Savvy Buyer -- Tools of the Trade

Sophistication, simplicity, standards and strictly Web-based content. That's what's happening in the world of authoring software.



Trainers no longer wonder if they can author their own Web-based courses. Instead, they want to know how to do it better and faster. For that reason, seasoned developers are in the market for sophisticated development tools that will keep up with their growing demands. And those who are venturing into the authoring pool for the first time want easy-to-use tools that have been perfected thanks to the experience of those who came before them.



Technology companies such as Macromedia, click2learn.com and Trainersoft know they have a diverse set of customers whose skills are evolving. And those companies are thanking their lucky stars for the greatest sales tool of the Information Age: versions.



You can find new versions of popular tools that appeal to those whose authoring skills span the spectrum , template-based software for novices who need little more than dragging and dropping elements; full-featured tools for experts who want to wow users with their courses; and packages that fall somewhere in between, offering interactivity without complexity.



We'll take a look at several of these new offerings and attempt to help you cut through the confusion surrounding Web-based training (WBT) standards as they relate to authoring tools.



Some experience required

Remember when the idea of authoring a Web-based course made you think, "Yeah, and I'll walk on the moon someday, too"? That wasn't so long ago. Now, you're cranking out so many courses, you've added the word "developer" to your resume.



The newbie authors of a few years ago are becoming more skilled. And their desire to take their abilities , and the courses they create , to the next level isn't lost on the companies that make authoring tools.



One of those is Macromedia, which sells Dreamweaver, UltraDev, CourseBuilder and Authorware. "Many of our customers have grown up in terms of their authoring skills," says Matt Lerner, Macromedia's San Francisco-based product manager for CourseBuilder and Dreamweaver. "They're more sophisticated now. They've mastered Dreamweaver and are ready to start writing the code themselves."



Lerner's company created Dreamweaver UltraDev just for these folks. The tool is a ramped-up version of the popular Dreamweaver Web-site creation software. Its newest feature is database connectivity, which makes content dynamic on database-driven sites.



So what does that mean for WBT developers? The ability to tailor training to the learner. Say you have a diverse pool of trainees , 47-year-old middle managers, 21-year-old new hires and everyone in between. Some have more experience, some know more of the subject matter, some are new to the work world as well as to the field.



If you use a database-driven tool like UltraDev to create your content, learners can access the training they need based on their demographics, experience, job description and other information they provide. How? The learners call up a series of course objects, rather than one generic course.



Lerner explains: "The content is dynamic, so you can bring specific stuff out of the database depending on your learners? needs. You can serve up different parts of the course to different people."



Now that's cool. But, it's not without a price. According to Patti Shank, an experienced Web site developer in Aurora, Colo., UltraDev is a tough nut to crack. "It's 10 times harder to master than Dreamweaver," she says.



Macromedia is also bundling products into "suites" designed to help people create interactive e-learning. Dreamweaver, for example, has been traditionally marketed as a Web-site development tool, with little emphasis on how to use it to create courseware. Not anymore.



"We want to make sure all of our products can create learning," Lerner says. So the company decided to bundle Dreamweaver with CourseBuilder , software that allows users to create specific learning elements. Dreamweaver and UltraDev users can get CourseBuilder, which retails for $299, as a free extension.



Authorware is in for a change, too, says product manager Holly Lugassy. The granddaddy of authoring tools, Authorware traditionally has been used for developing CD-ROM-based training. Now, Macromedia is bundling Authorware with Dreamweaver and Flash and calling the package the Web Learning Studio.



New tools for newbies

Sure, the tools I just described can help you become a skilled Web developer. But not every trainer wants to be one. And not everyone wants to devote hours and hours to learning an ultra-complicated authoring tool.



If you see yourself as a WBT dabbler, simple, template-based tools like Trainersoft can have you hammering out a simple course in an hour. Slightly more complicated tools like DazzlerMax can help you design interactive courses without messing with complicated tools or scripting.



"It boils down to this," says Phillip Baruch, president and CEO of MaxIt Corp. in Jacksonville, Fla., which makes DazzlerMax. "How valuable is your time? Can you do the same thing with a scripting tool? Sure, but it'll take you five times longer."



A word about standards

Whether you're a beginner or a sophisticated WBT developer who's in the market for the latest authoring software, it's nearly impossible to talk about any Web-based tool these days without talking about standards.



Several factions of the WBT community have been trying to develop standards that will make sure Web-based courses and learning management systems from different vendors work together. These groups include the Aviation Industry CBT Committee (AICC); the Instructional Management Systems (IMS) Global Learning Consortium; the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE); and the Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) Initiative of the Department of Defense, which developed the Shareable Courseware Object Reference Model (SCORM).



Last summer, these groups informally agreed to work toward a common set of standards (see p. 70 in this magazine's November 2000 issue). But the final product could be years away, and providers of learning management systems and authoring software don't want to be left behind. For that reason, a number of them have begun making their products comply with the recommendations already being promoted by the various organizations.

"The burden of developing content that complies with the standards is on the developer if the tool itself isn't compliant," says Baruch. "The latest spec for AICC compliance is 334 pages long. Creating compliant content with scripting tools is a very, very , and I mean very , ugly process."



That's why it's important to make sure the authoring tool you use is compliant. "Make sure the company that created your authoring tool is part of the standards movement," says WBT developer Shank, "or the course you worked so hard to author might be obsolete."



-Wendy Webb is a freelance technology writer in Duluth, Minn. She can be reached at wkwebb@chartermi.net.



PRODUCT COMPARISON: Authoring Tools



Trainersoft v6.2 Standard Edition

Trainersoft.com Corp.

919-754-0000

800-561-2098

www.trainersoft.com



Description:

An easy, professional authoring tool, one step up from Trainersoft's Standard version.



Advantages:

If you're not developing training within 60 minutes, return the product in 60 days for your money back.



New Features:

Learners can advance only after passing tests; multiple learners can use the same computer to bookmark their place in a course; global pasting features.



Standards:

IMS



Price:

$1,499.99



System Requirements:

Pentium 100 processor; Windows 95, 98, 2000 or NT; 16 MB RAM; 20 MB disk space



*****



Trainersoft v6.2 Professional

Trainersoft.com Corp.

919-754-0000

800-561-2098

www.trainersoft.com



Description:

Easy-to-use, entry-level authoring tool.



Advantages:

Touted as the easiest authoring tool on the market.



New Features:

Can create multiple certificates; multiple learners can use the same computer to bookmark their place in a course; global pasting features.



Standards:

IMS



Price:

$399.99



System Requirements:

Pentium 100 processor; Windows 95, 98, 2000 or NT; 16 MB RAM; 20 MB disk space



*****



ReadyGo Web Course Builder

ReadyGo Inc.

888-Readygo

650-969-4902

www.readygo.com



Description:

Ultra-easy authoring tool.



Advantages:

Courses created with ReadyGo can be used by learners with slow Internet connections (14.4 kbps) and on all browsers; requires no plug-ins.



New Features:

Creates content in HTML and JavaScript; uses multimedia tools for graphics, simulations and videos and dialogue boxes for creating quizzes, tests and interactive exercises. Instant translation into French, German, Spanish, Italian or Japanese.



Standards:

AICC



Price:

Single-user license, $495; site license, $5,000



System Requirements:

Windows 95, 98 or NT, Netscape 3.0 or greater, Internet Explorer 3.0 or greater



*****



ToolBook II Assistant

click2learn.com

425-462-0501

www.click2learn.com



Description:

Easy-to-use, graphically rich authoring tool for novices.



Advantages:

Simple, three-step process for course creation.



New Features:

PublishExpress wizard allows users to upload courseware to the click2learn.com network; dynamic HTML for building interactive questions and animations; integrated learning management.



Standards:

AICC, SCORM, LRN (Microsoft's implementation of the IMS standard)



Price:

$1,495



System Requirements:

Pentium 90 processor or higher; Windows 95, 98, 2000 or NT, 16 MB RAM for

playback, 20 MB RAM for authoring, 70 MB RAM hard disk space, CD-ROM drive, video graphics adapter that can display 256 colors at 640 x 480 pixel resolution



*****



ToolBook II Instructor 7.2

click2learn.com

425-462-0501

www.click2learn.com



Description:

A powerful tool for trainers with some authoring experience.



Advantages:

Integrates easily with click2learn's learning management system.



New Features:

Updated visual elements within templates; ability to convert content to DHTML; streaming video and audio; PublishExpress wizard.



Standards:

AICC, SCORM, LRN



Price:

$2,495



System Requirements:

Pentium 90 processor or higher; Windows 95, 98, 2000 or NT; 20 MB RAM for authoring; 70 MB RAM hard disk space; CD-ROM drive; video graphics adapter that can display 256 colors at 640 x 480 resolution



*****



DazzlerMax

MaxIT Corp.

800-868-8039

904-998-9520

www.maxit.com



Description:

Full-featured authoring tool that allows for the rapid development of interactive e-learning, testing and presentations.



Advantages:

Interactive content can be created in seconds and with no plug-ins.



New Features:

Support to make calls into external JavaScript from content; support for streaming technology; optional learning

management system.



Standards:

AICC, SCORM



Price:

$1,495 for developer's license



System Requirements:

Win 9X, 2000, ME or NT; 32 MB disk space



*****



Dreamweaver UltraDev 4 (bundled with CourseBuilder extension)

Macromedia Inc.

415-252-2000

www.macromedia.com



Description:

High-end Web development tool for creating database-driven courses.



Advantages:

Database connectivity allows learners to access just what they need.



New Features:

Total control over source code; ability to create reusable libraries; easy connection to Web server databases; CourseBuilder allows developers to work across platforms and browsers.



Standards:

AICC, SCORM



Price:

$599



System Requirements:

Windows: Pentium or equivalent 166+ MHz processor; Windows 95, 98, 2000 ME or NT; 64 MB available RAM; 170 MB disk space; monitor capable of 800 x 600 resolution; CD-ROM drive

Macintosh: Power Macintosh with OS 8.6 or higher; 64 MB RAM; 130 MB disk space; monitor capable of 800 x 600 resolution; CD-ROM drive



*****



Web Learning Studio

(Authorware 5.2, Flash, and Dreamweaver 4 with CourseBuilder extension)

Macromedia Inc.

415-252-2000

www.macromedia.com



Description:

Integrated authoring studio that allows developers to create and deploy standards-based interactive courses.



Advantages:

Web-native capabilities for Authorware users via Flash and Dreamweaver.



New Features:

Support for Macromedia Flash 5; robust new scripting editor; Windows controls; assessment knowledge objects and enhanced, standards-compliant data tracking capabilities.



Standards:

AICC, SCORM



Price:

Authorware alone, $2,699; $499 upgrade for versions 3.0 and higher.



System Requirements:

Varies according to tool



*****



COPYRIGHT Bill Communications Inc. 2001. All rights reserved.