Think Tank CreationsPage - 1 -

Storyboarding – Think Tank Creations

All too often people call a media production company and say they want avideo or computer based training program before they know what they want.This is an open door for trouble, because neither the client nor the productioncompany knows what is expected or what should be done. Statements such as"we want a 15 minute video" or "we need an internet training program on cashregister operations" are at best statements which indicate a need or problem,but do not indicate or communicate the content of the program or the finalbehavioral or performance outcomes required. All too often we find that manyclients want to start production immediately and want an instant solution totheir problem.It is at this point you must sit back and ask yourself several question before youever pick up the telephone and call a production company.1. Is the performance problem you are trying to solve the result of a lack of knowledge, skills or attitudes on the part of employees? Ask yourself thefamous question "could they do it if their lives depended upon it?". If theanswer comes back yes, then you don't have a problem that can be solved bytraining. You have a problem which is being caused by something else in thework environment. If on the other hand, your answer is no, then you probablyhave a problem in which training can be part of the solution.2. Do you really need a formal training program? Or, would some carefullydesigned job aids in the form of check lists, written directions, pocket guides,or peer coaching solve the problem?3. If at this point you have decided that you do indeed need a formal trainingprogram or system, then you need to ask the next series of questions.A. Who specifically needs the training?B. What type of training do they need, i.e. skills, knowledge, attitudes?C. What should be included in the training (what must, should or couldemployees know)? To answer these questions, you will have to perform atask and job analysis.D. Is there a best way of presenting the training. (what is the bestformat and media that should be used.)?E. How do you plan to measure (test) their competence?Once you feel that you have a solid understanding of who is to be trained, whatthey are going to learn, how you are going to teach them, and how you aregoing to prove that they have learned it, you must now sit down and plan your

Think Tank CreationsPage - 2 -

training program. If you are going to develop a media based program such as avideo or computer based multimedia training program, your next step is todevelop a storyboard.

What is a storyboard?

A storyboard is usually a sequence of paper pages that detail the contents of atraining program by screens or frames.

How are storyboards used?

Storyboards are used as:

•

a lesson planning tool

•

a basis for projecting production costs

•

a guide for media producers (internally or externally)

•

documentation

•

the basis for gaining competitive bids (constructing RFPs)

•

the basis for preparing internal proposals

•

an inexpensive test platform for validating that your instruction works.In short, storyboards are a very powerful planning tool that pay big dividendswhen it comes to producing and implementing your training program.Let's take a closer look at storyboards as a planning tool.

As a lesson planning tool

Pages in a storyboard should be constructed to include every aspect andelement of your training program. Every sentence displayed. Every word whichis spoken. Every picture or graph shown. Every video sequence to be played.Every test question asked. As you build pages, you must also keep in mind thesequence and flow of your program. Break the program into "natural" sectionssuch introduction, overview, topics 1,2,3, and final test. Building a goodstoryboard is like designing a house. It allows you to see where everything willbe and how it will all fit together.

As a basis for projecting production costs

Let me say this once. A storyboard is a plan for spending money. And as such, itis your job to develop or carefully oversee the development of storyboardsused by your organization. As you develop your storyboard, be careful not toget carried away by the fancy effects that are now possible with manyadvanced types of media such as video, CBT and intra/internet trainingsystems. As you plan each element of your training, ask yourself this question -How is this media element (video segment, graphic, animation, picture, voicetrack) going to promote and insure that what needs to be taught is going to belearned? Be careful not to get caught up in the "theater" of training, and forgetthat training is a core business strategy for developing organizationalcompetence that must return value for monies spent.

Think Tank CreationsPage - 3 -

Using your storyboard, it is possible to take each media element and determineroughly what it will cost to produce. This is what we as producers do. This ishow we come to a final cost projection. You should be able to do the same.Remember, it's your money. Learn what various media cost to produce.Where do you find this information? Just ask media producers. What do youcharge to ____________? They will tell you or provide you with a cost list of their services. It won't take long before your discover a reasonable range of costs. Costs that you can use to prepare your budget or the cost section of yourinternal proposal.

As a guide for media producers (internally or externally)

Storyboards help media producers to produce the media you want or envision.Make your requirements for media as specific as possible. If you need an overthe shoulder shot of the company president, put it in your storyboard. If youneed bouncy music at the opening of your program, state that is what youwant. The clearer and more exact you are about what you want or envision willsave you time and money when it comes to producing your program.Storyboards are used heavily during production. If you want to blow yourbudget, just have a video production company stand around holding lightswhile you try to figure out where the next scene should be shot. And always geteveryone who is a stakeholder in the project to sign off on it before calling aproduction company. Let's face it. It is a lot cheaper to change a few sheets of paper than it is to make changes after production is underway. And, let meassure you, media production people will charge you for every change youmake after you have submitted your "approved" storyboard.

As documentation

Many training programs involve a number of media elements, especiallycomputer based training. You may have several hundred screens, each with aspecific branch or branches, media elements such as photographs, illustrationsand voicing. After a point, no one can remember all of the minute details thatare encompassed within one program. Without clear and accuratedocumentation, there is no way to change or update the program in the future.For each screen, work out an easy coding system for documenting the variousmedia elements used.The storyboard can be used ...

As the basis for gaining competitive bids (constructing RFPs)

At some point, you will have to go outside of your organization to obtain mediaproduction services. Imagine if you were a contractor and someone came toyou and said, "Build me a house and tell me how much will it cost?" You wouldbe at a total loss, wouldn't you? The same applies to media producers who areasked to "bid" on a one sentence description of a project. "We want a scrapmetal reduction program" or " we need sales training for chemical engineers,