Invigorate your training material with video branching
Engaging learners from remote locations can be a challenge for professionals in training and enablement. Hours of training videos punctuated by pings, messages and messages of the digital workspace that is always on could make it difficult for any person to remain focused.
Alongside the online distracting factor at work, establishing an effective training and onboarding plan isn't an easy task. A recent Gallup survey found just 12% of employees feel their workplace is doing a good job of integrating new hires.
The first question is what exactly does video branching mean?
Branching video is a type of video that is interactive, meaning viewers' participation directly affects the plot of the video.
Branching videos allow viewers an opportunity to engage in the content by engaging in the story. You can ask questions to viewers with dedicated decision points. In response to the decision, the user is taken to the next portion of the video. It is crucial to create a the most compelling flow of possible narratives and let your viewers decide on their preferred learning route.
Two use cases for video branching
Video branching can be a powerful method to create customized learning experiences and onboarding. There are two great use scenarios where enablement and training teams can leverage interactive:
Individualized learning pathways
A traditional learning video may take viewers through the steps of a linear education. For example, a general employee onboarding program may walk new employees through the company's corporate culture, the product or services, the various department and leader, as well as the various 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, training and enablement teams can break the video into pieces that are clickable, enabling employees to move into areas of the job that are the most pertinent to their needs within one video.
Scenario-based training
Training on the job is only efficient when workers know how they can apply their skills. That's why scenario-based training can be a powerful and engaging approach to train employees.
Video branching provides groups of trainers and facilitators the opportunity to create engaging storylines, showcase various scenarios and dramatic outcomes that employees may face at work.
Here is an example provided by Radisson Hotel Group that shows how video branching can create the perfect scenario-based training experience for hotel staff.
Creating a simplified branching structure
When mapping out the structure of your branching in your very first video that you've created you should try to streamline the user experience. If, for instance, you made a decision with three different outcomes, following two additional choices, you'd already have 27 different possibilities to incorporate into your video.
Instead, try using a master loop where a single story plays out. When your learner chooses an incorrect outcome at a decision point the story plays until they are back at the decision point to choose another outcome. If they select the correct outcome, the storyline continues. Master loops work well for scenario-based training and video tests.
For other branching use cases, take the time to create a storyboard of the content you wish your viewer to see. It is possible to create flowcharts or decision trees to visualize the experience of watching video at every step.
Four tips to be prepared for an upcoming branching video shoot
A successful video branching experience begins with the video content you have. Branching videos combine different video clips to make an interactive story for the viewer. Because of this, it's crucial to think carefully your footage and then edit before layering in your video branches.
Before you plan your shoot and script, consider these tips:
- Map out your viewer user journeys before shooting. Use a flow diagram or tools like twine to help.
- Take pictures of all possibilities for outcomes and scenes. You should let your camera roll longer than you typically will.
- Consider what happens in the screen while a user is forced to choose.
- You should think about how you will transition from the decision screen and then to user options. Think about how that might appear in.
Making a video that branches with
When branching videos take a bit of work upfront in terms of planning, filming, or editing them, the final product can quadruple your efforts for your viewers. In this article, we'll show you the best ways to develop your storyline that branches by using .
All of your options should be on one time line
For the first time, you'll need to upload your video assets to on a single video file. Make sure you edit them together as an entire video file (one right after the other) rather than different segments.
Create a decision point
Make hotspots available to your video. You can utilize the 'jump timing in the video' function to take your viewer to an exact point in the video or view the result of a certain choice.
Add playback segments
In order to stop viewers from being able to skip around videos and bypass decisions, you could create playback segments. Playback segments let creators divide videos into segments to ensure that viewers are able to move within the segment. This feature is crucial for creating video that is branching because it helps enforce the structure of your branches and stops viewers from evading the structure of branching.
Below is an example of an instructional EMS video with playback sections.
You can choose between a pause and a loop
It is crucial to determine which stage of the decision.
As an example, you could decide to set a pause point with a time trigger, which stops the film from running until a decision is made.
Or, you may consider creating a looping section of content by using your hotspot. Use a time trigger to jump into a specific time within the video, and then make a loop.
Before making a choice make sure you consider whether your video has shot specific content as a decision-making point (like prompts that tell viewers what's in the video) and how you want your viewer to interact to make a decision.
Create your shifts
After your viewer has made a choice and a decision point, you'll want to be aware of the transitions that the video will make.
It is possible to create a seamless continuation of the video or you may want to look at different effects that could mask changes in the scene.