I'm writing up an analysis of Articulate Storyline, Qarbon ViewletBuilder, and Madcap Software Mimic. I prefer Storyline over the other two, but it's twice as much. So, I need any compare/contrast points you can think of as to why Storyline is the way to go. Thanks in advance for any points you can send my way!
One of the things you'll get with Storyline that you won't (or won't be able to do as well) in ViewletBuilder and Mimic is modules that don't fit the software simulation pattern. Captivate, ViewletBuilder, and Mimic are all great at screen recording and interactions associated with show me, guide me, let me try, and test me type presentations and activities. When your course or presentation isn't related to software, things get muddy really quickly.
Captivate die-hards may disagree with me (and there are folks that can make Captivate sing) but using screen recording tools to build scenarios, exercises, or even simple concept breakdowns makes me a sad panda.
It really depends on what you're wanting to use the software for. The licensing investment is higher but if you struggle to make the other tools do what you want them to do, you'll quickly exceed the total cost of ownership of a more expensive tool. For a true test, you might want to design a "requirements test" and put a variety of tools through the paces for your specific business needs. You might find that Viewletbuilder or Mimic are perfectly suited for your needs. Best way to eliminate choices before purchase is to try them out
Aha! That's an excellent point. We WILL be creating training materials for non-software training, so that's a huge mark in favor of Storyline. Thanks for pointing out something that should have been obvious to me!
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One of the things you'll get with Storyline that you won't (or won't be able to do as well) in ViewletBuilder and Mimic is modules that don't fit the software simulation pattern. Captivate, ViewletBuilder, and Mimic are all great at screen recording and interactions associated with show me, guide me, let me try, and test me type presentations and activities. When your course or presentation isn't related to software, things get muddy really quickly.
Captivate die-hards may disagree with me (and there are folks that can make Captivate sing) but using screen recording tools to build scenarios, exercises, or even simple concept breakdowns makes me a sad panda.
It really depends on what you're wanting to use the software for. The licensing investment is higher but if you struggle to make the other tools do what you want them to do, you'll quickly exceed the total cost of ownership of a more expensive tool. For a true test, you might want to design a "requirements test" and put a variety of tools through the paces for your specific business needs. You might find that Viewletbuilder or Mimic are perfectly suited for your needs. Best way to eliminate choices before purchase is to try them out
Aha! That's an excellent point. We WILL be creating training materials for non-software training, so that's a huge mark in favor of Storyline. Thanks for pointing out something that should have been obvious to me!
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