Instructional designers make things look easy. That has had an unfortunate side effect, as many people believe that whipping out a video or an e-learning course with audio narration takes only as long to create as it takes to play it. YouTube and various mobile apps have also had a detrimental effect on the perceived value of instructional designer. We’ve heard employees comment that their children could whip out a Vine in a couple of minutes. Why would a project take you 40 hours and two weeks to do?

The disconnect comes down to making a quality educational project that meets learning objectives and is actually useful to the learner versus something that misses the true need, rambles, is unprofessional, has terrible lighting, and has audio with distracting flubs or that no one can actually hear. Making the former takes upfront time, planning, analysis, and a full design process.

Writing a script is an essential first part of design. It helps you to arrange your thoughts and sequence the topic in a way that will make the most sense for learners. It takes time and effort to write a thorough script, and you must be able to visualize through words what you are trying to convey in your final product.

When writing a script, type the words as you silently have conversations in your head. It sounds a tad crazy, but you want to envision real-life conversations. We tend to write very differently from how we speak, so channel how you speak into your written words. Once you are satisfied with your draft, send it off for peer reviews and subject matter expert reviews to ensure that the script conveys the information that you need it to. Listed below are a few different types of finalized educational materials in which having a script is going to help.

Live action videos

Do not even attempt to create a live action video with non-professional (employee) actors who have speaking lines without first having a script. Scripts are the blueprint for what the scene means. Ideally, you want to work with a media team who can film, set up lighting, and manage microphones.

The script sets the scene for the videographer, director, and actors. The actors use the script to know what to say, but do not expect them to repeat verbatim what you’ve written. They’ll end up saying what is written in their own words, which is more natural anyway. As the writer, no one knows this information is well as you do. Be there to direct, communicate, and collaborate, but let the actors and videographers interpret your words. It is recommended to have a run-through prior to filming. We have never actually done that, though. We’ve more had informal meetings and individual discussions to outline our intent. Allocate more time than you think you’ll need to conduct the filming. We are talking three hours for a three-minute video if you want it done right. You will want to rehearse the script a couple of times before doing any takes.

Videos with voice-overs

It’s a little less time consuming if you are recording the audio separately for a video. You can use your mobile device of choice, a handheld camera that can take video, or a GoPro to record this type of video if you don’t have access to a media team. We have some videos that have actors demonstrating a task with an omnipresent narrator discussing the procedure. In these cases, film the video first. Your script guides you, but you’ll always finds tweaks and improvements to the audio while filming.

Software video demonstrations

The same goes for video demonstrations with audio narration. Record the video first, using the script to follow the steps you are clicking or tapping though. You’ll find there is a tweak here or there or even a final screen capture that you need prior to recording the audio. The script also comes in handy for creating closed captions and as an editing tool when you send the final product out for review. We end up with the most professional product when we use software such as Techsmith Camtasia or Adobe Captivate to record the screen demonstration without any audio. We’ll have the narrator record the audio separately in our sound booth. Once we have the raw audio, we clean it up and time the audio to the video demonstration.

There are some people who speak coherently at the same time as recording the demonstration. I give them total kudos! The people who can do both at the same time and end up with a good product are usually truly talented subject matter experts who are also technically savvy.

Online PowerPoint presentations with audio

Generally, when we have a simple online training course that consists of a PowerPoint with audio narration, we have SMEs record the audio. We really try to get them to write down their script, though many use the speaker notes to remind them of what they want to say to support the slides. Having supporting text creates a more professional product, and it will save them time doing the recording. We also have them record the audio slide by slide directly into PowerPoint so they can listen re-record if necessary.

Presenter videos (talking heads)

Some experienced presenters can convey their message in a just a few takes without any prior preparation. Many others enjoy having a script to guide their messages. Some prefer to write their own, and others prefer to have someone else draft the basic message for them to edit. A script also helps with closed captions. Not having one has forced us to dictate for accessibility on several occasions.

Scripts are a tool that provide many benefits. If you haven’t used one before, give it a try. I think you will discover it provides a guideline, puts your thoughts in order, saves time, and solves a lot of problems up front.