Obtaining insights from a distributed system for a dynamic, customized, context-sensitive help system

A method of using a context-sensitive help system for obtaining insights from a target environment in an unobtrusive manner, using a product placeholder extractor in communication with a knowledgebase of an external system and in communication with a placeholder dictionary;

• a placeholder value extractor in communication with the product placeholder extractor, the placeholder dictionary, other external systems, and a placeholder value cache;
• a help annotator system in communication with the placeholder value cache, the placeholder value extractor and other external systems;
• the method comprising the steps of a computer of the context-sensitive help system:
• detecting a search or opening of a help document containing a plurality of placeholders and product/component names by a user through an interface;
• crawling documents in the knowledgebase and extracting product and/or component names and corresponding configuration parameters or placeholders;
• storing the product and/or component names and placeholders in the placeholder dictionary along with links and an index to documents in the knowledgebase;
• extracting insights from the target environment in an unobtrusive manner;
• and
• replacing placeholders in the help document with values from the target environment based on the insights from the target environment comprising:
• receiving a request or search of help from the user regarding automation;
• filtering and narrowing down a scope of the search received from the user using insight and context information in the knowledgebase;
• detecting if a user opens an input parameter through an interface associated with the automation;
• and
• dynamically updating fields of the interface with values obtained from the placeholder value cache;
• and
• displaying the help document to the user through the interface.

A computer program product for using a context-sensitive help system for obtaining insights from a target environment in an unobtrusive manner using a product placeholder extractor in communication with a knowledgebase of an external system and in communication with a placeholder dictionary, a placeholder value extractor in communication with the product placeholder extractor, the placeholder dictionary, other external systems, and a placeholder value cache, a help annotator system in communication with the placeholder value cache, the placeholder value extractor and other external systems, the method comprising the steps of a computer of the context-sensitive help system comprising a computer comprising at least one processor, one or more memories, one or more computer readable storage media, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by the computer to perform a method comprising:

• detecting, by the computer, a search or opening of a help document containing a plurality of placeholders and product/component names by a user through an interface;
• crawling, by the computer, documents in the knowledgebase and extracting product and/or component names and corresponding configuration parameters or placeholders;
• storing, by the computer, the product and/or component names and placeholders in the placeholder dictionary along with links and an index to documents in the knowledgebase;
• extracting, by the computer, insights from the target environment in an unobtrusive manner;
• and
• replacing, by the computer, placeholders in the help document with values from the target environment based on the insights from the target environment comprising the program instructions of:
• receiving, by the computer, a request or search of help from the user regarding automation;
• filtering and narrowing down, by the computer, a scope of the search received from the user using insight and context information in the knowledgebase;
• detecting a user opens an input parameter, by the computer, through an interface associated with the automation;
• and
• dynamically updating, by the computer, fields of the interface with values obtained from the placeholder value cache;
• and
• displaying, by the computer, the help document to the user through the interface.