Step-by-Step Instructional Design
Tools for Structuring and Building Content

Authoring Tools: Develop Your Course

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READ ABOUT IT

Authoring tools are essential for developing eLearning courses, enabling you to create interactive and engaging content.

These tools range from industry-standard software to budget-friendly alternatives, each offering unique features to suit various needs.

Articulate 360 is the industry-standard for developing eLearning courses. “Storyline” is probably the first software name you’ll hear when starting a career in instructional design. While an Articulate 360 subscription is pricey, it provides you with a lot of possibilities, and includes Storyline, Rise, and Review.

Storyline 360 has a lot of flexibility with the types of interactions you can build into your course. Rise is more limited and acts like a webpage, but it requires less development time. Review allows you to share your projects with others to get their feedback.

There are many alternatives to Articulate 360 that may be worth looking into, including iSpring, Captivate, and Genially, but most instructional designers tend to use Storyline and Rise.

If you’re just starting out and would like to play around with a free tool, consider trying Genially. Articulate 360 has a 30-day free trial, but it can be better to save this trial for when you’re ready to create a few portfolio pieces if you aren’t interested in purchasing it immediately.

If you only create instructor-led training materials, you may not need to learn to use an authoring tool, but most organizations expect instructional designers to know at least one authoring tool – usually Articulate Storyline.

EXPLORE THE OPTIONS

Authoring Tools

Articulate Storyline 360

Storyline is the industry-standard for eLearning development. Articulate 360 includes access to Rise and Review.

There is a 30-day free trial for the entire package.

iSpring

iSpring is a strong contender but has less flexibility than Storyline and is geared more toward educators and trainers.

It also has a 30-day free trial.

Adobe Captivate

Captivate, from Adobe, is ideal for creating interactive and immersive learning experiences, including simulations and quizzes, but is challenging to use and has less demand.

It offers a 30-day free trial.

Genially

Genially is used to create animated content, interactive images, and visually appealing presentations. Genially provides a free plan with basic features, as well as a free trial for its premium features.

This is a FREE tool.

EXAMINE SCENARIOS FOR USE

When would these tools be used in learning and development?

  • Use Articulate Storyline 360 to build an interactive eLearning course on data analytics. The course will be highly-interactive and include simulations, quizzes, and interactions to reinforce learning.

  • Use Articulate Rise to quickly develop a responsive, modular course on effective communication skills that includes text, images, video, flashcards, and quizzes. The course will adapt to different devices, providing a seamless learning experience.

  • Use Genially to produce an engaging, gamified course on leadership in mid-level management. The interactive elements will make learning more engaging and memorable.

REFLECT ON WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED

Reflect

What unique value does Articulate Storyline have compared to Genially (or iSpring or Captivate) and vice versa?

In what situation might you use Articulate Rise rather than Storyline? When would Storyline be more appropriate?