Need a comparison between when to use Rise vs Storyline 360?

Aug 18, 2020

Hi

My client has been using Storyline 360 for the last few years but now has a requirement to produce material with a very ambitious deadline.  I am suggesting that we do it in Rise.  They want to see more evidence that it is a safe decision to make.  Has anyone developed a matrix / aid on how to decide which tool to use and the advantages and disadvantages of both? 
If so, can I have a copy to share with them.

Liz

9 Replies
Judy Nollet

Hi, Liz,

Both provide the same kind of publishing options, so there's no difference there.

Here's my quick take on pros and cons.

Rise

  • Pro: responsive design; quicker development; faster learning curve for newbies
  • Con: less programming control; more difficult to share the source
    • Re: the source. Because it's cloud-based software, you can't store a back-up of the source on your hard drive. Instead, you have to add people to the team for that Rise course, or transfer a copy to another Rise user via an email link. But it can get a little tricky to control versioning. 
    • Also, if you're a one-person development team, if something happened to you, no one else would be able to access the source materials. 

Storyline 360

  • Pro: more programming control; easily shared source file
  • Con: design isn't fully responsive; increased development time; slower learning curve for newbies
    • Re: time. Development time can be decreased by using templates for interactions.
OWEN HOLT

Rise

  • Con: less programming control; more difficult to share the source
    • Re: the source. Because it's cloud-based software, you can't store a back-up of the source on your hard drive or transfer a copy to a colleague. Instead, you have to add people to the team for that Rise course. And it can get a little tricky to control versioning. Also, if you're a one-person development team. In such a case, if something happened to you, no one else would be able to access the source materials. 

Actually, there is an email option that allows you to send a copy of the course to a colleague which they can then edit as their own without impacting the original version.

Justin Collinge

Hi Judy - while I love Rise I suspect that user's engagement will quickly wane given the limitations of true interactivity. If you're seeking to push information (e.g. for compliance issues) then Rise is much quicker & easier.  If you want users to learn then Storyline offers more opportunities to make people think for themselves. 
I personally create courses comprising of Storyline blocks which are embedded in Rise. That way I get the slickness of Rise sprinkled with challenges to think for yourself created in Storyline.
(And I know that's not really what you asked for! 😆)

Trina Rimmer

Hi Elizabeth! Tons of great points here but wanted to chime in with a few thoughts of my own.

Similar to what Justin said, I think of Storyline 360 as a box of Lego with almost infinite possibilities for creating whatever I can imagine. Being able to create dynamic, immersive experiences is great, but it's not realistic to assume that every course you create needs to have that level of custom interaction—and the associated lengthier development time.

When your goals are to quickly give folks the information they need to take action, the topics you're covering aren't particularly high-risk to the org, and it needs to be a great multi-device experience, creating a well-written Rise course that's warm, concise, and helpful with some meaningful interactivity mixed in is a smart bet. 

We've written a number of articles on E-Learning Heroes that delve into when to use which app (Storyline or Rise) to use for which type of project. Here are some of those links in case they're helpful to you:

How Pros Use Storyline 360 and Rise 360
Rise 360 or Storyline 360: Which One Should You Use for Your Project?
Why and How I Created This Pre-Test in Rise 360

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