Forum Discussion
What is the suitable size for a customized Articulate template?
Hi there, I'm new in Articulate 360. I come here to collect some feedback & recommendation about the size for a custom template. Currently, my company wants me to customize some templates, but I'm not sure which is the best size for my custom template?
Articulate 360 existing template size:
1) 16: 9 (720 x 405)
2) 4:3 (720X 540)
I noticed that the size for 16:9 is suitable for presentation & movie, not for learning because the screen is too wide & learner finds it hard to focus. So I plan to enlarge the 4:3 (720 x 540) to 1000 x 750. The reason is because I need space to fit my content, buttons and other interactive. Do suggest a more effective size if you have any.
Your comments and suggestions are welcome. Sorry for my bad English.
Hi there!
I'm curious as to why you think 16:9 is too wide and makes it hard for learners to focus. Did someone give you that feedback? This is the first time I've heard anyone say that. I personally think 16:9 is the best format for most things these days, given it's the proportions of most screens, so it allows your content to take up as much space as possible.
i have my courses set to :6:9. Course is set to fill the browser. Size 11/12 font for the main text and some one said in the feedback "Why the huge font? It was distracting". So maybe it is something along these lines.
If you only got that feedback from 1 person, I wouldn't necessarily recommend changing your course. These things are fairly subjective. However, if you're getting that feedback from multiple people, then maybe it's something you should consider changing.
I'm curious to know the actual slide size you used, was it the regular 720x405? and then the screen size of the person who complained. If their screen was running in a particularly high resolution the course would scale up significantly.
Whereas someone running the course on a mobile device would experience the exact opposite problem - with a font size of 11 or 12 that would look tiny.
As Allison referred to I'd focus on ratio more than size. If you know the devices most of your learners are using you can build in a suitable ratio and then set the course to scale to the screen, making use of screen real estate.
Hi. Thanks for replies. I'm normally using 1000 x 750 for my learning course and 90% of my content consist of text & the font size for the content is 16.5pt. 80% of my learners age is 35 year old & above. Learner need to move their eyes more often in order to read the text from left to right in 16:9 ratio. They prefer the screen in 4:3 ratio (compact) so that they can scroll the text box up & down. I think this is one of the reading habit & most of the book or novel is designed in vertical form where as story book is designed in horizontal form. I know that the 16:9 ratio is good for gamification or graphic content. Some of my client do ask me what is the most suitable template size for SL360 and my boss need me to find out "OUR Standard SIZE" for our future use. So, i need some feedback & research to convince my boss & my clients.
ThanksInteresting! That's the first time I've ever heard about people having that issue. Don't they also have that same issue when they're viewing websites or documents on their computers then? Because most computers have a 16:9 ratio and the browsers or file windows usually fill the screen.
Maybe the trick to solve this is to adjust the slide design a little. Website are often laid out in a grid system with more space in the margins so the eyes don't have to track along long lines of text. If users are finding it hard to follow along text that is full width try breaking it into columns - a little like a newspaper. That will be easier especially for people who tend to skim down the centre of a column and pick up the edges with peripheral vision.
Another readability idea is to use 1.5 line spacing so the eye can follow a single line more effectively, without being pulled down to the next.
I haven't seen any specific research into screen width, but some testing on a few design variations may help you come up with your own "standard". Or, if you take a look at the WCAG guidelines for accessibility that might point you in a direction that works for you.
I think Helen's comment about grids makes a lot of sense. Viewing this site with a browser about 1200 pixels wide (I used https://www.webpagefx.com/tools/whats-my-browser-size/ to check), this discussion was about 775. That includes space for wide items like the headline and the commentor data (picture, name, and time posted).
I resized the browser to 1000, which reduced the width of the discussion column to 665.Thanks to everyone for your feedback. Appreciated.
How does the chosen size for a custom template impact the overall user experience in Articulate 360.?
Hello Trey! 👋 Great question! When making a custom template, setting your story size to a standard aspect ratio (16:9 or 4:3) is usually best. You may also want to talk to the organization you're making the custom template for to find out the exact size they use. That way, when others use your template and import other slides into it (or vice versa), the items stay aligned.
