Revolution Media Presentation Viewable on Web?

[Trevor DeVore]

On Jun 27, 2006, at 8:46 AM, GregSmith wrote:
> Exactly, not only do people NOT want to go to the trouble of  
> downloading yet
> another browser plug-in, they especially do not want to go to the  
> trouble of
> installing an application which they have never heard of, on a  
> machine they
> may not own.  This all boils down to people being ignorant and  
> conditioned
> and suspicious . . .   and there is no turning back now.   
> Especially not
> with all the mobile this and cell phone that.  This is painfully and
> specifically true to those who try to sell anything online that may  
> depend,
> somewhat, on impulse.

Hi Greg,

While generally true, I have found that if content is truly  
compelling to a person they are willing to take the necessary steps  
to get that content.

The common forms of e-learning deployment are definitely through a  
web browser.  If you have content that is aimed at a broad target  
market then this probably is the best solution.  That doesn't mean it  
is the best solution for all markets.  There are many benefits to  
delivery in a browser but one of the big cons is off-line viewing.

My company creates e-learning software.  While the e-learning model  
we use would apply in many areas we target the medical industry,  
specifically ultrasound.  Off-line viewing of content that is always  
up to date is critical as training often occurs on the road or in a  
doctor's exam room where internet connectivity might not be  
available.  Our solution was a desktop application that synchs with  
online content similar to the way you synch a PDA.

We have deployed this solution in a few large corporations as well as  
to the public and had very positive feedback.  I think we are able to  
create a better overall experience for users using a desktop  
solution.  Since our target market finds the content deployed in our  
e-learning system compelling they are willing to perform the initial  
download.

> And, remember, both Flash and QuickTime players come already  
> installed in
> the most popular and current web browsers.  The less the user has  
> to do, the
> more they will use it, the more they will trust it, and the less it  
> will
> matter what software was used to author it.

The points I would question here are how much a user will use or  
trust content based on the ease of acquiring the content.  It seems  
to me that people make the most use of things that they find useful.   
I know of an e-learning solution that were deployed on the web at  
great expense but which was then taken down relatively quickly  
because it was deemed useless.  It was too hard to use.  Regardless  
of your delivery format, the user experience dictates how often the  
user will use it.

People trust names that are familiar to them and that they have a  
positive opinion of.  If a customer has a need of learning something  
about a product they purchased from Company ABC and that company  
provides training then the customer wants access to it (whether on  
paper, web, etc.).  Their opinion of Company ABC is going to be  
affected by the quality of the training that the company provides.   
If the training meets the customers needs, a positive opinion is  
gained and trust increases.  If the training is not good the opposite  
occurs.  I believe this happens regardless of the medium of  
delivery.  Just this weekend I heard complaints about companies  
because of their inadequate assembly instructions.  One was about  
furniture from IKEA and the other about an isolation booth (for music  
studios).

So I would argue that just because a user has less to do to get  
content does not ensure success.  It is the user experience that  
ultimately decides success.  If you can provide that for your target  
market in a browser, great.  If they are better served by a web  
enabled desktop application then take that route.


-- 
Trevor DeVore
Blue Mango Learning Systems - www.bluemangolearning.com
trevor at bluemangolearning.com