Storyboarding for E-Learning Courseware

The fabled win by an ancestor of Mr. Tortoise over an antecedent of Mr. Hare had always been a sore point with the Hoppers family. One fine day Mr. Hare decided to rid his family's name of this long-standing blemish. A challenge was made, and accepted. The date, starting point, and end points were decided for the race. Now Mr. Hare and Mr. Tortoise took rather different approaches for preparation of the race. While Mr. Hare became a familiar sight on the jogging track at dawn and in the gym at dusk, Mr. Tortoise was nowhere to be seen improving his physical conditioning.

Mr. Tortoise was busy doing some other kind of planning. He surveyed the grounds from the starting point of the race to the end point. Then he sat down with a paper and pencil and charted all the different routes that could be taken to reach the finish line. He chose the path that carried him down hill for most part of the distance. Then he divided the path into segments and made notes on where to conserve energy, and where to go full steam. At the end he had the chosen path clearly spelled out. Actions to be taken at each point of the path were also chalked out. The stage was set for the showdown.

On the appointed day the opponents arrived with their retinue. Mr. Hare and Mr. Tortoise got on their marks, got set, and went off. Mr. Hare relied on his general sense of direction and went bounding straight along the shortest path. Mr. Tortoise on the other hand calmly checked his bearings and started on his chosen track. Mr. Hare soon faced unforeseen challenges on his way. A rather deep stream, a steep uphill run that barely left him breathing, a thicket too dense to run through, and more. While he tried to find intelligent solutions to these problems, he lost precious time. "I wish I had planned my run," he thought, but it was too late. The evening saw insult added to injury as Mr. Hare took the final bend to see Mr. Tortoise calmly waiting for him at the finish line.

What did Mr. Tortoise do that Mr. Hare overlooked? Planning before execution. This scenario is often seen replicated in multimedia production. The urgency to get into the thick of production without proper planning often results in massive rework and loss of time. This is where storyboards can help. The rough charts that Mr. Tortoise made, formed the storyboard for his race. They allowed him to view and ponder over each part of the race before actually running it. He could site obstacles in advance and make necessary adjustments in luxury of time, rather than having to do it when each moment counted. A storyboard for a multimedia production does exactly the same. Allowing developers to plan how to cross the bridge before they come to it.

A storyboard is an important tool for an instructional designer. Like all other planning tools, it is time consuming and tends to hold up action, but an instructional designer should always be sensitive to the fact the rework is expensive. It is better to spend some time upfront, that spending many times more that that when deadlines are weighing down as deadweight.

Overview

Storyboards were in use much before multimedia came around. The process of making a storyboard that is storyboarding forms part of the planning phase for several activities. Film production relies heavily on storyboarding to break down a free running story into shots and sequences of shots. Architects use storyboards to decide on use of visual signage for navigation. Animators find it a very useful tool to break down a complex movement into a sequence of simpler ones. In each case storyboards are written as part of the pre-production exercise.

As in film production, multimedia projects also call for professionals with different expertise to work on different features of a product to give it its final shape. The difference is that while in film production the efforts are made in neat succession, for a multimedia courseware work may proceed simultaneously on more than one front. Isolated efforts of different individuals like instructional designers, graphic designers, and programmers need to falls together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle to make a multimedia courseware work. Storyboards play a vital role in such situation to define an individual's deliverables in isolation and in conjunction with deliverables of other developers.

What is a storyboard?

People from different vocations use and define a storyboard differently. For a filmmaker, a storyboard is a sequential depiction of shots. A novelist may define a storyboard as an array of thoughts, occurrences, or events arranged in an order to comprehensibly narrate a story. An animator would define a storyboard as a sequence of sketches corresponding to desired movement of a graphic object. Storyboard for a multimedia courseware can be defined as a document containing sequential description of eventsthat occur in the courseware. All these definitions have one attribute in common. All of them define a storyboard as a sequential description of events.

What are the events in a multimedia courseware? Events in a multimedia courseware broadly refer to different learn-bytes covered in the courseware. At micro level, an event may be each step of a procedure, a test item, a simulation, or a game.

What does sequential description of events call for? Sequential, in this context, means that the arrangement of events follows a defined navigation pattern. How the user will advance from one event to another and in which sequence. All these details should be clearly spelled out in a storyboard. Description refers to detailing of all design elements including graphics, audio, onscreen text, interactivity, and navigation. The extent of detail is generally defined in project standards. A storyboard may be a hard copy document, a stack of cards, or a soft copy with provision for accommodating electronic thumbnails or scanned images of hand drawn sketches.

Relevance of storyboarding for multimedia courseware

The storyboarding phase often entertains skeptical opinions. To many it seems an unnecessary investment of time, especially when struggling to meet a tight deadline. This feeling generally stems from impatience to get into production mode. Skipping the storyboarding phase may give a feeling of an early start, but subsequent production pitfalls and rework time may add up to much more than anticipated.

The relevance of the storyboarding phase is also product dependent. A filmmaker may skip the storyboarding phase and still come up with a sensible output given the bulk amount of film exposed. When it comes to a multimedia courseware, this extravagance of input material is nonexistent. Some of the key features of a multimedia courseware, which make the storyboarding exercise imperative to optimize production, are:

Use of several design elements like graphics, audio, text, and interactivity

Composite visualization of all design elements for a coherent output

Rendering of different design elements by different people

Integration of several different technologies to produce the final output

Producing a multimedia courseware calls for teamwork. People with different skill-sets often work in isolation on different parts of the courseware. It is therefore important that all of them have a common reference document carrying specifications of their deliverables, and how their deliverables fit into the larger picture. This is very important.

Imagine a scenario where at the time of final integration it is found that animation lengths are shorter than the dialogues they have to support, navigation is fuzzy, or onscreen text does not fit into the assigned area. The smallest of mismatches at this juncture may snowball into massive rework in several deliverables throwing deadlines in a tizzy.

Storyboarding is also important from client's point of view. Client's suggestions and corrections can be more easily accommodated at the storyboard stage than after the production is over. The rework time is much less and leeway for discussing and exploring new possibilities is much more. Moreover, a product based on a client-approved storyboard is less likely to go through major structural changes during subsequent client reviews.

Advantages of storyboarding

A storyboard serves the purpose of threshing out the production plan. Deliverables regarding each design element are also spelled out at this stage. More than this, a storyboard provides an opportunity to have the first composite look at the courseware. Some of the major advantages of making a storyboard for a multimedia courseware are:

The storyboarding exercise focuses on the content of the courseware in its entirety. This facilitates judging the overall size of the program and compare sizes of different learn-bytes.

Learning gaps in content and omission of required design elements at any stage are easily sited using a storyboard.

A storyboard helps in doing feasibility analysis of a concept map. Issues related to navigation, flow and clarity, and mismatch of design elements etc. should be spotted at this stage. Oversight of any such issue may lead to expensive rework later.

A storyboard serves as a common reference document for the entire design and quality assurance team.

A sufficiently detailed storyboard can be a client release document to involve the client in design phase and thereby reduce post-production rework.

Like any task involving teamwork, a storyboard serves its purpose only when all the concerned developers are involved in its preparation. The task may be assigned to a single person, but internal optimization reviews for overall design, graphics, and programming ensure that the design elements are doable. Value additions should be welcome from all developers to optimize use of resources and effectiveness of courseware.

Note: Different templates are used to write storyboards. Each template essentially includes all the design elements mentioned in the next section. Though the sequence and depiction of the design elements may differ. It is always advisable to adapt a basic template to suit specific project requirements.

Elements of a storyboard

A storyboard involves both design and functional characteristics of a courseware. Each of these characteristics is referred to as an element of storyboard. Though the functional characteristics are a reflection of corresponding design elements, functional characteristics are more like desired outputs of the storyboarding exercise. Functional elements also form broad level objectives of writing a storyboard. Design elements, on the other hand, are the actual development deliverables like graphics, audio, and text etc.

Functional Elements

Text and dialogues are not open to different perceptions so far rendering is concerned. They retain their essence and form from a written document to a functional multimedia product. Functional elements of a storyboard are attributes that are rather intangible in documented form. A functional element may be open to different visualizations like visual layouts. A functional element may also have a bearing on overall course structuring like navigation and content flow. A major objective of writing storyboards is to minimize ambiguity about such amorphous issues of production. Brief discussions about some functional elements follow. The list is only suggestive, not exhaustive, though it applies to most multimedia courseware projects.

Deciding visual layout

Imagine a scenario where a constructed courseware comes back from client review with comments on basic layout of the screens. The desired change may relate to comparative sizes of graphic and text areas, positioning of graphics or the navigation panel, or color schemes used throughout the courseware. A trifle comment may translate into touching up of every screen of the courseware. Writing a storyboard can substantially mitigate the risk of such undesired mishaps.

A storyboard provides an opportunity to depict the visuals, even if in a crude form. The instructional designer should work closely with the graphic designer to clearly illustrate the visual layout of the screens. If possible, general layout for one of the screens can be depicted in actual constructed graphic form. Some of the issues that the storyboard should clearly define are:

Graphic and onscreen text area, if separately defined

Positioning, size, and shape of graphic elements common across the screens, like graphic popups, buttons, title bars and navigation panel

Color scheme to be used in the graphic template

Warning: Corrections in graphic layouts are some of the most time-consuming rework jobs. Visuals are inherently conducive to many different perceptions. Thus the storyboard stage should be judiciously used to arrive at a consensus with the client on layout related issues.

Freezing navigation

Navigation refers to the pathways provided to the user within the courseware to move from one section or subsection to another. A courseware may have linear navigation, staggered navigation, or a combination of the two.

Navigation affects overall structure of the courseware. In case of linear navigation, involving largely independent learn-bytes, concerns related to navigation are simpler to address. Mostly a correction involves repositioning of self-contained chunks of content with little bearing on overall flow and clarity issues. The flexibility to make amendments is limited since information flows in a sequential, progressive disclosure fashion. In case of staggered navigation, navigation issues are more complex and difficult to address. In any case, each issue related to navigation needs to be viewed in light on its impact on overall flow and clarity of content. Needless to say, navigation issues form another major area of concern so far rework is concerned.

Navigation within a courseware is also constrained by the chosen medium of delivery. A stand-alone CBT (Computer Based Training CD) favors staggered navigation allowing greater freedom for hyperlinks and cross-referencing. A WBT (Web Based Training) on the other hand comes with constraints of slower navigation, greater upload time, and search features favoring linear navigation.

Storyboard is the right stage to freeze navigation within a courseware. The instructional designer needs to work with the programmer to ensure that the navigation is doable and free from any technical snags. This should be done as part of internal quality reviews discussed in the next topic.

Final content structuring

By the time an instructional designer reaches the storyboarding stage, a lot of work on content is already done. Preceding the detailing out of each screen of the courseware, following content organization activities take place.

ActivityDescription

Scoping

This activity determines the scope of the content covered in the courseware. Scoping is generally done in a client interaction or an internally prepared document is sent for client approval. In some cases the client delivers a scope document.

Sourcing

This activity involves sourcing of relevant content as defined by the scope document.

Chunking

At this stage the sourced content is divided or chunked into logical, manageable parts. These chinks may correspond to different learn-bytes the courseware is divided in.

Writing Macroflow

Different chunks of content are arranged in a logical sequence at the Macroflow stage. This looks like a mind map or a concept map showing the basic flow of the content. A Macroflow also places the basic navigation bulwarks for the courseware.

Once these initial activities are over, storyboarding can begin. Necessary adjustments for the sake of flow and clarity are made while translating a Macroflow into a storyboard. An instructional designer must ensure that the storyboard clearly brings out the content structure. If necessary, a flowchart can be attached to the storyboard to show the content mapping at a glance. This is important as changes in content structure in postproduction stage results in rework for all design elements. In some cases it may call for a fresh design approval by the client. Addressing content structuring issues at storyboard stage is like adjusting ground plan of an apartment in a blueprint. Doing the same thing at postproduction stage is like being asked to relocate a few walls and rooms in a constructed apartment. The comparative level of difficulty is self-evident.

Design Elements

Design elements include all aspects of courseware design documented in a storyboard. Design elements are actual deliverables of developers that form components for final integration of the product. Most commonly used formats of storyboards accommodate the following seven design elements. The sequence in which the design elements appear on different formats of storyboard may differ, but their scope and essential characteristics remain the same.

Course Identifiers

Course identifiers are addresses within the courseware. If you compare a courseware to a locality, course identifiers identify the locality and addresses of all apartment blocks, markets, and other establishments within. Generally the following two types of course identifiers are used for a courseware.

Course Information

Course information essentially includes:

Title or subtitle of the courseware

Any generic title if the courseware is a part of a series

Reference code, if any

Version number

The above information is used to identify a document and trace its version history. Some of the information like titles and subtitles is used for title bars in the courseware.

Screen/Frame Code

Typically a storyboard is divided into screens or frames. Each screen or frame in the courseware is assigned a code. These codes may be simple alphanumeric strings. For example, screen 2 of title 1 can be coded as T01-S002. The purpose of assigning codes to frames or screens is to facilitate organization of source files during production and final integration of the product. Graphic designers, audio artists, and animators, may save files related to each screen with reference to its screen code. Since a storyboard is a common reference document, all files belonging to a screen get saved with a common prefix and the chances of mismatches during integration are curtailed.

Usually a screen code ends with a numeral. It is a good practice to add an extra zero at the end of the code. For instance its is better to code a screen as T01-S002.0 instead of T01-S002. The advantage lies in the fact that if a screen is added between two existing ones the numbering of all subsequent screens need not have to change. For example say a screen is added between screen number 2 and 3, the new screen can simply be coded as T01-S002.1. An extra zero at the end of screen code accommodates upto nine additional screens between any two existing screens.

Graphics

Multimedia is a very visual medium. Graphics play a vital role in delivery of content in a multimedia courseware. A storyboard is preferred over a script solely for the purpose of depicting the graphic element in a more tangible manner. One concern is the level of detail to which a graphic should be worked on at storyboard stage. As stated earlier, the layout issues must be depicted in as final a form as possible. For the rest of the graphics, the idea of using a storyboard is to give a feel of the composition rather than showing it in a near finished form.

Frequently there is a set of graphics that are used repeatedly throughout a courseware. These are referred to as key graphics. An attempt should be made to get these key graphics approved by the client at storyboard stage. This is important as any change in such graphics may result in touching up of a large number of screens. These key graphics may be presented in detail as a separate list or at their first occurrence in the courseware.

Sketches in a storyboard should be accompanied by relevant descriptions to make rendering requirements as lucid as possible. The exactness of description should be judiciously chosen and depends on particular context. For example, if a character is being used, it is essential that the age, sex, and other required specifics are clearly stated. It is not required to specify the color of the clothing of the person, unless it has a bearing on delivery of content. General descriptions allow graphic designers to weave in their own creativity and value additions while rendering. At the same time, vague descriptions may send creativity on a tangent leading to rework.

Graphics in a courseware may be in the form of still images, animations, or video clips. Here are some key points to be noted while treating each of them at storyboard stage.

Still Images

Still images include individual graphic elements, compositions, and even stages of buttons that appear on the screen. Rough sketches indicating the basic shape, position, and proportion of elements is usually enough to depict a still image. For images that are technical in nature, like cross-sectional diagrams of machines, engineering blueprints etc., it is advisable that a suitable reference is attached to the storyboard to get an approval on the source of illustration.

Animations

It is not required to detail each stage of an animation. Animations can be depicted as a still image in a storyboard. Care should be taken to use a sketch that illustrates the key aspect of the animation. The purpose is to capture basic shapes of objects being animated. An estimated length of the animation may be marked. This is important if the animation is accompanied by a voice over or several text transitions. At times the length of the animation is actually determined by the superimposed audio time. This helps eliminate possibilities of unsightly mismatches like an animation having reached its last frame while the accompanying description is carrying on like an endless monologue.

Storyboarding stage is also useful to analyze whether a long animation can be substituted by a number of smaller ones or if a part of the animation can be depicted through graphic transitions. These are important considerations so far reducing development time and optimizing product performance is concerned. In WBTs for instance, a long, heavy animation may take so long to lead that it may prove to be more an interest killer that adding punch to presentation. Instructional and graphic designers should work in close coordination to resolve such issues.

Videos

Videos are also depicted as still images in a storyboard. The treatment is similar to depicting an animation so far bringing out the key focus area and duration aspects are concerned. Additional comments should be put in place to describe special effects, sequence of shots, and camera positions to be used. Supporting dialogues and sound effects must be specified as explained in the next topic.

Audio

Audio is more an enrichment factor of a multimedia program. It generally plays a support role in a multimedia courseware. Audio accentuates graphic depictions by making them seem more realistic. A person playing a guitar seems more convincing when accompanied by musical strums. Audio effectively reemphasizes information given in onscreen text. More than this, audio helps break the monotony of assimilating information in visual mode. Producing audio is an expensive proposition. It should be used judiciously. Audio may be used in the form of dialogues, or special sound effects.

Voice Over/Dialogue

A dialogue may be a conversation between two characters, or a narration describing an event happening on the screen. In both cases, dialogues must be written in final form in the storyboard. There is no suggestive or shortcut way of going about this. Besides the text for the dialogue, the sex, mood, and tone of the voice should also be clearly stated. Simply stating that the dialogue is spoken by a genie may well result in a high-pitched female voice being dubbed for a giant of a man that emerges out of Aladdin's lamp on the screen. Be specific; leave little or none for imagination so far audio is concerned.

Sound Effects

Ringing bell, soft music, horn of a car, sound effect on correct or incorrect attempt of a test item are examples of sound effects. A sound effect may be sued to support a visual, set a mood, or covey result of an interaction. All sound effects must be stated in the storyboard. If accompanying visual transitions or animation, preferably the length of the sound effect should be stated.

Onscreen Text

Text is one of the most indispensable and the most difficult of elements to assimilate off a luminous screen. Onscreen text is used to describe, summarize, and evaluate understanding of content. The role of onscreen text in disseminating information depends on whether the courseware is audio enabled or not. Since text is difficult to read off screen and requires more focus on part of the user, in audio enabled courseware text plays a second fiddle to audio. This is a preferred arrangement with the audio providing the bulk of instruction and text simply presenting it in a concise, easy to reckon format. In courseware where audio is missing text forms the major medium of instruction.

A storyboard must take into account the above consideration. Text, like audio must also be finalized at the storyboard stage. Some important considerations while writing text in storyboards are:

Make sure the font and point size is clearly stated for the text

If a text style guide does not exist, storyboard is the right stage to decide on style issues

If working with a preset text area on the screen, care must be taken that the supplied text fits into the allotted space

For sake of readability, avoid writing large blocks of text

Use bulleted lists, tables, and pictorial representations frequently

User Response

A basic strength of multimedia is that it allows for two-way communication. Besides supplying information, it entertains and actively attempts to elicit user response. A user may respond to either navigate through the courseware, or perform an interaction for the sake of understanding or evaluation. All instances of user response must be clearly documented in the storyboard with their trigger and resultant action.

Navigation

As stated earlier in functional elements, navigation is an important issue to be resolved at storyboard stage. Navigation within a multimedia courseware is usually done through a navigation panel that appears in the same position on ever screen. Navigation panel of a multimedia courseware typically contains buttons for following tasks:

ButtonFunction

Menu

Takes the user to the main menu from anywhere in the courseware.

Forward

Takes the user to the next screen or learn byte. Needs to be defined for each screen.

Next

Takes the user to the previous screen or learn byte. Needs to be defined for each screen.

Replay/Refresh

Replays the currently active animation sequence or entire contents of the active screen.

Course Map

Displays flow diagram of courseware. Helps locate position of the user within courseware.

Glossary

Takes the user to inbuilt explanation of difficult terms at a glance. The same list is referred to from different screens through hyperlinked words.

Help

Takes the user to global help items.

Quit

Takes the user out of the courseware.

In a storyboard, explanation of these standard navigation options is given only at the first screen where the navigation panel appears.

Besides the navigation panel, there may be provisions for navigation within a particular learn-byte. This is true when a lot of branching and nested frames are used to allow user greater control over choosing a learning path. Such section specific navigation is done through textual or graphical submenus. These submenus, triggers, and resultant navigational actions are documented in the storyboard separately. Such second level navigation instances come under the purview of interactions. Descriptions in a storyboard are best given in tabular form as illustrated in the following discussion on interactivity.

Interactivity

Besides navigation, a multimedia courseware allows the user to perform activities for the sake of understanding the content and undergoing evaluation of understanding. Following four basic types of interactions are found in a courseware.

Interaction TypeNatureApplication

Click

Mouse event

Suitable for standard and second level navigation.

Most used interaction for selecting one or more textual or graphic elements for explanation or evaluation activity

Drag and Drop

Mouse event

Suitable for grouping or sorting of textual or graphic elements.

A useful tool in engaging the user in a progressive buildup activity.

Mouse Over/Rollover

Mouse event

Suitable for providing tooltips and explanations when a change of base graphic I not desired.

Fill in the Blank

Keyboard event

Suitable for taking numeric or textual feedback from the user when alternatives are not already provided.

A good storyboard is a healthy mix of these interaction types. Each interaction should be carefully documented identifying the trigger object and resultant action. A neat and easy way is to record interactions in tables. The chosen format should also clearly identify the interaction type, and assigned code if applicable.

There are several different formats used, adapted to specific project requirements and personal level of comfort of the developing team. Documentation of interactions has a direct bearing on final integration of the product. It is essential that all details of each interaction appear in the storyboard. This gives an opportunity to test feasibility of each interaction and optimizing it for visual and functional attributes. For example, a storyboard is the best stage to verify whether all the graphic elements involved in an interaction would fit in the allotted graphic area or not. So far interactions are concerned, value additions must be sought from graphic designer and programmer as well. The instructional designer does the final documentation.

Note: Some instructional designers consider navigation a part of interactivity. Technically there is nothing wrong with the notion. Though some times this results in lack of interactivity for actual learning being deliberately offset by unnecessary navigation options. This should be avoided.

Making of a storyboard

Storyboarding is a pre-production exercise. A storyboard is drawn after the content is sourced and a concept map or Macroflow is in place. Writing of storyboard is primarily the responsibility of the instructional designer. A storyboard is supposed to contain final visualization for all aspects of production. This attribute necessitates participation of the entire development team in the production of a storyboard. Working on a storyboard allows professionals to consider issues beyond their basic skills and visualize a product in totality. The exercise sensitizes individuals to interdependence of work, engenders appreciation for others' effort, and aids teamwork.

Desired skill-set for storyboarding

Writing a storyboard calls for visualization of content from many angles. Text, audio, and visuals need to be interweaved in a logical, programmable fashion to present the information in an interactive, presentable form. To visualize a product requiring inputs from different people with different skill-sets, an instructional designer needs to be multi-skilled. This does not imply that an instructional designer must be technically proficient in all aspects of the trade. All this calls for is a general understanding of functioning, limitations, and strengths of available technology.

To write a good storyboard, an instructional designer needs to have following skills:

Instructional design

Graphic design

Programming

Creative writing

Subject matter expertise

Coordination and management

It is understandably difficult to find all the above skills in an individual. Brainstorming sessions with subject matter experts, graphics designers, and programmers help.