Visual Annotations and Spatial Maps for Application Support

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users of varying ability levels face challenges interacting with complex applications due to differing levels of familiarity and complexity, leading to inconsistent user experiences, and existing support mechanisms often require users to navigate away from the application interface to report issues.

Innovation Solution

A system that allows users to provide visual annotations of user interface issues, including screenshots and graphical markup, which are used to update a spatial map of user issues, facilitating communication between users and technical support without disrupting the user's workflow, and enabling live chat for issue resolution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If users provide feedback through traditional support mechanisms, then issue reporting is enabled, but users must navigate away from the application interface disrupting their workflow

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworkflow continuityVSAvoidcontext loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a visual annotation system as an intermediary between the user and the support mechanism. This intermediary allows users to mark up screenshots and provide annotations directly within the application interface, eliminating the need to navigate away from the problematic area while preserving full contextual information about the issue.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a copy of the user interface state through screenshots that can be annotated. These annotated screenshots serve as a complete copy of the context needed for issue reporting, allowing users to share the exact state they are experiencing without leaving the application.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Adaptability or versatility

If the application interface is made more complex to accommodate advanced features, then functionality is improved, but usability for less experienced users deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefeature capabilityVSAvoiduser interface usability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The visual annotation system provides immediate feedback to users about their interface interactions. By allowing users to mark up screenshots and receive support responses directly, the system creates a feedback loop that helps less experienced users understand how to use complex features without overwhelming them.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The support system is segmented into multiple channels including visual annotations, spatial maps of issues, and targeted support responses. This segmentation allows complex applications to be broken down into manageable support units, making it easier for users of varying experience levels to navigate and understand the application.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS8869022B1Visual annotations and spatial maps for facilitating application use

Publication Date: 2014.10.21 INTUIT INC

AI summary

The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates use of an application. During operation, the system obtains a visual annotation of a user interface for the application, in which the visual annotation corresponds to a user issue with the user interface. Next, the system uses the visual annotation to update a spatial map of user issues with the user interface. Finally, the system uses the visual annotation and the spatial map to facilitate use of the application by an end user.