Complex software offers power for experts, yet overwhelms new users. Novices often do not know how to execute tasks, what they want to achieve, or even what is possible. To address this, we introduce the DiscoverySpace interface for executable action suggestions. DiscoverySpace is a prototype extension panel for Adobe Photoshop that suggests task-level action macros to apply to photographs based on visual features. DiscoverySpace harvests these one-click actions from the online Photoshop user community. A between-subjects study indicated that action suggestions may help novices maintain confidence, accomplish tasks, and discover features. This work demonstrates how interfaces can leverage user-generated content to help novices navigate complex software.
['C. Ailie Fraser', 'Mira Dontcheva', 'Holger Winnemöller', 'Sheryl M. Ehrlich', 'Scott R. Klemmer']
DiscoverySpace: Suggesting Actions in Complex Software