We are creating a new e-learning module. We are brand new to e-learning and Articulate.
We're working our way through the tutorials to learn how to build everything and would be grateful for any top tips / advice / things you wish you'd known before you started using the system.
Many thanks in advance for your support through the forum,
Decide on a logical naming convention, and use it to name all objects. This is especially helpful if multiple people will work with the same file.
Consider how the names appear when put in alphabetical order.
As an example, I usually name my buttons like this: b1-[this], b2-[that], etc. And if the buttons are showing layers, the layers are L1-[this], L2-[that], etc. Then, when I'm checking the triggers, it's easy to verify that b1 shows L1.
If an expected action isn't happening, check the order of the triggers. The program executes triggers in the order in which they appear for a given action (e.g., for clicking a button). Having a trigger in the wrong location can really mess things up.
Get familiar with basic variables and conditions. They give you extra control.
Get familiar with layers. Instead of trying to fit everything on the base layer, it's much easier to spread it out amongst the layers and call upon them. It's difficult working with all of the objects and images when they are all stacked on top of each other.
Schedule dedicated time to work on the project. Block off time and turn off your email. I have many roles in my job besides designing and the constant interruption makes it difficult at the beginning to learn how everything works. Assume everything will take longer than expected and to figure things out.
Read as many of these posts as possible and download as many examples as possible just to get familiar with things. Reading a lot of the posts and what difficulties people are running into was very helpful. I have found this community to be very helpful whenever I have run into issues.
I started using Articulate last April and I finally feel like I have a handle on most things but I still run into issues. I'm finally at the stage where I feel like I can try designing more creative things. I remember running into issues with grouped objects a few times. Get yourself familiar with the States. They come in really handy for animation purposes and also to set certain triggers. It allows a lot more flexibility.
As Judy stated, order of triggers is very important and make sure you don't have an object selected when adding a slide trigger. It ended up being tied to the object. Also, get familiar with the Conditions on triggers. That comes in really handy.
As most things in life, practice makes perfect. Keep experimenting and try various ways to achieve the same goal - you will learn a ton of shortcuts this way. Also revisit your past projects. Looking at something with a fresh perspective will not only show how you have grown, but also spark new ideas and ways in which to improve.
A few tips I can add - play with Master slides / layouts. In a lot of cases, you might be worker harder than you should by placing 'global' items on each slide instead of putting them in your slide masters.
Look into making your own variables. Sometimes content (text) is referenced multiple times within a course (for example a course name). Place these in a text variable and use Storyline's 'Reference' options to display the value of said variable on-screen. This way if you ever need to update the course name (or whatever value is captured in the variable) it can easily be updated in one place.
Lastly - states, triggers, variables and layers are your friend. They might be daunting at first, but the more you use (and combine) them, the faster and more engaging your content development will become. I apply a simple rule when determining when to use states vs. layers:
States - change / manipulate a single object. Layers - change / manipulate multiple objects.
Happy development Susen. Don't be afraid to ask for help =)
1. It's easy to present organized content. Much harder to make the experience engaging/enjoyable. Focus on the latter and your content will be remembered.
2. Begin with a solid elearning template with more layouts that you will need.
3. Respect the learner: let them navigate through the course as they wish (whenever possible); be as concise as possible (honor their time); challenge them. We challenge those we respect.
4 Replies
Good luck!
Get familiar with layers. Instead of trying to fit everything on the base layer, it's much easier to spread it out amongst the layers and call upon them. It's difficult working with all of the objects and images when they are all stacked on top of each other.
Schedule dedicated time to work on the project. Block off time and turn off your email. I have many roles in my job besides designing and the constant interruption makes it difficult at the beginning to learn how everything works. Assume everything will take longer than expected and to figure things out.
Read as many of these posts as possible and download as many examples as possible just to get familiar with things. Reading a lot of the posts and what difficulties people are running into was very helpful. I have found this community to be very helpful whenever I have run into issues.
I started using Articulate last April and I finally feel like I have a handle on most things but I still run into issues. I'm finally at the stage where I feel like I can try designing more creative things. I remember running into issues with grouped objects a few times. Get yourself familiar with the States. They come in really handy for animation purposes and also to set certain triggers. It allows a lot more flexibility.
As Judy stated, order of triggers is very important and make sure you don't have an object selected when adding a slide trigger. It ended up being tied to the object. Also, get familiar with the Conditions on triggers. That comes in really handy.
Very good advice from both Judy and Mike.
As most things in life, practice makes perfect. Keep experimenting and try various ways to achieve the same goal - you will learn a ton of shortcuts this way. Also revisit your past projects. Looking at something with a fresh perspective will not only show how you have grown, but also spark new ideas and ways in which to improve.
A few tips I can add - play with Master slides / layouts. In a lot of cases, you might be worker harder than you should by placing 'global' items on each slide instead of putting them in your slide masters.
Look into making your own variables. Sometimes content (text) is referenced multiple times within a course (for example a course name). Place these in a text variable and use Storyline's 'Reference' options to display the value of said variable on-screen. This way if you ever need to update the course name (or whatever value is captured in the variable) it can easily be updated in one place.
Lastly - states, triggers, variables and layers are your friend. They might be daunting at first, but the more you use (and combine) them, the faster and more engaging your content development will become. I apply a simple rule when determining when to use states vs. layers:
States - change / manipulate a single object. Layers - change / manipulate multiple objects.
Happy development Susen. Don't be afraid to ask for help =)
Hi, Susan: A few tips...
1. It's easy to present organized content. Much harder to make the experience engaging/enjoyable. Focus on the latter and your content will be remembered.
2. Begin with a solid elearning template with more layouts that you will need.
3. Respect the learner: let them navigate through the course as they wish (whenever possible); be as concise as possible (honor their time); challenge them. We challenge those we respect.
Hope at least one of those helps. --Daniel
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