I'm new to this and have a question about what my client needs. They say that they need the .story file for their LMS. I thought that the published version is all that a client would need. Am I missing something? I want to give them what they need, but also want to protect my work so that they can't just use my files as templates. Need answer asap!

Maybe it depends on whether they've engaged you for a service (to design) or for a product (the final output whether it's published or source file). I'm more concerned about breaching a licence agreement with elearning assets then having the client update the module themselves. I rather they update it themselves to be honest.

I have no problems with that, my clients get the source files at the end of every project. I have no reason to be protective of my content that was developed for them. As far as IP is concerned I have a contract that indemnifies me. What the client does with the source files after they are handed over is beyond my control and I do not worry about it. I am sure I have said above that I hope I add more value to a clients business than just delivering a course/module. I would hope that same client would want to come back to me because of this, if they do not, I don't want to make it any difficult for them to use another freelancer/developer/instructional designer. I costs include the source files being handed over, there is no reduction if they don't want them. I think one of the issues/problems here is that people in our industry get emotionally attached to their files or are frightened that someone will come along and steal their breakfast, the key thing to look at is what value do you bring to the table, and it is that which will keep the client coming back for more.

Yes, I agree Phil. Anyone wanting to become a freelancer doesn't really need my source file to do that. They can learn most of what they need to do that right here on this site! What they can't learn from a source file is reliability, creativity, punctuality, professionalism, etc etc etc. and these are, as Phil says, the very reasons why my clients hire me, us, time and time again.

The point about the camera is valid. Face it, if the client is good enough at design and creation, and nefarious enough in intent to want to use your design to steal your business, they are good enough and nefarious enough to steal it by looking at your finished product. They hired you because they can't or don't want to do this sort of thing; after all, they have a business to run. When I was much younger, I did some opinion writing for newspapers. My biggest worry starting off was that editors would change my output and maybe make it say things I didn't say. An editor who was also a friend laughed at me. His point was that the last thing the editor wanted was more of that kind of work, any editor that has that kind of time and inclination will write the pieces himself. That said, if it is as much work for them to get a product from you, and in the end it looks like something they would have done, then yes, they probably don't need you. There is something to be said about being good enough to make it look easy, but in the end Phil is right. When they look at your product, they need to say "We couldn't do that," or "We couldn't do that that fast," or "We couldn't do that that well." Those are the reasons they hired you in the first place, and if you prove them correct in that original assessment, your work is safe.

The customer dictates the terms of the contract. These types of issues should have been worked out prior to acceptance. For my part, I would hand everything over to the customer, and if they need help making things work, or understanding javascript, then I would offer them that assistance in good faith. I think the only time that becomes an issue is in cases where it had been worked out beforehand that the customer did not get the rights to the source file, then maybe you could charge them an additional fee for that.

Client wants .story (unpublished files) - do they need this?

39 Replies

BrettRockwood
Community Member
12 years ago
They need the complete published output for the LMS. But I can't imagine any reason why they would need the .story file unless they were planning on making modifications or want to troubleshoot publish settings. I'd ask them why exactly do they want it.
HarriS
Community Member
12 years ago
Also, to add to Brett's answer, they would need a copy of SL themselves to even open the .story file
StephanieJackso
Community Member
12 years ago

They have the Storyline program and some staff is learning the program. I'm wondering if they want the files so they can use them as templates. Not sure if I can avoid giving them the files without causing problems, but wanted to know if there's any reason they would actually need them for the LMS.
AlexOByrne
Community Member
12 years ago
Potentially trying to use as templates or ensure that they don't need you for further updates to the material. What sort of contract did you do with them? I would have thought your contract would only really cover you giving them a desired outcome i.e. a complete an usable course and not the whole of the creative material and process?
HarriS
Community Member
12 years ago

Hi Stephanie,

As Brett said, no they do not need it for the LMS (an LMS wouldn't even know how to read it).

As a general rule we give all source files to the client at the end (afterall they did pay for it), whether they can use them or not - I guess the deciding factor is the value that you yourself add. If they have purely used you to build the content I can see why you would be concerned about them using your templates as obviously that's less work for you, however if they've used your instructional design and graphic design I wouldn't be too worried.

Also it might be worth mentioning that I usually deal with highly bespoke, industry specific content.

Hope taht helps
NancyWoinoski
Super Hero
12 years ago
I also give the source files to my clients. As Harri says, they paid for the work. It is in the best interest of the client to get the files whether they have Storyline or not because it protects them down the road should something happen to the original developer.
AshleyChiasson
Community Member
12 years ago

Nancy Woinoski said:

I also give the source files to my clients. As Harri says, they paid for the work. It is in the best interest of the client to get the files whether they have Storyline or not because it protects them down the road should something happen to the original developer.

I second this motion. I have worked with clients who have had to eat the costs of re-development because they weren't provided with the source files when a developer left. It sort of leaves the client high and dry (so to speak) if they need to modify the existing story, and in my opinion, it isn't a best practice developers should follow (providing just the output), as it may lead to negative feedback and damaged relationships down the line.
PhilMayor
Super Hero
12 years ago

Bruce Graham said:

3rd'ed.

The eventual ownership of the .story file should always be an item written into the Bid or Contract.

Personally, I'd rather have people come back to me because they liked what I do and how I do itrather than because I am holding them to ransom in some way.

I hand over all source files at the end of a project. The client has paid for these.
Jerson-Campos
Community Member
12 years ago
Same here. If you keep the files, you might think you are protecting yourself, but it could leave some bad feelings with the client. On another point, they could see all the hard work you put into it and realize they are in way over their heads and come back to you because they still don't know what they are doing.
MichaelJones2
Community Member
12 years ago

Hi Stephanie,

I think you may be speaking about my company as your client - are the words "Artisanal" and "Cheese" related to this particular course?

Speaking from a client perspective in a company that is largely new and inexperienced when it comes to eLearning development work, I know that quite a few assumptions can be made by those who do not understand the jargon or specifics that go into development work. This gets compounded more when non-training/Instructional Design/Developer types are the only ones involved in the creation of the development agreement.

In past companies, and dealing with other contractors, I've seen agreements that specifically outline what is, and what is not, considered a "deliverable" at the end of the project. Anyone that isn't intimately familiar with how eLearning is developed, or the difference between a source file versus a published output, can easily assume that they are one in the same. Hence, confusion or misunderstandings like this may occur.

From a contracting developer perspective, I'd always be sure to negotiate what is/isn't on that final deliverable list, but that's just me.

Our team looks for the storyline source file to mitigate any future issues that Ashley mentioned in the case of a developer no longer being available for future updates (whether they fall off the map, or budgetary constraints affecting our options for outsourcing development). I know we've had quite a few project timelines balloon out exponentially thanks to having to rebuild things from scratch just to make an update on one page where the source file was lost in the shuffle. It gives us piece of mind to maintain the source files on our end.