Help Framework enhancements - Silverlight 1.5

In the Road Ahead webinar (26 Jan 2012) it was mentioned the Latitude is developing a Help Framework.

This is great as many have requested:

• A Help button in the banner
• Help content
• a Feedback button

I would like to suggest the following:

1. The Help framework is modular 

This would allow help items to be associated with one function. This way if the function is not available in the map, it's not available in the help.

We build many maps with different purposes and a diverse set of functions exposed. We'd like the Help to be similarly targetted.

2. Provide Help content for Latitude provided functionality

I am expecting Latitude will provide core help content. This has been lacking for too long causing duplication of effort in the community.

3. Extensible Help content for provided functionality 

In many cases accepting the default help content will be fine, but some map authors may want to override this on one or more maps (but not necessarity all maps).

4. Extensible Help content for user developed workflows and modules

Allow map authors/developer to provide default help for their functionality. Again this could be extended using 3. above.

5. Transient tool help

Transient tools are a great concept to only expose the functionality required and not overwhelm users with a full blown toolbar tab. A way of invoking Help from transient tools will be required.

6. Cross Viewer support