Planning a Training Video Production

A training video design should kick off with very same questions you would ask at the start of designing any training programme – what is our objective? Or what I always like to ask clients – how do you want your audience to feel about the experience? What should they take away from the training room …(apart from the free notepaper)?

And so it should be the same with a training video. OK – so whilst video affords the opportunity for people to learn anytime, anywhere, the focus should be the same. What should they take away from the experience? By keeping this question at the foremost, at each stage of the design, then you will ensure to be true to your objectives. And ensure you get the audience engaged with the message.

And there are any number of ways of being truly creative with your training video. Whether as a standalone piece, or part of a blended learning approach, thinking about what you can do with the style and tone of the piece can dramatically alter its impact and really enhance the message. Using animation for a health and safety project, or filmed scenarios for internal communications piece, or using a character and thinking about the narrative will immediately get an audience hooked and focused on the key topics.

And where possible – tell a story. People relate to stories. People remember stories. Be it a brief anecdote or a full part serial – the image will last. And they can be interactive – make the story part of the training process and the learning can be a real-time experience, with feedback on user performance.

So to recap – in planning your training video

– Identify what you would like the trainees to achieve

– Be Creative: Video is three-dimensional. Use it

– Tell the story: take your learners on a journey

– Embed the learning – Make it relevant and real