"Show Me" Tutorial Video Design and Development Process

I started creating demonstration videos for my software company clients in 2007 and have since created many of these "show me" type tutorial videos.

This week, I thought I would explain the process that I use for designing and developing this type of project.

Videos are a great way to explain how to complete a specific task in the software. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words. 

For this particular sample, I am working toward a comparison of two different types of projects. I'm using a more advanced feature of Microsoft Word to illustrate the two different types of projects.  Because of the comparison aspect of this example, I did things a little differently than I have in the past. But the overall process is basically the same. 

1

The first step is determine the scope of the video. This involves analyzing the task that you want to demonstrate and think about every single incremental step to get you from point A to point B.  It's important not to leave anything out, so think like a technical writer.

As part of this step, you'll want to think about what data will appear in your recording and set that up now. You'll also need to handle any pre-requisites that must be done in the software before you can get to the screen you want to record.

2

Next, I always write a script. This may or may not include programming instructions for what I want to show on the screen along with the narration, but it always includes the words that will be said in the video. Some people may be able to wing it when recording audio, but I don't recommend it unless you have lots of time for do-overs or don't care about the "umms" and other filler words.

I also read the script out loud before recording to make sure that it sounds smooth and that it isn't too long. Generally, if you start going over about 3 minutes, your audience will start tuning out.

3

I use the script to record the narration separately. I've tried recording both audio and visuals at the same time for screen recording videos. Trust me when I say it's more efficient to record them separately and time them later. So the third step is to record and edit the audio. I won't go into any details of audio recording here, but I use Audacity and a Blue Snowball microphone with a table stand and pop filter, and DIY foam surround for the microphone to dampen external sounds and echos. If I make a mistake while recording, I just keep going, reading the start of that phrase or sentence again. It's fairly easy to edit out the mistakes (usually). This process takes about two or three times the length of the finished audio. For example, a three-minute video will take me about 10-15 minutes to record and edit the audio.

4

Once I've finished the audio, it's time to get the screen recordings or screen shots. It helps to have a scripted plan for what you are going do while the "camera" is on, although when I'm just needing to click a few times, I may skip it. It is also VITAL that you've considered any data requirements or software pre-requisites before you start recording, as I mentioned in step 1.

I normally use Camtasia for the screen recordings. But for this particular example, I used Articulate Storyline's screen recording and exporting capabilities so that I can realize efficiencies of scale for the next part of my comparison. There were pros and cons to this decision, which I'll discuss more at length in a week or two.

I've even created entire videos from still shots. Adobe Captivate handles things like this well, and I can even add a simulated mouse to make it look like a recording.

This recording process can be quite quick, with some variations among the different tools. Sometimes I just record a step or two at a time. However, recording can get time consuming, if as the recording progresses, you realize that you've forgotten something important and need to revisit steps 1, 2, and/or 3. This is one of the reasons that the task analysis step is so important.

5

Now comes the juicy part - putting it all together. I almost always use Camtasia for editing the video and syncing the timing. This post isn't meant as an in-depth tutorial for using Camtasia, but the basic process is:

• Add the audio to one track.
• Add the screen recording to a second track.
• Cut or extend frames in the video so that the narration matches what is happening visually. Sometimes I also need to add a little time here and there to the audio track.
• Add title slides and callouts.
• Produce final video

6

Once the video has been produced, it's ready to share. Since my clients all have different needs and processes, this can vary quite a bit. You may post it on YouTube or Vimeo or host it on a website.

There are also SME reviews along the way, depending on the project. 

If you didn't watch the sample video from the image above, you can view it here.

​And good luck with your videos!