Acceptable intrusiveness of online help in mobile devices

The aim of this study was to examine how users perceive help on a mobile device with respect to the presentation format and the severity of the scenario the user encounters. We examined how 92 participants responded to four different formats of help offered for five different scenarios varying in their severity level using static images displayed in a web browser. The intrusiveness of the help format and the severity of the scenario affected participants' interest in receiving help. In certain conditions it may be helpful to suggest help, in particular when users do not know how to ask for it but show interest in receiving it when offered.