E-Learning storyboard is a document that describes every single element of your e-learning course, be it visuals, text, audio, navigation, course flow and interactive elements. eLearning storyboard creates a clear plan for project management and shows how different elements of an e-learning course relate and fit together.
In this blog, I will share the best practices for creating awesome storyboards for E-learning courses.
However, before you jump into writing a storyboard, I recommend you create a storyboard template. A template is a structured outline of your storyboard that can be in any format like a word, PPT, as per your choice. Add the following elements in the storyboard template.
- Storyboard title/Header with the project name, course name, and date
- A box to represent the screen number
- An area to represent on-screen text
- Audio content to match the on-screen narration
- Navigation instructions
- Multimedia details like visuals, graphics, icons, characters, speech bubbles etc
- Any other special instruction related to interactivity
Have clear learning objectives
Define the learning objectives as it will guide your development process. It’s essential to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve by creating an e-learning course. Discuss with the subject matter experts to find out what needs to be covered and what can be left out, so that you can determine how much data you are working with in advance.
Pick a Design Model/Method
To deliver an effective e-learning content for your learners, use a design theory like ADDIE, SAM, Gagne’s 9 Principles, Knirk, and Gustafson etc. It is used to define the activities that will guide the development of eLearning projects.
Multimedia elements
Multimedia elements such as images, graphics, animations etc will help the learners to capture the best message, you need to get across.Decide upon all the multimedia elements you will incorporate into your e-learning course by including an analytical description of each in the corresponding part of your e-learning storyboard.
Create assessments
While you are creating your storyboard figure out where each of the tests/ knowledge checks will be placed and what type of assessment is best suited for the subject matter and your learners. In addition, include basic information about the e-learning activities such as the key points it must include, which learning goals they tie into, as well as how each will be graded.
Select an authoring tool
Selecting an authoring tool will help to streamline all the different components and ensure the elements stick together to create a coherent learning experience. Conduct a bit of research before you pick your favorite tool by focusing on things such as the type of content you are going to include in the storyboard, the timeline you are utilizing and the kind of budget you are working with.
Present the storyboard
While you may take utmost care to create a detailed storyboard, written documents are always a subject of interpretation. To avoid any misinterpretations or confusions present your storyboard to the development team. This will not only lead to better clarity of thoughts and precise output but will also help thrash out any elements or concepts which might be difficult to develop. Overall it will lead to a more collaborative team experience as well as engaging learner experience.
Test your storyboard
For the most effective learning experience, it’s always best to test the storyboard with your colleagues, client etc. The clients can give you a feedback whether the storyboard is meeting the desired learning outcomes and whether it will appeal their learners. Your colleagues might be able to fill up instructional design gaps if any. Tweak the storyboard based on their feedback. This not only brings value to the e-learning course but also help to create a memorable learning experience.
In general, an e-learning storyboard should be as detailed and as specific as possible. Convey your idea to other team members and give them everything they need to bring the e-learning course to life.
For more examples of e-learning storyboards, please visit our portfolio page.
