Forum Discussion
Do you include text during a phone call simulation?
All,
I am building a phone call simulation for users to listen to in Storyline 360. I'm wondering what are people's thoughts on including the text of the conversation along with the audio? I feel the slide looks pretty blank without it, but it's also a bit distracting. Reading vs. listening- one has to win over the other as you cant really do both... thoughts? There is CC available, too.
Thank you!
I would include the text on slide if possible. Maybe you can put it in speech bubbles and make it look more engaging.
If you have the audio and CC, then you probably don't need the full narration on screen in conversation bubbles.
However, you could include text for a few key sentences or phrases to emphasize what's happening. Sometimes that can be helpful, like by highlighting a particular question in a series of interview questions.
Switching up the views can help with a conversation too. Show both characters for a bit, then switch to a layout where you just show a close up of the current speaker. Switch their poses every time they talk, and switch the layouts periodically.
If it still seems too boring, maybe the conversation is too long or a single speaker is talking for too long without switching. Breaking up the monologues can help too.
Listening to someone say text on the screen increases cognitive load, which decreases learning. So I wouldn't put the text on the screen just to fill space. (Yes, CC should be available for those who might take the course in a situation where it's hard to listen.)
You could time brief bits of related text to animate on during the conversation, like quick notes that reinforce what's being said.
I wonder what the call-center folks look at while they're on a call. Is that something that can be simulated?
Judy- That was my initial thought as well. I added brief phrases of the call to pop up while its playing, I'm hoping it won't be too much. The call center reps look at a screen with customer information... I don't know that it would add much to the simulation. My intention is for them to evaluate the calls for mistakes.
Here's another idea, Abby: Give them a text-entry field where they can take notes about the call while they're listening.
The typed info goes into the variable for the field, so you could display it later if it made sense to do so. For example, if you ask them to enter what's wrong, you could display their list next to the "right" list on a later slide.
Hi Abby. The community has pulled together some fantastic ideas here! Adding to this, if the real-life experience you're simulating is predominantly audio, then it's absolutely okay for your phone call simulation slide to be the same. Keeping the slide visual design simple so learners can focus on the audio could be just the right way to guide their attention.
If the slide visual design you have now feels more blank than elegantly simple, all it might take is a few small changes (like including a photo of a call center to set the tone of the activity or a few brief notes about what to listen for in the call) to elevate the design without distracting your audience.
