Who can recommend an easy way to build in a progress bar?

Sep 11, 2014

Hi all!

I know I always get such great learning from these forums so I am really hoping for a fix on my latest "can you just...." client query!

I need to add a progress bar for the entire interaction, i.e so the user can track how far through the interaction they are by percentage - there are six sections which can be done in any order - I think this is where I have been getting stuck. I've historically had trouble changing variables on a main slide relative to actions on another slide, and usually create a work around for it - but I really don;t want to work with duplicate slides so there HAS to be a better way! Ideally I'd like them to see a graphical 1/6 (16%ish) - 6/6 (100%ish) representation on the home slide that builds up based on completion of sections, regardless of the order.

has anyone done anything like this? Any ideas?

Note: This is not just adding the generic progress bar across the bottom for the slide, as effectively everything is conditional so the 'timeline' on slides is irrelevant.

Dani

13 Replies

Alexandros Anoyatis

over 9 years ago09/11/14 at 1:44 pm (UTC)

Hi Dani,

Have a look at this post right here. It might be just what you're looking for.

Let me know if it helps,
Alex

Dani Edwards
Author

over 9 years ago09/11/14 at 1:46 pm (UTC)

I think I actually physically drooled! Thank you!

Kim Gillham

over 9 years ago09/11/14 at 1:47 pm (UTC)

Hi Dani,

I've used this approach before, which is clean and simple. It is not interactive but you could easily make it interactive using hover states.

Enjoy.

Cary Glenn
Hero

over 9 years ago09/11/14 at 2:00 pm (UTC)

I was playing around with a progress bar using variables and states. It is based on this link. http://cooeeproductions.wordpress.com/2013/03/24/showing-the-learner-a-course-progress-meter-in-storyline/

Right now the bar moves by 20% increments. You could add more states of the progress bar and add the triggers in the master view to customize it for your course.

progressbarwithvariables.story

Dani Edwards
Author

over 9 years ago09/11/14 at 2:30 pm (UTC)

Thanks everyone, these are really great - Alex, I can see how amazingly valuable this tool would be for new course building. Kim - great adjustable static design idea. Carey - I love the flow chart and way of explaining, and this gave me a great way to modify my existing course to address the client's needs!

Bruce Graham
Hero

over 9 years ago09/12/14 at 12:05 am (UTC)

Dani Edwards said:

I think I actually physically drooled! Thank you!

OWEN HOLT
Hero

over 9 years ago09/12/14 at 7:11 am (UTC)

You might also get some ideas here: http://community.articulate.com/forums/p/32163/283003.aspx#283003

Michael Fimian

over 9 years ago10/24/14 at 3:51 pm (UTC)

Just a thought; we use sliders to control variables that do things. Wonder if it'd work the other way around. Add a slider to the background and give each slide a name or number. As the user moves from slide to slide, the variable would increment and change the display.

Yeah, sort of ass backwards, I know.

over 9 years ago10/24/14 at 3:58 pm (UTC)

I love the look of this Kim! Simple and informative for the user.

over 9 years ago10/25/14 at 6:44 pm (UTC)

Sliders would do the trick, Michael. And not backwards at all.

BJ Campbell

over 9 years ago11/13/14 at 3:39 pm (UTC)

Wow, what great material! I used the 'slider' technique a while ago, and it works just as well as anything - very simple.

Alexandros' idea is elegant too and works much like the video progress markers.

I'd use both depending on the situation and size of the presentation.

Greg Odynski

over 8 years ago08/27/15 at 3:57 pm (UTC)

Hi! I am working with story files in ver 1 that were built by another developer. I have built a progress bar with a number percent to the right of it as shown in the attachment. I want the progress bar as well as the number % to change and show to the correct state on each slide in the course. The states of the progress bar and the % are in increments of 5% up to 100%. I do not want to paste the picture of the progress bar on each slide manually with the correct state because it doubles the size of the story file when completed. I have been able to do it in a semi automatic way. :-)..meaning, I put a slide trigger on each slide setting the pagenumber variable to the desired page number I want. If the page number is 1 and the entire course has 20 slides then page 1 would be 5% completed, page 2 would be 10% completed and so on. What is happening is that the state of the progress bar as well as the number % jump back to 0% and then to the correct % state on certain slides, where instead of building a layered slide configuration the slides are branched to six slides where they have to click on each button on the starting slide to go to the corresponding slide and then return to the starting slide. Once they select all 6 buttons they can move on to the next slide in the course. On those slides I witness jumping transition to 0% of the progress bar state. I know that any triggers in a Master Slide execute first and I thought at first it may be the reason but after further testing I think it might be the way the branching slides behave. I can set up a webex to chat if necessary. Thanks!