Design: Before, During and After

I hate code! I have always been fascinated by the idea of scripting something behind the scenes and like magic it appears. This redesign however has dwindled my faith in becoming an HTML and CSS master.

Throughout this process there have been a lot of surprising things I've learned about myself or had to examine.  I always had a feeling that I was a Sans Serif kind of gal but now I KNOW.  I decided to document my blog redesign before, during and after.

Before

• Don’t be afraid to change your mind!

• Set up an inspiration board:

• http://www.pinterest.com/jvalley0714/white-and-nerdy/

• Look for companies/websites that will provide you with insight and examples:
• http://www.behance.net/

• https://dribbble.com/

• https://pinterest.com

• http://www.templatetrackers.com/

• http://www.bloggertheme9.com/2013/08/truepixel-blogger-template.html

• http://www.templateify.com/

• http://www.scribblesofvalerie.com/2013/08/free-blogger-template-download-eternal.html (I ended up using this one as a base :) )

• Soul search to know what you want

• Theme

• Watercolor

• Gadgets 

• Click to Pin

• Click to Tweet
• Font

• Combination of Script and Sans Serif

• Color

• Blue, Green, Gray (combination or variations of each paired together)

• Prep yourself for the time and effort it will take

• Do I have the skill and time to create a new design? 

• Yes, I'll make time and learn the skills necessary.

• Do you have the time to do a big bug hunt? 

• Yes, I'll make time.

• Ask yourself the hard questions

• Who will be in charge of the redesign?

• Well me of course!

• What's my personality? What best represents me?

• Light, airy, blue/green, watercolors, sans serif font, simple, lots of gadgets

• When do I want to roll this out?

• During 2nd quarter

• Is the current design stale and old fashioned?

• Yes!

• Do you need a redesign in order to tighten and update the web code?

• Yes (I didn't know this until I was already half way into the build lol)

• Will your current web content lend itself well to your new design?

• The articles yes, the pictures no. Update pictures later?

• Can you make the website more efficient and usable?

• Yes. Having a three column design will let me spread out my gadgets on top of the screen better.

During

• Don’t be afraid to change your mind!

• Technology is limited

• I was left with only using Google Fonts since I'm unable to download new fonts onto my tablet.

• Don't be too picky. Being particular is one thing.  Trying to reach perfection will end in an incomplete project.

• Coding is hard

• I have no coding skills what so ever.  I found myself relying on blog posts, articles and google searches to get the look and feel I wanted.

• Best article on how to add Google web fonts to your blogger blog: http://www.carrieloves.com/2012/02/how-to-add-google-web-fonts-to-your-blogger-blog/

• How to add a Pinterest hoover over your pictures:http://www.digitalkonline.com/blog/how-to-add-a-pinterest-hover-button-to-your-blogger-images/

• Click to Tweet Generator:http://clicktotweet.com/

After

• Ask yourself if what you’re doing turns the hard questions into answers

• Don’t be afraid to change your mind (do you see the reoccuring theme)

• Test test and test again 

• Here's a checklist:http://lite.launchlist.net/

• Does the design provide solid answers to my hard questions? 

• Yes

• Did I carry out the design to my other social media sites? 

• Yes

• What did I miss? 

• Rearranged the gadgets

• Deleted unused gadgets

• Added the Pinterest hoover after the original launch

Source:
http://www.webdesignrazzi.com/2014/10-things-to-consider-before-going-in-for-a-new-website-design/

Did I miss anything crucial? Do you like the redesign? What is stopping you from updating?

I still have a couple more things i'd like to do and try but like anything else it's a work in progress.

Lights, Camera, Edit?

Continuing on with my tips and tricks for adding different elements into eLearning, let's chat about video. It's a powerful tool that can add depth and quality to a course (if done right).  So, what do you need to make video content great? In my opinion it's the work that's done before and after filming. In order to do that, you need to:

• Create a well written and easy to read script
• Develop a location and filming setup that benefits you the most
• Cast or use great talent
• Pre-Record like you mean business
• Set aside time to do a quality edit

So what does that mean?

Script:

• Easy to read
• Uses concise wording
• Free of spelling errors
• In a readable format
• Explains abbreviations or market specific terminology
• Content matches the reading level of your audience (Do you look at your content's readability rating?)
• Include annotations for movement and emotion

Location and Setup:

• Choose a location with natural lighting or try to set up a lighting system similar to the one found here: Lighting
• When filming a product highlight create a Light Box
• Set up your location specifically to cater to the needs of a Green Screen if one will be used (Camtasia offers some great tips and tricks)
• Pick a background that is one solid color for a clean look

The Talent:

• If you don't have the budget to hire a professional do an open casting call asking fellow employees for help
• If you pick a professional, don't go into the commitment blind. Ask for previous work, head shots and maybe even a sample of the script before signing a contract
• Create a list of things to wear and NOT wear. Avoid flashy jewlery, items that jingle and patterned shirts that compete with the background
• Speak candidly about the tone and purpose of the video so they are fully aware of what style presentation to use

Pre-Record:

• Practice, Practice and practice again
• Try camcorder techniques a head of time to determine specifics
• Leave the camcorder on during practice for additional film options or to create a bloopers reel for internal staff to enjoy
• Make sure both the recording staff and talent are comfortable before moving into final production

Edit:

• Give yourself enough time
• Normalize the audio
• Include transitions, pans and call outs to add character
• Add an introduction
• Add free video loops, backgrounds or effects
• http://www.detonationfilms.com/Stock_Directory.html 
• http://www.movietools.info/
• https://archive.org/browse.php?field=subject&mediatype=movies&collection=stock_footage
• http://www.xstockvideo.com/
• http://www.mediacollege.com/stock/video/
• http://www.motionelements.com/free/stock-footage/
• http://www.ignitemotion.com/
• http://www.free-hd-footage.com/
• http://www.beachfrontbroll.com/
• http://www.free-video-footage.com/

The nice thing about video is that if it's done correctly and fits in with the company's marketing strategy (along with other aspects) it can be shared on social media and websites creating a greater audience than your eLearners.  Have you see Zappo's Company Culture YouTube series (#ZapposCulture)?

What tips and tricks have you learned along the way? What software do you use? What's the best hack that could save someone a lot of money?  Comment below, on Facebook, LinkedIn or tweet me @jvalley0714

*For the sake of time and argument I choose to leave out what products or devices can be used.

How to Make Audio More Than Just Noise

Testing, testing, one, two, three....








So, the project that your working on requires audio. It's time to prep your content and ready the talent. Here are my tips and tricks for recording audio right, the first time:

• Create a well written and easy to read script
• Pre-Record like you mean business
• Set aside time to do a quality edit

Let's go over these three aspects little more thoroughly:

A script should be written in a way that it's:

• Easy to read
• Uses consise wording
• Free of spelling errors
• In a readable format
• Explains abbreviations or market specific terminology
• Content matches the reading level of your audience (Do you look at your content's readability rating?)

Click here for a sample script

Pre-Recording Checklist:

• Place yourself in a room without noise and distraction (door closing, coffee pot percolating etc.)
• Place your IM on Do Not Disturb (Oh those annoying internet noises!)
• Grab a drink. A moisturized mouth is a happy one!
• Blow your nose. I know that sounds gross but no one wants to hear your sniffle.
• Buddy up (if possible) (one listens while the other review the script for changes)
• Temporary turn off all email, IM or Internet notifications
• Change your desktop background to a person so you have someone to "speak to"
• Go through the script to be sure you have the proper steps and wording ready such as pre-populated examples, pulling up reports that take a long time to run, etc.
• Test your internet connection and link up with a hard line if possible
• Perform a sound check by listening to a sample script's volume, pitch, speed and determine if there are any background noises.

Sample Script: 
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/A_Tale_of_Two_Cities

Run through your script until you feel that you've captured the perfect audio.  Don't forget to stop frequently to check content quality, speed and tone.

The fun is not over because now its time to edit. Be sure to:

• Give yourself enough time to go through the audio throughly
• Normalize the audio
• Chunk it down into smaller pieces for easy handling and editing
• Silence breaks
• Remove breaths

Don't have an audio editing software?  Check out this free product: Audacity

What tips and tricks have you learned along the way?  Comment below or tweet me @jvalley0714 

Reference material:
http://elearningbrothers.com/how-to-record-voice-overs-for-elearning-part-1/
http://elearningbrothers.com/voice-over-tips-for-elearning-during-recording-part-2/
http://elearningbrothers.com/how-to-do-voice-overs-for-elearning-post-editing-part-3/

Why your eLearning course should be more like Justin Timberlake

So you are probably thinking, “What the heck do Justin Timberlake and your eLearning content have in common”?  The answer: more than you might think. Being a triple threat is not only good for business, it also guarantees you are creating engaging content.  For Justin, he can sing, dance and (arguably) act. So how can you transform your eLearning into a triple threat?

Singing is a form of communication. Think of your content as lyric building. Your content should accompany your objectives like the verses of a song. Your verses should build up to your chorus (or catch line) delivered with so much emotion (or cleverly crafted wordsmith) that your learners will want to belt it out. An easy way to include singing into your course is to add audio. Adding audio will serve as a method to communicate additional information while visually keeping just the main points on screen.

Tweet it Out!

Create a course chorus that your learners will want to belt out. @jvalley0714

Dancing is a combination of movements. Maintain a chasse (do not forget to match the tempo of your song with the style of your dance). Incorporating them properly can create a steady learning transfer. Incorporating them improperly can also result in a free spin. Remember; do not leave your learner to do a solo performance. eLearning should be a partnered experience. By adding animations and video into your course, you can create tantalizing movements.

Tweet it Out!

Do not leave your learner to do a solo performance. @jvalley0714

Acting is a way to convey a story to an audience. Be sure to pick the right cast and add props and costumes to help with the learning experience. Try creating a character with emotional relevance and a sense of familiarity to ensure he/she gets a callback in another lesson. Scenarios are brilliant ways to include characters and tell a story.

Tweet it Out!

Pick the right cast and add props and costumes to help with the learning experience. @jvalley0714