Making Programming Easier for Non-Programmers

[shawesome]

Users never seem to know about the shipping examples unless someone from support directs them to one.  Maybe I'm assuming that because I work in support, but then again I didn't find this treasure chest until someone had shown me.  I propose that LabVIEW include an "Example Button" which is in clear view at the top of the block diagram and front panel.    When this button has been selected, you can hover over any VI and a list of shipping examples could be displayed. As well, I think it would be a nice feature for there to also be an option to display videos of screenshots where the set up process is shown for each of the examples.  I think that the videos are just as important as the example button itself.  They will help customers see a cursor navigate to the location of each VI necessary for the particular example that has been selected.  This will help customers become more familiar with the palettes and where to find basic VIs for design.  As well, when you hover over the Example button, an explanation could be given for its use.  This would defintely help customers that need step by step guidance because programming is not second nature to them. Currently even experienced programmers can get lost when first exposed to LabVIEW. This feature would be a type of adaptive tutorial that helps expose different features that a customer is searching for immediately.

[Darin.K]

Or NI could adapt the MSoft idea:

http://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW-Idea-Exchange/Interactive-LabVIEW-Wiring-Assistant/idi-p/951962

"I see you are creating a Local Variable, are you sure you have thought this through?"

[sridar.m]

Yeah its good idea to have a Example Button in FP and BD. It would be more user - friendly, if it takes us to related examples of the Functions or objects selected otherwise it should show example browser if nothing selected.

[Dennis_Knutson]

Excuse my cynicism, but if a new user fails to notice 'Find Examples' on the spash screen everytime LabVIEW starts up or has never opened the Help menu, why wouldn't this extra button be missed as well? The example button does show up in the 'Details' when clicked in the Context Help window. Something else that I don't quite understand how anyone can miss.

[RavensFan]

I've got to agree with Dennis on this.  The splash screen is going to be a new user's first experience with LabVIEW.  You'd think they'd be able to find it there in there first few moments of "Where do I go from here?"

Also, if you don't know how to do something, isn't one of your first instincts to go to the help menu to be able to search help?  Find Examples is right there in the help menu.

[shawesome]

I see the logic that suggests adding another button won't solve the problem.  However, what is obvious to you is not obvious for these customers.  They may not have purchased the product because in their first experience, they could not immediately find tools to help them get started.  A faster route to the shipping examples could help them.  

Think about when you browse the web.  If you want something fast, like a quick trip to wikipedia.com for something, you click the saved wikipedia.com link on your bookmarks bar in Chrome or probably Firefox.   You're not going to click "Bookmarks" and then the "Links" folder and finally the wiki bookmark.  It's always more cumbersome to dig through the functions at the top of the browser than to just click a button right in front of you. What makes it harder on these new users is the number of possible places something they're looking for could be located.  Well that and the fact that they don't know where to look.

Maybe this could be made more obvious in the context help window.  I've only seen "Detailed Help" at the bottom of this window.  Or they may need something to toggle on and off at the top of the FP & BD (similar to the location of a bookmark) that is not a level or two deep in a menu.

[Dennis_Knutson]

What could ever be faster than the link on the main getting started page? Why should the user have to launch a VI from there to access the examples? That takes more steps just like your example.

[shawesome]

Different customers have different ways of exploring software.  Some are going to see the link to the shipping examples on the getting started page.  Others are going to go straight to a blank VI but then could struggle to find items on NI's palettes.  They'll end up getting lost in the palettes and we'll end up losing a sale. These customers are who we are working to help.

But you bring up a good point Dennis.  These customers have not been successful getting to shipping examples through regular routes fast enough.  Many people have said, "We've left links for them in many places.  What more do they need?" They need a better user interface - possibly more in their face but with less options. I don't suggest we take away what already exists, but instead improve the user interface for new users. The idea is to offer a large icon on their BD and FP.  This button could both show them the examples as well as videos that display where on the palettes they need to navigate for VIs to create these examples. I understand there are guides for getting started with LabVIEW.  Well as I remember it in a few classes in college, some people read the book, and others watched the movie.  I'm just suggesting a faster medium to ease customers' frustrations.

Also, I'm really liking the criticism.  Could you please make some suggestions for ways to change this idea into something usable?  Has NI tried something like this before?

[Intaris]

Why don't we just finally make the proper differentiation between "Beginner LabVIEW" and "Expert LabVIEW" like it has needed for the last 5-6 years or so.

Trying to gap that chasm with a single product (while admirable) is not ultimately satisfying to either camp.

As a matter of note I don't think most customers are even aware that "Expert" and "LabVIEW" can even exist on the same page.

[Darren]

Any idea that has received less than 4 kudos within 4 years after posting will be automatically declined.