| Development time |
ReadyGo |
WYSIWYG |
Macromedia |
| Time to learn |
one to two hours |
two to three days |
one to two weeks |
| Time to become proficient |
one to two days |
one to two weeks |
three to six months |
| Time to turn courseware into web course |
80 page document - 10 hours |
80 page document - 40 hours (one week) |
80 page document - 40 to 80 hours (one to two weeks) |
| Time to create new courseware |
one hour of content – one week
of development |
one hour of content – two to
three weeks of development |
five to ten weeks of development (using Flash and
Director) |
| Development
environment |
ReadyGo |
WYSIWYG |
Macromedia |
Positive
|
- Rapid development – content can be
input/organized independent of appearance. Course
look-and-feel can quickly be applied/modified, affecting the entire
course.
- Best of breed web
and instructional design concepts imbedded (navigation, course flow,
page structure, drill downs)
- Searchable standard HTML – takes advantage of browser
capabilities such as unlimited amount of content on each page.
- Works on any Microsoft,
Netscape, AOL, Safari browser
- Automatically creates
ADA 508 conformant courses (for blind readers)
- Works with any size
display (little or big monitor, high or low resolution)
- Unlimited, easy
inclusion of ANY web content including dynamic HTML, JavaScript,
etc.
|
- Precise control
over positioning of elements on the
page
- View
results while developing
- Visual editing on
page
|
- Precise control over
positioning of elements on the page
- View results while
developing
- Visual editing on
page
|
| Negative |
- Must generate to see
what course looks like (however, this gives the author a more realistic
idea of what the students will see)
- Do not have precise
control over every element’s position (browser optimizes layout of
content based on display size and resolution)
- Need HTML to create
visual editing (bold, italics ...) (Version 5.0, due out this fall will
include visual editing for text)
|
- Takes longer to develop and deliver
courses
- Course developer needs
to understand browser graphic rendering limitations when creating
courses – screen size must be specified in a single place for all
students.
- Creates web pages as
collection of graphics - not searchable
- Can not adhere to ADA
guidelines
- Each slide is limited to
one screen worth of content.
- Very limited to which
browsers course works on
- Does not arrange content
layout based on the student’s display
- Incorporation of
externally developed elements limited to those the WYSIWYG framework can
interpret
|
- Takes longer to develop
and deliver courses
|
| Integration |
ReadyGo |
WYSIWYG |
Macromedia |
| Positive |
- Highest level of SCORM adherence (ADLlabs
internal test 2003)
- Integrated with over 20 LMS, SCORM, AICC
appendices A and B
- ReadyGo provides
behavior-specific integration with LMSs to give most complete tracking
available based on customer needs
- Content author just
selects LMS or specification, and regenerates the course – does not need
to configure tracking for each page/question. Can
quickly change integration model.
|
- Integrates with SCORM, AICC, some
LMS’s
|
- LMS integration is done
independent of Macromedia (user group) through free add-ins
|
| Negative |
|
- Most WYSISYG tools
provide only the minimum required integration so that they can claim
compliance with specifications
- No control over
behavioral issues (overwriting previous results, etc.)
|
- Limited to the level of integration available from
user community add-ins
- Course developer responsible for
coding integration elements into each course
|
Look and
Feel
|
ReadyGo |
WYSIWYG |
Macromedia |
| Positive |
- Look applies to entire course (maintains
consistency)
- Master template
- One step to changing
look
- Can create master
template for company
- CSS (Cascading Style
Sheets) standard web method for designating web look and
feel
- Can
point a group of courses to one style sheet – change look via style
sheet to automatically update all courses from one central point.
- Can include style sheet
in URL
- students view course
based on style sheet.
- Students can view same
course with different look
- Dialog box controls for
changing/updating navigation element, fonts, structure
|
|
- Highest level of design tools on the
market
- Best of breed graphic development
tools
- Almost unlimited capability to create simulations and interactive element types.
|
| Negative |
|
- Does not use CSS as fundamental part of
tool
- Not web
standard
- Can not manage look
for group of courses – each page is a screen
snapshot
- Can not dynamically
change appearance of course at delivery time.
|
- Significant training needed
|
| Graphic
Development |
ReadyGo
|
WYSIWYG
|
Macromedia
|
| Positive |
- Accepts any web viewable
elements
- Choose
the graphic design tool of best suited to your needs, continue using
tool already knowledgeable
on
- Encourages distribution
of development to those who are most proficient on each topic (e.g.
graphic designers to create visual elements, subject matter experts to
collect content).
|
- All in one graphic and course
development
|
- All in one graphic and course
development
|
| Negative |
- Does not include graphic/simulation
tools
|
- Need to learn tool’s
graphic/simulation application
- Limited to tool’s
capabilities
|
- Need to learn tool’s graphic/simulation
application
|
| Additional Features |
ReadyGo |
WYSIWYG |
Macromedia |
| |
- Create printable version
of course – allows for printed handouts created quickly.
- Export just
the course text for proofreading or reformatting in a tool like MS-Word
- Can
change the first page viewed in the course at delivery time.
- Dynamic menu on sidebar,
multiple tables of contents to ease reuse of courseware by students as
needed
- Course size is minimum
possible – makes for faster course publication and
delivery
- Easily put courses on
CD-ROM for delivery
- No additional software
installation (e.g. plug-ins) required
- Copy/Paste PowerPoint
content to provide starting point for course
- 6-8 courses per month
offered to developers as part of support subscription.
These courses cover topics like optimizing audio for web
delivery, creating graphics for web delivery, and advanced use of the
tool
|
|
|
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