Hillary Williams

If you are creating or authoring Rise content. I recommend checking out Articulate’s maturity plan for Storyline. It outlines known accessibility issues with the application, if there is a planned fix, and provides additional workarounds and details. #accessibility https://lnkd.in/gBjW8VfP

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What do you like the most about authoring tool?🚀 👉 A standout authoring tool excels when it blends powerful multimedia support with flexible, brand-aligned design—allowing instructional designers to embed engaging videos, craft visually rich long pages, and maintain consistent branding through customizable layouts and styles. 👌 The best platforms also offer rapid update capabilities, enabling course content to evolve in tune with new product launches or regulatory changes. 👍 When paired with automatic translation or localization workflows, such tools empower brands to deliver dynamic, high-quality training globally and with zero compromise on aesthetics or intuitiveness.

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Storyboard_V1.0: “Looks great!” Storyboard_V17.0: “Let’s just add one small thing…” Every instructional designer knows this story. You submit your first storyboard. Clean. Structured. Beautiful. ✨ Then the feedback starts rolling in: 👉 “Can we add this? It’s important.” 👉 “Let’s include one more example.” 👉 “Maybe a quick scenario?” 👉 “Oh… and a short video.” 👉 “And this compliance point.” Seventeen versions later… Your storyboard has officially entered its ✨ expansion era ✨ Welcome to the world of stakeholder feedback, scope stretch, and evolving learning requirements. But here’s the twist — this is where real learning design magic happens. 🧠 Because behind every “small addition” is: ✔ clearer learning objectives ✔ stronger business alignment ✔ better learner relevance ✔ richer instructional strategy Iteration isn’t the enemy. Unstructured additions are. 😅 The real skill? Turning feedback overload into structured, high-impact eLearning design. 🎯 Be honest… What’s the highest version number your storyboard has reached? 👇😂 #instructionaldesign #elearning #learninganddevelopment #storyboarding #corporatetraining #instructionaldesigner

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🎯 New Intellum Evolve Tutorial – Timed Interactions That Reflect Real Life Timers often get a bad name in eLearning — and fair enough, when they’re used poorly. But in the right context, a timer can help replicate how decisions are made in real life. In Arck Learning's latest tutorial, I show you how to build a stylised countdown timer in Evolve, ideal for simulating high-pressure decisions in areas like emergency response, finance, and customer service. The timer is: ✅ Fully responsive ✅ Logic-based ✅ Can be set up with an optional opt-out using simple logic 📽️ Sneak peek below. To watch the full tutorial, head to the latest blog post on our website or find it on the Arck Learning YouTube channel. 💬 Want a copy of the working course file with all the logic and theming in place? Drop me a DM and I’ll send it over. #elearning #learningdesign #instructionaldesign #digitallearning #leadershipdevelopment

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Strong instructional design starts with clarity — not just in content, but in structure. Before authoring tools come into play, visual mockups help bring the learning journey into focus. It's possible to apply core design principles early: sequencing, cognitive load, flow, and alignment with outcomes. This step-by-step carousel shows how a simple visual plan can lead to smoother collaboration, faster approvals, and better results. A win for all involved! Clear beginnings = smoother, faster results. 👇 Curious how others approach the early stages of a course — visual planning or straight into development? #InstructionalDesign #LearningAndDevelopment #Elearning #Canva #CourseDesign #LXD #IDCommunity #ContentCreation

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June Jumpstart: Tips for New Articulate Designers When I first started working in Storyline, I assumed having the software meant I was ready to build courses. I quickly learned that real instructional design takes more than clicking and dragging. It requires thought, structure, and a strategy. Here are some of the most valuable lessons I've learned along the way: Design before you develop Storyline does not come with built-in design instincts. Before you start building slides, take time to plan the structure of your course. Think through your navigation, learner flow, player settings, feedback layers, and slide masters. Getting clear on these pieces up front will help you avoid frustration later and lead to more polished outcomes. Leave breadcrumbs for yourself and others If you're building a custom or complex interaction, take a moment to document how it works. You can leave a small text box off-screen with a brief note explaining the logic. This helps if you need to update it in the future or if another developer picks up your file later. Clear notes are a small step with big long-term value. Make it great, then duplicate Put effort into building one high-quality version of a slide or interaction. Once you're happy with it, duplicate and reuse it across your course. Storyline’s Team Slides and Media Library features make this easier and more efficient. You’ll save time, ensure consistency, and reduce rework. Test early, test smart Before you go too far into content development, create a short prototype. Include your fonts, colors, layouts, and a few sample interactions. Share this prototype with your stakeholders or clients to confirm it meets their branding and accessibility standards. It is much easier to course-correct early than to revise a full course later. Learn your shortcuts Switching between views in Storyline can slow you down if you are clicking through menus. Instead, use keyboard shortcuts to move faster. Press F3 for Slide View, F4 for Slide Master, and F5 for Feedback Master. These shortcuts, along with others, can dramatically speed up your workflow over time. Whether you are just beginning or looking to sharpen your process, these habits can make your design experience smoother and more effective. What’s one tip you wish you had known earlier in your instructional design journey? #InstructionalDesign #ArticulateStoryline #ElearningDevelopment #LXD #LearningDesign #AccessibilityInLearning #JuneJumpstart #NewToID #IDTips

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🎯 Want to take your eLearning to the next level? Let’s talk about PERSONALIZATION using variables in Articulate Storyline! ✨ Here’s a quick tip: Use **text variables** to create a more engaging learner experience. By customizing content based on learner inputs (like their name or preferences), you help them feel more connected. 👉 **Steps to personalize:** 1. **Create a Text Variable** for learner names or choices. 2. Use an **Input Field** on your first slide to capture the data. 3. On subsequent slides, insert the variable (e.g., “Welcome, %LearnerName%!”) to display their name dynamically. 🔍 Remember, small touches can enhance engagement and retention. When learners see their name, it’s a little nudge that says, “Hey, this is for you!” 💡 Try it out in your next module, and watch the learner experience transform! What’s your favorite way to personalize eLearning? Share below! 👇 #InstructionalDesign #eLearning #ArticulateStoryline #Personalization

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I used Adobe Captivate. Built courses. Hit publish. And thought I was an instructional designer. 🤦🏾‍♂️ New IDs and eLearning developers, hear me out: Building training content with #eLearning authoring tools does NOT make you an instructional designer. That's like saying, "Because I use Microsoft Excel in my job, that makes me a data analyst." Not! ❌ The tool is not the craft. I know because I fell into this same trap. The wake-up call came while working at a previous employer. I was part of a small internal group collaborating with an L&D consultant to build a leadership development course. Working alongside that consultant? It exposed how poor my actual instructional design skills were. 👉🏾 She asked questions I never thought to ask. 👉🏾 She applied frameworks I'd only heard of. 👉🏾 She approached the learner experience in ways I hadn't considered. I was humbled. And grateful. That experience showed me how much I still had to learn beyond clicking buttons and arranging slides. Don't fall into the same trap I did. If you want to grow as an instructional designer, immerse yourself in: 🔹 Sound instructional design frameworks (Action Mapping, SAM, Backward Design) 🔹 Cognitive Load Theory 🔹 The science of how people actually learn and retain information The tools will always change. New versions. New features. New platforms. But the fundamentals of effective learning design? Those are timeless. 🙅🏾‍♂️ Your value isn't in mastering Captivate, Storyline, or Rise. ✅ Your value is in knowing the WHY and HOW of learning in the first place! #IDProThomas #NewIDCareerTips #InstructionalDesign 🤎 BE ENCOURAGED 🤎 Enjoyed this post? Help others discover it by: ➡️ Following me for more, 📝Commenting, ♻️Reposting it, and Saving it, to reread later! 😉

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If your idea of Instructional Design is “making slides look nice”… you’re just putting lipstick on a pig. When we reduce the role to formatting slides or “making it interactive,” we devalue the function and the outcomes and risk showing the true value L&D can bring. If your L&D team isn’t involved at the strategy table, you’re not using them to their full value. We don’t design for slides. We design for outcomes. #InstructionalDesign #LearningAndDevelopment #LDCulture #PerformanceConsulting #BehaviorChange

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Why would a non-blind, non-technical instructional designer or course creator be interested in learning how to use a screen reader? Aren't those just for visually impaired people and accessibility auditing teams? not quite. Think of a screen reader as a secret weapon in your ID toolkit. or, if you're a nerd like me, in your superhero toolbelt. Understanding how to use a screen reader helps you design your content in a way that is more thoughtful, more inclusive, and more compliant. - You can test your own content designs to make sure they work for everyone. - You gain empathy and insight into how people use their screen readers, meaning you can adjust your designs so they actually make sense. - you'll be able to create more compliant courses from the start, meaning you'll be able to proactively design accessible content that is also beautiful, rather than spending hours making beautiful content that you later have to remediate. - you'll have a skill that most other IDs don't have. At a time when the ADA Title 2, European Accessibility Act, Section 508, and similar laws are starting to really come into force, your ability to test with a screen reader and build compliant courses will be competitive advantages for you personally. Batman's toolbelt is filled with everything he could possibly need for any situation. it's what makes him one of the most formidable superheroes, even though he doesn't technically have any superpowers. If you want to be a formidable instructional designer, then you'll want to add practical, hands-on screen reader experience to your toolbelt. That's where Dr. Nicole L'Etoile, CPACC and I come in. We're teaming up to teach you how to use NVDA, a popular free screen reader, so you can improve your skill as an ID or course creator, increase your competitive advantage, and save the day*. Our upcoming, three-day workshop is open for registration. Visit the link in the comments to sign up. Oh, and be sure to check the registration page for how to receive a 10% discount. #A11y #NVDA #InstructionalDesign * Actual results may vary. Day saving isn't guaranteed.

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🚀 Meet Your New Teammate: First Impressions of Articulate’s AI Assistant After 14+ years of working with Articulate Storyline, I didn’t think anything could seriously speed up my workflow... until now. With the launch of #Articulate’s AI Assistant in Storyline and Rise, AI is no longer just a buzzword....It’s a real, practical tool for #eLearning designers like us. In my latest blog post, I share my first impressions and explain why having AI built inside the tools we already use is a total game-changer compared to general AI tools like #ChatGPT or #DALL·E. If you’re curious how AI can actually help you design or improve courses, without jumping between apps, this one’s for you. 👇 Check out the full post on Articulates Community website: https://lnkd.in/etwv_dwg or visit my Personal website: https://lnkd.in/ec3Zzcfp Have you explored Articulate’s AI Assistant yet? I’d love to hear how you’re using it—or if you're still figuring out where it fits in your workflow. Let’s discuss! #eLearning #InstructionalDesign #ArticulateStoryline #Rise360 #LND #Productivity #AI

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Hot tip for any instructional designers banging their head into the wall today over another dry presentation: skip that nonsense. Try delivering your content in a Kahoot instead. Kahoot is one of my favorite little-known instructional design tools, something I used all the time way back in highschool. It's silly, it's engaging, it's one of the easiest gamified learning tools you'll find. I built my first one yesterday in about 30 minutes. There's very little learning curve. I used it yesterday at an ILT for highschoolers and it kept them engaged the whole session instead of staring blankly at the door wondering when it's polite to leave. If you've ever stepped foot in a high school recently, you'll know that's a serious win. (no shade to high schoolers, they've got enough on their plate). Some features I'm particularly fond of: -built in sound effects and customizable background music -a variety of question types, including single select, multi select, ordering, pinning points on an image, etc. -built in point system with a competition and leaderboard that auto updates after each question -options for players to choose a custom character to represent them, or a random nickname generator -adjustable timing for each question, a countdown, and an autoplay feature -options to host live or practice solo or even assign kahoots with deadlines -you can even get reports on the games! -players use their mobile device to play, so no one is tempted to do other things with their phone -a lot more that I won't bother to type here. I have fond memories of kahoot, and I'm probably not the only one. If you do give it a shot, let me know how it goes! Happy designing!

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I just took a snap poll on how long it takes me to create an eLearning course. The highest response was three to four weeks. Three to four weeks ?!?!? In the comments: if I'm creating interactivity ... if I'm branching scenarios ... if I'm using special effects ... if I'm scripting voiceover ... Listen. No one cares about your interactive, especially effected, professionally voiced over branched scenarios. If your stakeholder's team is missing their KPIs, ignorant of new policies, or making unforced performance errors, they don't have a month to wait around for you to get your act together. A month is a third of a quarter. If you take a quarter to deliver a course, they'll need another quarter to implement and measure its impact. Now you're saying they need to wait two full reporting periods to perceive any real value from you. This leads to one of three conclusions: 1. You need that much time to figure out how to do your job 2. You are more interested in fulfilling your own design vision than solving business problems 3. You're charging a price for a single course that can carry you for a quarter And then we wonder why businesses see L&D as a cost center.

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