Your toolkit to create mobile-friendly lessons, from scratch.
The rules of the game have changed. How ready are you?
How incredible would it be if creating a picture was as easy as typing a message on Whatsapp?
In a perfect world, both would take the same amount time, provided we know what we are going to write/create.
But, it isn’t a perfect world, after all. However, we do know what we’re going to write/create, if we’re in the training industry.
Creating visual content from scratch in this sector is far easier than it was a decade ago. A thorough understanding of how content creators work, coupled with superb product designs has given birth to some wonderfully intuitive products.
Let me introduce you to some of them. All of them have one common feature:
They come with robust content generation frameworks for all formats: be it for video, images, or text formats. These products take over the “non-core” aspects of the job, and gives us more time to focus on our field of speciality, ie content design and creation.
Here’s what I mean: If I want to create an animated video, I should only be concerned about what the video will convey, and not worry about the graphic creation, booking a slot at a audio-recording studio and more such.
With these tools one needs to spend just anywhere between 1–10 minutes to create the visuals.
For me, personally, it takes about an hour hour to distill a 10-slide powerpoint presentation into mobile-friendly lesson. Even though I started off as a noob. If you are in the same boat, that I was, here are some must-use tools I’d recommend.
Used for: Creating animated videos
Time to make a 20 second video: 10 minutes
The possibilities for different storylines on this platform, is endless. In this plug-and-play atmosphere, you can make characters do the cha-cha at a conference, or convey a complex concept from under the tree, or even have them break down with grief.
Pick a character(s), pick a setting, add relevant text, insert animations, and you’re good to go!
Pricing: At the creation stage, everything on the platform is free. If you need GoAnimate logos to be taken off your final video, then an upgrade is necessary.
2. Pixton:
Used for : Creating comic strips
Time taken to create this comic: 3 minutes
Pixton is the Goanimate-equivalent of comic strips.
Pricing: Just like GoAnimate, creating this comic strip is free of cost.
But to download your strip, you will need to upgrade your account.
3. Canva:
Used for: Photo creation, photo editing, making collages, infographics, inserting text into pictures and more.
Time to create a visual: anywhere between 2–10 minutes.
Canva is a wonderland for design amateurs. Right from creating infographics, charts, collages, all the way to business cards and wedding invites, Canva supports all.
4. Instagram:
Used for: Creating differentiated and realistic visuals, at ease.
Time to create a visual: 1 minute
Unlike the three tools mentioned above, Instagram Stories Editor is a mobile-first content creation platform. This is especially great if your content needs to be funky and new-gen. This should be your go-to tool, if you don’t have luxury of time.
Here’s how you use it: On your app, add a story (image, text, video, effects.. you name it). Every story is a distinct element. DO NOT post it to your feed. Simply save it and pick it up from your gallery.
5.Textgram:
Used for: Making text more visual.
Time to create: 30 seconds
Just because a concept is dull, doesn’t mean it should appear dull.
Refer the vocabulary training module above. With this weirdly happy face, the word “ecstatic” takes on some bit of character.
Textgram gives you freedom to choose your backgrounds, frames, fonts and font-sizes.
Pricing: Free.
For pruning videos and editing pictures:
1. Videosmaller
Used for: Cutting videos into smaller bits
Time required: Dependant on the size of your video. Example, to cut a 10 minute video into 5 parts, it takes about 5 minutes of your time.
Most training content has fairly long videos that span over 20–30 minutes. Know that learners hit the snooze button soon after the 3rd or 4th minute. Use this tool to cut videos into smaller, more consumable bits.
Pricing: Free for files upto 500 mb in size.
2. Lunapic:
Used for: Photo editing
This is a no-nonsense photo editor with multiple features. While the UI and UX leave much to be desired, the reliability more than makes up for it.
Pricing: Completely free
In summary, here are the tools I recommend you use:
If there are other tools you love using, please send a shout out or comment below! (It sure will help a lot of us in the community.)
If not, go ahead and create something of fun, today.
PS: Do you have your lesson plan ready? (no? Then here’s some help.)
— By Krithika Krishnamurthy
PS: As the content head of Noticeboard, I work with companies to revamp their training and engagement practices to be suitable for a mobile medium. Write to me (krithika@noticeboard.tech) if you’d like to do the same, or you know, just want to say Hi!
Noticeboard helps improve productivity and morale by delivering real-time actionable content to large distributed workforce. It makes training and engagement of frontline staff easy, and their empowerment, a possibility.
