Abstract:

Examined the ability of 99 university students to learn how to use a computer system by exploration and assessed the efficacy of a user interface with facilities that support exploration. In Exp 1, Ss were able to learn to use an electronic mail application that was unknown to them. Ss' knowledge about the interface rose to a high level in an early stage of the experiment. Exp 2 did not show a significant advantage of the interface with the exploration-supportive facilities (ESFs) compared with a version of the interface from which ESFs were removed or replaced by a paper user guide. In Exp 3, using a think-aloud method, the interface with ESFs resulted in a more successful discovery and understanding of several system functions, a better task performance in the 2nd half of the series of tasks, and a better procedural knowledge about the interface. No effects of learning style were found.