Before we build your course from the content you’ve provided, we need to be sure that we’ve got the text right, and gathered the types of images that you want to use.
That’s why we will first create a Word document file that we call the Storyboard.
What’s in a storyboard?
The storyboard is written by one of our Instructional Designers, and is the place where they take your content and transform it into the wording you will see in the built course.
We decide what page layout will suit each piece of information, breaking content into digestible chunks and adding images that help add meaning and depth to the words.
We also add interactions such as multiple-choice questions or drag-drop activities to ensure the learner stays engaged and is absorbing the information.
Our storyboards have a dual purpose:
They let clients see how we’ve shaped the content before the course gets built. This means any change requests can be made quickly and easily upfront – it’s much more time-consuming to make big changes once the course is built.
They are the blueprint from which our Consultants build the finished product. They contain information on page types, interactions, buttons and course flow from which the course can accurately be developed.
Why use MS Word?
Some companies choose PowerPoint or even bespoke ‘wireframing’ tools for their course storyboards. These allow the Instructional Designer to create a document that looks a lot like the built course, with page layouts that are easy to understand.
While we agree there are benefits to this approach, our focus is on gathering clear and detailed feedback on the course wording, and keeping a paper trail of what’s changed. The Tracked Changes functionality in Word means you can simply rewrite sentences as you see fit, meaning we reach a point of having the precise wording required with a quick turnaround. We can then get on with the build!
What if it doesn’t make sense?
It may feel daunting to receive a long word document, including notes to the course builder that you aren’t expected to understand. However, we do not need to you imagine the built course at this stage. We don’t expect you to ‘get’ what every page will look like and we’re certainly not asking you to sign off on the learner experience.
If you’d like someone from Skillcast to talk you through the storyboard then just ask – we would be very happy to do so. If you’re interested in how a particular page will look, we can show you an equivalent one from one of our course libraries.
How to complete your review
Start from the beginning and read through the pages in a linear order. This will represent the flow of the course that the learner will get, including any questions or interactions.
Do
Focus on the wording. Does it cover the content as required? Is it the right tone of voice? Is anything missing? Edit the words until you are happy with what you see.
Think about the flow. Is the content in the right order? We can switch topics around at this stage, move pages or merge one topic with another. You can simply add a comment into the storyboard to explain what you’d like, and we’ll make the changes for you.
Look at the images. Do the image and text work well together? Is there something different you’d like? Again, just add a comment to that image and explain what you’d like changed.
Take the time on this review stage. Getting the wording and flow right means that you don’t have to spend time on this later in the project
Don’t
Worry about what the built course will look like. You have three review rounds of the built course where you will have plenty of time to review and comment on the experience and interactions
Review different versions of the storyboard. If there is more than one reviewer, make sure you add your changes and comments to the same document so that we Skillcast has one single set of feedback.
Hold back if you have any questions! We know that a storyboard review may be one of the most challenging part of the project for our clients – so reach out if you’d like to discuss any aspect of it.