Many eLearning authoring tools allow for you to directly import Microsoft PowerPoint slides into the course.While it might not be true to size, it provides the programmer with directions on how the slide should be set up while also giving the storyboarder a visual cue on how much screen real-estate they have available. As mentioned earlier, Microsoft PowerPoint allows for the programmer to see a detailed mock-up of the slide.It allows for the storyboarder to use a variety of shapes, graphics, and icons to develop detailed mock-ups for the programmer to follow. Microsoft PowerPoint is one of the more popular storyboarding tools within the eLearning community. Often times, other programs, like Microsoft PowerPoint, will have to be used to create mock-ups for custom slides, because the design tools are limited within Microsoft Word.This can be a major issue for a programming team because the storyboarders often use up too much slide real estate. Graphics and tables created in Word donвЂ™t transfer to authoring tools, like Storyline, easily nor are they scaled to match the size of the slide.

The programmer has to rely heavily on the instructions from the storyboarder because the screenshots might not reflect exactly what the storyboarder intended the slide to look like. This can be very helpful, as some of our storyboards exceed 100 pages! Features like the Navigation Pane, which offers an at-a-glance menu of the entire storyboard, make this possible. The programmer is able to follow along regardless of whether the eLearning module is linear or branches to various scenes. Unlike Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word gives you a comprehensive view of the storyboard.For instance, the tables that we use in our storyboards show us exactly where the content is supposed to go on the slide. Copying text over to the authoring tool, like Articulate Storyline, is simple and easy.And most importantly, our clients, which are some of the largest accounting firms in the world, can review the storyboards in a tool that is familiar to them and can easily see their comments and our responses. Also, the programmer can leave comments for the storyboarder, which we find is very useful in our development process. Track Changes is a great tool within Microsoft Word because it allows the storyboarder to see any changes the programmer has made.The storyboarder can easily swap out the screenshots and adjust the tables to meet the needs of each module. Below each screenshot is a table that the storyboarder fills out with content to be included, programming instructions, audio, and any other notes. For instance, our storyboard template contains screenshots of our standard slides from Articulate Storyline. It allows you to create easy-to-use templates that can be adjusted quickly. Microsoft Word is probably the easiest to use out of the three options. Now that you understand what a storyboard is, letвЂ™s jump into the comparisons starting with Microsoft Word. It also is a way for the client to know what is being produced for them вЂ“ specifically, what content is being taught and how it is being presented to the learner. Without one, the programmer wonвЂ™t know what interactions need to be developed. Storyboards are critical in the eLearning development process. It contains the text, images, audio transcript, video outlines, programming instructions, and notes. It provides the programmer with a detailed description of what each slide should resemble. What is a storyboard?ДЄ storyboard is essentially the вЂњblueprintвЂќ of a course. In todayвЂ™s blog, IвЂ™ll be explaining some of the pros and cons to each of these three tools when it comes to storyboarding an eLearning course. However, it was brought to my attention that I should probably include the tool that we use to create storyboards, Microsoft Word. I figured I could provide an outsiderвЂ™s perspective since I donвЂ™t actually develop any of the storyboards we do at GAAP Dynamics (being that IвЂ™m not an accountant). I was instantly inspired to do a comparison blog from a programmer perspective вЂ“ it was going to be the showdown of all showdowns. (Want to learn more about DevLearn? Check out JuliaвЂ™s latest blog!) While attending the session eLearning Prototyping with Adobe XD, a discussion broke out amongst the group about using Microsoft PowerPoint instead of Adobe XD for storyboarding. A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend DevLearn 2019 for the first time with two of my amazing coworkers, Vicky Hale and Julia Shawver.

Adobe cc storyboard program