Hide style variants in Microsoft Word

On occasion, you may notice that your list of styles in Microsoft Word contains a ton of styles you didn't create. It may seem that every time you apply special formatting, Word is generating an extra style.

You can hide the extra styles easy enough. First display, display your list of styles. (In Word 2003, click Format >> Styles and Formatting.)

Below the style list, change the Show drop-down list from Available Formatting to Available Styles. All variants that word generated due to special formatting will be hidden.

Storyboarding templates for instructional design

Trainers and instructional designers sling around the term "storyboarding," as if it is a process that is unique to our field. The term tends to sound a bit mysterious to clients and others outside of our circle, although other professions use similar approaches.

At its essence, storyboarding is a method used to sketch out content at a high level in order to validate flow, find gaps, and iron out complicated areas. Walt Disney is often credited as inventing storyboards for his animations.

Instructional designers use storyboarding to sketch out content for courses that are ultimately delivered through various formats, such as by an instructor or online. The storyboard defines content, slide by slide or screen by screen, to show the progression of learning topics, and can be developed in PowerPoint, Word, a special storyboarding tool, etc.

Many designers use a two column format, with slide or screen text in the left column and either detailed instructor notes or, for online learning, a narration script in the right column. Here are some free storyboard templates for you to check out: http://theelearningcoach.com/resources/storyboard-depot/

For elearning, the storyboard also contains notes on graphic ideas for the developer who puts together animations and visual presentation of the content using tools such as Flash. For instructor-led training, the narrator script is replaced with instructor notes, which provide more detailed talking points than the content that appears on the slides. Instructor-led presentations are often developed in PowerPoint, which allows the instructor to update the content as he or she gains classroom experience with presenting the content.

Now that you know about storyboards, I bet you can see the similarity to screen mockups or can envision storyboards used for web sites.

Dilbert on Standards

Why this is a great time at Logical

The U.S. recession actually has proven to be a vibrant and wonderful time at Logical. Yes, really! We have two main sources for our excitement:

• Companies that were once somewhat satisfied to pay too much for mediocre results are looking for better options, often turning to smaller specialty companies like Logical.
• Our contacts, previously somewhat concentrated at our larger clients, have been dispersed into other organizations where they have carried our brand, and tools like LinkedIn have made it easy to stay in touch.

We have a saying: "With change comes opportunity." To expand: "With unprecedented change comes unprecedented opportunity."

And already in business for 10 years, Logical is well positioned to respond.

Free alternatives to Illustrator, Photoshop, and SnagIt

If your graphic needs are minimal, you may want to try these free tools, which may be adequate:

• Use gimp in cases when you normally use Photoshop.
• Use inkscape in cases where you normally use Illustrator.
• Use Screen Hunter for screenshots,when you might use SnagIt.

gimp and inkscape are opensource.

My thanks to Dick Hamilton, author of Managing Writers,  for offering the tip on the first two tools an STC listserv.