Interactive . Energize your learning material with video branching

Jan 19, 2023

Keeping remote learners engaged is a major challenge for trainers and facilitators. A long amount of instructional videos interspersed with pings and messages from the always-on digital workplace could make it difficult for any person to remain focused.

Alongside the online interruptions at work, designing the right onboarding and training program isn't easy. Recent Gallup research found that just 12% of employees feel their workplace has a successful time onboarding new employees.

The first question is what exactly does video branching mean?

The branching video is one type of interactive video where the viewer's participation directly impacts the outcome of the storyline.

The branching video format gives viewers to be involved via interactive storytelling. The viewer can pose questions to viewers who have designated decision points. Based on the reply or decision, the user is sent to another section or section of video. It is crucial to create a an engaging workflow with potential stories and allow your staff to choose their own learning path.

Two use cases for video branching

Video branching is a great method to create personalized learning experiences as well as onboarding. Two of the most effective uses cases where training and enablement teams can benefit from interactive learning:

Individualized learning pathways

A traditional learning video may guide viewers along a linear learning pathway. A typical employee onboarding program may walk new employees through the company's culture, company product or service, various departments and leaders, and different tasks and duties. The content may be shared as a single or several videos which amount to an hour of material to go through.

Through video branching, training and enablement teams can break the video into pieces that are clickable, enabling employees to move into areas of the job that are important to them within one video.

Training based on scenarios

Training on the job is only efficient when workers know how to apply their knowledge. So, scenario-based training could be a powerful and engaging method of teaching employees.
Video branching offers team members in training and enablement the ability to build out captivating stories, show diverse scenarios and show the outcomes employees might face at work.

Here is an example provided by Radisson Hotel Group that shows how video branching can provide the ideal scenario-based learning experience for hotel staff.

A simplified branching structure can be created.

In determining the branches structure you'll need to create your first interactive video It is best to make it easier for the experience for your viewer. If, for instance, you made a decision that has three possible outcomes after two more choices, you'd already have 27 different outcomes to account for in the video.

You can also try master loops in which one story unfolds. When your learner chooses an incorrect outcome in a point of decision then the situation plays, and they return to the decision point to choose another outcome. Once they choose the correct option, the narrative continues. Master loops are excellent for scenario-based training and video questions.

If you are considering other branches for your use Take the time to storyboard what content you want viewers to view. It is possible to create flowcharts or decision trees that show the video experience at each level.

Four things to prepare for a branching video shoot

A successful video branching experience starts with the video content you have. Branching videos combine different video clips into an engaging story for the viewer. This is why it's crucial to think carefully out your shots and editing prior to layering your branching components.

So before planning your film and script, think about these four tips:

  1. Map out your viewer user journeys before shooting. Use a flow diagram or tools like twine to assist.
  2. Photograph all outcomes that could occur as well as scenes. You should let your camera roll longer than you typically would.
  3. Consider what happens on screen when a viewer is forced to choose.
  4. Think about how you would like to transition from the decision screen and then to user options. Think about how that will be in.

Building a branching video with

Although branching video require some work in the beginning by planning, shooting or editing them, the final product can quadruple your efforts for your viewers. In this article, we'll show you the best ways to develop the storyline of your branching using .

Combine all of your ideas on one calendar

In the beginning, you'll need to transfer your video content to on a single video file. You must edit them together as one large video file (one one right after another) rather than separating them into different parts.

Create a decision point

Add hotspots to your video, and then make use of the 'jump to timing in the video' action to bring your viewers to a particular point within the video or view the results of a specific decision.

Add playback segments

To prevent viewers from being able to skip around videos and bypass decision points, you can make playback segments. Playback segments enable creators to break up videos into parts to ensure that viewers are able to scrub within that segment. This feature is crucial when creating branching videos, because it helps enforce the branching structure, and also prevents viewers from taking advantage of the structure of branching.

Here is an example a training EMS video with playback sections.

Select between a pause, or loop

It is crucial to determine which moment of decision.

As an example, you could choose to create the pause by using the use of a timer, which can stop the film from running until a decision is made.

Consider the possibility of creating a looping segment of content with your hotspot. You can use a time trigger to jump to a time in the video to create loops.

When making a decision make sure you consider whether your video has shot specific content as a decision-making point (like prompts that tell the viewer what's happening on screen) and how you want the viewer to respond in order to decide.

Create your Transitions

Once your viewer makes a choice and a decision at some point, it's important to be aware of the transitions that the video is going to make.

You may prefer to make an uninterrupted continuation of the video or think about different effects for mask changes in the scene.