Training Industry Magazine - July/August 2017 - 50

you in the middle of the action and
engages you to drive the experience.
(See sidebar below.)
Interactive video has several different
uses. It is used extensively in online
promotional/marketing (trailers for
upcoming TV series and movies are
popular). Recruiters and customer
service providers have been quick to
exploit the medium. Some of the most
creative and innovative uses have been
in music videos and the visual arts.
The opportunities to create engaging
learning experiences are starting to be
realized by training content providers
and L&D organizations.
There are four primary benefits to
interactive video that make it very
attractive to those of in learning and
development (L&D).

INTERACTIVE VIDEO PUTS YOU IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
ACTION AND ENGAGES YOU TO DRIVE THE EXPERIENCE.

1 | CROSS-DEVICE
With a few limitations, interactive video
works well on most modern browsers
and any device: PC, phone or tablet.
And, if you follow a few basic guidelines,
the same video(s) can provide a
consistent,
powerful
experience
regardless of whether the learner is in
front of a laptop in the office, or viewing
a mobile device (with ear buds) on the
bus. This makes the production process
easier for you. You don't need to worry
about multiple versions or tweaking for
different operating systems. Cell signals
and Wi-Fi are generally strong enough
nowadays to support full-screen mobile

video (most interactive video platforms
still actually push media clips and
commands to the user, instead of using
real-time streaming media servers). And
your learners will relish the freedom.

2 | PERSONALIZED
Interactive video permits user-driven
decision-making and a sense of
user control. This can enable a more
personalized learning experience and
greater choice for the learner. Videos
can be structured to permit learners
to select based on their role, staff level

INTERACTIVE VIDEO ACTIONS
* Select what to do
next within a scene
* Decide how to
respond to a situation
* Load a pop-up
screen with additional
information
* Click on a character
or icon to learn more

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* Provide feedback
through a survey
question

* Launch a web page
or download a
document/job aid

* Respond to a
quiz question

* Skip or rewind
the playback to a
predetermined point

* Choose who to
hear from next
* Switch between
subtitle languages

* Leave a time-based
comment at a
specific point

or knowledge gaps. According to the
Brandon Hall Group, video learning
is one of the top five critical items for
effective personalized learning. In
true self-directed fashion, viewers of
interactive video can choose how deep
they want to go with the content: stick to
the main message or peruse side topics.

3 | ENGAGING
Interactive video is immersive and can
involve the learner in the content. Our
busy learners are fickle, and will bail on
your learning if it feels slow, uninteresting
or passive. Industry statistics verify that
interactive video experiences reduce
user drop-off when compared to regular
"flat" video. Story-driven approaches
encourage exploration: branching,
learning more in "layers" of content, or
collecting knowledge items that are
interspersed across the entirety of the
journey. If done properly and effectively,
you can get the best of both worlds -
engaging characters and narrative, with
opportunities to embed high-touch
experiential learning through decisionbased consequences and outputs.
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Training Industry Magazine - July/August 2017
