The IV results in the creation of an instructional video that assists audience members in understanding and implementing the documented tool into their writing, research, and design work flows. The IV project is challenging because it requires you to invest in research about professional tools and then document best practices for implementing those tools.
This project requires 2 submissions (Version 1, Version 2). These submissions include the following documents:
For the full list of core and supporting documents/files, & specifications, refer to Submission Requirements.
Instruction design is among the oldest acknowledged specializations of technical communicators. Of those traditional documents that emerged as foci for early TC professionals, instructions are perhaps the most complex. That complexity is why instructional design remains among my favorite courses to teach.
Quality instructions build trust between designers and the stakeholders they serve. Quality instructions shape the way technologies, processes, and other foci for instructions fit into the worlds they are designed to serve. Consider for a moment how important that work is, and how much power it grants the designer. We don't always think of it that way, but it is true nonetheless.
We discussed in class the elements of quality instructions. Review the contents of the doc Designing Effective Instructions (refer to Canvas Files: Instructional Design Resources). The 6 points of emphasis described in that guide provide a framework that can be adapted to any context for instructional design. Some media contexts are more difficult than others to provide illustrations of actions and outcomes, but even a verbal sketch offers understanding that might be crucial to successful completion of a task. Use those design elements as guide for your work on this assignment sequence.
Quality instructions are stakeholder aware. That is, the anticipate audience needs and expectations for teaching and learning challenges, recognize some of the potential obstacles that people face in learning about topics such as provide focus for the instructions, and seek to contextualize learning tasks and outcomes in ways that are meaningful to them. We accomplish some of that through planning, and some of it through testing our docs and vids when we have functioning prototypes.
Audience members who feel acknowledged and respected by the content, presentation, and general execution of instructional docs and vids are more likely to trust the designer, the company they represent, and to feel more confident of their ability to manage tasks and processes effectively.
Deliverables: memo, instruction set
Document scope: 150 words (memo), variable (instruction set; refer to description below for details)
Project value: 250 points (50 points for V1, 200 points for V2)
Evaluation rubric: _Eval_InstructionalVid.pdf
Recommended tool(s): Adobe InDesign, Figma/FigJam (instructions); Microsoft Word (memo); Canva, Adobe Photoshop (additional content development)
The Instructional Doc and Vid projects require you to construct parallel teaching sets, 1 in digital ink and 1 in video format. Each instruction set presents the same content, but obviously in a different medium. I have organized the projects so you construct the document prototype first, because doing so will provide you with assets you can use during the recording of the complementary videos.
The process for developing your Instructional Doc includes the following 5 stages.
You must choose a tool to document before you do anything else. This is where your professional development goals come into play. Consider the industry/context you would like to work in, the kinds of problems people solve in that industry, and the tools and services that people use for information design in that industry. Document a tool that will help people solve meaningful workplace problems in spaces where you want to work.
As with other industries, information design has become fixated with artificial intelligence in general and smart tools in particular. This is where I want you to focus your attention for this assignment set. Such apps, tools, and services are now commonplace. Video and photo editing apps feature a full range of AI-driven functions. Writing and design tools regularly release new versions with ever-greater implementation of AI features. Of course, AI services have become more numerous as well. Although ChatGPT remains the most widely used, a brief search for industry-/process-specific AI services returns dozens of results. I strongly encourage you to document something other than ChatGPT because that tool is the subject of so much instructional focus already.
Identify a problem to solve. Tools are designed to accomplish specific things, to solve specific problems. However, many videos focus on the tool, leaving the decision to the viewer how they apply the knowledge. Rather than focus on a specific feature or function of the tool, app, or service you choose to document, focus on the kinds of problems that users solve with it.
Watch a LOT of different vids by as many creators as you can find. Most probably focus on what the tool can do rather than on solving specific problems. As you immerse yourself in that content, make note of the problems they do solve or of the problems they could be solving with the tools they teach. Once you have a good sense of what people teach others to do with that tool or service, consider these guidelines for planning your instruction sets.
Your goal is to craft complementary instruction sets that teach problem solving using a smart information design tool. Let the needs of people in the area you want to work in guide you in selecting a way to document the design tool. Start by searching for video guides that support it. Scope matters here. Your goal is not to complete an instruction manual or library of videos. Your goal is to produce a single 10 minute video or a series of smaller videos that collectively comprise 10 minutes of run time. The digital ink instruction document presents that same task/set in a booklet or poster series.
Use Figma to create a task analysis map for each function that you document. Identify all steps that contribute meaningful moments for completing the process that you are documenting. Use formal flow chart elements to design your chart.
Each TA flow chart should include the following design and content elements.
Use Adobe InDesign or Figma to create a booklet/poster for each function in your instruction set. design these documents. Each instructional doc/video must incorporate all 6 of the elements of effective instructions (refer to Designing Effective Instructions in Canvas Files).
Note. Include a tutorial element to your content. That is, lead audience members through the tasks necessary to solve a meaningful, appropriate design problem using your tool or service. This content may serve as your primary vehicle for explanations and feedback mechanisms, or it may add to such content.
Maintain architectural consistency and visual logic across all of your instructional docs and vids.
Organize your video(s) to parallel the content of your Instructional Docs. That is, if you presented everything in 1 doc, construct 1 parallel video. Your instructional video(s) will be screencasts, which means that each will be recorded using a screening document. Each video must be consistent in content development and formatting both to each other and to your Instructional Doc(s) so that the complementary content conveys one design standard. Use the assets you developed while designing the Instructional Doc(s) when you construct your screening doc.
Each screening doc should include the following design and content elements.
Record and edit your video(s) using CapCut or an equivalent package. Your video(s) will feature your screening doc, your voice-over narration, and any dynamic demonstation appropriate to this media format. Present your spoken content in a clear, measured voice at a consistent, unhurried pace. Whether you present your instructional content in 1 video or multiple videos video should be close to 10 minutes in total instructional content (not including the front-matter and back-matter).
Host your video(s) through Screencast.com in MP4 video format. Export your prototype and final videos in that format. Upload each to your Screencast account space. The share link will appear in your final Doc.
You'll test both instructional prototypes when they are ready. If necessary, continue to develop and refine your doc and vid if there is a time gap between prototype submission and testing. In addition, if your early testing reveals significant issues, you may pause testing to make changes during this project stage.
Your goal is to test each instructional prototype with 4 to 6 different participants. Do not have the same people test both the doc and video formats.
Through testing, you'll accumulate a meaningful set of data about reader and viewer engagements with your instructional prototypes. Draw on that data to determine how test participants struggled and succeeded with the tasks and processes you documented, and to plan revisions and refinements to your doc(s) and video(s).
A memo of transmittal introduces the accompanying document to its audience(s). Your memos should be addressed from you to me, and should introduce the accompanying project documents. Each memo should incorporate the following content elements.
A memo of transmittal introduces the accompanying document to its audience(s). Your memos should be addressed from you to me, and should introduce the accompanying project. Each memo should incorporate the following content elements.
Recommended tool(s): Adobe InDesign, Photoshop for design elements, and CapCut for video creation and editing.
This section offers guidance for how to interpret the project and how to proceed with your work on it. Consider the following strategies.
Think about how to build a useful, effective instruction set. Draw on the strategic knowledge you have acquired and honed this semester for thinking about how people experience design to develop a quality learning experience.
Learn from other designs. Study similar content. Draw inspiration from others' successes. Avoid others' failures. Challenge your thinking through consideration of other designs.
Pay attention to the standards other designs establish and maintain for layout, for editorial quality, for the learning experience. When you see examples of designs that could be improved, apply that awareness as you build and refine your content.
One of the greatest mistakes designers can make is to get trapped in their own vision for a project. As you talk about your project with peers and test participants, open yourself to advice, to questions, to input from others about how to craft, refine, and revise your content.
Remember that communication in professional and technical contexts values highly the ability to write and speak with economy, directness, and professionalism. Another way of saying this is to make every word count.
Details matter in effective information design. Be as specific and concrete as you can throughout as you write and design your content.
Focus on the little and big details. Proofread your project content carefully. Hold your work to a high standard so it reflects the best work you can achieve.
Read and attend carefully to these submission guidelines. Failure to do so may result in points lost on the final evaluation of your project.
Create a folder for this project inside your shared class folder on Dropbox.com. Remember, I can only view files that you place inside that folder. Until you place files in that space, you have not in practice submitted them.
Name the folder InstructionSets.
Make sure the files listed below are available to me in the project folder by the submission deadline. Model your filenames on the listed examples:
Note. Do not share the individual files or project folder with me. By placing the project files in the project folder, and by placing the project folder inside your class folder, you have already shared them by default.
Make sure the files listed below are available to me in the project folder by the submission deadline. Model your filenames on the listed examples:
Note. Do not share the individual files or project folder with me. By placing the project files in the project folder, and by placing the project folder inside your class folder, you have already shared them by default.
This section describes the standards by which the Version 1.0 & Version 2.0 submissions will be evaluated.
There are 50 possible points for the prototype stage of this project. You will earn points according to the following standard.
The final project submission (Version 2.0) is worth 200 possible points. You will earn points according to the standard described on the policies page (see Policies for a description of these categories).
The specific areas of emphasis for the SP1 project are drawn from this description and our discussions of the project (including the supporting teaching materials that I provide to you along the way). Review the project rubric (_Eval_InstructionVid.pdf) for the specific qualities and characteristics emphasized in each evaluation category.
Remember that I will only post the point values for projects on the Grades page in SVSU Canvas. I will provide the supporting details relevant to that evaluation in your class folder in a project-specific file. Look for a Microsoft Word file in your shared class space on Dropbox with a filename that that follows this pattern:
YourLastName_Eval_InstructionVid.docx.
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