ActiveHelp Web -- Human-like Interactive Browser-Based Help and e-Learning

Rocket Software announced today the release of ActiveHelp Web, a unique tool that easily and inexpensively captures the knowledge of expert users making it available to customers as automated interactive training and support modules (not simulations) that run playerless in any browser to support .NET and HTML interfaced applications.

Content authors can create modules called ActiveHelpers, that are player-less and platform independent. ActiveHelpers work interactively with the customer and the application to ensure immediate customer success and satisfaction thereby lowering customer support incidents and costs substantially.

ActiveHelp Web does not produce a mere slide show, video or simulation. It interactively helps customers to fill in order forms, navigate applications and web sites, use chat facilities, configure applications, format documents, produce reports, etc. --- reducing customer frustration and lowering support costs. ActiveHelp Web is a generational leap beyond text and simulation-based help and training.

Traditional FAQs, knowledge bases and simulations just tell users what to do and then leave them to transfer the knowledge to the live application, often incompletely. They are left to sink or swim," said Andrea Campbell, Operations Manager of RockeTools, the division of Rocket Software that markets ActiveHelp. ActiveHelp creates automated helpers that collaborate with users in real time, like a friend looking over their shoulder. There is nothing else like it."

A unique aspect of ActiveHelpers is that they can interact directly with users and the HTML interface of the application, so that users work directly on real problems and achieve real results in real time while learning. ActiveHelp allows novices to adopt and successfully use new applications immediately. The learning curve all but disappears. Where simulations provide learn-by-pretending ActiveHelp delivers learn-by-doing and its accompanying efficiencies.

ActiveHelpers work with users screens as they see them now, not with a snapshot of the authors screen, thus cutting out the confusion created by incomplete and unsuccessful attempts to transfer knowledge from a simulation to a real problem. The result is that escalation to expensive support calls and emails is minimized.

ActiveHelpers are quickly and efficiently authored by content specialists using simple follow-me" tools. Existing FAQ and knowledge base text can also be reused saving even more time.

Customers and other end-users can launch ActiveHelpers directly from the application page or knowledge base to get context-specific interactive support right where theyre working. ActiveHelpers include conditional branching, monitoring and filtering of user input, audio support, data capture capabilities, etc. ActiveHelpers can be skinned to match any application.

ActiveHelp is sold through OEM partnerships and RockeTools is actively pursuing new partnerships in e-Learning and customer support.

About Rocket Software, Inc.
Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts with major sales and development offices in the US and abroad, Rocket Software is a provider and supporter of enterprise class software products and technology components to major OEM independent software and hardware vendors including IBM, RSA Security, Microsoft, and others.