The Visual Lounge

For any video creator, efficiency is critical. Ideating, scripting, recording and editing can be hard work, so what can you put in place to make things run more smoothly? On this episode, we ask Nick Nimmin, YouTube creator, entrepreneur and speaker for his tips and tricks. He takes a deep dive into his content creation strategy, explaining how he leverages audience feedback to form ideas for his videos and uses AI tools to speed up his workflow. Plus, he shows us his content file structure, guides us through his editing process and provides one tip that could save you tons of time.Learning points from the episode include:·       00:00 – Introduction·       03:06 – Why time can be a challenge for video creators·       05:16 – Top tips on ideating for video creation·       10:41 – Using AI for video creation, good or bad?·       19:07 – How Nick keeps his video creation fast and efficient·       23:04 – Why Nick creates more than one video in a day·       26:34 – Nick’s content file structure·       31:42 – How long does it take to edit videos?·       38:30 – Outro Important links and mentions:·       Connect with Nick on LinkedIn·       Subscribe to Nick’s YouTube channel·       Visit Nick’s website

Whether you create videos for YouTube or internal training content, you should have one top priority – keeping your audience engaged. But what steps can you put in place to make sure this happens? And what should you do if your videos aren’t making the desired impact? On this episode of The Visual Lounge, Matt Pierce shares top tips for making engaging YouTube and internal content, why jump cuts could be the simple tool that makes your videos more compelling and why it’s vital you know your audience. Remember: bring them in, create content for them and keep them watching. Learning points from the episode include: 00:00 – Introduction 00:57 – Fighting for attention on YouTube 02:45 – The YouTube creator mindset 05:44 – Applying a creator mindset to internal training content 07:29 – How AI could impact video creation 08:53 – The power of jump cuts 11:33 – Find your style 11:52 – Experimenting with TechSmith content 13:13 – What’s on screen in your videos? 15:52 – Knowing your audience 16:54 – Bring them in, create content for them and keep them watching 17:00 – Outro  Important links and mentions: Connect with Matt on LinkedIn Follow Matt on Twitter

Whatever type of presentation you’re delivering it’s important to remember that building a relationship with your audience is paramount. Your slides are not the presentation, you are the presentation, says Senior Director, Customer Education, Leslie Chamberlain. Leslie joins this episode of The Visual Lounge to guide us through making effective, “sense rich” presentations faster, from concept to completion. She provides tips on keeping things clear and concise and balancing individualism with brand values. Leslie also dives into the importance of appealing to your audience’s senses in order to make presentations more memorable. Learning points from the episode include: 00:00 – Introduction 02:49 – How Leslie became involved in customer success 05:13 – Making learning presentations successful 06:49 – Leslie’s tip for using videos and images in presentations 09:04 – Brand vs individual in your presentations 10:43 – The first steps towards a great presentation 16:14 – Making your ideas sense-rich 19:06 – Where people get stuck making presentations 24:54 – Should you script presentations? 26:47 – How to condense information and keep things short 31:40 – Hear Leslie’s Speed Round answers 35:57 – Leslie’s final take 36:36 – Outro   Important links and mentions: Connect with Leslie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslie-chamberlain-a3475121/ 

To thrive in the modern workplace, good communication is critical. But how can managers identify the most efficient ways to exchange messages with their teams? We asked Jane Bozarth, Director of Research at Learning Guild, to join us on The Visual Lounge and help unpack our recent research report, ‘Chaos to Clarity: How to Thrive in the Modern Workplace’. Jane shares her thoughts on the most interesting findings from the research, explaining how to make meetings more productive, leverage the benefits of asynchronous videos and use visuals to enhance your communication. Plus, she shares why it could be time to change the medium you’re using to better connect with your team. Learning points from the episode include: 00:00 – Introduction 02:00 – Introducing the research report 03:58 – Are meetings still popular? 05:53 – How to make meetings more productive 07:46 – When to use asynchronous video 10:07 – Are meetings always the right medium to convey information? 12:32 – How to make asynchronous video effective 17:39 – Sending better emails 22:15 – Visuals make your messages more effective 25:51 – Jane’s final thoughts on the report 28:49 – Jane’s Speed Round 36:45 – The final take  Important links and mentions: Connect with Jane on LinkedIn Visit the Learning Guild website Find the research report here

Managers – do you communicate enough with your team members? This guest says you should always communicate more than you think. Communication is key to success in any workplace, so we asked Jeremie Brecheisen, Managing Director at Gallup, on The Visual Lounge, to share his expert advice. Jeremie shares what good communication means to him and how we can prevent proximity bias as teams continue to mix remote and onsite working. Plus, hear how asynchronous communication can boost productivity and cut out distractions. Learning points from the episode include: 00:00 – Introduction 02:57 – Getting to know Jeremie 04:57 – Defining healthy communication in the workplace 08:12 – Using visuals to breed strong communication 11:55 – Dealing with proximity bias 21:03 – Do we have too many meetings? 27:26 – Benefits and drawbacks of asynchronous communication 31:50 – Practical advice on workplace communication 33:54 – Speed Round Questions 38:48 – Jeremie’s final take 40:26 – Outro  Important links and mentions: Connect with Jeremie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremiekbrecheisen/  Jeremie’s Gallup articles: https://www.gallup.com/people/JeremieBrecheisen.aspx?a=246527&p=1  Jeremie’s Gallup piece on the Four Essential Dynamics of Hybrid Work: https://www.gallup.com/workplace/390944/four-essential-dynamics-hybrid-work.aspx  

We are seeing illustrations being used more and more to represent brands and their goals, but how do you land on a visual that works and what are the things to consider?  In this episode of The Visual Lounge, we are joined by Graphic Designer and Illustrator, Lainey Yehl to talk about the steps that go into creating successful illustrations, what makes good graphic design and how to tell stories through your visuals. Plus, Lainey gives us insights into her own career, what graphic design trends are on the horizon and shares details about her contribution to our Snagit update.  Learning points from the episode include: 00:00 – Introduction 02:19 – How Lainey began her career in illustration 03:51 – Why everyone is creative 04:47 – What makes a project successful? 06:52 – Advice for being successful with images 08:42 – Why are more organizations using illustrations? 11:17 – The power of storytelling through illustration 12:07 – Outlining the creative process from concept to final product 15:06 – Keeping up with illustration trends 16:52 – How Lainey illustrates 20:27 – Exploring Lainey’s work for TechSmith 22:14 – Does she have creative freedom? 23:46 – Incorporating diversity and inclusion 25:07 – The importance of accessibility 26:48 – The top trends to look out for 29:17 – Lainey’s Speed Round 34:29 – Final take 35:05 – Outro  Important links and mentions: Connect with Lainey on LinkedIn Follow Lainey on Instagram Visit Lainey’s website 

Video production is more accessible than ever, making it a viable option for all content creators. But what is it about video that makes it such an excellent option for training professionals? On this episode of The Visual Lounge, we are joined by Abbey Cooke, Learning and Digital Collaboration Manager at Southern States Cooperative and owner of Lizard Brain Learning. Abbey shares how she got started in her industry, why she prioritizes the social aspects of training and how she measures her success. Plus, she provides tips on adding a touch of creativity to training content and gives us the top secrets behind her 60k+ follower TikTok profile.  Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – Intro 01:45 – How Abbey got started making videos and images 03:51 – How to define success in video creation and social media 06:16 – A tip for video and image production 07:33 – How short-form video has impacted Abbey’s work 10:55 – The social aspect of training 14:18 – What helps build bridges between remote trainees? 15:50 – What should be a video vs another type of content? 20:37 – Metrics and indicators 22:10 – Applying creativity to corporate social media content 26:37 – Extra advice from Abbey 28:36 – Abbey’s TikTok tips and tricks 30:56 – Abbey’s Speed Round questions 36:57 – Final take 37:41 – Outro  Important links and mentions: Connect with Abbey on LinkedIn Visit the Lizard Brain Learning website Follow Abbey on Instagram Follow Abbey on TikTok Subscribe to Lizard Brain Learning on YouTube 

*Drumroll*  Snagit 2024 is out and packed full of new and improved features to help you make video a part of your everyday toolkit – whether you’re a beginner or a video pro.  In this episode of The Visual Lounge, we sat down with TechSmith’s Nick Rich, Associate Technical Product Manager, who has been responsible for helping us launch these brilliant new features. Hear Nick explain how our new mouse cursor options, timeline display, combined videos, and sharing features can help to take the hassle out of creating videos.  Learning points from the episode include: 02:39 – How Nick got his role at TechSmith 04:05 – What makes successful images and videos? 06:00- Nick’s top tip for working with images and videos 10:43 – Snagit 2024’s new cursor features 14:09 – A look at the new Snagit timeline display 16:40 – How Snagit users can combine videos  21:59 – How to share Snagit captures with Microsoft Teams and more 25:35 – Features you may have missed in Snagit 26:30 – Why we decided to enhance Snagit’s onboarding experience 27:12 – How to use Snagit’s share link feature 29:59 - Nick’s favorite Snagit 2024 feature 30:45 – Speed round questions 36:21 – Nick’s final take  Important links and mentions: Download Snagit 2024: https://www.techsmith.com/screen-capture.html Connect with Nick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-rich/ 

Looking to deploy social learning in your workplace? Prioritize what your people need and identify how they want to experience it. Nicole Papaioannou Lugara, Learning Strategist and founder of Your Instructional Designer, joins this episode of The Visual Lounge to share top tips on implementing social learning, pitching it to your C-suite and determining whether it’s doing its job. Plus, she explores why video is so effective for social learning and why authenticity should always be front of mind. Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – Introduction 2:14 – How Nicole got into instructional design 4:25 – What defines success for social learning? 6:23 – Nicole’s tip for using video and images in the workplace 9:16 – What good social learning could look like 10:41 – Can social learning just be natural? 11:49 – What makes it work/not work? 13:29 – What can prevent social learning from working well? 15:01 – The most creative ways to implement social learning 17:32 – The best ways to measure social learning’s success 22:08 – Why video works for social learning 28:33 – Be inspired! 30:21 – Speed round 35:51 – Nicole’s final take 36:36 – Outro  Important links and mentions: Connect with Nicole on LinkedIn Follow Nicole on Instagram Visit Nicole’s website Subscribe to Nicole’s YouTube channel 

Content can be the glue between your operations and your customers’ experiences, but how can image and video creators best use customer insights to make that content effective? On this episode of The Visual Lounge, Sunny Hunt, founder and CEO of Hunt Interaction, shares top tips for creating effective content to bridge that gap with your customers. Plus, she tells us the best ways to get to know your audience, spread the customer-first mindset across your organization and reap the benefits of generative AI.  Learning points from the episode include: 00:00 – Intro 02:20 – How Sunny got started in customer experience 03:39 – Defining success in her work 05:09 – Advice on using videos and images to bridge the gap with customers 07:10 – What content Sunny focuses on 08:27 – How knowing your audience leads to better content 10:16 – Building a better connection with customers (the first steps) 14:01 – Make building better customer connections a team-wide mindset 16:30 – Sunny’s views on AI to help build customer connections 20:46 – The potential authenticity hazards of generative AI 26:12 – Sunny’s favorite tools to connect with customers 28:47 – Sunny’s Speed Round answers 38:11 – Final take 39:21 – Outro  Important links and mentions: Connect with Sunny on LinkedIn Follow Sunny on Twitter Visit Sunny’s website 

If you put lots of effort into creating images and videos, you want it to have an impact, right?  That’s what we chat about in this episode of The Visual Lounge with Mike Simmons, Speaker, Advisor, Coach, Fractional CRO/Sales Leader, and Enabler for Catalyst A.C.T.S. Mike shares how he first got started with images and video, and why simply starting can be the hardest but most important step. We hear about his method for balancing impact vs. energy when creating content and why you need to create and get feedback to find that sweet spot and level up your skills.  Learning points from the episode include: 00:00 – Introduction 03:31 – How Mike first started using images and video 05:01 – What makes a successful video 06:45 – Mike’s method for getting feedback  09:19 – Mike’s top tip for making images and videos  11:36 – How Mike defines “accelerating impact” with video 14:08 – The tools Mike uses to help him create videos  19:29 – Mike’s advice for getting started  24:30 – How you build momentum after getting started 26:31 – Overcoming the risks of experimenting with videos  31:52 – Questions to ask yourself to motivate you to start creating 33:51 – Speed round questions  39:38 – Mike’s final take Important links and mentions: Connect with Mike on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikesimmons/ Catalyst A.C.T.S: findmycatalyst.com Catalyst A.C.T.S’ YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa66Q2SqaPCA_TbhrOVNOCA 

It’s The Visual Lounge’s third birthday! To celebrate, host Matt Pierce shares some of the most memorable and insightful moments from the past three years. This episode features clips from Brian Fanzo, Cara North, Josh Cavalier and plenty of other incredible guests discussing the importance of understanding your viewers, making the first jump into video, why accessibility is essential and lots more. A huge thank you to all of our guests and every listener who has tuned in. Here’s to another three years! Learning points from the episode include: 00:00 – Introduction 00:10 – A message from Matt Pierce 02:12 – Josh Cavalier on understanding your audience 03:10 – Owen Hemseth/Owen Video on the G.R.E.A.T. principle 05:00 – Brian Fanzo on identifying what makes you great on video 07:09 – Jonathan Halls on taking inspiration from TV 08:58 – Lee LeFever on storytelling on video 11:22 – Diana Howells explains B.L.E.A.C.H.  13:26 – Matt Pierce on making the most of your equipment 15:17 – Peter Hopwood on the benefits of being self-critical 16:45 – Elizabeth Pierce on using video to engage an audience 18:28 – Matt Pierce and Jayne Davids on speeding up your video production 21:50 – Paul Wilson on why quality is key 23:37 – Andrew DeBell on making videos look better 25:07 – Matt Pierce on why you should cut more from videos 26:22 – Emily Weiss on using interaction to engage with your audience 28:28 – Cara North on the value of accessibility 31:20 – Edie Clark on why now is the time to create videos 33:03 – Josh Cavalier on aiming high in video 34:43 – Troy Hunt on why perfect is the enemy of good 35:57 – Matt Tidwell on how to make your first video 37:36 – Matt Pierce on getting better every day 38:02 – Outro  Important links and mentions: Josh Cavalier Connect with Josh on LinkedIn Follow Josh on Twitter Follow Josh on Instagram Visit Josh’s website Owen Video Connect with Owen on LinkedIn Subscribe to Owen’s YouTube channel Brian Fanzo Connect with Brian on LinkedIn Follow Brian on Twitter Visit Brian’s website Subscribe to Brian’s YouTube channel Lee LeFever Connect with Lee on LinkedIn Visit Lee’s website Jonathan Halls Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn Visit Jonathan’s website Diana Howles Connect with Diana on LinkedIn Visit the Howles Associates website Matt Pierce Connect with Matt on LinkedIn Follow Matt on Twitter Peter Hopwood Connect with Peter on LinkedIn Follow Peter on Twitter Follow Peter on Instagram Elizabeth Pierce Connect with Elizabeth on LinkedIn Follow Elizabeth on Twitter Jayne Davids Connect with Jayne on LinkedIn Visit the Raiveon website Paul Wilson Connect with Paul on LinkedIn Follow Paul on Instagram Follow Paul on Twitter Visit Paul’s website Subscribe to Paul’s YouTube channel Andrew DeBell Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn Visit Andrew’s website Emily Weiss Connect with Emily on LinkedIn Cara North Connect with Cara on LinkedIn Follow Cara on Twitter Visit Cara’s website Subscribe to Cara on YouTube Andy Owen Connect with Andy on LinkedIn Edie Clarke Connect with Edie on LinkedIn Visit Edie’s website Subscribe to Edie on YouTube Troy Hunt Connect with Troy on LinkedIn Follow Troy on Twitter Visit Troy’s website Matt Tidwell  Follow Matt on Instagram Follow ThinkThru on Instagram Visit the ThinkThru website Subscribe to ThinkThru on YouTube 

If you want to upgrade your sales strategy, first start with how you communicate. Emails and phone calls can only take you so far.  If you want to communicate in a way that gets the message across and helps you stand out, then images and videos are the way to go.  In this episode of The Visual Lounge, Peyton Towler, Head of Global Growth at TechSmith, breaks down how videos and images can help you sell more effectively. He also shares some advice on how to help people who aren’t confident on camera, how to get the balance right when communicating with prospects, and the benefits of personalized videos.  Learning points from the episode include: 00:00 – Introduction 02:46 – How Peyton first got involved with sales 05:15 – How Peyton defines success in sales 07:05 – Peyton’s top tip for using images and video   09:02 – Using images and video in sales on a daily basis 10:45 – The best use cases for videos and images internally and externally 14:05 – Tips for those uncomfortable with using video 17:10 – How to protect the brand in a team using images and video 20:49 – Using generic vs. personalized videos 22:52 – How to determine whether using video and images are worth it 26:10 – The value of personalized videos 28:00 – Speed round questions  34:32 – Peyton’s final take Important links and mentions: Connect with Peyton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peyton-towler/ 

Is there a communication disconnect at your workplace? Maybe in-person or Zoom meetings are not working the way you’d like. Or perhaps lengthy emails are just causing more confusion than ever. In this episode of The Visual Lounge, we explore five “broken” workplace communication methods and ways to improve them. Communication can and should be flexible if you want to get your message across efficiently, and that might mean experimenting with things like video and asynchronous communication.  Joining this episode are TechSmith’s Emmie Musser, Senior Portfolio Marketing Manager, and Daniel Foster, Director of Strategy, who share some brilliant tips you can try out today. Learning points from the episode include: 00:00 – Introduction  02:43 – How Emmie first became interested in workplace communication 04:02 – What successful workplace communication looks like 05:34 – Tips for using visuals in the workplace  08:10 – How modern communication in the workplace is broken 10:52 – Why some organizations prefer in-person working 13:21 – The top ways communication is broken 17:00 – How to decide when to use visuals to communicate 22:11 – How to overcome the challenges of asynchronous working 24:16 – Advice for changing up workplace communication 28:43 – Why meetings without context are inefficient 30:18 – How asynchronous work can boost engagement 32:21 – A better way to deliver metrics updates 35:33 – How could AI change the way we communicate 38:19 – Speed round questions 44:56 – Daniel and Emmie’s final takes  Important links and mentions: Connect with Daniel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielfoster/ Connect with Emmie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmiemusser/ An Experiment to Build an Async-First Culture: https://bit.ly/3KZuRuR  5 Ways You Never Thought To Use Snagit: https://www.techsmith.com/learn/webinars/5-ways-you-never-thought-to-use-snagit/

What’s the secret to effective customer education? On this episode of The Visual Lounge, Adam Avramescu, VP of Customer Education & Engagement at Personio, explains the principles behind his Customer Education Manifesto and how they can help your business reach positive outcomes for retention, expansion and lifetime value. Plus, he shares his route into the industry, how videos and images play a role in customer education and how to gauge success. Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – Introduction 2:06 – Adam’s first steps into customer education 5:22 – Success in customer education 10:09 – Using images and videos 13:19 – What is the Customer Education Manifesto? 21:01 – Customer education to help a business scale 27:43 – Speed over quality? 34:54 – Is it OK to keep things simple? 39:08 – Adam’s Speed Round 44:53 – Final take 45:32 - Outro Important links and mentions: Connect with Adam on LinkedIn The Customer Education Manifesto ‘Customer Education’ book Listen to the CELab podcast 

What does success mean for customer education professionals, and how can they make sure they reach their goals? Debbie Smith, President of CEdMA, joins this episode of The Visual Lounge to share the top skills required to excel in customer education. She tells us her advice for creating customer education videos, the importance of keeping business goals in mind and the best metrics by which to gauge your success. Plus, Debbie makes her predictions for the future of customer education. Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – Introduction 2:51 – Debbie’s first steps into customer education 5:23 – Why success in customer education can’t have one definition 6:25 – Top tip for using videos and images for customer education 8:17 – The best starting point for budding customer education pros 9:37 – Keeping a customer focus 13:00 – Balancing creative and business objectives 16:12 – Where do customer education pros sit within companies? 19:53 – Often-overlooked metrics 23:22 – What’s in store for the future of customer education? 26:55 – Top tips for certification programmes 30:52 – Why project management skills are crucial 31:58 – Debbie’s Speed Round 38:21 – Outro  Important links and mentions: Connect with Debbie on LinkedIn Visit the CEdMA website 

Creating video doesn’t always have to be complicated. The Visual Lounge guest Edie Clarke, Virtual Video Producer and Editor, explains in this episode why simpler is often better when it comes to video. Edie packs lots of advice into our discussion, including her top tip for creating videos, how to avoid perfectionism, the best approach to scripting, and much more.  We also get a glimpse into the kind of coaching she gives to clients who are trying to get better at creating videos themselves. Edie also shares some of the tools she uses every day with clients to create videos and run her business.  Learning points from the episode include: 00:00 - Intro  02:51 – How Edie started using video 05:08 – What success looks like for Edie 08:24 – Edie’s tip for improving how you use video  12:08 – Tips for keeping video simple 15:52 – Why audio is the most important part of creating videos 16:29 – Edie’s advice on writing scripts 19:35 – Common hangups people have when starting videos 23:36 – How to deal with perfectionism 27:36 – Hard lessons from a career of video creation 30:57 – Borrowing ideas and inspiration from other videos 31:46 – Speed round questions  37:57 – Edie’s final take on why you should embrace video  39:28 - Outro Important links and mentions: Connect with Edie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/virtuallyinsync/  Edie Clarke’s website: https://edieclarke.com/  Edie Clarke’s YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@VirtuallyInSync

What’s the secret to anytime, anywhere training? This week’s guest makes the case for video.JD Dillon, Founder and Principal of LearnGeek and Chief Learning Officer at Axonify, joins this episode of The Visual Lounge. He explains how video can be used to train frontline workers, how it adds unique value for learners and why the communicator of the message is crucial to impactful video content. Plus, JD shares the story behind his book, The Modern Learning Ecosystem, and why, despite its power, video isn’t always the right medium to use.  Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – Intro  2:14 – JD’s first steps into video 6:27 – Defining success in video 8:47 – One tip to make better videos with learning outcomes 12:21 – The challenges of creating learning content for frontline workers 17:59 – Why training needs support from everyone in the organization 23:04 – When is the video the right medium? 26:33 – Harnessing video the right way 27:55 – Anyone can create video! 30:14 – Details on JD’s book 34:28 – JD’s Speed Round 41:10 – JD’s final take 42:11 – Outro   Important links and mentions: Follow JD on LinkedIn Visit the LearnGeek website Visit the Axonify website Follow Axonify on Twitter The Modern Learning Ecosystem Framework 

It’s clear the world of video is changing, but what are the most significant shifts facing video creators in the near and distant future? On this episode of The Visual Lounge, Matt Pierce, our Learning & Video Ambassador, shares his thoughts on the future of video. Matt has given a presentation on what video creators should expect and asked industry experts, peers and former podcast guests for their predictions. Here, he shares some of the most prominent predictions, including how AI will shape production processes, the continued rise of user-generated content and the importance of accessibility. Plus, he explains why, whatever the future holds, authenticity is key. Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – Introduction 2:19 – Things have already changed 3:34 – Are things getting easier? 4:17 – How AI will impact video 7:13 – The future of dynamic learning 8:05 – Enhancing accessibility and functionality 10:10 – The ongoing rise of user-generated content 14:50 – Some silly suggestions! 15:04 – Digitized backgrounds and virtual effects 15:30 – The importance of authenticity 17:49 – Maintaining human connection in video 21:46 – More predictions for the future 24:24 – Outro Important links and mentions: Matt’s LinkedIn post Follow Matt on LinkedIn Follow Matt on Twitter 

There’s always emotion behind change, so how can video creators convey change in a positive way, leaving their audience inspired? On this episode of The Visual Lounge, Jake Gittleson, Senior Expert in Learning Design at McKinsey & Company, shares his thoughts. Jake runs a research and innovation lab, helping individuals identify what they should be aware of and what they should consider changing, using video to get his messages across. Jake shares how he communicates change effectively through videos, detailing his processes, best practices and starting steps. Plus, he tells us about his podcast, The Learning Geeks, and reveals his proudest career moment. Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – Introduction 2:13 – How Jake started using video in the workplace 4:22 – How he defines success in leading change through video 7:13 – One tip for using images and videos 8:55 – Jake explains his job 11:46 – Building human connection in videos 15:07 – The practical side of Jake’s work 17:06 – How you can get started storytelling on video today 18:38 – Telling the right story 21:13 – Jake’s favorite ways to tell stories 28:16 – Jake’s podcast, The Learning Geeks 30:15 – Speed Round questions 39:30 – Jake’s final take 40:16 - Outro Important links and mentions: The Learning Geeks podcast Matt’s appearance on Learning Geeks Find Britt Andreatta’s books Connect with Jake on LinkedIn 

Effective video content can encourage people to have deep conversations that help them develop in the workplace. But what are the first steps in using video to impact a learning culture? Andrew Barry, founder of learning consulting and creative production company, Curious Lion, shares his thoughts on this episode of The Visual Lounge. Plus, Andrew shares his definition of a learning culture, the do’s and don’ts of building one and why it starts with leadership. Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – Introduction 2:28 – Andrew’s first experiences with video 4:46 – How he defines success for video 6:29 – One tip for those using video and images 8:42 – What is a learning culture? 10:59 – First steps to implement a learning culture 18:14 – Make the implicit explicit 20:51 – More ways video can impact learning culture 26:36 – Production quality for learning videos 34:26 – Advice for adopting a growth mindset 37:48 – How setting a learning culture helps you 38:26 – Andrew’s Speed Round questions 43:08 – Hear Andrew’s final take 44:13 – Outro  Important links and mentions: Follow Andrew on LinkedIn Follow Andrew on Twitter Subscribe to Andrew on YouTube Curious Lion Learning Subscribe to the Curious Lion Learning newsletter The Four Horsemen of the Work Culture Apocalypse article 

If you’re looking for a new way to educate your audience, showcase your value and spread your message, this is the episode for you! On this week’s The Visual Lounge, we are joined by Rob Wilson, video creator and YouTuber-in-Residence at VidIQ. He helps creators realize their ambitions and become financially sustainable in the process. Rob shares how he defines success on YouTube, tackles the biggest misconceptions around the platform and gives top tips for navigating the algorithm. Plus, he tells us three things you should know before starting out on YouTube. Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – Introduction 2:35 – How Rob got started in video 5:59 – Defining success on YouTube 9:09 – Rob’s top tip for video creators 12:47 – The biggest misconceptions about YouTube 17:52 – What does your audience want? 20:36 – Benefits of having a strong presence on YouTube 25:17 – Top three things to know before starting out 30:14 – Using metrics and measuring growth 38:11 – Rob’s Speed Round 45:03 – Here’s Rob’s final take 46:17 – Outro  Important links and mentions: Find Rob on LinkedIn Follow VidIQ on Instagram Follow VidIQ on Twitter VidIQ website VidIQ on YouTube 

Ready to amplify your video production superpowers with AI? From prompting to finding tools and everything in between, this episode of The Visual Lounge is the perfect guide to get you started. Whether you’ve already started using it or feel afraid about jumping in, this episode is teeming with tips, ideas and pointers to help you unlock AI’s potential. We are joined by friend of the show and learning & development expert Josh Cavalier on this edition of The Visual Lounge. Josh guides us through AI best practices for every stage of production, how to overcome AI anxieties and how to engineer the optimal prompts for ChatGPT, plus loads more. In case you’ve not heard him on the show before, Josh also shares his career backstory and top video tips! Don’t miss out! Learning points from the episode include: Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – Introduction 1:58 – How Josh uses video 2:41 – Finding video success 4:05 – One tip from Josh 5:38 – How AI helps Josh’s video processes 9:43 – Getting the best results from AI 14:02 – AI for scripting: the best practices 21:21 – Where to start with AI 26:51 – Combating AI anxiety 39:21 – Josh’s Speed Round 46:40 – Josh’s final take 47:09 – Outro   Important links and mentions: Eleven Labs Future Tools Josh’s website Subscribe to Josh on YouTube Follow Josh on LinkedIn 

What sets apart the hobbyists from the pros on YouTube?  It’s all about consistency. Salma Jafri, a Video Marketing Coach, Consultant and Speaker, is a big believer in brand consistency on YouTube, and how it can help build a loyal following. She joins The Visual Lounge to explain her process behind visual branding consistency and shares some top tips that she gives to fellow video creators. Salma also digs into how consistency looks different for everyone and why it’s not just about posting as much content as possible. Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – Intro 2:10 – How Salma first got involved with video 3:28 – How Salma defines success 6:23 – One tip Salma has for improving images or videos 8:06 – Salma’s playbook for consistency 14:10 – How to find the right consistency 15:17 – The importance of video structure in consistency 18:08 – The metrics Salma looks at most 21:58 – How to achieve consistency with visual branding 25:07 – Speed round  29:47 - Outro Important links and mentions: YouTube Playbook 2023: https://salmajafri.com/playbook   Connect with Salma on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/salmajafri/ Salma’s website: https://salmajafri.com Salma’s YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/salmajafri Follow Salma on Twitter: https://twitter.com/salmajafri  

What makes a successful video? The answer to that question is different for everyone. However there are some things that all creators more or less agree on.   For example, as this week’s guest says, if your video is packed with information, engaging to watch and super-enjoyable, you’ve done your job (no pressure!). If you need some extra tips to help you reach these goals, this episode has them all.  Kelly Rush, TechSmith’s very own Technical Product Manager, joins this episode of The Visual Lounge. Kelly explains what we set out to improve, the latest features and one key reason why you should download the 2023 Camtasia update.  Plus, he shares his early career memories and a ton of tips for listeners.  Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – Introduction 1:27 – Backstory on Kelly & Matt at TechSmith 2:06 – How Kelly first used video 3:38 – What makes a successful video? 5:27 – One tip for the audience 7:06 – What’s new on Camtasia? 9:12 – Camtasia’s home window 10:42 – Use of free and premium assets in Camtasia 14:07 – More highlights from the new Camtasia release 15:35 – Releasing dynamic backgrounds 17:24 – What is a Lottie file? 19:03 – Dynamic backgrounds (continued) 23:05 – Where/when to use dynamic backgrounds 25:52 – Other brand-new features 29:34 – Why should you download the update? 31:06 – Kelly’s Speed Round 37:21 – Kelly’s final take 37:47 – Outro  Important links and mentions: Follow Kelly on LinkedIn Subscribe to Kelly on YouTube 

Have you found yourself putting enormous time and effort into creating a video, only to end up dragging it straight to ‘trash’?  Feeling like your work’s not good enough is tough, which is why it’s so great to hear that you’re not alone. On this episode of The Visual Lounge, we’re delighted to welcome creative powerhouse, Eddie Grey. Eddie is a Los Angeles-based musician, composer and video creator who has also collaborated with TechSmith. In this episode, he shares his journey – the good, the bad and the ugly. Eddie talks about the art of starting badly and lessons he’s learned from mistakes made over the years. Plus, he shares actionable tips for using sound and music in videos, finding your own success and allowing time to level up. Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – Introduction 0:59 – Introducing Eddie 2:24 – How Eddie started with video 3:27 – Achieving video success 6:23 – A tip for video creators 8:10 – The videos Eddie is creating 9:31 – The art of starting badly 12:02 – Can your work be too bad to share? 13:50 – How Eddie made and still makes progress 18:58 – Finding the time to progress 21:01 – Using music and sound in videos 22:40 – Sourcing the right music for videos 24:23 – Common mistakes using music in videos 26:23 – Eddie’s Speed Round 30:11 – Final take 30:43 – Outro  Important links and mentions: Eddie’s TechSmith project Subscribe to Eddie on YouTube Follow Eddie on LinkedIn Follow Eddie on Instagram More places to find Eddie’s work 

Get ready to level up your content game as this week’s guest provides actionable tips to enhance your strategy with video. Andrew DeBell, Senior Learning Content Strategist at Atlassian University, returns to The Visual Lounge for this episode. He shares how he got started making video, explains why AI is not to be feared by content teams and shares advice on creating systems to prioritize and manage video production in your content strategy. Plus, Andrew shares his one top tip for all video creators. Don’t miss it! Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – Introduction  1:25 – Let’s introduce Andrew DeBell! 2:13 – How Andrew began in video 5:23 – How to define success in video 7:20 – Andrew’s key tip for video production 9:33 – AI: Should we be fearful? 10:57 – What is Atlassian University? 12:03 – What content strategy means for Andrew 14:51 – Andrew’s content challenges 16:51 – Content decision-making 18:43 – Organizing and systemizing content 20:58 – Deciding what types of content to make 26:12 – Achieving content consistency 28:34 – Keeping up with changes and staying adaptable 37:58 – Andrew’s Speed Round 44:54 – Final take 45:49 – Outro  Important links and mentions: Andrew’s website: https://andrewdebell.com/ Andrew’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewdebell/ Jam Campus: https://www.youtube.com/@JamCampus/featured  

Would your business benefit from creating learning simulation videos?  These step-by-step videos can help learners master their craft and reach their A-game.  But we know how it is…they seem too complicated or costly, or maybe they’re just low down your to-do list. However, this guest breaks it down perfectly so you can get started right away. On this episode of The Visual Lounge, we are joined by Debbie Richards, Chief Technology Officer at Creative Interactive Ideas.  Debbie provides a masterclass in creating learning simulation videos, explains why storyboards are so crucial and reveals the top mistakes people make when getting started. Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – Introduction 1:13 – Introducing Debbie 2:44 – How Debbie got started in video 4:34 – Defining success in video 5:51 – Top tip for image and video in L&D 8:52 – Let’s define learning simulations 12:35 – Can creating simulations be expensive? 14:31 – Where to start 16:24 – Debbie’s storyboard process 18:08 – Next steps after planning 24:30 – Last steps before it’s finished 26:38 – Deciding what components to use 32:35 – Extra tips and advice 33:38 – Debbie’s speed round 37:24 – Final take and outro Important links and mentions: Creative Interactive Ideas website Follow Debbie on LinkedIn Follow Debbie on Twitter Follow Debbie on Instagram 

Ready to create videos that stop the scroll and wow your audience?  On this episode of The Visual Lounge, Matt Pierce, TechSmith Learning & Video Ambassador, delivers a masterclass on how to level up your video content. Matt provides tips to make your videos pop, such as maximizing the impact of text, bringing images to life and using music wisely. Plus, he provides step-by-step techniques to polish your work and make it stand out from the crowd. Head to YouTube to watch the video version and see Matt’s demonstrations. Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – Intro 1:28 – Shoutout – send us reviews! 2:27 – Skip the jump cut 6:31 – Cut the boring stuff! 10:08 – Make text pop 14:28 – Bring still images to life 19:25 – Using music to enhance and emphasize 25:17 – Mastering color correction 31:56 – Keep things consistent! 38:26 – Recap time 39:19 – Final take and outro Important links and mentions: Follow Matt on LinkedIn Follow Matt on Twitter 

We’re covering something a little different this week on The Visual Lounge… In this episode, we are joined by YouTube creator Nico Edward. Nico creates reaction videos on the channel WhatchaGot2Say where he has almost 300,000 subscribers. Nico takes us through his YouTube journey, how he uses Camtasia to streamline his production and editing processes and explains how to create impactful reaction videos. Tune in for this, plus plenty of chat about K-pop superstars BTS! Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – Introduction 2:57 – Nico’s first steps in video 5:28 – What makes a successful video 8:02 – One tip for video creators 10:31 – Defining reaction videos 11:59 – What makes people love reaction videos? 15:54 – Nico’s production process 18:54 – How much editing does Nico do? 22:54 – Making decisions for YouTube 25:45 – What surprised Nico about video  28:36 – Coping with workload 30:56 – Nico’s speed round 34:27 – Why Nico loves BTS! 39:15 – Final take (big up Camtasia!) 40:30 – Outro  Important links and mentions: Follow Nico on LinkedIn Subscribe to Nico on YouTube Follow Nico on Twitter Follow Nico on Instagram 

Video lets your personality shine through…and having an Australian accent no doubt helps too! On this episode of The Visual Lounge, we are joined by Troy Hunt, Pluralsight Information Security Author & Instructor. Troy reveals all about how he got into creating videos, his scripting processes and why video is the perfect medium for him. Plus, he shares how he became a tech pro, where he turns for inspiration and his experiences with Snagit. Troy is also the founder of data breach aggregation service, Have I Been Pwned? Don’t miss this! Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – Introduction 1:01 – Introducing Troy 2:25 – Troy’s first use of video 3:28 – Defining success with video usage 6:07 – One tip for video creators 7:44 – Choosing what content to create 9:50 – Video creation – innate or practice? 12:20 – How Troy gets going when creating a course 14:03 – To script or not to script? 15:48 – How much Troy edits his content 19:16 – Troy’s video production process 21:34 – Secondary uses of video in Troy’s work 23:48 – Making technical videos understandable 25:46 – Troy’s advice for technical video creators 26:56 – How Troy uses Camtasia and Snagit – a story 29:18 – Troy’s speed round 35:03 – Troy’s final takes 35:21 – Outro  Important links and mentions: Troy’s website Have I Been Pwned? Report URI Follow Troy on LinkedIn Follow Troy on Twitter 

Want to build an academy for your educational video content?  This episode of The Visual Lounge features Jaclyn Anku, Director of Community and Education at Gusto, and Elliott Morin, Creative Director at 3Motion Creative and Creative Founder of Jettison Creative. Jaclyn and Elliott explore their work together on Gusto Academy, how the project came about and why building an academy was the right move for them. Plus, they share tips on asking your superiors to back academy projects, deciding what content to feature and why, even on a small budget, academies can be super effective. A true masterclass in academy creation! Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – Introduction 1:28 – Introducing the guests 2:51 – Let’s introduce Gusto 3:34 – Customer education at Gusto 4:55 – What Jaclyn has done at Gusto 7:52 – Why they started an academy 10:13 – Deciding on what content to create for an academy 15:38 – How to get investment on an academy 19:36 – Structuring your content 22:09 – How Elliott meets Jaclyn’s requirements 24:37 – Presenting skills 31:37 – Impact of bringing a community together for video production 34:52 – Updating and adding to your academy content 37:20 – Gusto’s docuseries partnership 39:10 – Jaclyn and Elliott’s speed round 45:06 – Elliott’s final take 45:40 – Jaclyn’s final take 45:58 – Outro Important links and mentions: Follow Jaclyn on LinkedIn Follow Elliott on LinkedIn Gusto website 3Motion Creative website Intellum documentary about the building of the Gusto Academy

When done right, video learning can be so effective. But what does the research tell us we can improve? In this episode of The Visual Lounge, Patti Shank, President of Learning Peaks, explains how instructional video creators can make their work easier to process.  Patti discusses how she got started in the industry, her articles on research around eLearning and tells us the one thing hindering instructional video creators in 2023. Patti is a renowned researcher, speaker, author and workplace learning expert so you can rest assured, these opinions are backed by research! Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – Introduction 1:00 – Introducing Patti Shank 2:03 – How Patti got involved in video 4:45 – Success for instructional video 6:12 – One tip for working with video 10:48 - Patti’s eLearning Industry articles 12:59 - How the brain processes video vs other media 21:19 - Surprising research around video 27:02 - Using video effectively in learning 34:17 - The biggest mistakes instructional video makers make 37:18 – Speed round questions 42:49 – How to follow Patti 43:33 – Final take from Patti 44:18 - Outro Important links and mentions: Follow Patti on LinkedIn Follow Patti on Twitter Patti’s website Patti’s piece on eLearning Industry 

Gaining the trust of your audience is a tough task. In fact, it’s much easier to lose it! That’s why we invited Peter Hopwood, Global Speaking and TEDx Coach, to take us through his top tips on building trust, holding your audience and coming across like a pro on camera. Peter runs his own business, Hopwood Story & Speaker Coaching, and also works in coaching, strategy and hosting roles for TEDx, Microsoft and the European Commission. On the episode, Peter explores his route into the industry, how to connect with your audience (and how to know you’re doing so), plus the importance of how you look and sound. Peter also serves up expert advice and his final take for anybody creating image and video content. Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – Introduction 1:18 – Introducing Peter 2:47 – Peter’s roots in the industry 6:31 – Defining success on camera 15:53 – Peter’s one tip for being on camera 21:10 – Why is trust so important on video? 28:20 – Defining the role of visual aids 34:01 – Stuff to avoid that break your audience’s trust! 43:54  - Peter’s Speed Round 49:05 – Final take 49:58 – OutroImportant links and mentions: Peter’s website: http://www.peter-hopwood.com/  Peter Hopwood on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterhopwoodpublicspeaking?originalSubdomain=uk  Peter on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HopwoodMedia  Peter on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peterhopwood/  

When you break educational content down to its fundamentals, it’s all about helping people to address a need or solve a problem. And that’s what informs all of Kevin Stratvert’s videos.  With almost 2 million subscribers on YouTube, Kevin teaches millions of students around the world every month across YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and other social media platforms to help them master technology, achieve more at work, and succeed at school. He's been featured on CNBC, Fast Company, GeekWire, and Windows Central. He's an ex-Microsoft Product Manager and is now a full-time educational content creator. Kevin joins this episode of The Visual Lounge to share a look into his process, why his videos are about solving problems, and his tips for improving your own videos. We also hear about how he first got into video and how he defines success when it comes to creating content.  Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 - Introduction 1:48 - What led Kevin to start making videos  3:52 – How Kevin defines video success 7:40  - Kevin’s top tip to improve your videos 8:53 – Why Kevin decided to become a content creator 13:08 – Kevin’s process for creating videos 17:14 – The editing and recording process 20:28 - What other creators can learn from Kevin’s process 23:38 – How Kevin designs slides 26:37 – Video length and the impact on viewer retention  30:22 – Speed round questions 34:28 – Outro Important links and mentions: Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinstratvert/ Follow Kevin on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevstrat Follow Kevin on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevinstratvert/ Kevin Stratvert’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/kevinstratvert

Hybrid work is about balancing meetings with getting your head down, while allowing yourself the odd break, all while contending with family life continuing around you (or maybe noisy neighbours!). If that sounds familiar, this episode could help. Amy Casciotti, Vice President of Human Resources, joins Matt Pierce, Learning & Video Ambassador at TechSmith, to delve into our Async First experiment from July last year. The experiment helped us cut down meeting times and find new ways to communicate asynchronously. Amy shares why TechSmith chose to run the experiment, how it worked and what she’d change next time. Plus, she provides expert advice on using videos and images in the workplace. And don't forget to check out the full report with all the details in our Async First white paper: https://bit.ly/TVL-asyncfirst Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – Introduction 1:06 – Introducing our guest Amy Casciotti 2:08 – Replacing meetings with videos 3:48 – What makes for good asynchronous communication? 6:14 – One tip to improve your use or video/images at work 7:50 – TechSmith’s Async First white paper experiment 11:20 – Hesitations around the experiment 12:14 – Biggest takeaways from Async First 13:33 – Human approach at TechSmith 16:06 – Having more asynchronous communication 19:46 – How Async First affected team wellbeing 23:25 – What would Amy change if the experiment ran again? 25:38 – Other asynchronous meeting techniques/ideas 26:55 – Why TechSmith did the experiment 29:58 – Amy’s Speed Round answers 35:52 – Amy’s final take 36:21 - Outro Important links and mentions: Follow Amy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycasciotti/  Async First white paper: https://bit.ly/TVL-asyncfirst 

Old content can be a treasure trove of value, but you need to brush off the dust and repurpose and refresh it.  Sometimes that means turning in-person training into an online course or a series of videos, which can be a challenge if you’re brand new to video.  To chat more about this, Matt Tidwell, CEO of ThinkThru, joins The Visual Lounge. Matt’s company builds customer education programs, including videos and online courses. He shares his top tips on how to get started with video, how to improve your content, and the best ways to translate old content into different mediums for maximum results. Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 - Intro 2:27 - How Matt first got started with images and video 4:27 - What makes a successful video 10:24 - Matt’s one tip to improve videos 11:25 – Matt explains more about his work 17:06 – How Matt helps clients get started with video 20:10 – The difficulties of going from in-person experiences to on-demand media  23:33 – What works best as a video vs. in-person experiences 30:13 – Advice for companies transitioning to digital learning experiences  34:19 – Speed round questions 39:20 – Matt’s final take  40:12 – Outro Important links and mentions: ThinkThru: https://www.thinkthru.co/  Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsmatttidwell/

Whatever type of videos you are producing, the key to doing it successfully is to build effective processes you can rinse and repeat.Whether it be how your equipment is set up, the way you edit, write, or record your videos, having repeatable processes in place can help you scale your videos at a sustainable pace.This week’s guest on The Visual Lounge is Tim Slade, founder of The eLearning Designer’s Academy. He explores how using efficient processes has helped him in his work, plus he tells us how he got started in video creation and his tips and tricks for creating video courses.Tim also explains how processes can help ease your burden when it comes to post-production and expresses how important it is to be natural and show off your personality on video.Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – Introduction1:11 – Introducing Tim Slade1:58 – The first video he made compared to now4:50 – Defining success for a video course6:16 – One tip for improving video content7:42 – Tim introduces his project10:39 – How to start planning for a big project13:35 – To script or not to script?16:10 – How Tim deals with heavy post-production tasks18:38 – How he makes things simpler – reusing and repeating23:56 – Advice for batch-producing videos27:38 – Extra advice for repeatable, efficient video production processes29:39 – Tim’s Speed Round questions35:40 – Tim’s final take36:36 - OutroImportant links and mentions: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sladetim/ https://www.elearningacademy.io https://www.timslade.com

The video creation journey is different for everybody. But is there a secret sauce in that recipe for success? Josh Cavalier, Learning Architect – Digital Technologies at American Tire Distributors and Mark Lassoff, Video Instructor and Founder at Dollar Design School, join this episode of The Visual Lounge to give us a sneak peek into what makes their work so great. Josh and Mark explain how they got going in the world of educational video, discuss the power of AI and reveal some of the biggest video creation mistakes they’ve made! Plus, they discuss why high-end technology isn’t the key to success, provide top takeaways for listeners and tell us what they believe is the secret sauce for great video content. Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – Intro 3:14 – The first video Josh and Mark ever made 6:33 – What should ALL video creators know? 12:23 – Video producers’ secret sauce 17:58– What’s changing the game in video? 32:11 – The Video Mastery Intensive 38:28 – Speed round questions 47:08 – Final takes and outro Important links and mentions: Josh’s website: joshcavalier.com Mark’s website: dollardesignschool.com Follow Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshcavalier/ Follow Mark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklassoff/ The Video Mastery Intensive workshop: https://learningsolutionscon.com/program/pre-conference-activities/co-located-events/video-mastery-intensive/  

How do you know that your presentation has been successful? It can be challenging to discern what “success” actually means when you make a presentation. But, in this episode of The Visual Lounge, our guest explains the formula he follows to smash it out the park every time. Tommy Re, President of Vital Talent, joins the show to explain how presentations should inform, persuade and inspire, the importance of knowing and resonating with your audience and the key points from his brilliant book, ‘The Power of Presentation’. Plus, Tommy reveals his interesting former career and provides unmissable advice on image and video creation and presentation.Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – Introduction 1:14 – Introducing Tommy Re 3:00 – How Tommy began using presentations 5:17 – Defining success 6:43 – A tip for visually improving presentations 9:03 – Why did Tommy write his book? 11:01 – Live presentations 13:19 – Inform, persuade and inspire 18:14 – Getting to know and resonate with your audience 22:28 – Switching up structures 25:23 – Transferring presentation skills to video 26:09 – What role should text play in presentations? 31:10– Extra advice from Tommy 34:08 – Speed round questions with Tommy 38:18 – Final take and outro Important links and mentions: Follow Tommy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommy-re-4277513/ Vital Talent website: www.talentisvital.com Buy ‘The Power of Presentation: A Vital Guide to Delivering Compelling Business Presentations’: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Presentation-Delivering-Compelling-Presentations/dp/1642252522

Sometimes the best thing you can do as an instructional designer is to step into your learners’ shoes. Whether you’re delivering content on compliance or something completely different, keep your learners in mind at all times. That’s advice that’s served Cath Ellis well throughout her career. Cath is an eLearning Designer and Developer who creates powerful learning experiences for learners around the world.  Cath joins us on The Visual Lounge for a fantastic talk about her background as well as some insights into the types of projects she helps clients with. Cath shares some great takeaway pieces of advice and discusses how she approaches learning a new tool, her thoughts on AI, and why YouTube is a goldmine for educational content.Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – Intro  2:15 – How Cath got started with eLearning 5:28 – How to define success when creating learning content 8:30 – Cath’s top tip to improve using images or video 10:41 – Cath explains the types of eLearning projects she works on 14:40 – How Cath approaches a new learning project 21:54 – The process of learning a new tool 25:07 – ChatGPT writes a poem for Cath 28:58 – The top video tools in Cath’s toolbelt 31:28 – The biggest barriers to learning video tools  35:37 – Cath’s prediction for creating learning content in 2023 and beyond 41:02 – Speed round questions 47:32 – How to find out more about Cath’s work 48:42 – Cath’s final take on creating learning content  49:19 – Outro  Important links and mentions: Cath Ellis’ website: https://www.cathellis.com/ Connect with Cath on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathmellis/  Follow Cath on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cathellis 

Remote working can add extra challenges for employees. It may feel harder to collaborate on projects, difficult to build structure and put systems in place, and for some it can feel isolating at times.So, in this episode, Emily Whitmer, Learning & Development Team Leader at Southwest Airlines, explains that when leaders in learning design manage remote teams, it can help their employees have the best possible work experience.Emily provides tips on how to build a ‘remote ecosystem’, explains why psychological safety is so crucial in remote teams, and shares her views on asynchronous work.Plus, she explores the similarities and differences between in-person and remote working and shares a ton of fantastic image and video tips that you simply can’t miss!Learning points from the episode include:0:00 – Introduction1:38 – Introducing Emily Whitmer2:25 – How she first became involved in remote work4:39 – Defining success in remote team leadership8:03 – One tip for image and video creators working remotely10:11 – Sharing useful information11:53 – Defining remote work13:52 – The role of asynchronous work15:44 – Psychological safety in remote work25:10 – Emily’s favorite image and video tools29:32 – What does video have over written text?36:16 – The benefits of ‘water cooler’ chats in remote work38:04 – Onboarding in a remote workspace41:45 – Emily’s speed round questions!47:19 – Emily’s final takeImportant links and mentions:TechSmith Academy: Learn how to use and create better images and videos (for free): https://academy.techsmith.com/Connect with Emily on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilywhitmer/

Color is something we see everywhere, every second of every day. It’s something we never really question or think about too much.But color choices are so important in any design or branding and play a huge part in how we communicate with audiences and customers.Tracy Parish, Education Technology Specialist at Southlake Regional Health Centre in Toronto, Canada, joins Matt Pierce, TechSmith’s Learning & Video Ambassador, on this episode of The Visual Lounge to discuss why color needs to be carefully considered in learning design.Tracy shares a ton of valuable tips and tricks about what to keep in mind when picking color combinations, considering cultural meanings behind color and selecting tools that can make the job easier. Some truly eye-opening words from Tracy in this episode, so don’t miss it.Learning points from the episode include:0:00 – Introduction 1:03 – Introducing Tracy2:08 – How Tracy entered the world of design4:00 – How to define success in design5:15 – One tip to improve images/videos8:37 – What’s the purpose of color in design?9:50 – Using color to “beautify”?10:57 – What to bear in mind when choosing colors17:23 – How do we know if we’re using color correctly?18:49 – Color to enhance learning24:03 – Tap into your current environment24:58 – Using color picker sites27:10 – Making your design accessible30:58 – Tool and resource suggestions from Tracy36:14 – Cultural perceptions of color39:15 – Pantone’s Color of the Year41:59 – Tracy’s speed round!46:18 – Final take46:54 – Outro Important links and mentions:TechSmith Academy: Learn how to use and create better images and videos (for free): https://academy.techsmith.comStark accessibility checker: https://www.getstark.co/chrome Connect with Tracy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyparish/Tracy’s website: tracyparish.ca

This is a special episode of the Visual Lounge podcast featuring tips and ideas from a variety of team TechSmith about our products, including Camtasia, Snagit, and Audiate. We discuss topics such as asynchronous communication, connection over perfection, hotkeys, and editing out mistakes. There is also a special opportunity for a few folks - listen for Emmie Musser - who has an exceptional opportunity for the first 5 individuals to follow her instructions. Find tips including: Keep it up—asynchronous communication is associated with a 29% increase in workplace productivity.Remember it's about connection, not perfection.Set a bigger goal that matters to you, perhaps increasing the number of people you can reach with video or decreasing the number of meetings you need to attend.Use Option-Z to zoom the canvas to 100% and Command-Zero to fit the video into the canvas.Set up hotkeys with Snagit to save time.Use the search in Audiate to find keywords and points in the video that need to be cut.Make big motions with your hands when making mistakes to flag for yourself.Use the pause button while recording in Snagit or Camtasia.Use the Snagit blurring feature to show employees steps without sharing private information.Wishing all of our listeners the best of the holidays and a wonderful 2023 so that you can level up and continue to make the most of all of your opportunities to use images and videos. And a special shout out to all of the TechSmithies featured in this episode who answered the call to record themselves and share.

Do you want to save time in the editing chair? Who wouldn’t?A lot of our video editing time is spent tidying things up. Getting rid of “ums,” “ahs,” and little pauses can feel tedious and time-consuming.But there is a better way – using Audiate. Rather than editing with waveforms in Camtasia, you can use Audiate’s handy text-based editor to clean up your videos much faster.In fact, we recently put Audiate to the test and found that it could save up to 40% extra time while editing! Hear all about it in this episode of The Visual Lounge. From our brand new studio, Matt Pierce speaks with Joe Dearman, Sr. User Experience Designer, and Erin Cloutier, User Experience Researcher at TechSmith. We take a closer look at our research, how we tested Audiate, and we also get a practical demo of Audiate at work.Learning points from the episode include:0:00 – Introduction 1:53 – What is Audiate?2:36 – Erin explains what a UX researcher is 3:22 – A little background on the research we did 6:33 – How our participants saw a 20-40% time saving while editing with Audiate 8:47 – Building a successful workflow between Camtasia and Audiate12:53 – How Camtasia and Audiate’s integration makes editing faster 13:51 – How to tweak your workflow to save time15:17 – What differences the research participants saw when they tested Audiate 17:44 – A demo of the Camtasia-Audiate integration. (Watch the demo on YouTube)18:58 – How to edit your video faster with text23:44 – How much time you can save editing a long webinar 27:06 – Speed round questions 32:54 - OutroImportant links and mentions:Learn more about Audiate: https://www.techsmith.com/audiate.html Camtasia: https://www.techsmith.com/video-editor.html Connect with Erin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-cloutier-msuxd-6571a5a1/ Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joedearman/

Everything needs a refresh eventually…and that includes e-Learning! Jonathan Hill, Head of E-Learning at Entain, believes it’s personality and humor that e-Learning often lacks. But why is it so important? Jonathan joins Matt Pierce, TechSmith’s Learning & Video Ambassador, in this episode of The Visual Lounge to discuss challenging traditional workplace learning. He explains the benefits of adding humor to your educational content, what defines success in L&D for him and provides a ton of expert advice for anybody creating educational video content. A true must-listen! Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – Introduction 1:05 – Introducing Jonathan Hill 2:28 – How he started using video 6:05 – What success in workplace learning means to Jonathan 8:59 – One tip to improve using video for workplace learning 10:34 – TechSmith Academy ad break 11:42 – Defining workplace learning 15:00 – How to create a good workplace learning culture 20:57 – The role of multimedia in workplace learning 23:55 – Introducing non-L&D experts to workplace learning 28:47 – Using humor in workplace learning 32:57 – How to convince leaders to allow you to use humor 40:04 – Jonathan’s favorite dad joke 41:13 – Speed round questions 46:33 – Final take! 47:18 – Outro  Important links and mentions: TechSmith Academy: Learn how to use and create better images and videos (for free): https://academy.techsmith.com  Follow/connect with Jonathan Hill on LinkedIn Follow Jonathan on Twitter 

If you want your learning content to have the best possible impact on your audience, there’s only one thing for it...you need a solid strategy in place! Whether your go-to learning method includes videos, images, or something else entirely, starting out with a strategy is the best way to ensure you’re choosing the right medium to deliver training.  Treion Muller, CEO and Founder of The Modern Learning Architect, is on The Visual Lounge to share his strategy secrets and frameworks for delivering the best learning content. He explores the power of video, why your content should be problem-led, not solution-led, and how to measure success and tie metrics to wider business goals.   Learning points from the episode include: 00:00 Intro00:59 Matt introduces Treion Muller02:48 How Treion got started using images in videos04:25 Defining success for learning content06:26 Why less descriptive text is more on slides09:00 What does a Chief Learning Architect do?18:35 Innovation in the L&D space20:14 Criteria for the modality of a piece of learning26:16 Ask the right questions when creating your content32:01 Treion’s C.A.R.E.S framework35:01 Speed round questions 40:26 OutroImportant links and mentions: Connect with Treion on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/treionmuller/  The Modern Learning Architect: https://modernlearningarchitect.com/  The C.A.R.E.S. framework: https://blog.elblearning.com/who-c.a.r.e.s.-how-learning-got-its-bad-rap-what-we-can-do-about-it 

It happens to the best of the best, even those people who have been making videos for years. A creative slump can feel impossible to get out of sometimes.  You might lack inspiration or motivation, or self-doubt might have crept in, making any creative work an uphill battle. If that sounds familiar, then this episode of The Visual Lounge is for you. Host Matt Pierce, TechSmith’s Learning & Video Ambassador, explores what it means to be in a creative slump, how you can kickstart your motivation again, and why perfectionism is the enemy of progress. He explains why taking baby steps is the best way to escape a creative funk because, from there on, you can only progress more and more.  Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – 1:09 Introduction 1:09 – 2:46 Why the creative slump is so common 2:46 – 5:31 Why it’s so important to reduce barriers in your creative process 5:31 – 15:21 Top tips for getting out of a creative slump from video experts 15:21 – 18:16 How to avoid perfectionism   18:16 – 20:12 Why you should aim to make small improvements before big changes  20:12 – 22:16 How to spark ideas with the power of Google Docs 22:16 – 23:09 How to kickstart inspiration 23:10 – 25:05 The power of positive psychology 25:05 – 27:54 Why the best way to get out of a slump is to start (anything) 27:54 – 28:44 Outro Important links and mentions: Camtasia: https://www.techsmith.com/video-editor.html

How do you ruin a tutorial video? More importantly, how do you fix it? We’ve got you covered by providing strategies to fix common tutorial pet peeves in this episode of The Visual Lounge!We have an awesome panel of experts, including Andrew DeBell, Senior Learning Experience Strategist at Atlassian, Cara North, Founder & Chief Learning Consultant at The Learning Camel, and our Instructional Designer Lead at TechSmith, Chandra Owen.  Andrew, Cara, and Chandra join forces to break down their top pet peeves for instructional videos and their best tips for avoiding them while improving the effectiveness of your visual content. We cover the best use cases for video, why pre-work is an essential step, common visual/audio mistakes, and why feedback is key.  Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – 3:27 Intro 3:27 – 7:43 The best use cases for video  7:43 – 11:00 Tips for improving images or videos  11:00 – 11:51 Mid roll 11:51 – 14:42 Pet peeves that ruin an otherwise good video 14:42 – 20:48 Small things that can hold a video back 20:48 – 25:22 The importance of audio25:22 – 29:55 Should you use music in tutorial videos? 29:55 – 33:27 Should you use picture-in-picture in your videos? 33:27 – 38:28 The common mistakes Andrew, Cara, and Chandra are still working on 38:28 – 43:19 Speed round  43:19 – 45:19 Final takes on how to avoid ruining a good video 45:19 – 46:16 OutroImportant links and mentions: Connect with Andrew DeBell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewdebell/  Connect with Cara North on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caranorth11/  Connect with Chandra Owen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandraowen  

Instructional design is not easy and, for that reason, getting feedback is essential. Making sure you’re on the right path and proving the efficacy of your work is so important in working towards a successful career.Ask fellow professionals, follow your customers and watch them use what you create. Gauging people’s opinions on what you build can sure be uncomfortable, but it’s worth it in the end.That’s the opinion of Julie Dirksen, Learning Strategy Consultant at Usable Learning, who joins Matt Pierce, TechSmith’s Learning and Video Ambassador, on this episode of The Visual Lounge. Julie explains how she got into the instructional design game, how she defines success in the industry and reveals what trips folks up when they first enter instructional design.Plus, she takes a deep dive into her book and tells us what resources inspire her.Learning points from the episode include:0:00 – 2:43 – Introduction2:43 – 5:33 – How Julie got started in instructional design5:33 – 9:35 – Defining success in learning design9:35 – 17:00 – One tip for image and video in learning design17:00 – 17:56 – Ad break 17:56 – 21:06 – Julie explains her book21:06 – 25:01 – What trips people up in learning design?25:01 – 32:01 – Simple vs cursive fonts and keeping learning design clear32:01 – 35:17 – What learning design pros need to improve on35:17 – 39:25 – The resistance to practice design 39:25 – 45:56 – Learning styles – not a thing?45:56 – 50:34 – Where Julie turns for self-development50:34 – 55:45 – Julie’s speed round55:45 – 56:39 – Final take56:39 – 57:26 – Outro Important links and mentions:TechSmith Academy: https://academy.techsmith.com Book by Clark Quinn: https://www.amazon.com/Millennials-Goldfish-Other-Training-Misconceptions/dp/1947308378Julie’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Design-People-Learn-Voices-Matter/dp/0134211286 Usable Learning: https://usablelearning.com/What Viewers Want: 2021 Video Viewer Study Deep Dive: https://www.techsmith.com/blog/what-viewers-want-2021