Flow chart to map out branching of slides

Hi Rebecca! Would your instructional manager be open to just creating a simple roadmap on a blank PowerPoint slide? There are certainly tools out there that automate flowcharting, but in a lot of cases, just a simple visual (with some boxes, arrows, and production notes) can do the trick. Plus then you wouldn't be asking them to learn a new software tool. I have done this in several previous projects when working with a team of other deisgners/developers ... we actually used a blank Slide Master in PowerPoint for the roadmap. That way it was never in the way and was never part of the published output, but it was easily accessible anytime we wanted to see it for reference.

Kevin Thorn talks about a similar idea in this blog post (scroll down to number 2: "Storyboard Your Project").

Thank you for the link. I checked it out. This is all rather new, so I will try to sell this idea. I am not really sure at what point the storyboard would need to happen because the basic content comes in from an outside writer, then the Instructional Mgr. edits and puts in quizmaker quizzes and picks Engage interactions and puts that content into Engage slides.

Because the Instructional Mgr. has the same programs I have now, instead of directing me how she wants the navigation/branching to work (with a storyboard) she wants to get in there, work in the program and do it herself before she gives me the project. In the past, as a graphic designer, when we worked on print projects (in this company or others) this wasn't an issue because the Manager didn't have the programs. It does not seem to be the best way to work and it also feels as though it's taking away from my responsibilities.

Thanks.

Yeah, sometimes on a cross-functional team the lines can get a little blurry!   In your team, who has ultimate accountability for the course design and functionality? That person (or team of people) would be the one(s) who comes up with the branching/navigation strategy, at the very early planning stage, before anything gets written. It's pretty important that stuff gets nailed early on, before the course is built - because the course structure has a big impact on what gets written/created as far as content.

So, from a workflow perspective, if the course designer has the skillz to build the branching before they hand the project off, that might really be the quickest approach. That would free you up to do more graphic-design magic and make the course really shine.

Thanks for your input.

Hello Rebecca, i agree that the branching strategy should be one of the early decisions in the designe process.  It sounds like maybe you are are concerned that your Instruc. Mgr. isn't doing a very good job with applying branching;  Perhaps if thats the case you could ask to be a part of the early design/strategy phases so that you have a clearer understanding of how the branching is supposed to behave? And then explicitly offer to take that as part of your role in the production process. You could position it as "I'd like to streamline our team's work flow and take some work off your shoulders - would it be ok if I help with the design phase so that when it comes time to apply & test branching, I can take that on."

Hi Saenna,

Thanks for the input.There are many ways to do something and I would sometimes opt to do things differently. It's a challenge not to step on toes.

Hi Rebecca

I've used Gliffy in the past.  Certainly has it's advantages over many similar products; free, intuitive, dynamic (everything moves/stretches/links as you make changes etc).  But it's still not quite my bag.

Sometimes use Mindjet Mind Manager - that to has some great features but isn't IMO suited to every map.

So more often than not I map out in PPT using skeletal (bare bones) content.  This creates a framework that allows you to move through for real (well, almost).  Not everyone's cup of tea, but tends to do the trick for me more recently.

EDIT: one thing I've learned when working with various SMEs is that I no longer 'accept' being given just a load of content to work through.  Instead, I go through various steps to have them cut out the unnecessary stuff before they then get back to me with a proper structure.  Sometimes you have to be firm otherwise you end up spending your time doing a whole load of re-organising that they should be able to do better and quicker.

Thanks. I may look at those. Does your SME or writer put all the copy into slides and you have you build the navigation and branching? If so, how do they explain how they want to navigate it?

Once we've filtered down the content into what needs to be included (based on an understanding of the audience and what they need to do (not just know)), I ask the SME(s) to create a learning flow.  Here they break the content into manageable pieces around which the branching comes in.  We then check how each bit marries up to various objectives until the structure is finalised.

So the skeletal framework that I build is based around bare bones content, with buttons etc for linking between slides.  That's how we mimic branching and so on.  

HTH.

check out Cat Moore's action mapping concept - has worked quite well for us, to make sure we're not just doing an information dump, but really supporting learning.

http://blog.cathy-moore.com/2008/05/be-an-elearning-action-hero/

I've used VISIO which has worked very well.  It's also flexible enough to enable me to move things around as needed.  Personally, I think that flexibility of a tool while designing is important.

Thanks for all the help! Really appreciate it!

Rebecca