This work examines whether the resolution of a programming guide is related to academic success in a introductory programming course at the Andrés Bello University (Chile). We investigated whether the guide, which consists of 52 exercises which are not mandatory to solve, helps predict the failure of the first test of this course by first-year students. Furthermore, the use of the unified SHAP and XAI framework is proposed to analyze and understand how programming guides influence student performance. The study includes a literature review of previous related studies, a descriptive analysis of the data collected, and a discussion of the practical and theoretical implications of the study. The results obtained will be useful to improve student support strategies and decision making related to the use of guides as an educational tool.