In-context user feedback probe

A method to facilitate obtaining feedback for an application associated with an industrial automation environment, the method comprising:

• displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) for the application associated with the industrial automation environment on a display system of a computing system, wherein the GUI includes primary content associated with industrial operations and a user feedback prompt, and wherein the primary content is displayed on a majority of the display system;
• responsive to a user selection of the user feedback prompt, expanding boundaries of the GUI to reveal a new portion of the GUI on the display system prohibited from overlapping any of the primary content and comprising a feedback area that provides a mechanism to receive user feedback;
• receiving user input comprising the user feedback;
• responsive to receiving the user feedback, contracting the boundaries of the GUI to conceal the feedback area on the display system;
• and
• providing an option to edit the user feedback, wherein selection of the option to edit the user feedback causes the GUI to expand to reveal the new portion of the GUI on the display system comprising the feedback area.

An apparatus to facilitate obtaining feedback for an application associated with an industrial automation environment, the apparatus comprising:

• one or more computer-readable storage media;
• and
• program instructions stored on the one or more computer-readable storage media that, when executed by a processing system, direct the processing system to at least:
• display a graphical user interface (GUI) for the application associated with the industrial automation environment on a display system, wherein the GUI includes primary content associated with industrial operations and a user feedback prompt, and wherein the primary content is displayed on a majority of the display system;
• responsive to a user selection of the user feedback prompt, expand boundaries of the GUI to reveal a new portion of the GUI on the display system comprising a feedback area that provides a mechanism to receive user feedback, wherein the new portion of the GUI on the display system creates new space on the GUI for the feedback area that is prohibited from overlapping any of the primary content;
• receive user input comprising the user feedback;
• responsive to receiving the user feedback, contract the boundaries of the GUI to conceal the feedback area on the display system;
• and
• provide an option to edit the user feedback, wherein selection of the option to edit the user feedback causes the GUI to expand to reveal the new portion of the GUI on the display system comprising the feedback area.