tasks, and consists of:

• a Start Guide: a printed booklet that explains how to install the hardware and use the basic, non-interactive applications;
• a Manual: a printed booklet that explains how to use all the interactive applications;
• a Bookmark: a plastic card providing an overview of the basic concepts and some tips and tricks;
• a Quick Reference Poster: a foldable poster showing all the steps the user has to follow to get complete digital and interactive television;
• folders: one-page folders supplied with the remote control and keyboard;
• online configuration diagrams: drawings showing users with multiple audiovisual devices how to connect all these devices to the Telenet settopbox;
• onscreen embedded and contextual help texts: concise help texts which the user can activate and read on the television screen;
• onscreen help: an onscreen help guide through which the user can browse on the television screen.

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We evaluated a first draft of the documentation in user tests on users representing our personas. These user tests confirmed, among other things, the necessity to explain the concept of digital and interactive television, and provided useful input for the development of installation drawings.

The Results

The Digital TV documentation set won the Distinguished and Best of Show Awards at the 2005 European STC Competition for Technical Communication. The jury's verdict:

"This document is perfectly targeted to its diverse audience, which is a great achievement. The conversational writing style largely contributes to the attractiveness. Also the layout is attractive and inviting. The physical size is appropriate."

Related pages

Refer to:
Services: Support for more information about user interface documentation;
Services: Evaluation for more information about user tests.