EPSS are an extension and further development of the workplace job aid.
As described by Rossett & Gautier-Downes (1991), job aids support work and activity, are external to the individual and have three discrete functions, which are:

providing information,
supporting procedures, and
guiding decision making.
When these three functions of job aids interconnect within an integrated technology-based system, a “highly sophisticated technological job aid” called an electronic performance support system results (Van Tiem, Moseley, & Dessinger, 2004, p. 71).

Handheld EPSS
device for sales.

 
Characteristic advantages of an EPSS over a traditional non-technology based job aid include:

user ability to quickly access large quantities of information,
support for multiple users anywhere at any time the delivery technology is available, and
user ability to receive interactive coaching and guidance.

Gustafson (2000) recommends instructional designers decide if the EPSS goal is “black box” which enables users to accomplish tasks efficiently and correctly without increasing users’ skills, or “glass box” which seeks to increase or improve users’ skills or knowledge.

 





"Black box" spell checker

Black box systems are hidden, operating without a user’s knowledge. As an example, an autocorrect spell checker changes “teh” to “the” without user awareness. Glass box systems are visible, operating with user input. For example, non-autocorrect spell checkers inform users of misspellings and suggest changes, but users must authorize changes. More sophisticated systems provide additional feedback and guidance so that users eventually will be able to accomplish tasks efficiently and correctly on their own. 

Historically there has been little agreement on the meaning of EPSS terms or the application of terms. As a solution, Cavanagh (2004) proposed classifying EPSS into five levels, which are:
External: task independent support, such as online manuals
Extrinsic: embedded non-integrated user initiated support, such as software help functions
Intrinsic: embedded integrated event driven support reactive to users’ actions, such as software wizards
Intuitive: embedded integrated support that compensates for user behavior, such as autocorrect spell checkers
Intelligent: theoretical not yet achieved goal of support that anticipates users’ needs, with support occurring before users know support is needed.

Cotton (2004) recommends that simplicity should be the design aim for an EPSS, specifically in terms of user interface, user accessibility, and developer ease to update the EPSS. Cotton also recommends that if an EPSS is to be developed for a software program, that the EPSS be embedded into the software program, rather than external to the software program. This will allow users to access needed support more quickly than having to go to an external information source.

A performance support system should be evaluated solely on the support system’s effectiveness at closing the performance gap(s) identified during needs analysis. Although important, user satisfaction with a support system is not related to a performance gap, which makes user satisfaction a poor evaluation criterion for system effectiveness (Douglas and Shafer, 2002).

According to Desmarais, Leclair, Fiset, and Talbi (1997), the potential benefits to an organization from using EPSS can include increased productivity, lower training costs, increased worker self-sufficiency, and increased product quality due to standardized practices.

All potential benefits of using an EPSS must be viewed against the costs of designing, developing and maintaining an EPSS. A justifiable business case must be made by EPSS developers in order to obtain management approval for a potential EPSS. This is not always easy to do, and often involves showing what the potential costs for not making an investment will be. Driscoll and Hynes (2002) found that many instructional designers underestimate the difficulty required to build a sufficiently detailed business case for EPSS and other information systems.

Paul McManus 2005
Graduate Student of Educational Technology
San Diego State University

McManus, P. (2005). Electronic performance support systems (EPSS). In B. Hoffman (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Educational Technology. Retrieved July 15, 2010