Compare Storylne 2 to Adobe Captivate

Apr 26, 2016

Mary Field
By Mary Field

I am quite happy using Storyline but one of my customers wants me to use Adobe Captivate.  I've downloaded a trial version just to evaluate whether or not is it better, and am struggling with the learning curve.  I don't want to switch if I don't have to.  I'm familiar with the desktop landscape of Storyline and if it weren't for the glitch that seems to be well known (i.e. project won't open on Explorer and some others) my customer wouldn't be pressuring me.  They also seem to want to be able to post to turn the project into a video and post it to YouTube.  I know you can use the 'record screen' tool and more or less create a video out of Storyline but...is Captivate really any better?

If anybody has experience with both I'd appreciate some feedback.  I like the Articulate support system.  The Articulate community is imaginative and collaborative. The techs are very responsive to questions whereas I have a hard time connecting with any human being in the other software companies.  That alone is a bonus for me. 

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

6 Replies
Julie Stelter
8 years ago04/27/16 at 1:11 am (UTC)

Hi Mary,

I have used both successfully. Captivate is much harder to learn. For example, I learned both softwares while producing work for a client. I could manage this with Storyline because of the support you mention. I spent hours of my own time learning Captivate for another client. It was a very stressful experience :( The learning curve is steep. Captivate's responsive design solution can be glitchy so you may just be substituting one problem for another. 

If I may suggest, ask your client for a specific list of deliverables and match them up with Storyline's capabilities to show your client this is a viable option. The two things you mention are problems with Internet Explorer and they want to create a video from the course. The latter can be done in Storyline. And Internet Explorer has been replaced by Edge, although some people will still use IE.

I think browser issues are part of the challenge of eLearning. We have to work around and find the best solutions that meets everyone's needs. Managing expectation of clients is a big part of what I do. There is no silver bullet and I work toward the client believing this as well.

Cheers,

Julie

Mary Field
8 years ago04/27/16 at 1:47 am (UTC)

I am having a stressful time with Captivate. It doesn't seem as intuitive
as Storyline. I had very little difficulty developing and learning how to
develop in Storyline but I'm quite frustrated with Captivate. I am going to
meet with them to find out how they visualize deploying the material because
I think after they had a problem with explorer they started searching around
and saw something that looked shiny and then their computer geek (sorry) got
all wound up at the possibilities that are described in the promo material -
you know the story.

I assume from your comment about Edge that it is easily downloadable and
that Storyline does work with it. That could resolve the issue. I'll
'explore' that with them as well.

Thanks so much for your excellent advice and your prompt response. I think
I'll close up Captivate and have a hot bath to get it out of my system.

I'll get back to you if I have further issues.

Kind regards,

Mary Field.

Mary Field
8 years ago04/27/16 at 2:33 pm (UTC)

You guys certainly ARE e-learning heroes! Thanks for the update on Microsoft Edge. I think I’m going to be well armed when I next meet with my customer. If people are having issues opening the file we can supply them with an APP to download Firefox (which I understand does work) and/or Microsoft Edge. The cohort of people who will be utilizing these modules which are aimed at health care professionals will likely be up-to-date with their mobile devices and no doubt are using later versions of Windows.

As for me...I’m a health care professional who has a knack for teaching and lecturing and in spite of my advancing age (73) have been able to learn and use Storyline quite effectively – a testimony to the product and not the user.

Thanks to you and all the other e-learning heroes.

Mary field.

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