Desktop Shortcut Tutorial
Overview
This tutorial video is a tool to help people create shortcuts to frequently used folders and locations within their computer networks. The goal of this tutorial is to save time and mouse clicks for users as they navigate through their network.
Audience: People who wish to simplify navigating a complex corporate computer network structure to access resources.
Responsibilities: Instructional Design, Script and Storyboard, Voice Talent
Tools used: Camtasia, YouTube, Google Docs
Problem and Solution
I was often asked by people how to navigate to resources that were spread across multiple departmental network drives with different folder organization practices. Just downloading or keeping a local copy of the resources wasn't an option, as the documents were updated often and the content changed. The number of resources folders was too large to just use the pin feature in File Explorer effectively to keep track. To help address this problem, I created this tutorial demonstrating the steps to create shortcuts to any frequently used network folder or webpage.
Process
Script/Storyboarding
As someone who regularly interacts with several different computer network drives within the organization, I needed feedback from those who felt less confident navigating through the network and their computer skills. I received feedback while walking people through the shortcut process that I incorporated when creating the video. This allowed me to address the specific concerns and obstacles to create a process understandable to beginner users.
Visual Mockups
Because I planned on using screen recording software, my visuals were files and folders I created for the demonstration. I determined what would be needed during the storyboarding process.
Development
This project was created and edited in Camtasia and required me to expand my skills in this software. I started by recording several different takes within the same media file to go to the editing process. I used Camtasia to preview the takes for each step, create splice points, and rearrange the best takes into one continuous audio/video file. I customized a media file to create an intro/outro to the tutorial, made space and inserted into the existing video file, then added transitions between the elements.
I uploaded the tutorial video to YouTube for viewing and generated Closed Captions for accessibility. I went through the generated captions and edited them for punctuation, grammar, and timing throughout the video.
Takeaways
This project challenged me to create a helpful aid to users with less computer network experience. I worked with various people that had different levels of knowledge to provide a useful tutorial that trains users in the process as they progress through. This project impressed upon me not to assume my target learner's base of knowledge, but to get feedback in order to assess.