Interactive . Energize your learning material with video branching
Engaging remote learners is a major challenge for training and enablement professionals. The endless training videos interrupted with pings and messages from the always-on digital workplace can make it hard for any person to remain focused.
Alongside the online interruptions at work, designing an effective training and onboarding program isn't an easy task. Recent Gallup survey found just 12 percent of employees believe their organization is doing a good job of integrating new hires.
First, what is the purpose of video branching?
The branching video is one type of interactive video where the viewer's participation directly impacts the course of the story.
Branching videos allow viewers the unique opportunity to participate in the story by engaging in the story. You can ask questions to viewers with dedicated to-be-decided points. Based on the reply or response, the viewer will be sent to another section of the video. The key is to build a compelling workflow of potential storylines and let your employees decide on their preferred learning route.
Two possible scenarios to use video branching
Video branching is an excellent instrument for creating custom learning and onboarding experiences. There are two great use cases where training and enablement teams could benefit from interactive:
Learning paths that are custom-designed for you
A traditional learning video may guide viewers along the steps of a linear education. In the case of a typical employee orientation program could guide new hires through company culture, company product or service, various leadership and departments, and different tasks and duties. Content could be distributed via a single video, or a series of videos that equal an hour of material to go through.
Through video branching, team members in training and enablement can break the video into segments that can be clicked, allowing employees to move into the areas the most pertinent to their needs within a single video.
Training based on scenarios
Training on the job is only successful if employees know how they can apply their skills. This is why training using scenarios can be effective and a fun approach to train employees.
Video branching provides groups of trainers and facilitators the possibility of creating compelling stories, present various scenarios and dramatic the outcomes employees might face at work.
Here is an example provided by Radisson Hotel Group that shows how video branching is able to create the perfect scenario-based training experience for hotel staff.
Making a simpler branching structure
In determining the structure of your branching to create your initial interactive video you should try to streamline the user experience. If, for instance, you had a decision point that had three outcomes, after two more choices, you'd already have 27 results to consider in the video.
Instead, try using a master loop where a single story plays out. If your student chooses the wrong option at a decision point, the scenario plays out before they go back to the decision point to choose another outcome. If they select the correct option, the narrative goes on. Master loops are great for video-based instruction and tests.
To find other scenarios for branching, take the time to sketch out what you would like your viewers to experience. It is possible to create flowcharts or decision trees to show your video experience in each stage.
There are four things you need to consider when planning a branching video shoot
Building an effective video branching experience begins with the video content you have. Branching videos combine different video clips to make an interactive experience for the viewers. Because of this, it is crucial to plan out your shots and editing before layering on your branching elements.
Before you plan your shoot or script, take a look at these tips:
- Map out your viewer user journeys before shooting. Use a flow diagram, or other tools such as twine to aid in.
- Photograph all outcomes that could occur and scenes. You should let your camera run longer than you typically would.
- Consider what happens on screen when a viewer is forced to choose.
- You should think about how you will switch from the screen of decision to the user choices. Consider what the transition might look as.
Building a branching video with
Although branching video require some work in the beginning with planning, shooting, or editing them, the results could quadruple the effort for your viewers. Below, we've outlined how to build out the storyline of your branching using .
Combine all of your ideas on one calendar
For the first time, you'll need to save your video files in a single file. You must modify them all together to create one large video file (one immediately after the other) rather than different segments.
Create a decision point
Make hotspots available to your video, and then make use of the 'jump to timing in the video' feature to take your viewer to a specific point in the video or to view the outcome of a particular option.
Add playback segments
In order to stop viewers from being able to skim through videos or bypass decisions, you could make playback segments. Playback segments allow creators to break up videos into parts so that viewers can only scrub within that segment. This feature is crucial in creating videos with branching, because it helps enforce the branching structure, and also prevents viewers from cheating the branching structure.
Below is an example training EMS video using playback segments.
You can choose between a pause and a loop
It's important to decide the next stage of the decision.
For example, you might decide to set the pause by using the use of a timer, which will stop the film from running until a selection is made.
Or, you may consider creating a looping section of content by using your hotspot. Use an event trigger that allows you to move into the video, and then make loop.
Before making a choice make sure you consider whether your video is filmed with specific content to help the viewer make a choice (like prompts that tell the viewer what's happening on screen) and the way you would like the viewer to respond in order to decide.
Build your shifts
After your viewer has made an option and decides on a point, you'll want to understand what transition the video is going to make.
There is a possibility of creating continuous footage of your video or to look at different effects that could mask changes in the scene.