A how-to should be a silent tool that assists the user in their task, not a cacophony of messages that provide no value, or an obstacle course to close pop-ups and avoid banners.
In the first conversations we had about StepAlong, we always kept in mind that should be a self-contained mini application, an element that is easy to share on any medium.
Focus and speed. Scroll or Slide
The first version of the StepAlong player enhanced the user’s focus, thanks to the step-by-step horizontal navigation in swipe mode, but many users told us that for some use cases because it did not facilitate the quick browsing of content.
For this reason, in the new version of StepAlong Player, we have added a new vertical navigation mode (scroll), which allows you to use the natural movement of the browsers, both for exploration and to follow the instructions step by step.
We’ve also completely redesigned the table of contents, which replaces the previous “summary” functionality.
This new version offers a side menu accessible from the header of each step, allowing easy discovery and navigation in any viewing mode (scroll or swipe).
Agile feedback
Feedback at the end of a StepAlong is very important for the how-to and instruction producers, since it allows you to continually improve your how-tos. However, at the same time it is a barrier for users, who do not usually leave comments once they have completed the task.
For this reason, we have simplified the questionnaire at the end of each StepAlong, a user can now quickly comment on whether they completed it (then giving a rating from 1 to 5), were simply reviewing it, or you were unable to complete it.
Improved creator productivity
A StepAlong is usually created in several stages, while taking photographs of the process or refining notes. With draft mode you can work on your StepAlong in private, without it having to be public all the time.
You can now duplicate StepAlongs, making it easier to reuse structures in how-tos, especially when using common tools, materials, or processes.
On many occasions, the techniques described in the tutorials are defined by small gestures that last just a few seconds. We have incorporated compatibility with any animated GIF format into the platform, a technical detail that substantially improves the user experience of many contents.
QR QR QR
The StepAlongs QR codes are one of the features that users like the most, since they allow you to easily open the StepAlong in the context of use, at the moment the user is trying to do something, whether on the product packaging or on a sticker next to that damn microwave.
Individual StepAlongs have always had QR codes and now the StepAlong page does, allowing you to link to all of your StepAlongs.
We hope you find these changes useful and that they will help you create better how-tos. We are working every day to improve the experience of creating and following tutorials. You can read all the details in the release notes.
What features would you like to see in StepAlong?
Create your StepAlong account and take your how-tos to the next level.
