This paper contains an investigation of how different kinds of computer interface controls facilitate users’ discovery and learning of the functionality afforded by these controls. To test these capabilities, I have developed a simple rich text editor with both a standard graphical interface and a more efficient keyboard-based interface which uses MediaWiki formatting markup. This study examined the utility of providing a syntax highlighting-based “live preview” of the formatted text for user efficiency, satisfaction, and education in the use of the more efficient typed formatting markup. Analysis of the data collected from the study suggests that the live preview feature is effective at improving user efficiency, but through reducing user invocation of the manual preview feature rather than by training users to utilize keyboard-entered formatting markup. In fact, the greater similarity of the live preview-enabled interface to common word processing software appeared to suggest to its users a greater similarity of behaviour as well. The experimental group of users, who were given a live preview-enabled interface, in fact showed less aptitude than a control group without the feature to discover the usage and functionality of the typed formatting markup.
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