Live to Learn : Learn to Live

In my previous career journeys I have been on both sides of the creation of elearning: the design side and the development side. So far, my experiences have been mostly positive. At my previous job, I spent most of my time writing courses using a storyboard (however a very primitive one at that). I have also used that same storyboard format to create the training (designed usually by other instructional designers) in an online format - so I was the developer.

Of course there were those times where there was confusion… “did you mean this or that??” But it was never a show-stopper. Never was I so lost as to how to develop an elearning course because the storyboard format gave me structure. I knew where a screen’s content began and where it ended.

Not so is it the case with the course I am developing now. The lack of any such storyboard is leaving me lost. And in this situation, not being both the designer and developer leaves me at a loss as to what direction to go in. In previous experiences I could make my own judgement and go with it - no one to answer to. However, in this instance, I must be in constant contact with the designer to decipher what is desired on each screen. It is a headache!!

“Why don’t you just introduce storyboards to make the situation easier?” you may ask…

Well, the problem is, that is already going forward. My boss is reviewing the storyboard format my team and I have come up with. Also, this course was designed way before that began (when I wasnt at this position). So now I am stuck interpreting a lot of content with very few cues as to what to do with it all.

I guess you never really know how helpful the structure of a storyboard is until you don’t have one. So my advice to you: ALWAYS UTILIZE STORYBOARDS. (and try to use a good storyboard to for the sake of all elearning developers!!)