Meet Your Instructor - Which One Is the Lie?
I built this quick “Meet Your Instructor” interaction for the latest eLearning Heroes challenge. The interaction is a simple truth-or-lie icebreaker where learners review three statements about the instructor and decide which one is false. I designed it with a heavy equipment/construction theme and included custom visuals, themed buttons, correct/incorrect feedback screens, and a short video introduction and conclusion featuring me as the instructor. What I like about this concept is that it could work both virtually and in person. In an eLearning course, learners can click through and make their own choice. In a live class, a facilitator could use the same interaction as a quick group icebreaker before moving into the session. It’s a small activity, but it adds some personality, gives learners a reason to engage right away, and helps make the instructor feel a little more human before the course begins.Back In My Day
Hello! Icebreaker games get a bad rap in corporate training. But I think Articulate's AI Avatar feature can breathe new life into this format. For this Futurama-inspired demo, I created a series of videos using the 'Upload Character' option in the Rise AI Avatar tool. Then I downloaded these videos and placed them in a 'Pick One' freeform question slide in Storyline. Your answer determines how my avatar responds. Try it out here: https://bit.ly/elhc553
How to Show & Hide an Object by Toggling States
This tip comes from our certified training partner, Yukon Learning. When you use triggers to change states of objects, the trigger wizard adjusts the language to "Set State". But did you know this option can be adjusted to "Toggle"? The Toggle allows you to switch an object from normal to hidden or from normal to disabled with a single button action. In this video, you'll learn: How to change an object state How to adjust the "set" state option to toggle How to toggle an object without using variables Resources: Yukon Learning YouTube Channel Sign Up for Facilitated Certified TrainingThe Cost of Ignoring Safety Signs
Created an interactive scenario-based quiz: “The Cost of Ignoring Safety Signs” ⚠️ The course uses AI-generated visuals to build realistic workplace scenarios that help learners understand the real consequences of ignoring safety warnings. A quick, engaging, and impactful learning experience focused on improving workplace safety awareness. Demo: https://www.sarkgcreation.com/elc552/story.htmlLabs: Explore, Experiment, and Help Shape What’s Next
The best features we build don’t come from us alone. They come from you! From the courses you build to the creative ways you push our tools, your ideas shape what we create next. And while we’ve always listened through surveys, interviews, and community conversations, we wanted a way to work with you even more closely. So we started looking for a way to build more collaboratively, bringing you into the process while ideas are still evolving, not just before or after they ship. That’s how Labs came to be. With Labs, you can opt in to try early features and explore new ideas in the context of your real work. Instead of relying on retrospective feedback, Labs gives us a chance to learn alongside you in real time. Most experiments include built-in ways to share feedback, so what you’re experiencing can immediately inform what we improve next. It also helps us connect with creators who want to be more involved in the process. If you’re exploring an experiment, there’s a good chance we’ll reach out to hear more about your experience and keep the conversation going. Some experiments will be a success. Others will help us pivot in a new direction. Either way, they help us move faster and build better tools for you. Not every feature will go through Labs, but when something is available, you’ll find all the details in the Labs community group. That includes what the feature does, any current limitations, and the type of feedback we’re looking for. Following the group is the best way to stay up to date on new experiments. Labs isn’t a replacement for the ways we’ve always worked with you. It’s an extension of that relationship and a new way to shape the future of the authoring experience together. Explore Labs, try out what’s new, and let us know what you think. Go to Labs *All features on Articulate Labs and are subject to change. These features are experimental and may be modified or removed at any time. Beta Services Terms apply.From Music History to Interactive Learning
I created this interactive learning experience inspired by **The Beatles**—the band that changed music forever. From their early journey in Liverpool to the global craze of Beatlemania, this microlearning module blends storytelling with engaging interactions to bring history to life. This project reflects how microlearning can turn even classic topics into **engaging, immersive experiences**. Linkedin Article Demo DirectHow to Decide Which Articulate 360 App to Use for Screen Recording
We're ending support for Studio 360, Replay 360, and Peek 360 on December 31, 2026. Learn more. 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 360Comfortable with Studio 360 but Curious About Storyline 360? This Article Is for You
Note: We're ending support for Studio 360, Replay 360, and Peek 360 on December 31, 2026. Learn more. When I talk to Studio 360 users, they often tell me that they’ve been wanting to give Storyline 360 a try, but feel too intimidated. Sound familiar? I get it. Change can be scary. But thanks to the PowerPoint-like interface and the easy-import feature, the transition from Studio 360 to Storyline 360 is super-smooth. And since Storyline 360 is included in your Articulate 360 subscription, you can start using it right away—at no additional cost. Still on the fence? Take a peek at some of the things Studio 360 users appreciate most when they start using Storyline 360. 1. Creating Interactions That Reduce Cognitive Load When you’re building a course in PowerPoint, it can be hard to find ways to cut down on the amount of on-screen text—and reduce the cognitive load—so learners can focus. In Storyline 360, slide layers make it easy to create click-and-reveal interactions that let learners view content in smaller, more digestible, chunks. For example, instead of a slide like this: You can create an interaction like this: Click here to compare the two versions Not only does this second version feel less overwhelming, but presenting each point one at a time invites learners to interact, increasing the likelihood that they’ll remember the content. 2. Converting Static Slides into Engaging Interactions With PowerPoint, it can be hard to find ways to get learners to interact with your course beyond clicking the Next button. With Storyline 360, you can put learners in the driver’s seat by converting static slides into engaging interactions in just a few clicks, thanks to the Convert to Freeform feature. For example, let’s say you’re creating a course on sun safety. You might have a slide that looks something like this: It’s informative, but not interactive. Now let’s see how you could use that same content to create a lean-forward interaction that’s sure to captivate your audience: Click here to compare the two versions Put yourself in your learner’s shoes. Which version would you find more interesting and engaging? My money’s on the drag-and-drop interaction. 3. Designing Nonlinear Courses Building a single course for a target audience with varying knowledge and skill levels can be a real challenge. One way to ensure you meet everyone’s needs is by building a nonlinear, or branched, course. You can do this by creating a menu that allows learners to navigate the course content freely or by designing a choose-your-own-adventure-style course where the learner’s path through the course changes depending on their actions. Building nonlinear courses in PowerPoint can be extremely challenging. But with Storyline 360, it’s a snap. You can easily see and make changes to the flow of your courses by simply dragging your slides in Story View, as shown in the GIF below. The ability to create nonlinear courses is just one example of how building your courses in Storyline 360 allows you to quickly and easily deliver a more personalized experience to your learners. And the more personalized the experience, the more relevant the course will feel to your learners—making them more likely to remember and apply the concepts to their jobs. Want more tips on personalizing your courses? Check out this article: 3 Ways to Personalize Your E-Learning Courses. 4. Building Custom Navigation That’s Intuitive With Storyline 360, you have total control over the learner experience. You can turn virtually any object into a custom button that behaves the way learners expect it to—making navigation intuitive. Let me explain. When you’re navigating the web, how do you know that an object is clickable? If you pay close attention, you’ll notice a couple of visual cues. For example, when you hover your mouse over a clickable object, the cursor changes from an arrow to a hand. There’s also usually a slight change to the formatting of the object itself—the fill color might change to a slightly lighter or darker hue. These visual cues help you navigate the website and find what you’re looking for. You can do the same thing in your e-learning courses to ensure your learners never feel lost. Check out the GIF below to get a better idea of what that experience can feel like: Click here to explore the interactive version With easy-to-use features like states and triggers in Storyline 360, you can make any object clickable in just a few seconds. And because these objects will behave just like learners expect them to, they’ll be able to focus on the course content—instead of trying to figure out where to click. The Bottom Line Importing your Studio 360 courses into Storyline 360 is fast and easy. And with Storyline 360’s PowerPoint-like interface, the learning curve is almost nonexistent. What do you have to lose? Give it a try today! Here are some resources to help get you up and running: Tips for Importing Microsoft PowerPoint and Articulate Presenter Content into Storyline 360 Storyline 360 tutorial videos Storyline 360 training webinars Storyline 360 user guide Want to try Storyline 360, 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.
