detailhelps

Detailhelps refers to a design pattern and feature set for delivering highly detailed, context-specific help content within software interfaces. It complements traditional help by offering granular guidance tied to the current task, element, or workflow.

The term appeared in user assistance discourse in the 2010s as teams sought to differentiate compact tooltips from full documentation. It is used in product development docs and some UX design guidelines.

Detailhelps content can include step-by-step instructions, rationale, code snippets, configuration options, troubleshooting steps, and links to related tasks. Content is usually context-aware, pulls from a centralized content repository, and adapts to user role, version, and localization.

It can be presented as inline cards attached to UI elements, modal dialogs, side panels, or in a dedicated help center page. They may be triggered on first use, on demand, or via persistent hints. Authoring relies on structured content, taxonomy, metadata, and versioning to ensure accuracy. Content authors map help to tasks, elements, and user personas, with review workflows and localization pipelines.

Accessibility and UX are considered, with adjustable verbosity, screen reader compatibility, and keyboard navigation. Users can opt out or hide helpers. There are potential limitations, such as information overload or stale content, requiring ongoing maintenance and governance. See also contextual help, onboarding, tooltips, in-app coaching.