Do you find yourself spending a lot of time conceptualising your eLearning courses, and then fine-tuning the visuals? Are you looking for a way to speed up the process? Storyboarding may be the answer. Storyboarding is a technique that helps you visualise your course before you start creating any content. It can help you save time and money, while ensuring that your course looks great. In this blog, we'll explore the basics of storyboarding and look at some tips for getting started.
What are storyboards and what do they look like?
Storyboards are simply a series of images that depict the different scenes in your course. They can be hand-drawn or created using software like PowerPoint, Word or Storyboard That. Most storyboards include brief descriptions of each scene, as well as the characters, locations, and objects that are present.
Why are storyboards important?
When you're working on an eLearning course, it's important to have a clear vision of what you want the end product to look like. Storyboards are a great way to visualise your course and make sure that all the elements fit together properly.
There are several reasons why storyboards are essential for eLearning designers:
First, they help you to get a clear understanding of the course flow. By creating a storyboard, you can ensure that each scene leads logically to the next. This is especially important in courses that include branching scenarios or complex interactions.
Second, storyboards help you to communicate your vision to others. If you're working with a team of developers or subject matter experts, it's much easier to explain what you want the course to look like using a storyboard than it is to describe it in words. This can save a lot of time and frustration later on.
Finally, storyboards can help you to catch errors early on. It's much easier to make changes to a storyboard than it is to make changes to a developed course. This is because storyboards are flexible and can be easily changed.
How do you create a storyboard?
Creating a storyboard is relatively simple. First, you need to decide on the scenes that you want to include in your course. Once you have a good understanding of the flow of your course, you can start creating your storyboard.
If you're using software like PowerPoint or Storyboard That, you can simply drag and drop images into place. If you're hand-drawing your storyboard, you can sketch out each scene on a piece of paper.
Once you have your storyboard complete, you can add descriptions for each scene. These should include the characters, locations, and objects that are present. You should also include any important actions or interactions that take place.
How can storyboards help during the eLearning design process?
Storyboards can be incredibly helpful when you're designing an eLearning course. They can help you to:
Visualise your course and see how all the elements fit together
Spot any potential problems with your course design
Get feedback from others on your course design
Make sure that all the elements of your course are consistent with each other
By taking the time to create a storyboard, you can ensure that your course is well-designed and error-free.
Some tips for creating effective storyboards
If you're new to storyboarding, here are a few tips to help you create effective storyboards:
Keep it simple. Don't try to include too much information in your storyboard. Just focus on the key points.
Be consistent. Use the same style for all of your storyboards. This will make it easier for others to understand them.
Get feedback. Ask others for their opinions on your storyboards. This can help you to improve them.
Create a template. That way you don't have to re-invent the wheel each time you create a new course.
Conclusion
Storyboards are a great way to see your eLearning courses come alive. They can help you identify any potential problems before it’s too late, so by using them in the development process of all future content pieces this will reduce costs and time spent on fixing errors after launch! What do think about giving storyboarding a try?