Writing the script

Hi, Ted -

Depending on your workflow and the type of output, a storyboard or planning document can save you quite a bit of time overall. This serves a couple of functions. First, it keeps you from spinning your wheels in a software tool. Second, it provides an easy way to review and annotate your "blueprints" incrementally.

There are quite a few things you'll want to consider mapping out before you get to the storyboard phase to make sure you're focusing on "the right things".

There are lots of ways to capture and express each increment of the design process. How you end up doing it depends on what you're most comfortable with (or how your client wants to see it done). As for tools, some folks use Word some folks use PowerPoint. Some use proprietary / closed Web based systems and some use MS Access. A combination of these may work best for you. Powerpoint is actually quite adept at flowcharting. So if you're looking to illustrate structure, flow, and connections, PPT can get the job done well.

For example, you might use a Word table to outline a mapping of your objectives to topics and activities at a high level. You might then go into Powerpoint to quickly illustrate an idea or layout or even put together a quick prototype. After this you could go back into MS Word and build up a quick narrative before expanding all of these artifacts into a more structured document that the developer can follow.

I use a process I call Left to Right to expand and enhance ideas incrementally and develop the full ideas into a script. This reduces the risk that I'll spend more time in an area than I need to. I socialize these increments with the client and only forge forward when I'm confident that I'm aligned with the client's needs.

For my final storyboard, I use a really simple format (I've attached an example of the storyboard format I use). I find that loading a storyboard down with irrelevant details, codes and instructions only makes things harder for the client to review (fatigue). If I need to add more descriptive detail or logic instructions, I add these in parallel documents or annotations after approval. The idea behind this format is 1) opportunity for illustration of screen elements, 2) definition of onscreen elements synchronized with 3) audio narrative. Each segment is broken into sections and screens with a screen identifier or storyboard number.

Read this quick article:

http://theelearningcoach.com/elearning_design/storyboards-for-elearning/

You can also find lots of examples here:

http://theelearningcoach.com/resources/storyboard-depot/

Thank you for the helpful data Steve.  I will keep working through this.