Building E-Learning Games: Concept & Storyboard #470
Game Show Design: Storyboards #470: Challenge | Recap How in the world did you build that? A common challenge for new course designers is seeing polished e-learning projects and having no clue how they came together. I hear from folks all the time that they want to do the weekly challenges, but it feels too advanced for beginners. So, for this challenge, we're going to pump the brakes and spread the build over four weeks. We’ll follow a linear development model so we can really dig into and focus on common development steps. I realize experienced designers will prefer a more iterative approach for real-world projects. And that's fair. But using a progressive, step-by-step approach should help new users follow the evolution of an e-learning challenge project from concept to deliverable. Plus, it gives us something tangible to show each week. Week 1: The Concept & Visual Storyboard This first week, we’ll focus on the initial game show theme or concept. Your task will be to create a wireframe, flowchart, or visual storyboard that captures the flow of your game. For new users, this helps you work intentionally through your ideas before jumping into development. And for you pros, this might seem like extra work, but slowing it down will help others visualize how polished interactions come together. Here’s a breakdown of the four-week schedule: Week 1: Concept & Storyboarding Week 2: Prototype Development Week 3: Development & Review Week 4: Final Testing & Project Submission 🏆 Challenge of the Week This week, your challenge is to develop an e-learning game show concept and present a visual, non-interactive storyboard or flowchart of your game’s mechanics and visual elements. You can either create something new or take an old project and break it down with us over the four weeks. This way, everyone can see how it all comes together. Week 1: Concept & Storyboarding Goal: Choose a game show concept and design theme Deliverables: Choose a game show concept, theme and design style Create a visual storyboard, flowchart, or static mock-up of the game Share a link to your static design concept Week 2: Design & Prototyping Week 3: Production & Development Week 4: Final Testing & Project Submission ✨ Share Your E-Learning Work Comments: Use the comments section below to link your published example and blog post. Forums: Start a new thread and share a link to your published example. Personal blog: If you have a blog, please consider writing about your challenges. We'll link to your posts, so your great work gets even more exposure. Social media: If you share your demos on Twitter or LinkedIn, try using #ELHChallenge so your tweeps can follow your e-learning coolness. 🙌 Last Week’s Challenge: Before you get started on this week’s design concept, check out last week’s examples to see what e-learning designers do and how they got started in the industry. What Instructional Designers Do RECAP #469: Challenge | Recap 👋 New to the E-Learning Challenges? The weekly e-learning challenges are ongoing opportunities to learn, share, and build your e-learning portfolios. You can jump into any or all of the previous challenges anytime you want. I’ll update the recap posts to include your demos. Learn more about the challenges in this Q&A post and why and how to participate in this helpful article. 📆 Upcoming Challenges Challenge #471 (07.26): Week 2: Prototype Development Challenge #472 (08.02): Week 3: Production & Development Challenge #473 (08.09): Week 4: Final Testing & Project SubmissionQuick and Dirty Image Effect for E-Learning Cover Slides #377
E-Learning Cover Slides #377: Challenge | Recap Can You Judge an E-Learning Course by Its Background Image? Need a quick way to set the stage for your course content? Try using a custom background image. Background images are the largest object on your slide, making them one of the best ways to establish context while creating a sense of location. This works equally well for content and course cover slides. But not all projects require custom themes or visual treatments. For example, most e-learning courses are built from existing templates that are modified based on the course content. That’s okay because there’s a background trick for those courses, too! Creating Custom Backgrounds Images Using Transparency In a recent post, Tom Kuhlmann shared a visual design tip commonly used in advertising and high-end product photography. The effect is achieved by using the same image for the focal point and background graphic. The background version is scaled beyond the slide size, and transparency dialed way up to blend the image into the background. Here’s a before-and-after view of the effect: Notice how the faded image fills the background without dominating the slide? This is one of the quickest ways to add richness and depth to your slide backgrounds. And that's what this week's challenge is all about! Challenge of the Week This week, your challenge is to create a cover screen for an e-learning course, real or fictional, using the transparent echo technique. You can share a static image of a cover slide or add a cover screen to an existing project or challenge entry you created. Share Your E-Learning Work Comments: Use the comments section below to share a link to your published example and blog post. Forums: Start your own thread and share a link to your published example.. Personal blog: If you have a blog, please consider writing about your challenges. We’ll link back to your posts so the great work you’re sharing gets even more exposure. Social Media: If you share your demos on Twitter or LinkedIn, try using #ELHChallenge so your tweeps can track your e-learning coolness. Last Week’s Challenge: Before you uncover your slide designs, check out the creative ways course designers build templates from stock vector illustrations: E-Learning Templates from Illustrations #376: Challenge | Recap New to the E-Learning Challenges? The weekly e-learning challenges are ongoing opportunities to learn, share, and build your e-learning portfolios. You can jump into any or all of the previous challengesanytime you want. I’ll update the recap posts to include your demos. Learn more about the challenges in this Q&A post and why and how to participate in this helpful article.Creating Roulette & Spinning Wheel Games in E-Learning #458
Roulette & Spinning Wheel Games #458: Challenge | Recap This week’s challenge was inspired by a recent community discussion by Troy Westphal. Troy created a roulette game using true/false variables to determine if the roulette’s spinning wheel selected red or black. Walt and Tom jumped in with ideas and tutorials to help troubleshoot Troy's source file. While Roulette games aren't a common interaction in e-learning, they present fantastic ways to flex our variables muscles. And that's what this week's challenge is all about. 🏆 Challenge of the Week This week, your challenge is to create a roulette-type game that involves spinning and randomization. You can create a literal roulette game or anything that captures the essence of the game. Ideas and Possible Projects Here are a few ideas to help you get started. Remember, you’re not limited to only roulette games. The objective this week is to combine spinning effects with randomization. Lottery Number Generator: Create an interaction to generate a set of random lottery numbers based on learner inputs or random numbers. Slot Machine Games: Create a slot-machine game where learners can spin the reels using sliders, dials, or simple buttons. Wheel of Fortune Games: Create a game based on the popular TV show. Examples of Spinning Interactions Here are a few examples of different approaches to this week’s challenge. ELC444: Example by Nichole Codrington ELC405: Example by Natalie Friedman ELC334: Example by Emmy Buxengard ELC311: Example by Owen Holt ELC278: Example & download by Samuel Apata ELC275: Example & download by Samuel Apata 🧰 Resources User Guides Storyline 360: Working with Variables Storyline 360: Adding Variable References Storyline 360: What "Object Loses Focus" Means Webinars Overview of Variables in Storyline 360 Using Text Variables in Storyline 360 Using Number Variables in Storyline 360 5 Ways to Personalize E-Learning Courses Using True/False Variables in Storyline 360 ✨ Share Your E-Learning Work Comments: Use the comments section below to link your published example and blog post. Forums: Start a new thread and share a link to your published example. Personal blog: If you have a blog, please consider writing about your challenges. We'll link to your posts so your great work gets even more exposure. Social media: If you share your demos on Twitter or LinkedIn, try using #ELHChallenge so your tweeps can follow your e-learning coolness. 🙌 Last Week’s Challenge: Before spinning random ideas on this week’s challenge, check out the creative ways your fellow challengers combined three or more challenges: Mix-and-Match Challenge Examples RECAP #457: Challenge | Recap 👋 New to the E-Learning Challenges? The weekly e-learning challenges are ongoing opportunities to learn, share, and build your e-learning portfolios. You can jump into any or all of the previous challenges anytime you want. I’ll update the recap posts to include your demos. Learn more about the challenges in this Q&A post and why and how to participate in this helpful article. 🚨2024 Articulate User Conference Call for Proposals We’re now accepting proposals for this year’s in-person user day conference co-hosted at DevLearn in Las Vegas. Learn more about the proposal process.Simulating Real-World Activities with Drag-and-Drop Interactions #380
Drag-and-Drop Practice Activities #380: Challenge | Recap Drag-and-drop interactions are a great way to allow learners to practice new tasks or processes—in a realistic way. While drag-and-drop interactions are often used as quizzes with common “Correct/Incorrect” feedback. But there’s so much more you can do with freeform drag-and-drops to encourage learners to practice new skills and interact with your content. Let’s take a look at a couple of examples. Tea Time This example from Kimberly Bourque Valliere is a good example that uses drag-and-drop to demonstrate how to make the perfect cup of tea. View the example | Kimberly Bourque Valliere 6 Ways to Customize Storyline360 Drag-and-Drop Interactions View on YouTube Challenge of the Week This week, your challenge is to create a drag-drop example that lets learners practice a real world activity. You can share a previous example or create a new one for this week’s drag-and-drop challenge. Share Your E-Learning Work Comments: Use the comments section below to share a link to your published example and blog post. Forums: Start your own thread and share a link to your published example.. Personal blog: If you have a blog, please consider writing about your challenges. We’ll link back to your posts so the great work you’re sharing gets even more exposure. Social Media: If you share your demos on Twitter or LinkedIn, try using #ELHChallenge so your tweeps can track your e-learning coolness. Last Week’s Challenge: Before you drop into this week’s challenge, check out the virtual tour examples your fellow community members shared over the past week: Virtual Tours in E-Learning RECAP #379: Challenge | Recap New to the E-Learning Challenges? The weekly e-learning challenges are ongoing opportunities to learn, share, and build your e-learning portfolios. You can jump into any or all of the previous challenges anytime you want. I’ll update the recap posts to include your demos. Learn more about the challenges in this Q&A post and why and how to participate in this helpful article. Show Off Your Articulate 360 Projects at DevLearn DemoFest If you’re planning to attend DevLearn, I hope you’ll consider sharing one of your E-Learning Challenge projects at DemoFest. DemoFest is an excellent way to showcase your project with the e-learning community. You’ll also get to see a wide variety of projects and talk to the designers and developers about how they built them. It’s like a year’s worth of E-Learning Challenge demos in one event. DemoFest project submission deadline is July 29 There’s $200 discount if you register by July 22 You can learn more about the conference and DemoFest on the DevLearn website. I hope to see you there.How are Course Designers Using Number Variables in E-Learning #301
Using Number Variables in E-Learning #301: Challenge | Recap Articulate Storyline's states, layers, triggers, and slides are the building blocks that make it easy to create interactive e-learning. In most cases, the showcase examples you see in our examples and downloads hubs never use variables. But when you want to create more dynamic and personalized learning experiences, you'll need to know how to use variables. Variables are a way to remember information—such as a learner's name or numeric input—and then present dynamic content based on that information. They're also a great way to add conditional interactivity to your course. And in this week's challenge, we're looking at number variables. Challenge of the Week This week, your challenge is to share an example that demonstrates how number variables can be used in e-learning. Variables can be tricky if you've never used them. If you have a concept or idea you're trying to show but get stuck or have questions, let us know in the forums and we'll help you out. Resources Here are some good resources, examples, and training webinars to help you get started working with number variables in Storyline 360. User Guide Storyline 360: Working with Variables Storyline 360: Adding Variable References E-Learning Challenges Random Number Variables in E-Learning #188: Challenge | Recap Use Learner's Name in E-Learning Course #222: Challenge | Recap True/False Variables in E-Learning #271: Challenge | Recap Random Number Variables in E-Learning #278: Challenge | Recap Using Variables to Compare Answers in E-Learning #292: Challenge | Recap Training Webinars Storyline 360 Essentials: Work with Number Variables Getting Started with Variables in Storyline 360 Share Your E-Learning Work Comments: Use the comments section below to share a link to your published example and blog post. Forums: Start your own thread and share a link to your published example.. Personal blog: If you have a blog, please consider writing about your challenges. We’ll link back to your posts so the great work you’re sharing gets even more exposure. Social Media: If you share your demos on Twitter or LinkedIn, try using #ELHChallenge so your tweeps can track your e-learning coolness. Last Week’s Challenge: Before you calculate your design approach for this week’s challenge, take a few minutes to check out the creative ways sliders can be used to create interactive documents and manuals. Interactive Documents with Sliders #300: Challenge | Recap New to the E-Learning Challenges? The weekly e-learning challenges are ongoing opportunities to learn, share, and build your e-learning portfolios. You can jump into any or all of the previous challenges anytime you want. I’ll update the recap posts to include your demos.From Faux Pas to Fabulous: Fashion Dos and Don'ts #440
Interactive Fashion Dos and Don'ts 440: Challenge | Recap Oxfords, not brogues? Houndstooth vs. herringbone? Brocade vs. jacquard? Jeggings vs. leggings? Have you ever wondered why socks with sandals are frowned upon or why white is off-limits after Labor Day? In the fashion industry, there are several established rules and guidelines designed to help consumers navigate the complexities of dressing appropriately for various social and professional settings. While these guidelines have previously dictated wardrobe choices, modern clothing trends encourage personal expression over strict adherence to the rules. But to effectively break the rules, it's essential to first understand the rules. And that's what this week's challenge is all about! 🏆 Challenge of the Week This week, your challenge is to share a fashion-related example to help users learn about clothing. Your example can be a list of dos and don’ts or something interactive so learners can explore different apparel combinations. 🧰 Resources This week’s topic is a little outside my realm, so my go-to source was Pinterest. Using any number of phrases returns dozens of ideas for approaching this week’s challenge. Pinterest: How to dress Pinterest: Fashion dos and don’ts Pinterest: Clothing tips ✨ Share Your E-Learning Work Comments: Use the comments section below to link your published example and blog post. Forums: Start a new thread and share a link to your published example. Personal blog: If you have a blog, please consider writing about your challenges. We'll link to your posts so your great work gets even more exposure. Social media: If you share your demos on Twitter or LinkedIn, try using #ELHChallenge so your tweeps can follow your e-learning coolness. 🙌 Last Week’s Challenge: Before you dress your examples to the nines, check out the drag-and-drop sorting activities your fellow challengers shared over the past week: Drag-and-Drop Sorting Examples RECAP #439: Challenge | Recap 👋 New to the E-Learning Challenges? The weekly e-learning challenges are ongoing opportunities to learn, share, and build your e-learning portfolios. You can jump into any or all of the previous challenges anytime you want. I’ll update the recap posts to include your demos. Learn more about the challenges in this Q&A post and why and how to participate in this helpful article. 📆 Next Week’s Challenge & Webinar Next week's challenge #441 (Nov 17, 2023): Using Variables to Personalize E-Learning #441 Upcoming webinar (Nov 14, 2023): Personalize the E-Learning Course Experience in Storyline 360 Got an idea for a challenge? Are you interested in doing a webinar showcasing how you made one or more challenge demos? Or do you have some comments for your humble challenge host? Use this anonymous form to share your feedback: https://bit.ly/ElearningChallengeForm.
