Comments on: 10 Tips for Ensuring Image Neutrality in Elearning Courseware http://multimedialearning.com/10-tips-for-ensuring-image-neutrallity-in-elearning-courseware/ Sat, 07 Apr 2012 19:51:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Jay Krupp http://multimedialearning.com/10-tips-for-ensuring-image-neutrallity-in-elearning-courseware/#comment-44 Jay Krupp Thu, 04 Sep 2008 21:25:23 +0000 http://multimedialearning.com/?p=39#comment-44 Hi there, I'm a big fan of identifying your cast of characters at the beginning of a project. We do elearning for a number of enterprise software applications. In doing so we need to show how the customer, the user, associate users, and maybe even other customers would work with one interaction. For example if a customer fills out a RFP online, it gets sent to a sales manager, who reviews it and creates a proposal. This proposal is reviewed by the director of sales and sent back to the customer. We have many people interacting with the system. This is a simple example and they get way more complicated, especially when there is staff then executing the order... Anyhow, we have found success in having a cast of characters. We find stock images of a person in many different poses/expressions before the start of the development. The data that displays in the application screen shots and interactions needs to support the people we use in the stock images. We need to tie in both stock people and the staged data in the application to bring the scenario full circle. We need to even use real names (customer = Linda Jackson, sales manager = Stan Smith...). It does get complicated but if you map it all out first in the storyboards, and make sure there are appropriate stock images available, and then it is a richer experience. I think that when the learner can see a "real person" you don't need to re-educate them in the scenarios. They just remember that the woman with blond hair is the customer in the scenario. I love the idea of using second life. Then you can create your talent from scratch - and they are always available, and they didn't get a haircut or get a new tattoo. Hi there,
I’m a big fan of identifying your cast of characters at the beginning of a project. We do elearning for a number of enterprise software applications. In doing so we need to show how the customer, the user, associate users, and maybe even other customers would work with one interaction. For example if a customer fills out a RFP online, it gets sent to a sales manager, who reviews it and creates a proposal. This proposal is reviewed by the director of sales and sent back to the customer. We have many people interacting with the system. This is a simple example and they get way more complicated, especially when there is staff then executing the order… Anyhow, we have found success in having a cast of characters. We find stock images of a person in many different poses/expressions before the start of the development. The data that displays in the application screen shots and interactions needs to support the people we use in the stock images. We need to tie in both stock people and the staged data in the application to bring the scenario full circle. We need to even use real names (customer = Linda Jackson, sales manager = Stan Smith…). It does get complicated but if you map it all out first in the storyboards, and make sure there are appropriate stock images available, and then it is a richer experience. I think that when the learner can see a “real person” you don’t need to re-educate them in the scenarios. They just remember that the woman with blond hair is the customer in the scenario.

I love the idea of using second life. Then you can create your talent from scratch – and they are always available, and they didn’t get a haircut or get a new tattoo.

]]> By: David Miller http://multimedialearning.com/10-tips-for-ensuring-image-neutrallity-in-elearning-courseware/#comment-42 David Miller Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:38:38 +0000 http://multimedialearning.com/?p=39#comment-42 Very well written post! And certainly an issue that we often overlook (yes, a gross generalization on my part). I like the use of isometric pixel people. It's a style that has served Habbo Hotel very well for years and the "crudeness" of them helps more people identify with them in my opinion. As to cartoon people, well here comes my sales pitch. :) I use Second Life as a virtual film studio and am able to create sets that need no maintenance, actors that never age, wardrobe that never gets lost, absolute control of the sun and lighting, and so much more. And the great thing is that it is incredibly inexpensive and the results seem to be well accepted. And to your point, if the story is compelling (and elearning can certainly incorporate a stories), then the "actors" are almost secondary. If you are not familiar with Second Life, here is a video sample: http://blip.tv/file/628228 And (shameless plug) if you happen to be attending the eLearning Guild's DevLearn08 in November, I will be presenting how to do this easily and inexpensively. Thank you for the well detailed post with concrete samples (and excellent graphics). Very well written post! And certainly an issue that we often overlook (yes, a gross generalization on my part).

I like the use of isometric pixel people. It’s a style that has served Habbo Hotel very well for years and the “crudeness” of them helps more people identify with them in my opinion.

As to cartoon people, well here comes my sales pitch. :)

I use Second Life as a virtual film studio and am able to create sets that need no maintenance, actors that never age, wardrobe that never gets lost, absolute control of the sun and lighting, and so much more. And the great thing is that it is incredibly inexpensive and the results seem to be well accepted.

And to your point, if the story is compelling (and elearning can certainly incorporate a stories), then the “actors” are almost secondary.

If you are not familiar with Second Life, here is a video sample: http://blip.tv/file/628228

And (shameless plug) if you happen to be attending the eLearning Guild’s DevLearn08 in November, I will be presenting how to do this easily and inexpensively.

Thank you for the well detailed post with concrete samples (and excellent graphics).

]]> By: David Anderson http://multimedialearning.com/10-tips-for-ensuring-image-neutrallity-in-elearning-courseware/#comment-41 David Anderson Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:57:03 +0000 http://multimedialearning.com/?p=39#comment-41 Hi Nidhi, A few of my favorite inspiration sites include: http://elearningexamples.com http://flashjournalism.com/examples/case_studies.htm http://www.horton.com/html/elexampleslist.aspx?ExampleID=28 http://www.nytimes.com/pages/multimedia/index.html http://www.latimes.com/news/local/photography/ http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/ http://blog.cathy-moore.com/ http://www.adobe.com/resources/elearning/ You could also check portfolio pages for elearning vendors. Another great source of inspiration can be DVD menus. Next time you order/rent a movie, check out the interface design. David Hi Nidhi,

A few of my favorite inspiration sites include:
http://elearningexamples.com
http://flashjournalism.com/examples/case_studies.htm
http://www.horton.com/html/elexampleslist.aspx?ExampleID=28
http://www.nytimes.com/pages/multimedia/index.html
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/photography/
http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/
http://blog.cathy-moore.com/
http://www.adobe.com/resources/elearning/

You could also check portfolio pages for elearning vendors.

Another great source of inspiration can be DVD menus. Next time you order/rent a movie, check out the interface design.

David

]]> By: Nidhi Gupta http://multimedialearning.com/10-tips-for-ensuring-image-neutrallity-in-elearning-courseware/#comment-43 Nidhi Gupta Tue, 22 Jul 2008 11:01:05 +0000 http://multimedialearning.com/?p=39#comment-43 Yes this was useful. I am looking for some blogs where I can also view a few latest graphic styles that are being used in elearning industry these days. Yes this was useful. I am looking for some blogs where I can also view a few latest graphic styles that are being used in elearning industry these days.

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