8 Best Practices To Create Your Own Compliance Online Training Videos

Are your compliance courses dull and drab? Do employees search for excuses not to attend the next compliance online training session? In this article, I’ll highlight 8 best practices for creating your own compliance online training videos that engage and entertain.

How To Create Your Own Compliance Online Training Videos

Videos add a level of interactivity and excitement to your compliance online training courses. They also help to simplify complex topics with the help of visual and auditory elements. But are compliance online training videos out of your budget? Do you have the necessary video production tools, equipment, and experience? Fortunately, ANYONE can create their own compliance online training videos by following these best practices.

1. Develop A Detailed Video Storyboard

Think of a video storyboard as a visual outline that guides you every step of the way. You’re able to focus on your goals and streamline the video production process. Storyboards feature all the essential elements of your compliance online training video. From the characters and setting to interactions. You can even use placeholders to represent activities and screen recordings that you wish to include. Meet with your video production team to get their input and to narrow down the subject matter. The goal is to create a concise compliance online training video that delivers the key takeaways without boring your corporate learners. So, make it as short and succinct as possible. That means omitting unnecessary information and staying on-topic.

300x250_scriptwriting_dec_15_2016

2. Script It Out

The video storyboard serves as a framework for your compliance online training video, and the script sets the narrative tone. It helps to ensure that you include the essential information as quickly as you can. More importantly, in a way that your employees can understand and relate to. Use a conversational tone and avoid technical jargon. The secret is to sound natural and engaging. Get to know your audience so that you can connect with them on a personal level. Surveys, focus groups, and interviews give you a good indication of their background, expectations, and preferences. You can use all of this data to custom tailor your compliance online training video script.

3. Choose Relatable Characters

Compliance online training videos must resonate with your corporate learners. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is by introducing them to memorable characters who share similar traits. For example, have the same work responsibilities or face common challenges on a daily basis. Characters should also dress the part and behave in a relatable way. Above all else, their dialogue and motivations must be believable. For instance, the character must react to the situation in a certain manner to enhance the realism.

4. Include Interactive Elements To Increase Engagement

Incorporate resource links and supplemental activities to improve employee engagement. For example, a clickable annotation that leads to a pop quiz or safety simulation. This further enhances the interactivity of your compliance online training video and improves knowledge retention and recall. This is also an opportunity to repurpose your existing compliance online training materials to increase comprehension. Another option is a microlearning online library where employees can access supplemental resources. For example, a branching scenario that ties into the company policy compliance online training video.

300x250_christopher_pappas_expert_dec_15_2016

5. Get Your Subject Matter Expert On Board

The Subject Matter Expert is your go-to source of information. They can tell you what belongs in your compliance online training video, what you should leave out, and how to achieve the desired outcomes. As such, you should involve your Subject Matter Expert in every step of the process. From creating the video storyboard and writing the script to editing the footage. If your Subject Matter Expert is working remotely, consider investing in a video conferencing tool and Project Management platform to streamline collaboration. Your expert may even double as your narrator, which can save you the time and trouble of hiring a voice actor.

6. Find The Right Video Production Tools For The Task

An effective compliance online training video calls for the right software and equipment. Ideally, you should have a screen recording tool, as well as video/audio editing software. Many video authoring tools also feature built-in online asset libraries, complete with templates and multimedia elements. So, do your research and take advantage of free demos and trials. In some cases, you may also require a microphone for audio narrations and cameras for live-action productions. Fortunately, there are affordable options that make video production budget-friendly. Or you can hire a professional voice artist who already has the tools and equipment you need.

300x250_media_mix_dec_15_2016

7. Use A Good Mix Of Media

There are a number of reasons why you should incorporate a combination of media types. First and foremost, it grabs employees’ attention and minimizes external distractions. Secondly, it improves comprehension and simplifies complex ideas. For example, a diagram appears on the screen to showcase the inner workings of heavy machinery. Lastly, varied multimedia appeals to different learning preferences. Visual learners benefit from images and video footage, while auditory learners benefit from the narration and sound effects. There are a variety of stock footage, image, and audio sites where you can find royalty free content. Just make sure that you verify the usage rights to avoid costly copyright violations. After all, the purpose of a compliance online training video is to avoid fees and penalties.

8. Get Viewer Input To Improve Your Compliance Online Training Video

Your employees are a valuable source of feedback. They are the ones who will be watching your compliance online training video. As such, their opinions and input matters most. Conduct surveys, polls, and focus groups to get their honest feedback and then make necessary adjustments. Alternatively, send the compliance online training video to a select group of employees for a sneak preview. This allows you to fine tune the finished product prior to launch. Use these 8 best practices to create an effective a compliance online training video that is memorable and motivational. You can even apply these 8 tips to other corporate eLearning video productions to make them even more interactive. Just remember to keep it short and sweet so that you don’t have to compete with employees’ short attention spans. Use mysimpleshow to write the perfect script or just upload your Power Point, illustrate your story with images that stay in mind, preview and publish; 4 simple steps to enter the amazing world of video-making.

About the Author

christopher_pappas-1

Christopher Pappas is founder of The eLearning Industry’s Network, which is the largest online community of professionals involved in the eLearning Industry. Christopher holds an MBA, and an MEd (Learning Design) from BGSU. eLearning Blogger | EduTechpreneur | eLearning Analyst | Speaker | Social Media Addict