Articulate 360Reviews of articulate.com

While I have access to both Storyline 2 and Studio '13, I really only use Storyline 2. It has the look and feel of the Microsoft Office products, so it's easy for a beginner to transfer over to SL (Storyline). The ability to create different scenes makes it easy to create a branching-style eLearning course where the user can explore on their own instead of going down a linear path. Triggers and variables give the user the freedom to make things happen without needing a degree in computer programming. The built-in states for buttons saves the designer time when building a course. Layers enable the designer to really create some dynamic courses. And, lastly, eLearning Heroes (Articulate-owned Website) provides a lot of great information and assistance, plus some free downloads. One of the things I do not like is the way the course looks when you print it to Word. If you have a course that branches off and uses layers, it's tough for the SME to use this to review the course. And, while SL does have the same look/feel as PowerPoint and other Microsoft Office products, it does not have everything they have. For example, there is a limited amount of formatting you can do with shapes and such in SL. But, those are really my only 2 complaints. SL is really easy to use and you can produce some amazing eLearning courses. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a development software. There's a free 30 day trial, so you can give it a "spin" before you buy it. UPDATE: I took the new Articulate 360 for a spin. It's a subscription and cloud based software (much like Adobe Creative Cloud). Some of the things I like include: (1) Review - This app lets you share your course with as many people as you want, even if they are not Articulate users, so feedback about the course can be gathered quickly. (2) Rise - This app gives you another option outside of SL to create a eLearning course. I don't know how to describe it other than it's like creating your own web site with many different pages within that site. It's easy to use, and the end result looks fantastic. (3) Responsiveness - You can now publish courses for tablets and smartphones, and the course is displayed perfectly for that device. Before publishing, you have the ability to preview what the course would look like on each device. It's a great new feature. (4) Library - There are pre-built interactions, scenarios, timelines, etc. all at your fingertips. Even if you are a graphic designer and do not like pre-built templates, they are at least useful for giving you a creative jolt. The main thing that I do not like is the subscription model. Also, with Rise, it is not compatible with IE11. And, I do not see myself using one of the newer apps, Presto, but I would still have to pay for it with this subscription model. Overall, though, Articulate is on the right track. I would like to purchase the apps that I want, though, instead of being forced to go all or nothing.

I've been a software trainer for over 20 years, and in elearning for the past 8 years using Articulate. I have never worked with a product that has such great community support and selfless sharing of information and examples, and I'm amazed at what Articulate products in particular Storyline can do to rapidly develop SCORM compliant modules quickly and easily. No knowledge of programming is needed but you can extend the functionality by using JS and there is a whole community ready and waiting to help you do that. Storyline is my product of choice!

My search for the best authoring solution took me far and wide. I had some brief flings with others, but was set up with Articulate in 2013. We have been going steady ever since. But Storyline 2? You had me at "sliders." I have been long impressed with the versatility and utility of Articulate's software. Storyline 2's ease of use makes it a great entry point for the newbie ID, but its powerful tools and integration with JavaScript mean that it has staying power. It has so many built ins but also provides designers with the freedom to design outside of the box. You are only limited by your own imagination. The user interface is intuitive and the community is robust, providing guidance and coaching from basics to advanced use cases. Give Storyline 2 a chance; you won't go wrong.

The use of Storyline 1 and now 2 has been a game-changer for our organization. The interactivity that can be created to engage learners is excellent. The overall feel of the software, as well as the ease of use, makes Storyline 2 the best elearning development software out there today. I'd be lost without it!

Like the title reads, Storyline is fun to use (and easy too)! And if you're stuck, just post in the community and you'll receive a speedy reply either from staff or other community members. The community amazes me with the wealth of expertise and knowledge they share.

Articulate Storyline 2 is an alternative to Adobe Captivate 9 which some readers may know - except that it is so much more. Storyline 2 is very easy to use - I wish I could say that I learned to find my way in Captivate anywhere as easily as in Storyline! Storyline 2 allows me to do what I want - and more, giving me interesting ideas on what else could be done, or at least tried. Among the very helpful features are the timeline, layers, variables, flexible states and trigger conditions, and one free photographic character (more can be bought) and many illustrated characters. "Character" here means more than "one image" - there are many different expressions and poses that can be triggered by variables, among other things. Also, the online community is simply unbelievably helpful - another thing that many will agree Adobe does not master to the same degree. In short - give it a 30 day try, but be warned: if you really give it a try, you will be hooked!

There are 2 really great things about Articulate, and it's tough for companies to nail both of these. They have both great products and great customer service/support. I am an instructional designer/eLearning developer and Storyline2 is my tool of choice. It's super easy to use and super easy for folks new to eLearning to quickly pick it up and make great products. In addition, the Articulate staff and user community are amazing. They have helped me quickly troubleshoot problems on those rare occasions I have them. The community and staff have also really helped me to develop professionally. Some of the material I created for their "Weekly challenges" helped me build a great portfolio and land an amazing job. I love Articulate!

I have, in the last month, abandoned all future use of Adobe Captivate 9. The software is just too clunky and the interface too labor intensive - when compared to Storyline 2. I can get my courses completed in a faster, more efficient manner and I believe my work seems more organic than it did with Captivate. I enjoy using the built-in photographic characters (it's a shame that there are not more free options, given the price tag) - they work really well with all sorts of background file types. These are much better than the new add-ons from eLearning Brothers that come with Captivate 9 - they just "feel" cleaner and more professional. The layering and trigger functions make setting up interactive slides a breeze and the simple, PowerPoint-like ribbons don't get lost while you're working (take a hint, Adobe) and the interface didn't change too much between the versions - that's a huge plus for users like me who are in Storyline constantly - I didn't have to relearn the layout and menu functions. The support from the Articulate Staff, and the user community, is fantastic - this, in my opinion, is the true strength of this application. You won't find anything like it elsewhere.