Comments on: The 80/20 Rule of Content Development http://flashforlearning.com/2007/12/the-8020-rule-of-content-development/ Knowledge Management > Learning Strategy > E-Learning > Flash Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:17:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Aaron http://flashforlearning.com/2007/12/the-8020-rule-of-content-development/#comment-29207 Aaron Tue, 04 Dec 2007 13:19:17 +0000 http://flashforlearning.com/2007/12/03/the-8020-rule-of-content-development/#comment-29207 <p>Mark, everybody has their talents. I know what good E-Learning looks like -- and believe me, that can be a rarity in and of itself. That said, I can't make it look good. With a lot of extra work and time, I can make it passable to me.</p> <p>And to Phillip's point, the degree to which end-users are BEGGING for something exciting -- no, even just settle for pretty -- they'll take my passable attempt at design because, sad to say, the fact that I even respect a layout grid that's blocked to the aspect ratio of the content and take the time to fade in text timed to audio against static greyed out text so that the experience might be a poor man's "Apple-like" experience.... that I do these things is a message saying that someone took the time to make something nice for me... so maybe I'll pay attention.</p> <p>But the fact that you guys get me on this is validating, so thanks for chiming in.</p> Mark, everybody has their talents. I know what good E-Learning looks like — and believe me, that can be a rarity in and of itself. That said, I can’t make it look good. With a lot of extra work and time, I can make it passable to me.

And to Phillip’s point, the degree to which end-users are BEGGING for something exciting — no, even just settle for pretty — they’ll take my passable attempt at design because, sad to say, the fact that I even respect a layout grid that’s blocked to the aspect ratio of the content and take the time to fade in text timed to audio against static greyed out text so that the experience might be a poor man’s “Apple-like” experience…. that I do these things is a message saying that someone took the time to make something nice for me… so maybe I’ll pay attention.

But the fact that you guys get me on this is validating, so thanks for chiming in.

]]> By: philip http://flashforlearning.com/2007/12/the-8020-rule-of-content-development/#comment-29152 philip Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:42:12 +0000 http://flashforlearning.com/2007/12/03/the-8020-rule-of-content-development/#comment-29152 <p>my biggest beef with the elearning industry is that most elearning is ugly. how can people get excited about a course if it looks like it came from a x386 IBM running Windows 3.3 in 1994?</p> <p>people want bang! boom! wowzers!</p> <p>people respond to the graphic elements in a very primal, subconscious way. to me, it's important to spend as much time as i can finessing the look and feel.</p> <p>unfortunately, that's often the most time-consuming part of the project, and the client usually doesn't care about that stuff as much. they either have to be taught <em>why</em> it's important to spend extra time on the visuals, or they have to be avoide... i mean... umm... 'shielded' from the visual design process until you've got it right.</p> <p>i mean, c'mon, you know the client was about to use a <em>powerpoint</em> presentation with a default green/blue/black template before they hired you! :) hehehe</p> my biggest beef with the elearning industry is that most elearning is ugly. how can people get excited about a course if it looks like it came from a x386 IBM running Windows 3.3 in 1994?

people want bang! boom! wowzers!

people respond to the graphic elements in a very primal, subconscious way. to me, it’s important to spend as much time as i can finessing the look and feel.

unfortunately, that’s often the most time-consuming part of the project, and the client usually doesn’t care about that stuff as much. they either have to be taught why it’s important to spend extra time on the visuals, or they have to be avoide… i mean… umm… ’shielded’ from the visual design process until you’ve got it right.

i mean, c’mon, you know the client was about to use a powerpoint presentation with a default green/blue/black template before they hired you! :) hehehe

]]> By: Mark http://flashforlearning.com/2007/12/the-8020-rule-of-content-development/#comment-29140 Mark Mon, 03 Dec 2007 20:32:56 +0000 http://flashforlearning.com/2007/12/03/the-8020-rule-of-content-development/#comment-29140 <p>Visual design is my sore point too. I've been cracking away at getting better with design for a number of years now (since I'm the lone elearning designer/developer for both at my employer and for freelance projects, I've had no choice). And once in a while I get it <em>right</em> but then I see what some of these 18 year old kids can do in an hour with photoshop or illustrator and I start crying : )</p> Visual design is my sore point too. I’ve been cracking away at getting better with design for a number of years now (since I’m the lone elearning designer/developer for both at my employer and for freelance projects, I’ve had no choice). And once in a while I get it right but then I see what some of these 18 year old kids can do in an hour with photoshop or illustrator and I start crying : )

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