7 Pro Tips for Working with Motion Path Animations in Storyline 360
Animations can be a powerful way to explain a concept, tell a story, or make your content memorable. Storyline 360 has a variety of animation options—including entrance, exit, and motion paths. With motion path animations, you can control how your objects move and bring your ideas to life. Here are some time-saving tips to help propel you forward when working with motion path animations. 1. Rename Motion Paths When you add a motion path animation to an object in Storyline 360, a name is automatically assigned. If you plan on adding multiple motion paths, it’s a good idea to rename each one. This will make it easier to identify which motion path you’re working on when editing triggers. 2. Copy Animations If you plan on using the same motion path animation on several objects, save time by copying the animation from one object to another using the Animation Painter. By double-clicking the Animation Painter, you can apply the same animation to multiple objects one after the other without having to click the Animation Painter over and over again. To turn it off, click it one last time or press the ESC key on your keyboard. Did you know? When you copy and paste an object, any animations you’ve added to the object are also copied over. So if you’re using the same object multiple times, add any animations you want to include before you copy it to save time. 3. Sync Using Cue Points As you build content, you might change your mind about when you want your motion path animation to start. Syncing your motion path to a cue point gives you the flexibility to change the motion path timing without having to edit the trigger each time. All you have to do is drag the cue point along the timeline until the timing feels right, and the motion path will start at the new time. 4. Select the Object Path to Edit To edit a motion path, you can select the start or end point individually using your mouse and drag the point to the desired location. If you have multiple start or end points overlapping each other, you can easily select and edit them without having to hide objects from your timeline. Simply select the line of the object path you want to edit. It will turn bright blue while the other objects and their paths will fade. Then, move the start or end point as needed. Did you know? Another way to fine-tune a motion path is to select the start or end point of one or all of the objects and edit the X and Y coordinates. This is great for times when you need to be super-precise. 5. Change the Easing Option By default, Storyline 360 automatically assigns an ease-in and ease-out effect to your motion paths. This controls the acceleration and deceleration of an animation. If your animation needs to move at the same pace across the screen, then you’ll want to edit the easing direction to none. 6. Orient Shape to Path There might be times when you need to include an object that faces a certain direction as it follows a path—for example, a car making a right turn. By selecting Orient Shape to Path, the object will always face the direction it’s moving, even when it travels on a nonlinear path. 7. Use a Relative Start Point Perhaps you want to create an interaction where the object can move multiple times depending on the learner’s choice. For example, let’s say you created a racetrack and want the learner’s car to move forward whenever they answer a question correctly. Instead of duplicating the object and creating motion paths for each possible outcome, you can select Relative Start Point to move the object along the motion path starting from its current position. For more ideas on how to use this feature, check out this tutorial. Did you know? You can add more than one motion path to the same object and have each begin at the new location of the object based on previous movements. For more ideas on how to use this feature, check out this free Storyline 360 download by Samuel Apata. Motion path animations give you the flexibility to quickly create content that’ll move your learners. What tips do you have for working with motion paths? Share your ideas in the comments below. Want to try something you learned here, but don’t have Articulate 360? Start a free 30-day trial and come back to E-Learning Heroes regularly for more helpful advice on everything related to e-learning.4 Impactful E-Learning Trends for 2023
E-learning has evolved over the years, which is great! As we discover more about the industry and how people learn, we can improve the way we deliver online content to better the lives of those who consume it. So, what current learning strategies are proving successful for other organizations? Let’s look at the top e-learning trends for 2023 that will have a lasting impact on the future of learning. 1. Data-driven decisions Since reporting tools have advanced over the years, we now have access to more learner insights than ever before. So instead of creating courses based on what you think learners need, you can use data to drive your online learning decisions. Taking the time to analyze and evaluate learner metrics will help drive meaningful changes to your learning strategies. 2. On-demand content Organizations are realizing the need to empower employees by creating content learners can pull from when they need it. Let’s say you’re a sales manager who plans to hire three new employees. There are a lot of details these new team members will need to do their jobs. Giving them all that information at once might make them feel like they’re drinking from a firehose and will probably guarantee most of it will be forgotten. Creating a series of microlearning courses that walk them through your processes will prove to be more effective and a better use of everyone’s time. Plus, if they need to refer back to anything later, they can! So, designing content learners can access when they need it is definitely something to consider implementing. 3. Accessible experiences You may have seen accessible learning as a trend in previous years. Well, this repeating trend is here to stay. That’s because it’s becoming a standard, as it should! We want all learners to understand, navigate, and interact with the content. If you’re new to accessibility, it might feel like creating accessible learning experiences is more work. But as Elizabeth Pawlicki put it, “Accessibility isn’t extra steps. It’s the steps you missed.” Now, course creators are designing accessible courses right from the start rather than building a course and retrofitting it to make it accessible later on. 4. Continuous development With a record number of people leaving their jobs, it’s important to show current employees you value their contributions and want them to grow with the company. One way to do that is to provide them with more opportunities to expand their knowledge and skills in a changing world. By creating and offering training on a variety of topics to help them advance their careers, you’re showing them you value their contributions. So if you want to retain talent and help employees thrive, creating and providing lifelong learning opportunities will help you (and them) succeed. Wrap-Up With so many lessons learned from the past and an abundant amount of resources to move forward, e-learning designers are bound to make a difference in the learning space this year. As we dive more into data, create content learners can pull from when they need it, design courses that everyone can access, and provide opportunities for continued growth, we can all positively impact the lives of our learners. Of course, there are more ways to improve learning outcomes than just the ones listed here. So if you’ve spotted any other trends you think will make an impact in 2023, please share your ideas below! Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn 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.6 Things to Consider Before Choosing a Company Name
Are you looking to venture off on your own—either as a consultant, freelancer, or something else? If you’ve been working in the corporate training world, then you likely already know that a great company name is a critical step toward success. Choosing the right name can jumpstart your side hustle or new career. Alternatively, picking the wrong name can pose tricky challenges you didn’t expect. So, before you make a final decision, ask yourself the following questions: 1. Should you use your own name or a business name? First, do you want to use your own name or a business name? Either option can work—the correct answer just depends on your particular goals. If you’ve already made a name for yourself in the industry, using your own name might make it easier to gain business. Plus, it’ll give customers the sense of a personal touch. Still, it can also impose limitations, such as making your company seem too small for larger jobs—even if you hire staff later down the road. Conversely, using a unique company name clearly communicates what you’re all about and leaves room to grow. The downside is that you’ll also have to build a positive reputation from the ground up. The right option requires getting familiar with the advantages and disadvantages on both sides of the coin. So, keep exploring, and don’t hesitate to use others for inspiration. Check out this article to read how others in the industry chose their company names. 2. Does the name sound too similar to competitors? Ready yourself for success by choosing a name that sets you apart. You never want potential customers to confuse your name with that of another business in the same or even a different industry. Just imagine the headache of getting a bunch of messages or calls intended for another similar-sounding organization! So, search for your desired business name on the internet. Are you in the clear, or is another company already using it? Make adjustments as needed until your name is one-of-a-kind. With your own unique company name, your business can thrive as its own brand and identity. 3. Can you spell and say the name easily? If you’re having trouble finding a name that isn’t already taken, you might feel tempted to use a creative misspelling—like the rideshare company Lyft. But that’s probably not a good idea unless you have tons of money to spend on building brand awareness. Besides, you’ll likely grow tired of having to constantly correct people if the misspelling makes the name harder to say. So, choose a name you can spell and pronounce easily. That way, people are more likely to remember it, recommend it, and quickly find it when they type your company name into a search field. 4. Can you register the URL? Establishing a URL/domain (.com preferably) gives the impression that you’re a professional, and it provides a place for potential customers to learn what you’re all about. Even if you don't plan to create a website right away, reserving a URL ensures that no one else takes it down the line. So, confirm whether you can get a domain that matches your desired company name. As your company grows, you’ll be grateful to have it. 5. Is the name available on social media? You can also grow your business with social media—sharing engaging content that attracts new customers to your door. So, make sure your desired company name is available on those platforms as well. Sound like a lot of work? Don’t stress! Your business doesn’t need to be on every social media platform. You can focus your efforts. Consider your target audience and where they’re most likely to spend their time. Or speed things up even more by recruiting the help of websites like namecheckr—which allows you to check a potential brand name’s availability on multiple social media sites at once. 6. Do you like the name? A company name is something that will be with you for a long time, so make sure you’re happy with it. While it’s great to get feedback from others—especially for bringing potential drawbacks to light—this is ultimately your decision. You get to decide whether it’s a name you’d be proud to call your business. Choose something you’ll be thrilled to say over and over again to all your future clients. In Summary As you can tell, there are a few things to consider before deciding on a company name. I hope this article makes it easier for you to confidently choose one that best suits your goals, stands out from the pack, and is easy for customers to remember and find online. And—most of all—I hope it’s a name you love! Looking for more ways to grow your future company? Check out the following resources for more ideas: No-Fail Strategies to Succeed as an E-Learning Freelancer (Part 1/2) No-Fail Strategies to Succeed as an E-Learning Freelancer (Part 2/2) 19 Tips for Succeeding as Freelance E-Learning Designers #348 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.5 FAQs About Using Grouped Objects in Storyline 360
Have you ever worked on a slide with so many objects that you found yourself struggling to click on the one you intended, or maybe spending countless hours adding animations or triggers to each individual item? There’s an easier way. Grouping objects in Storyline 360 is a handy feature that can help you stay organized and work more efficiently. Here are some of the commonly asked questions about working with grouped objects in Storyline 360. 1. When does it make sense to group objects? Working with numerous objects on a slide can start to feel overwhelming. Before you know it, your timeline and trigger panel become an endless list of objects and triggers, which can be time-consuming to manage. Declutter Your Timeline Grouping objects together can help you work more efficiently. Look at these two timelines for the same course. Ungrouped And there are still a ton of objects that aren’t visible without scrolling. Grouped Such a noticeable difference when the objects are grouped! The grouped version is clean and easy to manage. I can quickly show, hide, or lock objects in just a few clicks. Keep Triggers at a Minimum Another benefit of grouping objects is that you can execute one action for an entire group of objects. This cleans up your trigger panel and makes it easier to hide triggers if you need to do some testing. Before: After: Edit Multiple Objects Simultaneously Grouping objects also allows you to edit, move, rotate, flip, or change other attributes all at once, as if they were a single object. You can also resize all the objects in the group while preserving the spacing between objects. 2. What’s the quickest way to group objects? The most common way to group objects is by selecting the objects to group together, right-clicking, and choosing Group: But did you know there’s a faster way? You can save yourself a few clicks (and a lot of time) by using a keyboard shortcut. Simply hit Control + G (or Command + G on a Mac). 3. How do animations work with groups? When it comes to grouped objects and animations, you have two options: Option 1: Apply animations to each object individually. When you want the objects in a group to animate at different times, you can add individual animations to each object. In the following example, you can see that I added animations to each object (noted by each ⭐) and then grouped them together. The following GIF illustrates what the above grouped object with individual animations looks like in action. Option 2: Apply animations to the group as a whole. When you want to animate multiple objects all at once, group them together and then add an animation to the entire group. In the following example, I grouped the objects together and selected the Fly In animation (noted by the one ⭐ at the top left). The following GIF illustrates what a grouped object with one group animation looks like in action. 4. How do I troubleshoot animations with grouped objects? Grouped objects aren’t animating as intended? It’s possible you’ve applied a mix of both animation options I shared above. This happens a lot if you’ve added animations to individual objects and then later decided to group those objects together and add a group animation. To figure out if that’s what’s going on, open the Animations tab and then click on each individual object in the group. Keep an eye on the Entrance, Exit, and Motion Path Animation options as you click each object. If you see an animation has been added to an object, remove it by selecting the drop-down arrow and clicking None or simply deleting the extra motion path. 5. Can you add states to groups? Storyline 360 has built-in states that allow you to change the appearance of an object (such as shapes and buttons) based on the learner’s action. States can only be added to individual objects, not grouped objects. However, you can still edit the states of the individual objects within a group by selecting each object and editing their states. Or you can first edit the states and then group them together. Check out this video tutorial on how to make a group of objects display their individual hover states. Another option is to keep one object of the group on the slide, click Edit States, and paste the remaining objects in the Normal State. Check out this video tutorial on how to work with grouped objects in Storyline 360. More Resources For more information on working with grouped objects, check out these resources: Quick Answers to 6 Frequently Asked Storyline 360 Questions Top 5 Storyline Tips You Might Have Missed in 2019 Everything You Need to Know About States in Storyline 360 What questions or tips do you have about working with grouped objects in Storyline 360? Please share your ideas below. Want to try something you learned here, but don’t have Articulate 360? Start a free 30-day trial and come back to E-Learning Heroes regularly for more helpful advice on everything related to e-learning.5 Inspiring Font Pairings for Your Next E-Learning Project
Look at any e-learning project and one of the first things you’ll notice are the fonts. Theme fonts set the stage. They establish a project’s tone—and they make a big difference in helping learners read content more easily. But, with so many options to choose from, how can you possibly pick? Thankfully, you don’t have to search online for the perfect heading and body fonts. You can simply mix and match the built-in Storyline 360 fonts and system typefaces to make your content look polished and legible. Curious to see which fonts work well together? Take a look at these five pairings you can start using right away! 1. Montserrat Medium & Montserrat Want to combine similar fonts without falling into the “it’s boring” trap? Try pairing Montserrat Medium with Montserrat. These two fonts have the same base—just with different line thicknesses. The result is an engaging, easy-on-the-eye contrast. Together, these fonts create a sense of strength and tranquility. And because of their versatility and geometric lettering, the fonts are generally safe for any project. 2. Georgia & Verdana Pairing different fonts can sometimes feel daunting. How do you know which ones to mix and match? What if you end up combining fonts that conflict instead of contrast? Choose Georgia and Verdana and you can put those worries aside, as these two fonts were designed to work together. The elegant simplicity of Georgia combined with the clear and legible Verdana font makes this classic combo a nice choice for your projects. 3. Trebuchet MS & Garamond Need a fresh look? Sometimes combining the old with the new can give a sense of unique familiarity. To capture that balance, try Trebuchet MS and Garamond. The modern Trebuchet MS paired with Garamond—one of the oldest fonts—emits a friendly and sophisticated tone, giving you the best of both worlds. 4. Oswald & Open Sans The best font pairings have visual contrast—but that contrast can't look disjointed. After all, we still need to maintain cohesiveness. Use Oswald and Open Sans to create that ideal match. Oswald’s slightly elongated characteristics combine beautifully with many fonts. Match it with the neutral and friendly Open Sans and you’ll have a distinct and professional pairing that’s instantly pleasing to the eye. 5. Raleway & Roboto Light Need to add some personality to your projects? Look no further than the dynamic Raleway and Roboto Light duo. This sleek and modern font combination is the perfect mix! Raleway works great as a heading because its subtle, artistic look attracts just the right amount of attention. Roboto Light body text completes the picture because it’s versatile and easy to read. Wrap-Up Using any of these font combinations can help your courses look captivating, professional, and readable. And since anyone using Storyline 360 already has these fonts installed, you can easily share your file and rest assured knowing the text formatting will stay intact! Of course, these are just a few pairing options; we’re sure you have many other creative ideas up your sleeve. We’d love to hear them! Which built-in fonts are your go-tos for headings and body text? For more typography tips, check out these articles: 8 Questions to Ask When Choosing Fonts & Formatting Text Insider Tips for Working with Fonts in Storyline 360 How to Use Typography to Improve Your E-Learning Storyline 360: Working with Theme Fonts 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.Snag That E-Learning Job with These 5 Interview Tips
If you’re reading this article, you probably landed a job interview for an e-learning role. If so, congratulations! And if you haven’t yet, kudos for thinking one step ahead. Interviews are an opportunity for you and a potential employer to find out if the position, company values, and culture are a good fit. Whether your interview is over the phone, through Zoom, or in person, there are a few things you can do to mentally prepare for the incoming questions. Let’s take a look! 1. Plan Ahead It’s natural to feel anxious about an interview, but it’s best to avoid carrying those nerves into the meeting if you want to make a good first impression. Giving yourself enough time to prepare will help you build the necessary confidence to present yourself professionally and show the potential employer you’re the right person for the job. Here are two ways to make that happen: Schedule time to prepare. Set aside time to practice and pull together everything you need for the interview (which we’ll cover in this article). Don’t procrastinate—mark this time on your calendar and treat it like a meeting. Schedule downtime before your interview. Racing to an interview is a recipe for nerves—which can cause you to come across as anxious and jittery. Put your best impression forward by giving yourself time. Taking a 15-minute break beforehand allows you to collect your thoughts so you feel relaxed and ready to go. 2. Review the Job Description You read the job description before applying, but have you looked at it since then? Reading through it again before your interview ensures that the details are fresh in your mind. This will help you highlight your most relevant skills and experience—increasing your chances of getting hired. 3. Do Your Research Find out as much as you can about the company. Look at their website, read articles about them, and browse their social media channels. Also, read customer reviews as well as testimonials from current and former employees. Try to answer questions like: What’s the company’s mission? What are their values? What makes them unique? Who are their competitors? The more you know about the company, the easier it’ll be to answer their questions and think up relevant ones of your own—which brings us to the final two tips. 4. Practice Answering Questions One of the best ways to prepare for a job interview is to look up common e-learning interview questions and practice responding. Some of those questions might include: Can you tell me about yourself? Why do you want to work here? Why should we hire you? Have you ever disagreed with a subject matter expert? If so, how did you resolve it? Practice answering these questions out loud. It might feel uncomfortable, but the more you practice, the better prepared you’ll be when it’s time for the real interview. If you’re interviewing in person or on Zoom, consider recording a video of yourself practicing. It might feel awkward at first, but the footage will offer helpful insights. As you replay the recordings, ask yourself: Are you sitting up straight? Are you speaking clearly? Is your tone friendly and inviting? What is your body language communicating? How’s your eye contact? You may have an idea of what you sound like, but actually seeing and hearing a recording of yourself can help you take a step back and imagine how you come across to others. Want to start practicing now? Then download and customize this question and answer template. 5. Prepare Questions of Your Own Usually, at the end of an interview, the employer will ask if you have any questions. Asking thoughtful questions shows you’ve done your research and that you’re genuinely interested in the organization. It’s also an opportunity to learn more about the company and the role—and decide if it’s a good fit. Preparing questions beforehand will ensure you get all the information you need to make a decision if the company extends an offer. Not sure which questions to ask? Take a look at this list: What Questions Do You Ask Prospective Employers? Wrap-Up By following these tips, you’ll gain the confidence to nail your next e-learning job interview and show a potential employer that you’re the ideal person for the job. Looking for more tips on how to land your dream job? Check out these helpful resources: 5 Tips for Landing Your Next E-Learning Job 7 Common E-Learning Job Interview Questions Boost Your E-Learning Career by Building Your Personal Brand 5 Things to Include in Your E-Learning Portfolio We’d also love to hear from you! What advice do you have that has helped you prepare for an e-learning job interview? Please share in the comments below. 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.Create a Cohesive Look with These 5 Storyline 360 Visual Design Pointers
Creating a cohesive visual design throughout your course is something e-learning pros spend a lot of time perfecting. Here are a few ways I ensure visual design consistency right from the start! 1. Create custom theme colors to ensure consistency Before adding content to your slides, create a new theme color. Using theme colors ensures consistency across slides and makes it quick to change the colors throughout a project or template. Go to the Design tab Click the Colors drop-down arrow Select Create New Theme Colors Use the color selectors to assemble your palette Enter a name for your custom theme colors Click Save Pro tip: Use the Eyedropper tool to select any color visible on your screen. For more info, check out this article: Storyline 360: Working with Theme Colors. 2. Create new theme fonts to save design time Avoid editing the fonts on every slide by creating a new theme font for each of your projects at the start. Theme fonts control headings, body text, questions, and answer choices. Go to the Design tab Click the Fonts drop-down arrow Select Create New Theme Fonts Choose a heading font and a body font Enter a name for your custom theme fonts Click Save For more info, check out this article: Storyline 360: Working with Theme Fonts. 3. Use slide masters to create uniformity across slides No need to copy and paste similar items from one slide to another. Apply the same look and feel across multiple slides easily using slide masters. Go to the View tab Click Slide Master Customize the slide master and layouts Pro tip: If you have a quiz in your course, you can also customize the feedback masters to give your question feedback layers a consistent look and feel throughout your course. For more info, check out this article: Storyline 360: Using Slide Masters. 4. Edit assets in third-party apps and save changes directly into your project With the Media Library, you can edit project assets in a third-party app—like Photoshop—and save the updates to Storyline 360 without having to export and reimport the image. Right-click the image you want to edit Scroll to Show in Media Library Click the pencil icon to edit Choose an app from the list of image editors installed on your computer Edit the image Save your changes and close the app For more info, check out: Editing Assets in Third-Party Apps. 5. See what the layout will look like by quickly adding placeholder text When you’re designing slide layouts, it can be helpful to add placeholder text to get a feel for what they’ll look like once you add your content. With Storyline 360, you don’t have to go to the web to search for lorem ipsum text to copy and paste. You can save time by using this shortcut right on your slide. Insert a textbox on your slide Type =lorem() Hit Enter on your keyboard Pro tip: If you want a certain number of placeholder paragraphs, enter that number in the parentheses. For example: =lorem(3) displays 3 paragraphs. More Ways to Save Time These are just a few of my favorite visual design workflow tips. There is so much more you can do in Storyline 360. Want to save even more time? Then check out my other time-saving articles: Set Yourself Up for Success with These 5 Storyline 360 Project Time-Savers Crush Your To-Do List with These 6 Storyline 360 Slide-Building Tips I’d love to hear all the different tips and tricks you use to save time. Please share your ideas below. Want to try something you learned here, but don’t have Articulate 360? Start a free 30-day trial, 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.
