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5.5 A debate: the application of anthropomorphism to interaction design 153

Another way of venting anger is through flaming. When upset or annoyed by a
piece of news or something in an email message, people may overreact and re-
spond by writing things in email that they wouldn't dream of saying face to face.
They often use keyboard symbols to emphasize their anger or frustration, e.g., ex-
clamation marks (!!!!), capital letters (WHY DID YOU DO THAT?) and re-
peated question marks (??????) that can be quite offensive to those on the
receiving end. While such venting behavior can make the user feel temporarily less
frustrated, it can be very unproductive and can annoy the recipients. Anyone who
has received a flame knows just how unpleasant it is.
In the previous section, we provided some suggestions on how systems could
be improved to help reduce commonly caused frustrations. Many of the ideas dis-
cussed throughout the book are also concerned with designing technologies and in-
terfaces that are usable, useful, and enjoyable. There will always be situations,
however, in which systems do not function in the way users expect them to, or in
which the user misunderstands something and makes a mistake. In these circum-
stances, error messages (phrased as "how-to-fix-it" advice) should be provided that
explain what the user needs to do.
Another way of providing information is through online help, such as tips,
handy hints, and contextualized advice. Like error messages, these need to be de-
signed to guide users on what to do next when they get stuck and it is not obvious
from the interface what to do. The signaling used at the interface to indicate that
such online help is available needs careful consideration. A cartoon-based agent
with a catchy tune may seem friendly and helpful the first time round but can
quickly become annoying. A help icon or command that is activated by the users
themselves when they want help is often preferable.

5.5 A debate: the application of anthropomorphism
to interaction design

In this section we present a debate. Read through the arguments for and against
the motion and then the evidence provided. Afterwards decide for yourself
whether you support the motion.