Articulate 360 Reviews

Pros

What I love about Articulate is the ease of use. We use this for internal and external process and we rarely run into issues where people don't know how to use it. It's a clean and clear design which is also helpful for the type of training we create, since we are usually pairing down dense content and making it more interesting. The modern interface and features makes our products look great and makes the customer happy because they now have something that feels more exciting to their learners. The ability to add voiceover in Storyline and adding graphics/widgets in Rise are little things that go a long way in helping to make our training interactive and much more interesting for clients. The project review tab also makes it easy for our clients to go in and add feedback and for us to retain that feedback, which helps with the efficiency of the project (less calls, emails, etc).

Cons

I do sometimes wish we had the opportunity to add voiceover within Articulate, particularly in Rise. We'd like to be able to have a few more options for that as our clients request it frequently and we feel like we have to do a stop-gap approach of just small snippets. I also know that the widgets don't always function as they should, however, these are small glitches that usually are handled by the Articulate team quickly.

Pros

Articulate 360 comes with a full and powerful suite of software that is easy to learn and easy to use, including Storyline 360. My team consists of a mixture of veteran and novice instructional designers and facilitators. Presenter 360 is especially useful for my novice designers and facilitators as it is so easy to use and mirrors the PowerPoint software they are already familiar with, while giving them the power of a Storyline project. The training and community support available are unmatched with any other software I have used to date.

Cons

Templates can be built and reused easily for Storyline, but not as easily for Rise. There have been a few issues with certain fonts not being supported, but the help desk reached back out to me (almost 8 months later) when the issue was resolved. The content library is immense and included, but will not load more than ~20 pictures at a time.

Alternatives Considered

Adobe Captivate and Litmos

Reasons for Switching to Articulate 360

We chose to go with Articulate 360 as it had the shortest learning curve and the easiest onboarding. The support and training are unparalleled.

Pros

Not much

Cons

It is not much of an authoring platform with most features available in the most basic LMS.

Pros

The suite includes everything an elearning specilist might need to create great elearning: Storyline 360 (authoring tool), Rise (authoring tool), Review (a tool that works to capture feedback from reviewers for both Storyline and Rise), Replay (video-reording tool for capturing screen activity), Peek ( for recording screencasts), as as a large content library, and live online training. The suite is award-winning and very popular.

Cons

The suite is quite expensive for a single elearning developer.

Pros

This software has changed my life and the experience of the learners I develop content for. Articulate 360 gives options. Have an amazing idea and need to start from scratch? Storyline is the place to go. It is so easy to use and there are a ton of tutorials, suggestions, and examples in the community forums. The templates in Rise allow for quick development of modern, easy to navigate online training (and I have used them to present information as well). The Content library is AMAZING! From photos to illustrations and icons - you'll find what you need. I no longer have to go to outside sources - everything I need is in the content library.

Cons

The only suggestion I have is regarding Rise. I love how easy it is to plug and play information but I would like to see just a little more flexibility with editing. If I want to change more of the look I will just use Storyline, but Rise has a nice feel to it and would just like to make small edits - like remove a line in one of the text formats (I think it's statement A. There are workarounds, but more flexibility with design)>

Alternatives Considered

Adobe Captivate

Reasons for Switching to Articulate 360

I chose Articulate 360 because of it's ease of use during the trial period. Unfortunately I could never get Captivate to download. I loved how my finished product looked when using Storyline and Rise, the content library is so extensive, and it is super easy to download my finished course and upload it directly into my LMS. My customers love the product I am delivering and its all because of this software.

Pros

This is such an easy tool to adopt and use for training. We use this to create training programs for various initiatives at our organization. All products help us make the final eLearning courses for our stakeholders. From the video creation capabilities found in Peek and Replay 36 to making interactive content in Storyline and Rise. It also makes it absolutely easy for your stakeholders to give feedback on the material created when using the Review feature. Comments can be made directly onto a slide and/or scene of your course. It is also extremely easy to create a professional looking and cohesive program using the different templates and media found in the Content Library. I am so happy we got this product since Adobe is a steep learning curve for those of us new to instructional design.

Cons

Perhaps my biggest pain point is in regards to logging in. Sometimes, I receive errors while logging on. I believe it has something to do with my organization's strict information security / networking guidelines. They are wary of cloud-based systems right now.

Pros

It's very easy to use, almost intuitive. Basically, if you understand how to use powerpoint, you'll be very comfortable with this software. It has a lot of built-in functionality, as compared to Captivate. You can publish nice courses with little effort. Put some effort to learn it's advanced features, and you can craft stunning courses. I've used this since version 1, and Studio before that. It gets better and better.
They have a great, useful user forum, and attentive support.

Cons

I've had a couple instances where upgrades broke our lessons, the most recent being with Update 6. It was crashing the lessons if there was a quiz or survey. It was a SCORM issue. Our LMS toes the line, hard, on SCORM and the incompatibility caused me misery. I had to revert. Previous to that, upgrading courses from version 2 to version 3 caused the LMS to stop tracking and send warnings. The solution ended up being not to upgrade, but import the content in a new course. Not totally Articulate's fault, but rather a compatibility issue.

Alternatives Considered

Adobe Captivate

Reasons for Switching to Articulate 360

Cost and Functionality. When we first transitioned to eLearning we used Articulate Online. We liked the fact that the software and LMS worked together. The pricing for both was pretty attractive. That said, we started with Articulate Studio, so it made sense to stay with Articulate. Storyline was still more attractive - both price and functionality than the competition.

Pros

Easy to use. Advanced actions in highly interactive courses are so easy to design and build. I have some previous experience as a developer in flash, so I can be quite creative in my ambitions - as of yet, I'm yet to find anything that can not be built using triggers and variables. Having been a long time user of Adobe Captivate, I often had to add code to achieve similar functionality in my course builds.

Cons

There are times that a course file just corrupts and cannot be saved. This is very infrequent - it has happened to me a few times. Often, you can save it by ensuring you save a new version of the course. However, I have found when working intensively overnight on a course build,. the file corrupted and I had to start the build almost from scratch. It wouldnt discourage me from using this software over any alternatives.

Pros

I like that there are regular updates and support with the subscription model. The multi state object interface is so much better than captivate’s.

Cons

It is very pricey for a freelancer and the publishing options can be confusing for packaging your course correctly for Captivate Prime LMS

Pros

Very active user community to get ideas and solve issues. Built in photos, icons are so useful.

Cons

The expense is higher than other elearning authoring tools.

Alternatives Considered

Camtasia and Adobe Learning Manager

Reasons for Switching to Articulate 360

The integration of Review 360 is a motivating factor because reviewers without an account can make comments on content.

Pros

It's easy to jump in and start creating content since much of the layout is similar to Powerpoint. I love that you have a lot of control on how the user interacts with the program. And there is always more to learn and do. Additionally, the help and community forums run by Articulate are unmatched in the field. There is always help when you get stuck.

Cons

This is a complex program and it will take time to learn all of the little nuances. You have to invest a lot of time troubleshoot errors in complex files, there isn't anything that finds issues for you.

Alternatives Considered

Adobe Learning Manager

Reasons for Switching to Articulate 360

The features in Articulate seemed to be a better match for my intended process and outcome.

Pros

Ease of use, very complete, good support, vast library, continuous updates, several Scorm formats, simple and organized programming interface, 360 image.

Cons

Breaks when use many triggers (especially on Objects interseptions), still not well prepared for gamification, some bugs (minor things, all softwares have), not content responsive (although it's window responsive), few effects.

Alternatives Considered

iSpring Suite, Camtasia, Adobe Learning Manager and Lectora

Reasons for Switching to Articulate 360

Firstly because powerpoint compatible, but later found out many other advantages - ease of use, very complete, vast library.

Pros

Articulate 360 is a suite of eLearning programs allowing you to developing engaging online learning content in numerous ways and for different levels of users. Need and easy-to-use tool to create dynamic content that is responsive design without a lot of effort, Rise is just one simple tool that is also quite powerful (i.e. you can embed Storyline content into Rise). Want to give your PowerPoint a lift, Articulate Studio 360 to the rescue. Articulate 360 includes an online Review program allowing others to provide feedback. Articulate has an extensive Content Library 360 available of characters, poses, illustrations, photos so you may not have to spend a ton licensing content for your eLearning. Articulate also provides tools for capturing and recording your screen. But the piece de la resistance is Articulate Storyline 360. This is the anchor of Articulate and like so many robust tools there is a learning curve. The good news is there is a strong online Articulate Community and you can find answers and solutions from others who have no doubt been down the road ahead of you. The webinars that they do are outstanding in quality and I attend as many as I can.

Cons

The continual updates came to bite Articulate, and me as a user. One day after updating, which I do routinely I found my ability to Preview content in Articulate Storyline 360 to not work properly. The ability to Preview content and see the timing of elements on a slide is critical. The good news is I was able to uninstall the update and work in an earlier version. However, while Articulate continued to release updates and add features, I was unable to take advantage of them. The coordination of information by their Technical Support on this critical issue was sub par. I was more apt to figure out when a solution was available through trial and error. Although this earlier issue has been mostly resolved, it still has some lingering problems. Again, the Articulate Community far exceeds the copy/paste responses you can get from Technical Support.

Pros

Articulate Rise is currently my favorite tool for simple web based training development. Very easy to build beautiful and responsive courses that flow well and are easy to navigate. Great interactive elements that work well on any device, and overall a very nice tool for simple elearning courses.

Cons

Support and frequency of updates are just horrible. I've never worked with a product that was so poorly supported and so painfully slow to receive product updates and new features. Manny very basic feature requests that have been submitted on multiple tools within the 360 suite by hundreds of users have been "in development" for over 4 years. In the 3 years I've used the toolset, bug fixes and feature updates have been so infrequent, they're almost non-existent.

Alternatives Considered

Adobe Captivate

Pros

The free trial sets people up for success. If you choose to use the trial, you start to receive email notices from Articulate gurus offering assistance and tips. So, immediately you are introduced to the community. The community of e-learning first-timers to pros offers a great security blanket, helping you realize you are not alone!
The product itself offers several options for creating learning for everyone. From a "powerpoint" look-a-like with Storyline to Rise which offers authors a quick way to create responsive learning to screen recording and a lot more.

Cons

There is nothing I do not like about this software.

Alternatives Considered

Microsoft PowerPoint and Adobe Captivate

Reasons for Switching to Articulate 360

Service and community.

Pros

This is a great instructional design product that allows for seamless communication throughout the iterative process with all involved. The product makes designing online learning easy and opens up tons of possibilities for the creatively minded.

Cons

While there are many options and flexibility when it comes to adding in Java scripting, I have found that the support in this area is lacking. Also some simple and useful feature requests have been ignored across various versions despite long lists in the discussion forums requesting such logical feature upgrades. Other issues that I have with the product are really issues with SCORM which has its own limitations and issues.

Pros

I use this software to create e-learning modules for my students. I like the ease of use and the simple way things work. It is possible to create very complex modules and a beginner or someone not making a living from it; it can be used. Of course, you need other software/services to distribute the modules. The modules contain tests, audio, video, written text, and interactivity. I like the fact that it is offline because I can use it anywhere (often I do not have fast internet when traveling). Also, paying for the perpetual software in one go is a relief because paying a monthly fee is eventually much more expensive.

Cons

The inability to batch convert projects is a real bummer. You have to open each project file one by one and convert it. I do not understand why this has not been implemented yet. Another thing I do not like is the restrictions regarding tests. Tests can only contain 400 questions. It does seem enough, but in our school, we often have larger batches of questions of which randomly are selected a number of questions. The final problem is that support is generally not very helpful, and you need to figure out a lot by yourself. That is based on two experiences; however, both were quite bad.

Pros

Articulate 360 feels like PowerPoint in its user interface and is very intuitive and easy to use. You can put together very smart-looking eLearning very quickly. There is a lot of common functionality built in so you don't have to build from the ground up every time like you do with Adobe Captivate. There's also a very large library of imaging which helps when you need to build quickly. The online support community for Articulate can't be beat. They are there to not only help when you have a problem, but they encourage you to grow as a designer.

Cons

I feel like there are hot keys missing. I wish there was a hotkey to add a text entry field or a hot spot. I also want to be able to move items around the screen one pixel at a time with my mouse rather than having to use CNTRL and SHIFT. The interface feels a lot like PowerPoint to me so while it's easy to use, it's not really very interesting visually, which can matter when you are trying to explain to an executive or stakeholder that building eLearning is a lot more complicated than just building in PowerPoint. The triggers are also a little confusing.

Pros

I love the usability of this product. For new users, the similarities to PowerPoint are great. The ease of importing ppts is always helpful. For advance users, creating advanced slides, variables, triggers, etc is just great. I have been e-learning for the past 15 years and with articulate is the gold standard.

Cons

Their are little issues I have with the software. But it’s mostly small differences in the design of the software. Which I have learned workarounds from the online support community. At times, there are issues with IT security software scanning and file saving. However, upon working with your IT department can easily solve these issues.

Pros

Content Library, triggers (they're awesome and don't require a ton of Action Script to make them work), controls (have you seen Markers, the Dial and the Slider??), diverse character libraries and simple, effective publishing options that make moving the course to an LMS a breeze.

Cons

I wish it had an inline photo editor - then I could REALLY kick Adobe to the curb.

Pros

I like the new features that have been added to the existing tools, but the addition of the web-based tools is really what makes Articulate 360 shine. The opportunity to collaborate with the Review tool alone made the upgrade to Articulate 360 worthwhile. The rest is just the cherry on top of the cake.

Cons

Single, one-size fits all model for the subscription plan.

Pros

Articulate Review blows me away. Reviewing content with project stakeholders and clients has always been a major pain point for me, and with Dropbox ending its Public Folder support in 2017, Review has come in at just the right moment.

The Content library will save me hundreds of dollars a year in content licensing fees, and Rise makes it easy for me to quickly create new types of content.

Publishing in HTML5 and previewing how content will look on multiple device types is amazing.

Cons

I don't really use Articulate Studio 360, so I think it would be nice to offer customers a small discount if they wanted to leave that feature off. But then again, at the current price point, I'm not going to complain.

Pros

I have been following the eLearning Heroes blog (by the trainers for Articulate) for years, and am thrilled to finally have an opportunity to work with this software. The 360 product includes multiple products - including the flagship Storyline program, also heavy hitters Rise and Studio. The 360 suite includes desktop versions and web versions, depending upon your need. I haven't even been able to dig into the features as much as I would like to because I'm still in a new role and focused on other tasks, but I'm excited about the possibilities that this product makes possible.

The best thing about this sophisticated set of tools is the support that is available for learners and users. Articulate offers weekly (perhaps daily) training sessions on how to use the various programs included in 360, and the eLearning Heroes blog is a wealth of information. The trainers even have elearning challenges to prompt users to learn more of the indepth features.

The support is also exceptional. In my new job, I was given a flash drive full of files from an old Articulate Presenter project and a deadline by which to get the product updated and working for our new LMS. Since the files were a bit dated and I was still learning to use the product, a Customer Support Engineer exchanged dozens of emails with me to walk me step-by-step through the error messages and issues until I could get the old training ready to use. Support was very responsive.

Cons

There is a steep learning curve with Storyline, which is probably the biggest reason to get the 360 subscription. Although there are a number of learning opportunities, the product seems like it will take a few years to master.

The biggest con has got to be cost. I have never been able to afford or justify the cost of this tool, which is probably the top tool for ID's to be able to use. The pricing is not structured in such a way to lower the cost for individuals. Lucky for me, it is something my current employer was happy to pay for otherwise it would be out of reach.

Pros

I love Rise in the Articulate 360 suite! It is easy to use, streamlined, professional and functions like any eLearning course. I can create eLearning courses in half the time using Rise in Articulate 360. The knowledge check block is a great way to assess the content learned included right in the course versus having to go to another site to do the knowledge check. The images to choose from are of great quality and fit into most topic areas. The functionality and the clean look make for an engaging and interactive course!

Cons

You are definitely constrained to the functionality in Articulate 360 versus using Storyline but there are a lot of options in Rise to customize.

Pros

I am storyline developer and working on Storyline 3 and 360. Articulate 360 give us lots of Templates, characters, photos, videos, icons. Articulate 360 is a Powerful tool for creating e-learning courses. We can Manage all the assets for our project in one place with the media library. we can create any kind of interactive courses or video based course quickly.

Cons

If our files too large then some time its automatically closed without saving it we loss lots of time and effort.
When we reopen the files then recovered feature is also not working properly.