Invigorate your training videos by branching them into video
Engaging learners from remote locations can be a challenge for professionals in training and enablement. Hours of training videos punctuated with pings and messages in the ever-present digital world can make it hard for any person to remain focused.
Alongside the online distraction at work, creating a successful onboarding and training program isn't an easy task. Recent Gallup research found that only 12% of employees believe their organization has a successful time onboarding new hires.
In the beginning, what is video branching?
Branching video is a type of interactivity video in which viewers' participation directly affects the outcome of the storyline.
The branching video format gives viewers to engage in the content via interactive storytelling. The viewer can pose questions to viewers who have designated decisions points. Based on the reply or decision, the user is sent to another section of the video. The trick is to construct an engaging workflow with potential storylines and let your employees determine their own path to learning.
Two use cases for video branching
Video branching can be a powerful instrument for creating custom learning and onboarding experiences. There are two great use cases where training and enablement teams can benefit from interactive learning:
Learning paths that are custom-designed for you
The traditional video for learning can lead viewers on an linear path to learning. A typical employee onboarding course could take new hires through company culture, company product or service, various leadership and departments, and different tasks and duties. It could be presented in a single video or series of videos that equal an hour of material to go through.
Through video branching, trainers and teams for enablement and training can break the video into pieces that are clickable, enabling employees to move into areas of the job that are most relevant to them all within one video.
Simulation-based learning
The process of learning on the job only successful if employees know the best way to use their knowledge. So, scenario-based training could be an effective and enjoyable method of teaching employees.
Video branching offers team members in training and enablement the possibility of creating engaging storylines, showcase various scenarios and dramatic scenarios that employees could confront at work.
Here's an example from Radisson Hotel Group that shows the way video branching could provide the ideal scenario-based learning experience for hotel workers.
Creating a simplified branching structure
When mapping out the branching structure to create your initial interactive video you should try to streamline the experience for your viewer. As an example, if you made a decision that has three possible outcomes with two choices, you'd already have 27 outcomes to account for in your video.
Instead, try using the master loop, where a single story plays out. If your student chooses the wrong option when they reach a decision-making point, the scenario plays out, and they return to the decision point in order to pick another outcome. If they select the correct option, the narrative continues. Master loops are great for scenario-based training and video questions.
If you are considering other branches for your use make sure you 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 an upcoming branching video shoot
A successful video branching experience starts with your video content. Video branching blends different clips to make an interactive narrative for viewers. This is why it's crucial to think carefully your footage and then edit before layering on your branches.
Before you plan your shoot and script, consider these 4 guidelines:
- 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 as well as scenes. Make sure you let the camera run longer than you usually would.
- Consider what happens on the screen when the viewer has to make a choice.
- Think about how you would like to move from the decision screen to the user choices. Think about how that might appear as.
Making a video that branches with
When branching videos take some effort upfront by planning, shooting or editing them, the results can quadruple your efforts for your viewers. Here's a guideline on how to build out your branching storyline using .
Combine all of your ideas on one time line
In the beginning, you'll need to save your video files into a single file. Be sure to edit them together as one large video file (one right after the other) rather than different segments.
Create a decision point
Add hotspots to your video. You can make use of the 'jump to timing in the video' function for your viewer to go to a particular point within the video or to view the result of a certain decision.
Add playback segments
To stop viewers from being able skim through videos or bypass decision points, you can create playback segments. Playback segments let creators divide videos into segments so that viewers can only scrub within that segment. This is an important feature in creating videos with branching, because it helps enforce the structure of your branches and stops viewers from evading the branching structure.
Here is an example an instructional EMS video with playback sections.
Choose between a pause or loop
It is crucial to determine which moment of decision.
You could, for instance, make an pause with an event timer that will stop the film from running until a choice has been reached.
You could also think about the possibility of creating a looping segment of content by using your hotspot. You can use an event trigger that allows you to move into a specific time within the video and make loops.
In making your decision take into consideration if the video is filmed with specific content for a decision point (like prompts that tell viewers what's on screen) as well as how you'd like the viewer to respond in order to decide.
Build your Transitions
After your viewer has made the decision and makes a point, you'll want to know what kind of transition your video makes.
There is a possibility of creating an uninterrupted continuation of the video or to look at different effects that could mask changes in the scene.