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Storyline VS Rise

Changed: 2023-09-08

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The world of eLearning has undergone seismic shifts in the last decade, with a buffet of technologies offering creative solutions for educators. Among these, two stand out as highly competitive options: Articulate Storyline and Rise. Their in-depth features and unique offerings leave many perplexed on choosing the right one. Therefore, we will endeavor to explore Articulate Storyline VS Rise thoroughly to help you make an informed decision.

Laptop with blog article Storyline VS Rise.

Understanding the Basics: What are Storyline and Rise

Before we dive deep into the comparison, let’s first get acquainted with these two tools.

Articulate Storyline

Articulate Storyline is a robust, powerful, and comprehensive eLearning authoring tool that provides a plethora of options for course creation. It’s a highly versatile tool that allows developers to incorporate interactive elements, multimedia, quizzes, and more. Ideal for complex and tailored content, Storyline enables the creation of personalized, interactive eLearning experiences.

Rise 360

On the other hand, Rise 360 is a responsive, web-based authoring tool, also developed by Articulate. It stands out for its simplicity and ease of use. Rise offers an intuitive, drag-and-drop interface perfect for designing sleek, mobile-friendly courses. With Rise, you can create beautiful courses that look great on any device, without needing extensive technical skills.

Articulate Storyline VS Rise: A Deep Dive

Functionality

Rise consists of pre-built blocks that allow you to quickly and easily add content, media, and actions tailored to both pedagogy and andragogy, though it offers limited customization of these blocks. Although Rise is limited in terms of customization, it is very flexible in terms of design and formatting. It provides easy integration with various media types and external tools, making it a good choice for creating multimedia courses that adhere to principles of adult learning, or andragogy.

Storyline allows you to apply various features to your learning content, enhancing the andragogical approach in your courses. For example, you can add elements such as branching scenarios, custom animations, and detailed assessments, quizzes, audiovisual elements, detailed feedback, and more, facilitating a more mature learning environment respecting the principles of andragogy. The tool even allows you to program games and various types of interactive activities, making the learning experience more engaging for adult learners.

Adaptability

Rise is one of the most mobile-responsive and adaptive tools available today. This means that it adapts the course to the user’s screen.

Storyline does not change the layout of elements on the screen according to the device, meaning that the course will always be displayed as a rectangular slide.

Navigation

Rise is intuitive to navigate. Just like on a web page, learners scroll down to continue. A menu bar on the left allows students to go back and forth to different sections.

Storyline is slide-based, meaning that students typically use arrows or buttons to move to the next slide or return to the previous one. Because Storyline is much more customizable, you can create buttons to jump to specific sections or personalize the path through the course based on learner choices.

Development time

Rise contains many pre-built blocks that you can choose from and fill with the necessary information. This means that a course can be created quite quickly.

Storyline projects in Storyline start with a blank slide, so it takes time to create the look and feel, buttons, and other elements.

Concluding Thoughts on Storyline VS Rise 360

While both tools are robust and capable, the choice between Storyline VS Rise 360 boils down to your specific needs and requirements. If customization, interactivity, and fine control are your priority, Storyline is the tool for you. However, if speed, ease of use, and responsiveness matter more, Rise is the better fit.

Just remember: the best tool is the one that helps you effectively reach your learning objectives and creates the most engaging experience for your learners. So, ask yourself, what does your eLearning project truly need?

What is the difference between Storyline and Rise?

Both Storyline and Rise are eLearning authoring tools from Articulate, but they have different focuses. Storyline is more feature-rich and allows for highly interactive, custom-designed courses. It's ideal for creating scenario-based learning, games, and software simulations. Rise, on the other hand, is designed for creating responsive courses that look great on any device. It's simpler to use, with a block-based system that lets you quickly build courses but offers less customization than Storyline.

Can I switch between Storyline and Rise when creating a course?

No, these are two separate tools and a course created in one cannot be directly edited or altered in the other. However, it is possible to include Storyline blocks in a Rise course, providing some level of integration between the two tools.

Do I need coding skills to use Storyline or Rise?

No, both Storyline and Rise are designed to be user-friendly and do not require coding skills. Storyline allows for more intricate designs and interactions, so some learning curve may be involved. Rise is more straightforward and intuitive, perfect for beginners or for those who need to create courses quickly.

Is one tool better than the other for mobile learning?

Rise is specifically designed for responsive design, meaning it automatically adjusts the layout of the course depending on the device it's viewed on. Therefore, if your primary audience will be using mobile devices, Rise might be the better choice.

Can I track learner progress in both Storyline and Rise?

Yes, both Storyline and Rise support SCORM, AICC, and xAPI, meaning they can send course completion and interaction data to a compatible Learning Management System (LMS).

Which is more cost-effective, Storyline or Rise?

The cost-effectiveness of Storyline versus Rise depends on your specific needs. Storyline is a powerful tool with a wide range of features that may be necessary for complex, interactive courses. Rise, however, is more streamlined and can enable you to create professional-looking courses in less time. The choice between the two should be based on your specific course design needs, the skill level of your design team, and your budget.