Using Storyline to storyboard projects

Thank you Holly.  Your insight is very helpful. 

I was wondering...In your development process, do you create a storyboard  once the instructional  strategy has been signed off by stakeholders or clients?  Is that your next step in your process?

I greatly appreciate your feedback.

Regards,

Helena

Hi Helena -

I also have a design document that I'd produce which shows the visual stuff (fonts, colour palette, images, etc). Both of the word docs then dovetail into the rapid prototype. I build the master slides and placeholders in storyline and produce that as the "storyboard". I have just found that it's just more efficient to rapid prototype right in the elearning s/w.  

That's the one piece that I'm working to improve for clients, as it's a bit disjointed. 

Hope that helps,

Holly

I just noticed this post so I'll add my process. All feedback is appreciated!

I work in a small organization where I am a 1-person training group. I create 30 min - 1 hr. courses from the beginning analysis through the development and use Storyline to prototype the course. I'm using a rapid prototyping approach.

I have 3 basic steps:

1. After doing some analysis with the SME and understanding what they want, I create a Content/task document in Word  that has the outline of the topics and the descriptions of each one. I try to write the topics in the order I think they should appear. I get this approved and move on to the next step.
2. Then I create a Design document by copying the Content document updating that with my design flow. I use the descriptions I already wrote as audio and add more audio scripts as needed. I also add places where I need to show pictures or diagrams. Sometimes I will even add the actual pictures I will use here if they need to be reviewed by the SME.  I use this document to create the course in Storyline. 
3. I develop the course as a prototype with much of the flow, pictures, diagrams and content, review that with the SME, create revisions from feedback, and when the final revision is approved, complete the course and then schedule a user test. 

After seeking a proper format that would allow me to work with a Storyboard and also provide me with the ability to create rapid prototyping without working on multiple documents. I came up with a solution that takes only a few minutes and creates a mash-up of the best of both worlds.

This solution involves adding a couple of boxes and doing one modification to the canvas (story size) at the beginning of the project and reversing it at the end of the project. This would work with a template or just by simply copying and pasting a few boxes.

You can customize it to use as many boxes as you want, and you could even add some at the bottom or the top (not both).

Remember that the advantage of this is that at the end with a couple of clicks your project is ready to export. So you are basically working on your project and the storyboard boxes are discarded at the end or they can stay there for future reference but they won't get published.

Here is a shot of the published Word document that will serve me as storyboard, and I am attaching the specific instructions on how to proceed.

Wow - what a great community! I'm a new developer and absolutely love coming here to learn from all of you pros.

I've bounced around the idea of storyboarding and as much as I like it (because I'm a Type A planner), I also see that when I'm actually building the course, elements have changed, new images have been sent, etc.

For those that storyboard all the time, how do you stick to the storyboard once you're actually building the course? And - how does the client take the changes?

Katie

Like Bruce, I'm more of a rapid prototype person as well.  This is how I am with most things.  Elearning, woodworking, inventions, etc.  I find doing a quick prototype alerts me to potential issues sooner and gives me a better understanding how the end result may come together and how long the project will be.  To each their own I guess.

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I enjoyed reading the different approaches that people have. It reminds me how versatile this software is. 

I have used word to storyboard since the millenium began. Lately, PPT is more popular. esp. with the client, not so with the developer. PPT is good for articulate products as it allows you to migrate it into storyline or any other product. When I script interactions, esp, if someone else is developing, I test the interaction in storyline as dummy if I am not clear about it. 

I prefer the text to be scripted in a separate word document. Then a copy paste is good provided that the font issues can be addressed. Sometimes, if it doesn't paste properly and alignment is always a concern, then I have to write it directly in storyline. 

My storyboard also contains screen outline for layout and graphics. I research photo graphics or reference graphics and paste the exact icon size into my word or ppt file. In ppt, I give placement detail of the graphic. 

PPT allows me to create a mock up for the course. 

I prefer creating the screen first and then pasting the text. In fact, it's the last element that I add.