Flowcharting PDF
Flowcharting PDF
Rounded Box Represents an event that occurs automatically, triggering a subsequent action.
Represents an event that is controlled within the process, typically a step or action
Rectangle or Box
taken. In most flowcharts this will be the most common symbol.
Program Decision
Represents multiple choices for the user, with the chosen option determining the
- 3 Or More
user's path through the remainder of the program.
Options
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Drawing Flowcharts
Why Flowchart?
There is not a rigid set of rules for constructing
The ability to construct, read, and interpret flowcharts, but the following six steps serve as
flowcharts is a necessary skill for all instructional guidelines to ensure consistency and accuracy.
technologists. Flowchart symbols are universally Note how each step has been applied in the
recognized across multiple disciplines, and will allow example, and consider the implications for the
an instructional designer to communicate a great deal different phases in the systematic design process.
of information accurately, efficiently, and succinctly.
1. Describe the process to be charted in a
In addition, programmers and software and
one-line statement. Example: "How to fill
multimedia designers routinely use flowcharts to
the car's petrol tank."
illustrate software capabilities, required user
performance (input), and computer response 2. Start with the 'trigger' event that initiates
(output). The high level of interactivity and the process. Example: "Low fuel warning
branching involved in educational software in light comes on."
particular belies the need for instructional
3. Note each successive action in concise
technologists to be comfortable with flowcharting
terms, avoiding ambiguous descriptions.
protocol.
Example: "Locate and drive into service
The following text conveys the same instructions station," etc.
as the flowchart that follows it. Which do you
4. When the flowchart branches into a
think provides a better understanding of the
complex number of options, choose the
instructional flow?
most important alternative and continue.
Dial 0, then your friend's number. You will hear a Additional detail can be provided in other
tone. If you have a calling card number, dial your home charts without subverting the efficiency of
phone number and the PIN number. If you don't have the main idea. Example: "Decision
a calling card number, dial the 800 collect number. required: Quantity of fuel to be put into
When the computer voice asks you to say your name, tank."
say your name. Wait for your friend to answer. If you
have a calling card number, leave a message on your 5. Make cross references to supporting
friend's answering machine. If you don't have a calling information. Example: A cross-reference
card number, hang up. may be made to a list of cars requiring
unleaded fuel, a table of preferred brands
of fuel.
6. Continue describing each event, action, or
decision as it occurs in sequence, until the
process is concluded (a 'target' point).
Example: "Fuel is paid for, tank is filled,
customer exits the station."
calendars are added, culminating in a simulator
running the process to indicate the movement of
information.
For more information about flowcharting
software, check the following Web sites:
CorelFlow http://www.corel.com
Inspiration http://www.inspiration.com
LotusNotes http://www.lotus.com
Microsoft http://www.microsoft.com
Project
Primavera http://www.primavera.com
Project Planner
ProcessCharter http://www.scitor.com
SmartDraw http://www.smartdraw.com
TeamFlow http://www.teamflow.com
Visio http://www.microsoft.com/office/
visio/
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Learner analysis report
Context analysis report
Communication links
Email to instructor
Email to follow classmates
Email to others
Course BBS
Job Aids
Job aid for clarifying fuzzy goals
Flowcharting conventions
Learner analysis template
Context analysis template
Training
Goal statement & analysis
Instructional analysis
Learner analysis
Context analysis
If learners are working in a group, instruct them to review and discuss E-Mail
Promote Social Learner-
1 the individual analysis reports generated by teammates and determine Student Web
Interaction Learner
process for generating and posting one report for your team. Sites
Inform learners to post at least one question or comment about goal,
Promote Social instructional, learner or context analyses and respond to at least one Learner-
1 BBS
Interaction other posting in the appropriate location of the course bulletin board Learner
system.
Web Page
Elicit Instruct learners to complete assignment and provide directions for Learner-
2 Student Web
Performance submitting and/or posting their work. Instructor
Sites
Performance Present performance criteria for assessing the quality of completed Learner-
3 Web Page
Support assignments. Content
Assess
Student Web
Performance & Assess learners assignments and provide feedback based on performance Learner-
20 Sites
Provide criteria as soon as possible. Instructor
Email
Feedback
Table 11.1 - Instructional Strategy Example
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Storyboarding
Overview of Storyboarding
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Figure 11.7: Example of Super Media Storyboard
3. Produce storyboards
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4. Check the fit of overlaying displays Compose feedback that is clear, informative,
and positive for both correct and incorrect
5. Draw and revise graphic displays and
responses.
plan other output
Feedback for incorrect responses should not
6. Check graphics and simultaneous text for be more entertaining than feedback for
fit
correct responses
7. Review the flowcharts and storyboards
Step 2. Write and revise secondary text
Step 1. Write and revise primary text Secondary text messages are written after the
In this step, the text that students will see in the primary text has been completed, and consist of
lesson is written. The primary text contains the directions, menus, transitions, prompts, hints,
essential instructional content. In tutorials, review material, help, score and progress
primary text usually contains new information, information, and lesson exit messages. Secondary
such as definitions, descriptions, and principles, text messages should also be clear, concise, and
the questions asked and the feedback given after accurate.
responses. In drills, the primary displays are
stimuli to which students respond and the Step 3. Produce storyboards
feedback they receive. At this point, both primary and secondary texts
Primary text displays do not include directions, are in draft form. While ordinary 8 1/2 by 11
help messages, hints, or cues. Observe the paper can accommodate about eighty characters
following guidelines while writing primary text per line and sixty-six lines, most computer screens
information: have between one-half to one-sixth the display
capacity of a sheet of paper. Primary and
Keep presentations concise and to the point.
secondary text displays must therefore be
Use formatting features to emphasize what is designed to accommodate the capacity of
important. Bolding, underlining, or coloring computer displays. Dividing text into smaller
text draws the user's attention to the segments will also provide opportunities for
information, but also be careful not to student interaction with the instructional content
overuse these features. by inserting questions, displaying pictures, and
allowing navigational flexibility.
Use analogies and metaphors, and
incorporate frequent active student Storyboarding grids are created on paper that
participation to reinforce understanding. corresponds to the size of a computer display,
with horizontal and vertical lines depicting
Organize the content so that it is clear.
dimensions across and down the page (Figure
Arrange information in lists when 11.9).
appropriate and state applicable rules.
Vary the types of questions within the Figure 11.9: Storyboarding Grid
instruction (multiple choice, matching,
Using a storyboard grid provides ease in
completion) and ensure that questions are
centering and spacing text and restricts the
concise and the method of response is clear to
amount of text placed on each line. Graphic
students.
displays can be drawn on paper that has been
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scaled down, but for maximum clarity it is best to presented on the screen all at once, but is added a
use the same dimensions as your computer little at a time, and in replaced text, in which a
screen. portion of text is erased from a larger display and
replaced with different text. Using storyboards
It is often unwieldy to assemble the entire
that have grids and are all the same size, or
collection of storyboard grids developed for a
storyboarding on the computer makes checking
course or program, and with computers that use
for overcrowded or overlapped text simple.
proportional fonts (e.g., Macintosh), grids are
problematic. Designers often substitute index
cards, placing an entire lesson on a bulletin board Step 5. Draw and revise graphic displays and
for evaluation. plan other output
The usefulness of storyboard grids is further "Graphic displays" refers to a variety of non-text
limited by the advent of scrolling text fields and presentations, including line drawings, cartoons,
frames. Virtually unlimited amounts of text may animations, geometric figures, and bar and line
be displayed in one screen. If more text than can graphs. Observe the following guidelines in
be viewed on a single computer display or storyboarding graphic elements:
storyboard frame is to be included, additional Use graphics to present or elaborate
pages of text information must be attached to the important information.
storyboard.
Avoid unnecessary detail or ambiguity.
Step 4. Check the fit of overlaying displays Use color sparingly, to distinguish or
emphasize portions of pictures or graphs;
Many of the separate storyboards will be
avoid using too many colors simultaneously.
"overlaid" on single computer displays. A
common example occurs when a student is asked Always allot space for simultaneous text.
a question. One storyboard contains the question
Animations require special consideration because
as well as the space in which the student will type
it is difficult to capture the nature of movement
a response. Another storyboard contains a
on paper. In addition to producing the essential
feedback message presented when the student
elements in still form, make marginal notations
gives an incorrect response. During the lesson
that include a description of which elements
presentation these two displays may appear on
change and the nature of the change, such as
the screen at the same time. However, they are not
direction, size, distance, and rate of change.
written on the same storyboard because:
Drawing a few still pictures to show the change at
Different messages appear on the screen different stages is often helpful.
depending on whether the student answers Other output consists of any presentation that
the questions correctly or incorrectly. Instead does not appear on the computer screen, most
they are placed in identical locations on frequently referring to sound. Sound requires
separate storyboards, ensuring that each special consideration because it is difficult to
message will fit simultaneously with the describe on paper. A storyboard for sound would
original question. consist entirely of marginal information
describing the sound in terms of its nature (e.g.,
The same message may be used as feedback
music, speech), content, and duration.
for different questions.
Establishing a one-to-one correspondence Step 6. Check graphics and simultaneous text for
between storyboards and segments of a fit
lesson, such as subroutines is advantageous.
Graphic displays, like text displays, are
Since computer displays within a lesson are sometimes overlaid with one another or with
frequently programmed separately, then other text. As with text, check that there is no
assembled, it is best to storyboard on overlapping or overcrowding in the composite
different cards. displays, and that graphics and corresponding
Storyboard overlays occur primarily in question- text are displayed simultaneously. Superimposing
answer-feedback displays, user control messages, one storyboards on another to check for fit is a
and directions or help message displays. They typical feature of graphics software. If
also occur in incremental text, text that is not overlapping or overcrowding exists, corrective
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revisions can involve changing the proximity, Tools for Creating Storyboards
size, or detail of graphics.
Depending on its complexity, a single application
may require a number of storyboards. For
Step 7. Review the flowcharts and storyboards
example, a game would include multiple changes
Assemble the storyboards in the order a of direction and action by the user, multiple
student would encounter them in the lesson, graphics, and multiple representations and
as indicated by the flowcharts, placing them feedback. In a non-sequential instructional unit,
side by side or tacking them on a bulletin the user chooses any of multiple destinations and
board so they can be viewed all at once. paths with a mouse click. In an application
produced with a multimedia-authoring package
Review flowcharts and storyboard layout for
such as Toolbook, a different background could
sequence, style, completeness, student
represent each of the storyboards. The selection of
control, and length.
storyboarding tools reflects the level of
Assume the role of an average student. complexity required. Options include:
Proceed from card to card, interacting with
Word processor. Many designers use the drawing
the lesson, answering each question correctly
function in Windows or MacOS to rough out
and incorrectly, encountering the appropriate
graphics and locations of various elements,
presentations, choices, questions, hints,
including text.
feedback messages, and remediation.
Graphics application. A graphics application can
Anticipate any problems and mark for
be used to draw simple mock-ups of the screens
revision.
with areas designated for additional notes.
The most frequently encountered problems
Database management application. In complex
include:
applications (e.g., military simulations), the cost of
Missing or incomplete directions mistakes can be serious. Databases are
constructed with detailed explanations of
Insufficient student interaction components and with forms and reporting tools
providing the content to users. In organizations
Inadequate coverage of topics
that generate large numbers of applications, this
Overlapping, overcrowded, or poorly can be a cost-effective approach
spaced displays
Storyboarding Software
Redundant or irrelevant displays
This is a partial list of software applications that
Question loops in which students may get help developers produce storyboards (Note:
stuck Multimedia authoring packages can also produce
Poor transitions quick designs to be printed out and annotated).
Canvas http://www.deneba.com
Poor student control, such as displays that
cannot be reviewed Scriptwerx http://www.originalvision.com
IVD Toolkit http://www.electronicvision.com
Text passages with no graphic
enhancements StoryBoard http://www.powerproduction.co
Quick m
Flowcharts and storyboards should be reviewed
by other instructional designers, content experts,
your client, and programming professionals to Summary
assess pedagogical quality, correctness of content Storyboards are the blueprints of the interactive
and sequence, attainment of objectives, aesthetics, courseware design and development process. The
hardware and software suitability. Students primary purpose of storyboarding is to
should also review the documents to assess level communicate the intended design to each member
of difficulty, clarity of text and pictures, and of the team and provide documentation
overall impression of the lesson. After throughout development. The effectiveness of the
synthesizing the feedback from reviewers, revise communication and documentation is in direct
the documents. relationship to the level of detail included in the
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storyboards. Ensuring completion and accuracy of 11.11. Producing a vertical prototype of this
the storyboarding process minimizes confusion course would include all aspects of one
and errors that result in delays and major instructional unit and its related components.
reworking.
Rapid Prototyping
Horizontal Prototyping
A horizontal prototype would include program
features accessible from the homepage, allowing
developers to test the intuitiveness of icons and
user interface features.
Vertical Prototyping
Vertical prototypes include one or more fully
functional course features, as illustrated in Figure
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