The Difference between Screencasts and Software Simulations
If you’re new to creating software training—and even if you’re not!—you might use the terms screencast and software simulation interchangeably. But did you know they’re actually two different things? It can be easy to get these terms confused, so let’s walk through the nuances that differentiate these two methods and explore the use cases for each. Screencasts Screencasts are videos that show a recording of your computer screen. They’re often used to demonstrate the use of an application or software. They include all of your mouse movements and typically have audio narration that gives learners more contextual information about the process they’re seeing—such as the names of various software features or steps. Because screencasts are simply videos, they’re not interactive. When to use a screencast Screencasts are great for creating simple “how-to” videos. This kind of visual walkthrough is beneficial when you’re trying to explain a process that’s too complicated to explain with written text alone. And if the process isn’t something learners will be doing frequently, screencasts can be a helpful performance support resource that learners can easily reference in the future. How to create a screencast If you have Articulate 360, you already have access to not just one but TWO apps that are specifically designed for screencasts: Peek 360 and Replay 360. Learn more about when to use each app in this article: How to Decide Which Articulate 360 App to Use for Screen Recording. Want to see an example? Watch the “How to Add Comments in Review 360” screencast I created with Peek 360 below. This screencast provides a short overview of how to provide feedback on courses in the Review 360 web application. It’s perfect for an audience who may be comfortable with web-based technology and already have familiarity with Review 360. The screencast focuses on a simple process. It’s clear, concise, and to the point. So, how does a software simulation differ? Well, I’m glad you asked. Software Simulations While you also have to record your screen to create a software simulation, the major difference is that instead of simply showing the learners what to do, you give them the opportunity to try it out for themselves. They’re called simulations because you simulate the software’s interface by recording it and turning that recording into an interactive practice environment for learners. They can go through and click on all the buttons—like you did when you recorded it. It’s almost as if they’re using the software themselves. The advantage of doing it this way—versus simply having them use the actual software—is that you can build in on-screen explanations and feedback to guide them as they practice. Software simulations are usually the go-to for creating software training because they provide learners with a risk-free environment to help them learn a new app or process. Another thing that sets simulations apart from screencasts is that you can test your learners’ understanding by creating a simulation that’s graded. For every click in the right spot, learners can earn points. And for clicks in the wrong spots, points can be taken away. It’s a great way to ensure learners have understood how to complete specific processes within an app or software. When to use a software simulation Interactive software simulations are ideal when you want learners to physically practice using the software themselves—including entering data, interacting with drop-down menus, and identifying multiple steps in a more complex process. Software simulations give learners an opportunity to practice using the proper click-path of a specific process or software without fear of impacting the actual production environment or ruining any real-life data. With software simulations, you can put your learners in the driver’s seat so they can deepen their knowledge of a process, gain experience, and build confidence in using an app or piece of software. How to create a software simulation Articulate 360 subscribers can use Storyline 360 to create software simulations quickly and easily. Want to learn how? Here’s a tutorial that’ll help you get started: Creating Software Simulations in Storyline 360. Want to see an example? Explore the software simulation created with Storyline 360 below. In this example, users learn how to get started using the Review 360 web application. This simulation walks through four basic steps that you need to know how to do if you’ll be using Review 360. You’ll notice that because learners actually click through the software themselves, they must pay closer attention to each step in the process. This simulation is perfect for an audience who might not be as familiar with web-based technology or for users who are brand new to navigating Review 360. With simulations, learners can confidently navigate a new application because they’re practicing in the safety of a learning environment. View example More Resources Now you’re well on your way to identifying the nuances between screencasts and software simulations and you should be able to use these terms confidently when tackling your next project! To help you keep everything straight, I’ve outlined the differences in the handy table below. Screencasts Software Simulations Use case Demonstrate a simple, straightforward process. Train learners on a complex process through interactive practice and/or assessment opportunities. Interactive No Yes On-Screen Hints & Feedback No Yes Looking for more best practices around creating screencasts and software simulations? Check out these resources! And let us know in the comments what screencasts and software simulations you’ll be creating next. Follow This Process to Create Software Simulations and Systems Training Like a Pro 3 Methods for Recording Screencasts 4 Tips on Creating Software Tutorials in Rise 360 Tips for Using the Storyline 360 Screen Recorder Like a Pro Follow us on Twitter and come back to E-Learning Heroes regularly for more helpful advice on everything related to e-learning. If you have any questions, please share them in the comments.How to Decide Which Articulate 360 App to Use for Screen Recording
Since software training is one of the most common types of e-learning, it’s no surprise that Articulate 360 includes not one, not two, but three apps with screen recording features. Each of these apps has a unique feature set and is specifically designed for a different purpose. If you’re wondering which app to use for your project, you’re in the right place! Keep reading to learn more about how screen recording differs in Peek 360, Replay 360, and Storyline 360 and the types of projects best suited for each. Peek 360 Peek 360 is a lightweight app that works natively on both Macs and PCs and lives in your menu bar or system tray, so it’s always just a click away. Once you’ve recorded your screen, it automatically uploads to Review 360, generating a shareable link. You can also download the .MP4 file and insert the video into your Rise 360 or Storyline 360 courses or export it for LMS to use it as a stand-alone asset. Since Peek 360 doesn’t have editing capabilities, it’s best for recording short screencasts to share with team members on the fly or to insert into your courses as is. Check out our tutorials and user guide for more details on how to create and distribute screencasts with Peek 360. Replay 360 If you’re looking to create a longer screencast that could require some editing, Replay 360 might be a better choice. In addition to some lightweight editing options, this Windows-compatible desktop app allows you to record your screen and your webcam simultaneously, creating a cool picture-in-picture effect. You can also insert images, video clips, and lower thirds, making it easy to create a polished tutorial video that you can use on its own or insert into your Rise 360 or Storyline 360 course. For more information on Replay 360, check out our tutorials and user guide. Storyline 360 Storyline 360 also allows you to record your screen, but unlike Peek 360 and Replay 360, that’s not its sole purpose. Storyline 360 is a full-fledged authoring app that not only lets you record screencasts and build software simulations but also lets you add custom interactions, quizzes, and much more. This makes Storyline 360 the ideal choice when you want your software training to be interactive. It’s also a great option if you want to overlay text or objects—like arrows or highlight zones—on top of your video. Storyline 360 has some editing capabilities, allowing you to make adjustments to your recording after the fact. You can also easily add subtitles to your screencast—and your entire course—directly in Storyline 360, which is great for accessibility. When you’re done, you can publish to video, web, or LMS. If you want to take a closer look at the screen recording feature in Storyline 360, check out this tutorial or head on over to the user guide. The Bottom Line Peek 360, Replay 360, and Storyline 360 are all great options for recording your screen. Which app you use depends on your project requirements. If you need to record a screencast super-fast, Peek 360 is the way to go. When you want to edit your screencast or record your webcam along with it, go with Replay 360. And when you want to create an interactive software simulation, overlay additional content, or add subtitles to your screen recording, opt for Storyline 360. To make it super-easy to compare the feature-sets of the different apps, I pulled together this quick-reference guide: Peek 360 Replay 360 Storyline 360 Work natively on Macs X Work natively on PCs X X X Record screen X X X Record mic audio X X X Record webcam X X* Edit recording X X Add interactivity X Add closed captions X Publish to video (.MP4) X X X Publish for LMS X** X** X Publish to Review 360 X X X Once you’ve decided which app to use, you might be wondering how to start building your software training. Here’s an article that’ll help you get off on the right foot: Follow This Process to Create Software Simulations and Systems Training Like a Pro. Want to try out these apps, but don’t have Articulate 360? Start a free 30-day trial. And subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest product updates, e-learning examples, and expert advice directly in your inbox. *Webcam recording must be done separately from screen recording **Publish FoR LMS via Review 360One Cool Peek 360 Trick You Might Not Know About
Peek 360, an app in Articulate 360, is a lightweight, easy way to create screen capture videos you can use in the e-learning projects you create with Storyline 360 and Rise 360. But did you know it’s also a great way to speed up collaboration? You’ll love how you can save yourself from writing a long email or message when you use Peek 360 to give instructions or share quick, iterative feedback with colleagues. Here’s an example. My colleague just provided a draft illustration for an article here on E-Learning Heroes. It looks great, but I’d like him to make a small adjustment. I created a quick screenshare video here to show you how I use Peek 360 to give instant feedback rather than setting up a meeting or writing out what I want. Peek really speeds up my workflow. And here’s the best part: the screen capture videos I create with Peek are automatically uploaded to Review 360. So I can easily copy the URL and share videos with my colleagues. Reviewers don’t even need a log in to add their comments, so it’s super-easy for them to use. And Review 360 adds a time stamp to every comment so I know what part of my video they’re referencing. Want to try giving feedback with Peek 360, but don’t have Articulate 360? Start a free 30-day trial. And rememeber to subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest e-learning inspiration and insights directly in your inbox.Peek 360 for Windows: Recording and Distributing Screencasts
Peek 360 is the fastest, easiest way to record screencasts on a Windows PC. Simply record your screen and narration. Your screencast will automatically upload to Review 360 when you're done recording, so you can collect feedback from stakeholders or download your video as an MP4 file or LMS package. Follow these steps: Install Launch Prepare Record Distribute Step 1: Install If you haven’t already done so, install the Articulate 360 desktop app on your Windows PC. Open the Articulate 360 desktop app and click the Install button next to Peek 360. Peek 360 will automatically install without any additional prompts. Step 2: Launch Peek 360 always runs quietly in your computer’s system tray (beside the clock). To record a new screencast, just click the Peek 360 icon in the system tray and choose New Recording. If Peek 360 isn’t already running, you can launch it by opening the Articulate 360 desktop app and clicking the Open button next to Peek 360. Tip: You can also right-click the Peek 360 icon in the system tray and choose Preferences to customize your keyboard shortcuts for pausing and ending recordings. Step 3: Prepare First, Peek 360 will ask what you want to record. Choose one of your open programs or your entire screen, then click Select to launch the recorder. If you need to resize the recording area, just drag the sizing handles to select the portion of the screen you want to capture. You can also move the recording window by dragging the four-headed arrow in the middle of the app. Choose a microphone from the recording control bar. Choose None if you don’t need to record audio with your screencast. Step 4: Record Click the red Record button. If you need to pause while you’re recording, click the Pause button, then click the Record button again to resume. If you need to start over, click the Delete button (the garbage bin icon), then click Record to begin again. When you’re finished, click Done. Peek will let you preview your screencast and give it a name. To upload it as new content, click Upload. To create a new version of existing content, click Update an existing recording, select the item you want to update, then click Update. (You’ll also see an option to Upload as a new recording if you change your mind.) Peek 360 automatically: Saves an MP4 video of your screencast on your computer here: %username%\Documents\Peek 360 Uploads your screencast to Review 360 where you can collect feedback from stakeholders Copies the Review 360 link for your uploaded screencast to your clipboard so you can immediately send it to reviewers Step 5: Distribute There are several ways to distribute your Peek 360 screen recording. You can: Collect feedback with Review 360 Open your web browser to your Review 360 home page and click your screencast to open it. Click Share in the upper right corner. If you want to password-protect your screencast, mark the box to Set a password and enter a password in the field provided. Copy the shareable link, then send it to your reviewers. Be sure to give them the password, too, if you added one. Note: Although share links are public, we prevent search engines from indexing our site so they won’t be searchable. However, if you post these links on a public web page, they may be indexed by a search engine. To protect confidential information, set a password or limit access to specific users. Download it from Review 360 Peek 360 automatically saves an MP4 video of your screencast on your computer here: %username%\Documents\Peek 360 But if you’re away from your computer or ever need to recover the MP4 video, you can download it from Review 360. Open your web browser to your Review 360 home page and click your screencast to open it. Click the More ellipsis (...) in the upper right corner and choose Download. Select a location on your computer and click Save. Export it to an LMS package Want to track learners progress as they view your screencast? Articulate 360 can help with that. Just export your screencast to an LMS package, then upload it to your LMS. Open your web browser to your Review 360 home page and click your screencast to open it. Click the More ellipsis (...) in the upper right corner and choose Export to LMS. Select an LMS spec: AICC, SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, or xAPI (Tin Can API). Enter a completion percentage (defaults to 80%). Click Export. Select a location on your computer and click Save. Upload the zip file to your LMS. Import it into a Rise 360 lesson Go to your Rise 360 home page and open an existing course or start a new one. Edit an existing lesson or create a new one. Use the blocks shortcut bar to add a video block to the lesson. Or, click the insert block icon that appears between existing blocks to open the block library, then insert a Multimedia > Video block. Replace the default video with your Peek 360 video file, which you can find here: %username%\Documents\Peek 360 Insert it into a Storyline, Studio, or Replay project Since Peek 360 automatically saves an MP4 video of your screencast on your local hard drive, you can easily import it into a Storyline, Studio, or Replay project. You’ll find your local Peek 360 videos here: %username%\Documents\Peek 360 To learn how to import videos into Storyline, Studio, and Replay, see these user guides: Storyline 360: Adding Videos Presenter 360: Adding a Video from a File Quizmaker 360: Adding Videos Engage 360: Adding Videos Replay 360: Adding Video Files Upload it to a video-hosting site Since Peek 360 generates an MP4 file, you can upload your screencast to video-hosting sites, such as YouTube and Vimeo. Share it via social media Peek 360 screencasts are easy to share via social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter.Peek 360 for Mac: Recording and Distributing Screencasts
Peek 360 is the fastest, easiest way to record screencasts on a Mac. Simply record your screen and narration. Your screencast will automatically upload to Review 360 when you're done recording, so you can collect feedback from stakeholders or download your video as an MP4 file or LMS package. Follow these steps: Install Launch Prepare Record Distribute Step 1: Install Open the Mac App Store and search for Peek 360, or click here to jump directly to the Peek app. Click Get, then click Install App. Sign in with your Apple ID and password when prompted, and Peek 360 will automatically install. Step 2: Launch Peek 360 always runs quietly in your menu bar. To record a new screencast, just click the Peek 360 icon on the menu bar and choose New Recording. If Peek 360 isn’t already running, you can launch it by going to Finder > Applications > Peek 360. Step 3: Prepare First, Peek 360 will ask what you want to record. Choose one of your open apps or your entire screen, then click Select to launch the recorder. If you need to resize the recording area, just drag the sizing handles to select the portion of the screen you want to capture. You can also move the recording window by dragging the four-headed arrow in the middle of the app. Choose a microphone from the recording control bar. Choose None if you don’t need to record audio with your screencast. Step 4: Record Click the red Record button. If you need to pause while you’re recording, click the Pause button, then click the Record button again to resume. If you need to start over, click the Delete button (the garbage bin icon), then click Record to begin again. When you’re finished, click Done. Peek 360 lets you preview your screencast and give it a name. To upload it as new content, click Upload. To create a new version of existing content, click Update an existing recording, select the item you want to update, then click Update. (You’ll also see an option to Upload as a new recording if you change your mind.) Peek 360 automatically: Saves an MP4 video of your screencast on your Mac here: /users/<username>/Movies/Peek 360 Uploads your screencast to Review 360 where you can collect feedback from stakeholders Copies the Review 360 link for your uploaded screencast to your clipboard so you can immediately send it to reviewers Step 5: Distribute There are several ways to distribute your Peek 360 screen recording. You can: Collect feedback with Review 360 Open your web browser to your Review 360 home page and click your screencast to open it. Click Share in the upper right corner. If you want to password-protect your screencast, mark the box to Set a password and enter a password in the field provided. Copy the shareable link, then send it to your reviewers. Be sure to give them the password, too, if you added one. Note: Although share links are public, we prevent search engines from indexing our site so they won’t be searchable. However, if you post these links on a public web page, they may be indexed by a search engine. To protect confidential information, set a password or limit access to specific users. Download it from Review 360 Peek 360 automatically saves an MP4 video of your screencast on your Mac here: /users/<username>/Movies/Peek 360 But if you’re away from your computer or ever need to recover the MP4 video, you can download it from Review 360. Open your web browser to your Review 360 home page and click your screencast to open it. Click the More ellipsis (...) in the upper right corner and choose Download. Select a location on your computer and click Save. Export it to an LMS package Want to track learners progress as they view your screencast? No problem. Just export your screencast as an LMS package, then upload it to your LMS. Open your web browser to your Review 360 home page and click your screencast to open it. Click the More ellipsis (...) in the upper right corner and choose Export to LMS. Select an LMS spec: AICC, SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, or xAPI (Tin Can API). Enter a completion percentage (defaults to 80%). Click Export. Select a location on your computer and click Save. Upload the zip file to your LMS. Import it into a Rise 360 lesson Go to your Rise 360 home page and open an existing course or start a new one. Edit an existing lesson or create a new one. Use the blocks shortcut bar to add a video block to the lesson. Or, click the insert block icon that appears between existing blocks to open the block library, then insert a Multimedia > Video block. Replace the default video with your Peek 360 video file, which you can find here: /users/<username>/Movies/Peek 360 Insert it into a Storyline, Studio, or Replay project Since Peek 360 automatically saves an MP4 video of your screencast on your local hard drive, you can easily import it into a Storyline, Studio, or Replay project. You’ll find your local Peek 360 videos here: /users/<username>/Movies/Peek 360 To learn how to import videos into Storyline, Studio, and Replay, see these user guides: Storyline 360: Adding Videos Presenter 360: Adding a Video from a File Quizmaker 360: Adding Videos Engage 360: Adding Videos Replay 360: Adding Video Files Upload it to a video-hosting site Since Peek 360 generates an MP4 file, you can upload your screencast to video-hosting sites, such as YouTube and Vimeo. Share it via social media Peek 360 screencasts are easy to share via social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter.Articulate 360: Using the Desktop-Authoring Apps
The Articulate 360 desktop app makes it easy to install and open desktop-authoring apps, including Storyline 360, Studio 360, Replay 360, and Peek 360. Learn More About the Authoring Apps Install Authoring Apps Launch Authoring Apps Update Authoring Apps Uninstall Authoring Apps Learn More About the Authoring Apps The following desktop-authoring apps are included with your Articulate 360 subscription. Click the product links to learn more about each app. Storyline 360 Build mobile and online courses with any interaction you can imagine. Your course will look beautiful and work great on every device with the new responsive player, which includes touchscreen gesture support and mobile-friendly playback controls. The responsive player dynamically adapts to tablets and smartphones, giving learners the best view of your course on every device. You can even preview how your course will look and behave on different devices in Storyline 360 with new responsive preview features. Note: As of May 2024, 64-bit Storyline 360 is the default Storyline version in the desktop app. That means you get all the benefits with no extra steps. Studio 360 Rapidly transform PowerPoint slides into online and mobile courses with the Studio 360 apps, including: Presenter 360 makes it easy to add narration, annotations, characters, and more to existing PowerPoint content. Engage 360 lets you quickly create form-based interactions. Quizmaker 360 is an intuitive tool for creating any type of assessment or quiz. Studio 360 includes the new responsive player, so your courses look great and work perfectly on every device. Replay 360 Record and edit personalized training videos with Replay 360. Walk learners through on-screen content by capturing screen activity and yourself on webcam—at the same time or separately. Fine-tune your screencasts to flip between video clips, or show two at once with picture-in-picture effects. Separate, trim, and delete sections to tell the best story. And add text to the lower third of the screen to emphasize important information. Publish videos to Review 360 to collect feedback from stakeholders or publish as MP4 videos for your e-learning courses. Peek 360 Easily record brief screencasts with Peek 360. Peek 360 is always a click away in the Windows system tray. Simply select the app you want to record, then drag the recording frame to customize your view. Peek 360 automatically uploads videos to Review 360 with a unique URL, making them easy to share. Install Authoring Apps You can install the current version of any authoring app with a single click, or you can go back to a previous version when there's a design change or new feature that you're not ready to use. How to Install the Latest Version of an App Open the Articulate 360 desktop app by clicking the icon in your computer’s system tray (by the clock), then click the Install button for any of the desktop-authoring apps: Storyline 360, Studio 360, Replay 360, or Peek 360. It’s that easy! You’ll see a progress bar for each app while it’s installing, then the Install button will change to an Open button when the installation is complete. How to Install a Previous Version of an App There might be times when you need to install a previous version of an authoring app. For example, if there’s a new Storyline 360 feature that you’re not ready to use, you can go back to an older version of the app until you have time to learn more about the new feature. Here’s how. Open the Articulate 360 desktop app and mouse-over the app you want to change. Click the drop-down arrow that appears and choose Other Versions. A list of all the versions released in the past six months will appear. Click Install for the version you want to install. An optional "Product Feedback" dialog will appear. After your selection, the dialog will close and your chosen version will automatically install. (Tip: Click any date or version number in the list to see the change log for that release.) When you install a previous version of an app, you’ll see an Updates Paused tag in the Articulate 360 desktop app, as shown below. This is a visual reminder that you’re using an older version of that app. Future updates won’t install for paused apps when you click Update All. To update an app that’s paused, click Updates Paused, choose Other Versions from the menu that appears, and click Install for the most recent version of the app. Launch Authoring Apps One way to launch your authoring apps is to open the Articulate 360 desktop app by clicking the icon in your computer’s system tray (by the clock) and then click the Open button for the app you want to use. (When you click the Open button for Studio 360, you’ll see a menu where you can choose Presenter 360, Quizmaker 360, or Engage 360.) Another way to launch your authoring apps is to go to your computer’s Start menu and click the app you want to use. Peek 360 Tip Peek 360 runs in the background, so the fastest way to start a screen recording is to click the Peek 360 icon in your computer’s system tray (by the clock). Update Authoring Apps One of the benefits of an Articulate 360 subscription is that you get continuous updates when new features are available. If notifications are enabled in your preferences, you’ll get a Windows notification, like the one shown below, when an update is available. And even if notifications are disabled, you’ll always see when an update is available as soon as you open the Articulate 360 desktop app. A blue banner with an update option appears across the top of the app. If you’ve disabled automatic updates, you can snooze this notification. Otherwise, simply click the Update All button to update all your apps at the same time. Or, click Update Available next to any app and choose Install Update to update one app at a time, as shown below. How to Update Paused Apps When you install a previous version of an app, you’ll see an Updates Paused tag for that particular app, as shown below. Clicking the blue Update All button won’t update paused apps. To update an app that’s paused, click Updates Paused, choose Other Versions from the menu that appears, and click Install for the most recent version of the app. Uninstall Authoring Apps Uninstalling apps is just as easy as installing them. Mouse-over an app, click the drop-down arrow that appears, and choose the Uninstall option. (Tip: You can also uninstall Articulate apps via the Windows control panel.)
