Many rapid elearning courses look at lot like the stereo-typical PowerPoint slide. They’re flat and bland. In a recent email, someone wanted to know how to make their screens look more interesting without requiring advanced graphics skills. In today’s post I’ll show a simple tip that we’ve been sharing in our workshops for a few years now. Why Be Flat? We call the following tip the floor-wall-baseboard (FWB) technique. However at a ...

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I review lots of elearning courses and demos. Since elearning is a mostly visual medium visual inconsistencies tend to stand out. They’re the types of things that cause the Frankencourse design. I’ve been making a list of some of the more common issues that I find. So in today’s post I’ll highlight three that I see quite a bit and offer some feedback on how to avoid them. Images are Skewed Images on the screen ...

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Time and money are the resources most of us don’t have. So in today’s post I thought I’d share some free applications that you may find handy as you work on your elearning courses. Find Everything The app is called Everything by VoidTools. David Anderson shared this with me after a recent workshop. It’s a simple application that lets you quickly search your computer. I created a custom keyboard shortcut and use it throughout the day because it really is super-fast. ...

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Before elearning I did a lot of video production. Back then it was time intensive and costly. But in many ways that’s changed. Today you’re able to shoot decent video on your smart phones or inexpensive HD cameras. And then editing them is also relatively easy and inexpensive. In fact, most smart phones have access to video editing apps and there are plenty of free or low-cost video editors to use with your personal computers. A few years ago you’d never consider ...

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The single largest visual element in your elearning course is the background. And the right background can set the stage and build expectations for your learners. A course that looks like a converted PowerPoint file isn’t as inviting as one that is aesthetically rich and looks more professionally designed. Here are some quick examples. Look at the image below. It looks like a typical rapid elearning course screen. It’s not bad, just not very dynamic or rich. ...

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I was digging through some files recently and found this template idea that I started a while back but never did anything with it. It’s built to feel a bit like a book. This could work for an information course or for performance support. PowerPoint Template Demo Below is a demo of the free PowerPoint elearning template. I added generic content with images and videos to give you some ideas on how the template could be used. ...

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At my PowerPoint workshops I like to show some of my favorite rapid elearning tips. During the demos I tend to use all sorts of shortcuts. And frequently the questions are less about the demo I show and more about my PowerPoint shortcuts. In today’s post, I’ll show you three PowerPoint features I use a lot and how to get quick access to them. The Quick Access Toolbar In ...

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Having the right look for your elearning course can help engage the learner and set initial expectations because how your course looks tells the learner what to expect. There’s a look that’s right for your elearning course. It’s just a matter of finding it. And that’s when listening to your visual voice is critical. What is the Visual Voice? You may not be a trained graphic designer, but odds are that you can tell ...

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Most people aren’t active participants in the elearning community. That’s OK. No one expects you to sit on the couch, eating bonbons, and chatting in the community. Most of us tend to use the community for quick help and then we go back to work. Not being an active participant means that it’s possible you miss some really good stuff in the community. So in today’s post I am highlighting some of the free assets that your peers ...

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I’m always sensitive to the elearning developers who have to work with limited resources and usually by themselves. Because of this my goal is to provide practical tips and tricks that offer real value. This year’s 2012 wrap up post features the tips & tricks shared during the past year that can be applied to your elearning courses right away. Rapid E-Learning Tips & Tricks

• How to Create a Learning Journal to Go with Your E-Learning Courses

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I like to use handwritten fonts in my courses. They work well when I add them to speech bubbles, callouts, or captions. I also like the contrast a handwritten font adds to a more formal design. It comes across as a personal note—something I need to focus on. In a previous post I shared ways to use the handwritten fonts as ...

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At a recent workshop someone asked how to demonstrate that they were successful and that the courses they built made a difference to the organization. That’s a good question, especially in this economy because the training group is usually one of the first groups targeted when an organization needs to make some cuts to the budget. So we want to make sure that we’re providing real value. E-Learning is Hot The good thing is that right now, even with ...

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