Making Effective Instructional Videos
Instructional videos are a great way to educate end users as they cover all learning styles - kinesthetic, visual, and auditory. The proliferation of video sites, cheap video equipment, and cheap bandwidth have made videos a cost-effective means of disseminating information. Video sites like youtube and screencast.com are great sources of high-quality instructional videos. Such videos have become a powerful sales tools both for large corporations and small home businesses. So, if you are planning to create instructional videos, here are some commonsense tips. I'll probably cover the effectiveness of videos as an instructional medium in another blog.
Tip #1 - Choose the appropriate instructional format
The two popular formats are screencasts and interviews/lectures. Screencasts are recordings of the instructor's screen. This format works really well for "how-to" videos. There are several good tools like Camtasia and CamStudio for creating and editing screencasts. Interviews and lecture are a good for conceptual information. I've seen people creating screencasts out of Power Point presentations too.
Tip #2 - Keep them short and engaging
People have short attention spans. Unlike text, it's hard to skim or search through video. So, instructional videos should be short and engaging. Also, stick to one topic.
Tip #3 - Use onscreen test
Use onscreen text to highlight points. This is very effective way to gain attention of the user and to "situate" her. Consider using closed captions if the presenter has a heavy accent.
Tip #4 - Create a storyboard
Storyboards are a great way to organize your thoughts. Remember, you are creating an instructional video and not an impromptu movie of your holidays in the Bahamas. A good story will help you cut down on rework and will ensure that the subject is covered effectively.
Tip #5 - Pay attention to a design
Maintain consistency in appearance and flow. It's true that user-generated videos with their rough edges are perceived as being more credible than slick company-produced one. However, videos need to be clean and crisp so as not to distract the user. So, define a template for all videos and follow it as closely as possible. Also, maintain a consistent approach to delivering information.
Tip #6 - Prep yourself and you presenters
Spend some time prepping yourself and your presenters. It's true that unwanted parts can be edited out later, but that's a lot of work and the cuts can be jarring. Lack of preparation can also make the video long and boring. So discuss questions and answers in advance.
Tip #7 - Choose the right tools
Video shoots need special preparation. Here's a brief checklist:
Cheers!
Tip #1 - Choose the appropriate instructional format
The two popular formats are screencasts and interviews/lectures. Screencasts are recordings of the instructor's screen. This format works really well for "how-to" videos. There are several good tools like Camtasia and CamStudio for creating and editing screencasts. Interviews and lecture are a good for conceptual information. I've seen people creating screencasts out of Power Point presentations too.
Tip #2 - Keep them short and engaging
People have short attention spans. Unlike text, it's hard to skim or search through video. So, instructional videos should be short and engaging. Also, stick to one topic.
Tip #3 - Use onscreen test
Use onscreen text to highlight points. This is very effective way to gain attention of the user and to "situate" her. Consider using closed captions if the presenter has a heavy accent.
Tip #4 - Create a storyboard
Storyboards are a great way to organize your thoughts. Remember, you are creating an instructional video and not an impromptu movie of your holidays in the Bahamas. A good story will help you cut down on rework and will ensure that the subject is covered effectively.
Tip #5 - Pay attention to a design
Maintain consistency in appearance and flow. It's true that user-generated videos with their rough edges are perceived as being more credible than slick company-produced one. However, videos need to be clean and crisp so as not to distract the user. So, define a template for all videos and follow it as closely as possible. Also, maintain a consistent approach to delivering information.
Tip #6 - Prep yourself and you presenters
Spend some time prepping yourself and your presenters. It's true that unwanted parts can be edited out later, but that's a lot of work and the cuts can be jarring. Lack of preparation can also make the video long and boring. So discuss questions and answers in advance.
Tip #7 - Choose the right tools
Video shoots need special preparation. Here's a brief checklist:
- Check if your presenter is ready
- Keep some drinking water for the presenter
- Make sure that your camera is charged and that it has sufficient memory
- Check the studio/room to ensure that everything's working fine
- Check all your equipment
- Keep a copy of the storyboard ready
Cheers!
This post is certainly useful for me as i was planning a video for my recent presentation at a conference. Thanks Matt.
ReplyDeleteRegards,
Anuj
http://anujmagazine.blogspot.com
http://thehandwritinganalyst.blogspot.com/