Developing the user learning model: how do novices become experts?

The authors describe a theoretical and practical approach to designing learning products (documentation and training) for software. They discuss various theories of how people acquire new cognitive skills, as well as instructional design principles. Hewlett-Packard's Printed Circuit Design System serves as an example of how a user learning model and an overall learning products strategy were developed. The authors categorize learning activity into a hierarchy of behaviors, with learning at each level building on previous learning. They propose a package of learning products to address the different needs of the novice and the expert.<>