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Few users ever attain mastery with an application. Mastery, the state of knowing how to work efficiently with an application requires an understanding of the underlying conceptual model of the system. The Active User Paradox is one of the main inhibitors of mastery. In this study, we present HotKeyCoach, a training method designed to insert learning events into the flow of the activity that provides contextually relevant training and helps the user circumvent the active user paradox in the pursuit of application mastery.

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As software continues to grow in power and complexity, frequent on-the-job training is essential to maintain a proficient and productive skill set. However once a base operational skill set is attained, software users rarely continue to become proficient with the tools they use on a daily basis. This lack of proficiency results in the frequent occurrence of workflow interruptions due to the continued locating and re-locating of the operators required to perform both new and routine tasks. Aids such as reference cards and application help systems exist to make the user aware of efficient methods for task completion; however, these resources are seldom used. This study presents a new and efficient approach to help software users continue to learn about the tools they use to complete their work. This new approach to learning, called inline training, leverages common workflow interruptions to facilitate the discovery of new application knowledge. At issue is fitting the amount of work necessary to use the trainer into the already occurring interruption window. By understanding the amount of within-interruption work tolerated by the user, including an inline trainer within the window, promotes a deeper understanding of the application, resulting in a more efficient workflow.Keywords: training; continuous learning; learning; software training; interruptions IntroductionIn the modern technological landscape, the tools required to perform everyday tasks change at a rapid pace. Therefore, today's workers must adjust to improvements to the applications that support their work-related activities (Boothby, Dufour, and Tang 2010). The drive for increased productivity, mixed with the pace of technology evolution, makes essential the development of learning technologies for users to remain competitive in the modern workplace (Gravill and Compeau 2008).Although the skills learned in the classroom are an important starting point, in this rapidly changing environment, continuous learning is imperative. The research reported in this article explores inline training as a training style that weds the everyday use of a technology with incremental learning and training, which is directly relevant to the activities of the user (Krisler 2014).This article closely examines how users interact with the tools they use on a daily basis. Initially, they develop a working knowledge of the interface. With this, users can find their way around the interface to complete routine tasks. However, the necessity to get work done prevents the user from progressing beyond a basic understanding of the application (Carroll and Rosson 1987). This failure to develop proficiency results from a strong dependence on basic operators. This limited functional knowledge is the cause of workflow interruptions. These slowdowns manifest themselves through searching for known or 'hoped for' operations.Presented here is an analysis of an experiment designed to leverage the naturally occurring workflow interruptions in normal everyday activities as learning opportunitie...