Storyboarding

Introduction: This is where my process lives before anything gets built. Objectives, branching logic, SME sign-off, and developer directions, are all mapped out before development begins in tools like Storyline or Rise. 

What is Storyboarding? Before anything gets built, I storyboard, mapping slide layout, script, visuals, interactions, and developer directions so stakeholders can see and sign off on the learning experience before development begins. It's a checkpoint that catches misalignment early and keeps tone, pacing, and design consistent once a project moves into Storyline, Rise, or wherever it's ultimately built. 

Why storyboard:

• Gives stakeholders and SMEs clarity on the learning experience before it's built.

• Keeps development efficient by catching misalignment early.

• Maintains consistent tone, pacing, and design across modules.

Not all situations warrant a need for a Storyboard, but if used it can help clients and SMEs visualize the learning experience before development. Storyboards encourage questions and ensures content, visuals, and instructional strategies are aligned with learning objectives. When using a Storyboard, it can helps maintain a unified tone, design, and pacing across modules that may be a part of the build.  

When it happens: Once a needs analysis and design document or outline are approved, storyboarding comes next, before development starts, often alongside or right after scriptwriting. 

How teams use it: In my experience, it's a collaboration tool and sign-off checkpoint between instructional designers, SMEs, graphic designers, and developers, and a communication tool for aligning with voiceover talent or animators. 

Tools: Google Slides, PowerPoint, Word, Google Docs, Excel, Storyline's Story View, or Figma when a prototype is needed. Storyboards range from simple text documents to high-fidelity visual mockups depending on the project and team. 

Sample: Processing a Customer Refund (Google Slides)

This is a demonstration storyboard, not a deployed client project, since my actual storyboards are proprietary employer work product, I built this one around a generic customer-service scenario to show how I structure a storyboard end to end: slide layout, narration/script, visuals, interactions, assessment ideas, and developer notes.