WhatsApp is an application that allows users to send messages and make phone calls for free to others in distant parts of the world. I have used the advantages of this tool to effortlessly communicate with people in Canada and even Brazil and Kuwait (I am in Florida). It’s no wonder that I chose WhatsApp’s Help Center/FAQ guide to explore for effectiveness.
The creators of the website’s Help Center have done an outstanding job in crafting this resource. The following information details which components are effective (and why), as well as a couple of suggestions for enhancement.
Effective Elements
Navigation: When a user has a question, finding a quick answer can be frustrating if they can’t even find the company’s Help Center/FAQ page. WhatsApp’s Help Center aids the search by being easy to find on any page of its website. Users can access it either in the top navigation menu or in the footer.
Organization: Upon reaching the Help Center page, seven categories are clearly displayed: General, Android, iPhone, Web and Desktop, KaiOS, WhatsApp Business for Android, and WhatsApp Business for iPhone. Beneath each main category are several “questions” that seem to be feature items. (I put “questions” in quotes because they aren’t actually questions.) The user has the option to click “View all questions” to see more questions.
Clicking on any one of the seven main categories takes you to a page with subcategories. These subcategories are then broken down into related “questions.” And, after clicking on a “question,” you are taken to a separate page with the answer. WhatsApp has done well with organizing what could otherwise be a complicated mess of information by using main categories and subcategories.
Appearance: FAQs/Help Centers should not be overdone with the imagery, colors, and fonts, yet they need not be completely dull. WhatsApp’s use of a sophisticated color palette of dark teal and gray not only adheres to its branding, but it also provides a calming effect. Cool colors tend to relax people while warmer colors energize. When a user has a question, it’s not uncommon for them to be a bit anxious, so WhatsApp’s color scheme seems appropriate. And, the use of a clean, sans serif font enables readability.
Search Bar: You can’t miss the Search Bar—it is at the top and center of the Help Center’s main page. It also stays put when you click on a category/subcategory/“question” which is helpful. With a Search Bar, users can narrow down their search to only relevant information.
Answers: WhatsApp’s answers are carefully structured for readability. Small paragraphs are used and separated by white space. Subheadings allow for skimming. Also, information is sometimes numbered and other times bulleted. All of these elements make reading less daunting.
Videos are often used which helps those who learn better with demonstrations.
Many answers offer links to more information which brings to mind a concept I read from Letting Go of the Words by Janice (Ginny) Redish. In this textbook, she mentions satisfying those that just want a “bite” of information, as well as meeting the desires of those who want a bit more data, or a “snack” as she calls it. For those who want all the details, give them a “meal.” By including links in the answers, users can reach for that “meal” of information.
Feedback: At the end of each answer, the user is asked if the article was helpful or not. If “no” is selected, a list of reasons are given to choose. Providing the user with a way to send feedback shows that WhatsApp strives to please its clients.
Ineffective Elements
Questions: As mentioned earlier, the Help Center questions are not actually questions--they are statements. I think that forming them into actual questions would be more conversational. By simply using How do I make a group video call? instead of How to make a group video call, the experience becomes more personal.
Feedback: While providing a way to send feedback, one suggestion I have is to allow the user to type in a response. Currently, they can only choose from about four pre-made responses. I think it would be more effective to allow them to say why an article was confusing rather than just allow them to say that it was confusing. Then, the writing team knows what to focus on changing.
As you can see, there is much more to praise than to change. I give WhatsApp's Help Center an “A” grade.