Arguments for more than one course template

Hi Jennie - I would probably focus on cognitive load theory to help them understand why some flexibility in design is important.

Connie Malamed often has great articles on it: http://theelearningcoach.com/learning/learning-theory-and-multimedia/ and http://theelearningcoach.com/learning/what-is-cognitive-load/. Also check out Mayer and Clark's classic article about multimedia design principles for more research: http://faculty.washington.edu/farkas/HCDE510-Fall2012/ClarkMultimediaPrinciples(Mayer).pdf.

I'm sure Tom has written about this before. A quick search pulled up this post: http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/9-easy-ways-to-deal-with-corporate-branding-in-your-elearning-courses/. I think it's a common challenge, so you'll probably get quite a few perspectives. 

Best of luck!

Holly

Hi Jennie - and welcome to the Community.

I deal with this by pointing out one/several of these things:

1> People are bored with PowerPoint.

2> Just because you have a Template, (the GUI you present), it dos NOT mean that the information needs to be presented in the same way as something that exists.

3> Corporate Communications is not "training". Use the references Holly posted above  - Tom's is great.

4> You are an Instructional Designer - so you need to be allowed to design.

5> People will recognise it because you will use some of the same colours etc., and they will love it because it is DIFFERENT.

Try and stick to your guns, because you are correct.

Good luck.

It is often a struggle to get companies to ditch the corporate branding.  I have usually been able to come to some sort of compromise where I may have the corporate brand and or logos on the front page and at the end of the course, but have some creative freedom for the main content. Most of the time people seem happy with this in my experience. 

Corporate logos and banners usually end up taking up space on the slides which can disrupt the look of the course and could be put to better use. I have seen cases where it takes up over a third of the screen leaving little room for content.

If you have the time, try building a few templates or samples that you could use to show them how much better your content could look if you are given the freedom to design them yourself

WOW!  Thank you for all of the wonderful advice.  I had researched mostly on the topic of the importance of visual design and its relationship with eLearning effectiveness, but hadn't had much luck.  Those article suggestions were spot on for what I was looking for and I plan to use a number of the arguments and suggestions each of  you provided in my discussion with Corp Comm later this month.  I'll try to remember to update this thread with the outcome. 

Thanks again for making your wealth of knowledge available to me in this forum.  You guys are the best. 

Hi Jennie - 

My advice is prepare to lose the battle or at least compromise. Then use that template as a canvas to build that which creates the best learning opportunity. Lots of folks focus on the bling of the template and it ends up becoming a fancy bucket in which to throw stuff that doesn't shine as brightly as the template

Every masterpiece is painted on a bland canvas.

I agree with Steve. Also you can leave the corporate background untouched and build the front layer completely or partially covering it.

A bit of cheating, I suppose

As a compromise, it can be useful to suggest having a range of templates instead of just one. The suite can be based on types of courses you would put out - which you could suggest developing together with the marketing/branding dept. Examples could be: scenario-based approach with a 'situation screen', 'choice screen', 'feedback screen', etc.

This way you introduce them to what you are trying to achieve with layout and hopefully make them see that will not always get into the current Powerpoint screens.Working together with the original template creators may give them a sense of shared ownership and allow easy conversation next time you want to add to your number of screens available in the 'corporate e-learning library'. Just a thought, as my hunch is that 'freedom of design' will not be granted easily .

One thing that sometimes works is to accept, and TELL THEN that you appreciate a huge amount of effort and time has been invested in what they currently have, and to acknowledge there are probably hundreds of hours and loads of cost invested - but that does not mean it WORKS for training.

Do schools have their logos etc. plastered all over the whiteboards and blackboards? No. It's the same as @Steve said. Blank canvas.

They know where they work, they know where they are. Realistically - WHY do you need the template.

If you start working them down the "why?" route they will often end up just looking silly because "We said so...", and then you have a negotiation/compromise position.

I agree with Steve and Stephen. A plain white background is the best standard template you could ask for.

I would recommend applying some armchair reverse psychology in the meeting. Tell them their recommendation for the plain white background is really the best template because when it comes to online training, less is best.  Then mention how any extraneous colors or patterns interfere with visual/audio learning, based on the multimedia principles that Holly referenced. Don't bore them by trying to explain those principles. Mock up two different PowerPoint slides to show as a comparison, so they can see for themselves how difficult it is for the brain to process the meaning. One should have a plain white background a simple, clean visual such as a photo and just a small bit of text, and the other have a patterned background with way too much text, fonts and colors.

Then you can guide them to accept that the corporate brand should appear on the first and maybe the last slide, but "less is best" when it comes to what is on the other slides.  If you can get that buy-in you are off to a great start.  Put off creating different color standard templates down the road. . .