Show Your Work

Meaningful Comparisons in Action

August 23, 2014 By Jackie Van Nice 6 Comments

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Since this week marks the end of the first full year of Articulate’s weekly challenges, I decided to go back to complete all of the ones I’d missed – and there were a lot. I still have two more to complete (almost there!) but yesterday I swung back to Challenge #1: How Would You Show Meaningful Comparisons?

Note the Maps of the US and Germany

Getting Things Into Perspective

In my earlier “virtual tour” challenge I showed maps of the US and Germany next to one another to show the places I’ve worked. They weren’t meant to be at the correct scale – but every time I look at that piece I snicker at how far off it is. So I decided to do a demo to show a size comparison.

Two Countries; One Monochromatic Scheme

My US-German Palette

Two reasons for the red palette: The flag of Germany and the flag of the US. Their only common color is red. What’s interesting is how different the reds are. So I created a palette that includes both of them in an intentional way.
The other reason I wanted to do this was because I’d just completed yet another older challenge using Pantone’s current color of the year and used a monochromatic scheme for that one, too. I liked it enough to try the approach again here.

My Monochromatic Pantone Design

What a Drag it is to Compare

The idea is that you simply click on the map of Germany and drag it to different US states to compare its size. Is it effective? You can take a look at the difference between this and the maps I showed in my virtual tour (see images above) and decide.

My truly brilliant fellow challenge participant Nick Russell suggested that it would be great to have comparative data for each US state come up as you drag the map of Germany over it. It would be, but that’s going to have to wait until I’ve added quite a few more hours to each day and quite a few more days to each week. But it’s a fantastic idea, Nick!

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Enjoy it Here + There’s More on the Way!

Here’s my comparative demo if you’d like to mess around with it. My goal is to complete the whole first-year set of challenges within the next week. With only two to go I’m in good shape – and I’ll keep you posted!

A Radiantly Delicious Template

August 17, 2014 By Jackie Van Nice 4 Comments

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This Articulate challenge is about using Pantone’s color of the year, Radiant Orchid, to create a simple e-learning template. I didn’t have a clue about how to approach this, but that’s normal, so I jumped in anyway.

Design Inspiration

I wanted to brainstorm something in this color that would have meaning to me. Whether it’s the vegan thing or that it’s summertime and I get to eat lots of them right now, I quickly came up with purple fruits and vegetables.

I planned to find a character dressed in a similar color, if possible, and got lucky to find one dressed as a waitress. I reasoned she’d probably work at a cafe that only serves purple produce, and the rest is history.

Color, Tints, and Shades

I stayed pretty true to the palette. The only thing I did that was slightly different was to make the player color relatively transparent, and the hover states on the menu items are also slightly transparent.

I tried to order the fruits and vegetables to mirror the shade differences on the menu items. They’re both darkest at the top of the screen and lightest at the bottom.

See it in Action!

Feel free to take a look at the radiance right here, and don’t let the waitress get you down. She hasn’t eaten her vegetables today.

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Show Your Work: Creating Portfolio Images to Share

August 10, 2014 By Jackie Van Nice 4 Comments

This week’s Articulate challenge is about creating images to showcase your work. After going through the process of producing new work it’s tempting to just move on, but creating shareable images helps build a more visual portfolio and show your peers what you’ve been up to, too.

Main Portfolio Image

First, David Anderson wanted us to create a main portfolio image he could use to link from the challenge to our online portfolios.

Since my website pretty much says it all (who I am, what I do, and what my work looks like), I adapted the basic layout of my site and captures of my work into an image David could use. I also like the idea that anyone clicking on the image will land on exactly what they’d expect to see. Truth in advertising.

Portfolio Image for the Challenge: Look familiar?

Use this free template! I shared the template I used to create this image with another community member, and they found it so useful I thought I’d offer it as a free download. It’s in PowerPoint, and you’re welcome to grab it right here.

Images for Social Media

The next step was to create the same type of image to share on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest. Since each handles images differently, the challenge is to try to get your image to display as you’d like it to. The images I shared on those sites are below.

This will be an ongoing challenge. Between the ever-changing demos I create and the ever-changing sites to share them on, this can only be a work in progress. But the value of figuring it out and doing it well is enormous. Thanks for the challenge, David!

Portfolio Image Posted to Facebook

Portfolio Image Posted to Twitter

Portfolio Image I Pinned on Pinterest

How I Record Audio for E-Learning

August 1, 2014 By Jackie Van Nice 22 Comments

This week’s Articulate challenge is to share how you create audio for your e-learning projects. Here are David Anderson’s questions along with my answers.

1. Tell us about your recording setup.

I use an Audio-Technica AT2020 desktop USB mic (pictured here on my desk). I either record directly into Storyline or Audacity – just depends on what I need. I used to do elaborate things to try to deaden the room or block out noise, but I stopped all of that and now I record pretty much as you see here, including the low light. I like a nice, calm atmosphere with as few lawnmowers and barking dogs as possible.

2. Show us your audio setup.

See that photo? That’s my audio setup. It’s my USB mic plugged directly into my PC or iMac. This is basically the setup I used to record this podcast; though in that case I was recording into Garage Band rather than Audacity.

3. Share your three favorite audio recording tips.

A. PRE-READ:

One of the first things they teach you in radio is to pre-read your copy. I started in public radio, so I learned this reading PSAs and other announcements. The key is not to read silently; you have to read aloud. Seems silly, right? Fact is, whenever I skip this step I end up doing more takes and more editing. If you invest your time up front by reading the script aloud, and with fluidity, before you record that one piece of it – you’ll save time on the back end by eliminating multiple takes and fixes.

B. LISTEN TO EVERY TAKE BEFORE YOU MOVE ON:

Normally I’m recording for individual screens in Storyline. As tempting as it is to say “Got it!” and move on to the next slide, I always stop and listen very carefully and at full volume to the take I just did. That may be the first time you hear the plane or the sneeze or the pencil drop that snuck in while you were focusing on your script.

C. CARE:

That’s it. Just care about what you’re saying. Anyone can read a line of text, but that’s not going to lead to a compelling voiceover any more than slapping images and text into an e-learning development tool is going to lead to a compelling learning experience. Understand what you’re saying and why you’re saying it, think about who you’re talking to, and put your best energy, focus, and intention into it. It matters, and it shines through in the end result.

Sell Like Your Surfboard Depends On It!

June 15, 2014 By Jackie Van Nice 8 Comments

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This week’s Articulate challenge is to use a template to create a game. It’s actually a free template I created from a German drinking game I made for another challenge – so we know each other pretty well by now.

My Goals

I challenged myself to:

Make it potentially usable for a client.
Stay true to the template.

I’m working on an outside sales training project for a client right now, so a traveling salesperson moving across a game board and working his way towards a big prize (they’ve been known to send their top people to Hawaii) seemed spot-on.

Mai Tai Progress Meter

Waiter, there’s some freight in my drink

The biggest challenge was figuring out when to use company design elements versus game design elements. For example, in the mai tai progress meter the ice cubes were originally little cardboard packages themed for the company.

They still made clinking sounds like ice cubes, which entertained me, plus it was a great blend of company and game elements. But in the end it was a lot more refreshing and rewarding to see ice cubes amassing in my glass rather than pieces of freight. (Who knew?)

Challenge Screen

Realistic Challenges

For the challenges I used background images and realistic situations to add more context and meaning.

See it in action!

You can see my sales game right here, and if you’d like to see what others are coming up with this week, keep an eye on the comments section of David Anderson’s blog right here.

(You can play along too, you know!)