In my technical writing class, my students recently finished a Documentation module by writing instructions for a video creation software (Animoto). In reviewing and testing their instructions, I was reminded of how easy this tool is to use. In a few short steps, you can create a video, add text, and even a soundtrack. It’s also easy to distribute and share across platforms like YouTube.
This kind of tool-simplicity allows students to focus on what they want to do with it, rather than worrying about the intricacies of how to use it. When I think about the future look of learning systems, I’d like to see more attention paid to ease of use and cross-platform sharing. Ideally, learning systems should be able to incorporate an Animoto-like tool where, in the case of my tech writing class, it would be easy for them to create instructional videos. In Alan Cooper’s well-known work on Interaction Design, he mentions that the best interface is none at all, meaning, of course, that the interface is so helpful that the user isn’t even conscious of its presence. Now there’s an ideal worth remembering.
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Alan Cooper, Animoto