The problem with Adobe and Captivate
According to GMI the E-Learning Market size surpassed USD 315 billion in 2021 and is projected to observe 20% CAGR from 2022 to 2028. Yet Adobe, who have created some of the best software for designers and developers on a range of products, seems to have completely lost track of the main eLearning platform that is Captivate.
Now, many other multimedia designers and companies are stuck with Captivate, due to the fact it can be used for sensitive material for defence, health etc and not cloud-based like Articulate. If I could, I would use Articulate in a heartbeat as this software is years ahead of Captivate in its design – Yet, ironically Adobe have had years to catch up with Articulate.
If anyone else has had the pleasure to use Adobes other products like XD, InDesign, After Effects etc, then they will know how well designed they are, look extremely modern with fantastic integration with other Adobe software. So, the talent is there at Adobe to build a good eLearning authoring tool. Adobe have been lagging behind storyline for years and we are stuck with an outdated product that looks like it was designed in the 90s and it shows.
It seems like Adobe need to put more money and manpower into eLearning and stop dragging their feet. Utilise other developers and their skillset from projects like XD and an implement that style into the next Captivate. We have all been crying for ‘Project Charm’ for a while now, yet I have reservations that it will show up this year and still be outdated and clunky compared to Adobes other software and the competition. On the other hand, Adobe were ahead of the game by including 360 imagery etc, so there is hope. ELearning will grow in the near future, so please Adobe, start to address this software and you will see a surge of developers move back to Captivate.
This post reflects my sentiments exactly. In my past life I’ve used several Adobe flagship products from Photoshop, to After Effects, to Premier Pro. Captivate has the potential to be THE elearning content development standard in the industry. While it has many features that are pretty useful, many of the built-in learning interactions are buggy and don’t work quite right. One of the biggest problems I have right now is that the current version of Cp is clinging to the long defunct Flash format. Many of the canned learning interactions that I would like to incorporate into my projects won’t work when published to HTML5. I’ve had to resort to creating my own workarounds, usually using some custom Javascript coding solutions that have taken inordinate amounts of time to create. Like many in the community, I was excited when I heard about project Charm edition of Captivate was being developed but my excitement has evaporated as it seems that Charm is not to be. I’d like to see more robust object animation capabilities. Come on Adobe, just borrow some code from After Effects and put it into Captivate already! And for the love of all things elearning, let go of everything Flash. Flash is dead, get used to it. We have.
Klaus…
Pooja actually gave us a “sneak peak” of the new “Charming” version of Captivate in September 2019 at the Adobe Education Summit in Las Vegas.
And every once and a while it dawns on me the Charming version has not launched yet. Nor has there been any additional communication about it. And actually, with the removal of the Charming video announcement, there has actually been “negative” communication from the Adobe Captivate team (if there can be such a thing).
Having started at Microsoft over 25 years ago, I get that product launches may take longer than planned. But what baffles me is that Adobe corporate would let one of its product lines treat its customers the way the Adobe Captivate team has (i.e. with complete disregard and lack of communication). It does not reflect well on the Adobe brand.
Is Adobe too big to care? It sure seems that way.
And you may be right that they have abandoned their “Charming” efforts. That thought has certainly crossed my mind (and the minds of many others in this forum).
But then, maybe one day out of the black…
Yes, I must agree. It is really a mystery why Adobe isn’t able or not willing to come out with those promises from early Autumn 2021, when Pooja Jaisingh gave us a first sneak preview into the promised land of a radically new Captivate, nicknamed Charm at the time. Besides, perhaps it means nothing, but strangely enough Pooja Jaisingh isn’t at Adobe anymore. Find out for yourself, if you want, on her LinkedIn profile.
That video of the promised land has been removed. Maybe because of too much harsh criticism that gathered there after Adobe failed for months to deliver the goods. Maybe plans for Charm have been dumped. Maybe the subscription business makes enough profit. Maybe Adobe looses its balls. At least in E-Learning.
But then, maybe one day out of the blue …
Klaus
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