Illustrate STRATEGIES for using tools/functions/adjustments/modes, etc.

[PAULRFONTENOT]

It would be really helpful for "newbies" like me if Help Topics provided STRATEGIES for using the myriad of tools, functions, methods, adjustments, etc. both in the help topics and, include the HELP button on the lower left hand corner of each DIALOG PANEL/BOX  that is linked to the help topic on that specific function and strategies on how to approach the task at hand.

I have read many of the help topics and I feel that the technical writer assumed a lot about the level of proficiency of the user; I feel that when writing technical documents, one should assume that the user needs to assimilate an understanding and appreciation of the norms, conventions, procedures and strategies on how to use the specified function/tool/adjustment and methods.

Take my present situation for example, with the picture provided; I need to use at least 2 different adjustment tools because I need to reduce haze, lighten the whole picture and preserve contrast.  Being a "newbie", I am overwhelmed by all of the variables in each adjustment dialog box/panel.

It would be very helpful if the technical writer who edits the help topic involving each specific method or adjustment would seek advice from the development teams to find out and illustrate with text and graphic examples of known typical strategies to approach any given situation; for example: 

1.) When using the Levels dialog, start by trying "###" and then, try "###" and tell the user how the different adjustments affect the image and how each parameter in the dialog box/panel interact with each other; tell the user how the adjustments affect the image IN DETAIL.    

2.)  How, when, why use the Gamma slider/what does the value of "1" mean?/what are the CONVENTIONS AND TYPICAL KNOWN PROCEDURES & STRATEGIES  for using Output Black Level/Output White Level/Blend Modes, and all of the other functions in the Levels dialog box.

Each function could be linked & cross-referenced to specific paragraphs within the help topics and addressed when pressing the HELP button in the lower left corner of the dialog box as I have asked for in a separate feature request.

Include more screenshots of the tools/adjustments/modes/methods/strategies and provide an image and show how changing the value of a given parameter affects the image in what ways by using a split screen snapshot of the before and after an adjustment.

My main point here is that the technical writers who write the help topics in the HELP menu should assume the user is a "newbie" like me and they are just looking around helplessly and swearing because the help topics don't fully explain and illustrate using graphics and images, on how to use each function in these incredibly powerful and complex applications in the Affinity suite.  It has been scientifically proven that people learn more from graphic images than they do from text alone. (Wouldn't it be fantastic if you included a short .mpg4, .avi, .gif or a .mov to illustrate how each tool works?!!!)

Each help topic could be explained in detail; the screenshot of the Affinity Photo Levels help topic provided below is a great start, but it does not comprehensively  explain the interaction of the different adjustments with the image and with the other adjustments; this is where the help topics can be greatly improved and the user will greatly benefit from an unabridged treatise on these specific strategies/adjustments and methods.

[dominik]

I highly recommend to look at the many video tutorials that are availabe at Vimeo and YouTube:

https://vimeo.com/channels/affinitydesigner
https://vimeo.com/channels/affinityphoto

There you can pick up many details that are perhaps not in the help.

Cheers,
d.

[PaulEC]

I do agree that some of the entries in "Help" are not particularly helpful. For example, simply saying something like "Pick an item from the drop down list", without any explanation of what the various choices mean or do is not a actually a lot of help! (I can manage to work out for myself that if there's a drop down list I need to make a choice from it, )

[PAULRFONTENOT]

Some great information to support my previous contention that including more graphics and, (please), embedded videos in the help topics would increase retention exponentially:

My previous quote:  "It has been scientifically proven that people learn more from graphic images than they do from text alone. (Wouldn't it be fantastic if you included a short .mpg4, .avi, .gif or a .mov to illustrate how each tool works?!!!)"

Some interesting statistics from TechSmith.com (with references) (developers of Camtasia.app and Snagit.app) that support my contention:

Did you know... Text supported by illustrations can enhance understanding by 323% compared to text alone (Neoman) Almost 50% of your brain is involved in visual processing. (Neoman) Visuals increase knowledge retention by 50%. (creately) 59% of executives would rather watch a video than read text. (Hubspot)

[A_B_C]

Hmm … it seems you are asking for How-to tutorials. But providing these is not the purpose of a technical documentation that ships with an app. Such a documentation is supposed to describe the functions provided by the app and how they are accessed. The information you are asking for, however, is of much more general nature. Curve and level adjustments can be applied in virtually every image editing software, so the proper places to look for the respective information would be

• general introductions to image editing techniques, available even in printed form, not only for Affinity products, but also for Photoshop, Gimp, etc.,
• general Youtube etc. tutorials on image editing techniques,
• the Affinity tutorials linked by @dominik above,
• etc.

The problem is that you might be able to show how a tool works in a short video added to the help files, but that won’t help you much with your particular file. There are the general principles on the one hand (these can be illustrated by videos), but there is also the individual file on the other. And the application of the principles to the individual file requires judgement that can only be achieved by gaining experience. Different files will require different strategies, and these cannot be covered within a technical documentation.