Amazon Web Services Contextual Help Panel

✋ What is it?

This is a solution found in the most recent Amazon Web Services console design language. It allows AWS customers to obtain contextual help and access to documentation about specific functions without leaving the console.

🤲 How does this interaction or solution work?

When navigating through an AWS console, a user would likely find several foreign concepts that require extra-disclosure or explanation.
Understanding those concepts is required for users to set up resources and services.

The modern AWS consoles present an "Info" link button next to potentially abstract titles or labels. When the user clicks the info link, a panel shows up on the right side of the screen. This panel contains an explanation of the concept and extra deep links to relevant documentation.

Users can also bring up the help panel at any moment, by just clicking the question mark button located on the collapsed panel (top-right). The panel will show up the last seen rendered information, or it would show up general information about the service depending on the context and screen.

🙌 How does this interaction or solution work?

Keeping Context and Navigability.

AWS is a complex and highly technical platform. When a user is exploring or performing an action on any of its services, there's a high chance that not all the concepts presented are clear. By providing this help panel, AWS users can bring relevant disclosures and extra information that can help them to make decisions, without leaving the console or opening a new tab.

This solution also creates a more stable relationship between the consoles and their documentation. AWS users can always expect to find relevant documentation links in this reserved area.