Learning the Platform
Springshare has produced a wonderful walkthrough of the platform that covers all of the essential features. Be sure to watch it if you need a refresher: LibWizard Standalone Tutorials.
Best Practices
LibWizard is a very powerful tool, but there are a few things you should keep in mind as you create tutorial content.
Chunk out your text and use headings
Just like editing libguides, it's easiest for the user if you break up long blocks of text. One way to accomplish this is edit your text down and remove extraneous words. You can also break up text blocks by 'chunking it out' and separating it under different subheadings (h2,h3,etc). For additional tips on writing for the web, check out the guidelines in Pratt LibGuides Standards - Tone.
Embed Websites
When embedding sites in slides, make sure that your task does not rely on OneKey authentication. For security purposes, Pratt's SSO login cannot be reproduced in an iframe (which LibWizard requires. That said, they do offer support for opening the site in a new tab, however this is not ideal for user experience). This means that EZproxied resources like EDS or our databases are not good fits for website embedding. Instead use sites like cat.pratt.edu or resources that do not require authentication for completing your task. Always test your slides after you create them!
Give Directions with Ordered Lists
Are you giving your user directions to complete a task? Rather than putting the steps in a paragraph format, use an ordered list. This will make it easier for the user to read/scan when they're directing their attention back and forth between your directions and the interface. Ex:
- Start by doing X
- Then do X
- Finish up with X
Use Image-based assets
Using images is great, but be aware that the only way images are accessible to screen readers is through alt-text. If your tutorial is making heavy use of images, be sure to use descriptive alt-text and link out appropriately to provide alternative means of consuming the information you're presenting.
Write effective quiz questions
There are lots of great resources for writing good multiple choice questions. I'm quite fond of this recent one from the University of Connecticut: Writing Effective Multiple Choice Questions by Betsy Guala.
Use Answer Feedback to Reinforce Learning
Be sure to take advantage of answer properties to give users customized feedback messages based on their answers to questions. This is an important opportunity to reinforce learning by providing extra context or correcting misunderstandings.
Good Examples for Reference
There are lots of possibilities with LibWizard. If you're looking for inspiration, check out these great examples: