DECISIONAL GUIDANCE - Human-Computer Interaction and Management Information Systems: Foundations - page 99

CONCLUSION
After presenting the original definition and typology, this paper reviewed a set of empirical stud-
ies of the behavioral effects of decisional guidance as the starting point for updating and broad-
ening the concept. The revised definition of decisional guidance and the revised typology of
deliberate decisional guidance are intended to apply to a broad range of interactive computer-
based systems. A research agenda was presented, identifying three sets of effects that need to be
studied (user behavior, user perceptions, and user learning) as well as indicating the key research
issues for each of the typology's dimensions. Along the way, several ideas were presented that are
important for studying decisional guidance effectively and for building a cumulative knowledge
base. The paper concludes by reemphasizing three of these points.
Generalization
The revised typology is intended to serve two purposes. One is to distinguish among different types
of guidance, focusing researchers and helping practitioners select the most appropriate type of
guidance. The other purpose is to facilitate meaningful generalization by identifying the underly-
ing differences that may matter. Even with the revised typology, drawing broad generalizations
about the effects of decisional guidance will be difficult because guidance mechanisms can vary
greatly and because the unique features of a given mechanism may matter most. Researchers can
improve our ability to generalize by describing well the guidance mechanisms they study and by
locating them clearly within the typology. Studying theory-based guidance may be especially
valuable.
Inadvertent Guidance
This paper—like all the studies of decisional guidance to date—concentrated on deliberate
decisional guidance. But inadvertent guidance, situations where system features influence users
in ways not intended by the designer, is also an important design concern. Subtle nuances in
how features are implemented may have significant consequences for how users exercise dis-
cretion. Research on these features is greatly needed and practitioners need to be aware of this
design issue.
Deliberate Guidance and Directivity
Just because guidance is deliberate does not mean it is intended to be directive. Directive guidance
generally is implemented as quasi-suggestive or suggestive guidance, whereas non-directive guid-
ance is generally implemented as informative guidance. Since a given system may have many
guidance features, some may be directive and some may not. Designers need to be attuned to their
design philosophies and motives when implementing guidance. Moreover, even directive guidance
still allows users discretion, since they can reject the guidance's recommendations. An alternative
approach to directing users is through restrictiveness, which forces users in a given direction. At a
minimum, researchers need to be explicit about the restrictiveness-guidance distinction and clear
as to which they are studying. Studying the trade-offs between these two directive approaches
would be especially valuable.