A developing idea for storyboarding projects using Captivate Draft on iOS.
I post this as a developing idea so feedback is welcome…
I used Captivate Draft when it first came out, but at the time it just did not fit my workflow. Recently I started using it again and although I miss being able to send Drafts via email, I can still send to the Cloud when I need someone to review it.
This is how I am using Captivate Draft to storyboard now:
- Once the project is decided and details are mostly complete, I add the project to my work plan and start a storyboad file. I only add the details that are confirmed. Perhaps this is a bit early but this is also a developing idea so that could change…
- I go to Captivate Draft and make a few slides and add the basic structure and flow.
- If needed, I will upload to the Cloud and send the Draft file for feedback. This is noted in my workplan and I set a followup for whatever time period makes sense for that project timeline.
- Once I get feedback (if applicable) or have finalized my draft, I send an updated file to the Cloud.
- On my desktop or laptop I open the file in Captivate and save it as a .cptx file.
- Within Captivate, I go to File–>Print and choose type: Storyboard (check save path etc). This creates a Microsoft Word doc with a project summary and slide view image.
- I plug the images from the Word doc into my storyboard file. This is what I show at project meetings with SMEs and/or my Manager.
Some may choose to skip the extra steps and just use the storyboard Word doc, so that would be faster…but for me, I like using a separate storyboard template that works for each project/client.
Be curious to hear what others use for a process, too!
I’m new to Captivate having only created 3 projects in Captivate 2017 and don’t use IPad. No experience with XD, and am disappointed to learn it has no connection to Captivate. Our resources (time and personnel) are always stretched so I hate to repeat work effort for a project. I was looking for efficient way to submit, monitor and accept (if possible) edits from reviewers. It does not sound like an easy process. Are your comments relative to Draft and Captivate 2019? Since there are so many new streamlined processed in the 2019 version of Captivate, draft/reviewing might have been streamlined too. Your comments? Thanks in advance.
Captivate Draft has features which were later on applied to more recent Adobe applications (not only XD). If the Draft-Captivate workflow is not improved lately that is probably due to the fact that it is not used that much. Personally I regret that a Draft project exported to Captivate will automatically be a Fluid Boxes project which make that workflow useless for non-responsive projects.
XD is the present Adobe hype product, but there have been many more in the past which have disappeared. Most were developed only for iPad/iPhone which is not at all the dominant OS in Europe.
Do you need an app to storyboard? There are many ways to storyboard.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Wendy. I have Captivate Draft on my iPad, and I keep intending to incorporate it into my workflow, but I don’t really like having to transfer the files to the desktop via the Cloud. I hate having files sitting out on so many different platforms. I would use the app more if it included the option to use Airdrop for file transfer so I could just send the files straight from my iPad to my desktop.
Adobe has created many apps in the past, which then just disappear later. They promote now XD for storyboarding but it has no connection with Captivate (none of their priority apps neither). For CC Libraries: I always have PS open when working with Captivate, and use the Import PS source file with multiple layers quite a lot.
Have you posted here or on your blog additional information on how you use PS with Captivate?
Have tried a couple of times to blog about PS-CP collaboration, but nobody seems to like that topic. After all each blog takes a lot of time to prepare and write out. If no readers, not worth the effort. I have been teaching Photoshop for over 20 years in university college.
Only my Captivate trainees sometimes ask for that kind of training, which I love to do. Same with roundtripping to Audition and Illustrator.
Main reason why I have used Draft (use mindmapping tool for storyboard structure) is that I have access to my CC Libraries from within Draft, not from within Captivate.
Annoying thing is that when ou send the Draft file to Captivate it becomes automatically a Fluid Boes project, and converting it to a non-responsive project is not a breeze at all, you simple have to restart from scratch.
That is a great reason – CC libraries – very true.
On the importing into Captivate – I know, right?! Ugh, I discovered this recently…I tried to work with it but yeah, it was not easy to stick with non-responsive. I wonder if it would be worth sending feedback to see if when it exports from Draft or when it is getting imported into Captivate – if there could be a way to CHOOSE responsive or not…
I have posted that feature request right away… no result. Reason I do not use Draft anymore, and have workarounds to have access to CC libraries, another feature request which is not a priority.
I appreciate hearing more about your process, Lieve. thank you! So far I do like using Draft but will need to weigh out considerations like you mentioned and if they are worth the benefits (ye ol’ pros and cons)…
I get the impression Draft is not a priority for Adobe which is bummer if that is true. It does have potential.
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