Authoring tools
AUTHORING PLATFORM EVOLUTION³, the authoring tool suite:
Easy to get started with FAST-TRAIN and FIRST-TRAIN.
High-end production with EVOLUTION³.
What is an authoring tool?
An authoring tool is a software application that allows users to create e-learning courses. In addition to text, these courses can also contain media (e.g. video, images and sound) and various interactions (e.g. exercises such as drag & drop or multiple choice tasks).
Users of our authoring tools do not need programming skills to create complex e-learning courses. Numerous templates have already been created for AUTHORING PLATFORM EVOLUTION³ for different course and assessment situations. Our large and at the same time comfortable range of functions simplifies the creation of sophisticated learning content through the easy arrangement and editing of content.
Flexible
No rigid structures!
Flexible customization
CBTL gives you SATELLITE, a powerful tool that can be optimally adapted to your needs at any time thanks to its extensive roles & rights system, its browser-based & team-oriented work, and its diverse output variations.
What does the training manager say about it?
“In a project, there can always be unforeseen developments. That’s why I’m glad we chose SATELLITE. This authoring tool can flexibly adapt to our workflows.”
Secure
Not everyone gets access!
Smart roles & permissions system
A role and rights system is integrated into all of our authoring tools, through which each person involved only gets the access that is necessary for their field of responsibility.
What does the IT manager say about this?
“With SATELLITE I can flexibly combine the different internal departments and external agencies. Through the roles and rights system, it is also very clearly structured who gets which functions.”
Features
No limits to creativity!
Comprehensive Features
Our authoring tools offer arguably the widest yet most convenient feature set for creating sophisticated learning content.
What does the author say?
“The many features help me tremendously in creating pages, yet they don’t limit my creativity in any way. I think that’s great!”
Which authoring tool is right for me?
Authoring tools can vary widely. Some tools are designed for quick e-learning content creation, while others are aimed at experts who create sophisticated content.
With AUTHORING PLATFORM you have 1 platform with 3 editors and 4 applications. Use the FAST-TRAIN or FIRST-TRAIN editors to convert your existing materials into learning nuggets and share them with little effort. With the EVOLUTION editor, you can have the simple courses refined by an expert in the second pass.
Why AUTHORING PLATFORM EVOLUTION³?
AUTHORING PLATFORM is designed to provide a structured, smooth, fast and flexible overall workflow for the creation and localisation of e-learning courses.
Real-time collaboration
- Simultaneous working for multiple authors on one project
- Integrated project management tool supports assignment and management of tasks
Live review of courses at all stages of development
- Built-in communication system for reviewer feedback
- Choose between dedicated review mode, which does not allow editing, or editing modes to correct minor errors such as misspellings
Quick translation and efficient localisation
- Select between translation mode (no export/publishing required) or XLIFF-based workflow. In both cases, both translators and project owners can see the current state of the translation in a course and adjust it in real time.
- Because each project has it’s own database of language dependent elements it is easy to adjust non-language dependent properties for core elements for all language versions at the same time – without having to work with separate copies of a course for each language.
- For localised content projects can be copied as managed versions that allow e-learning managers to track changes to the original and new versions including being able to update and rollback changes in the versions.
This is what a training manager says:
Although some of my trainers and subject matter experts are not trained e-learning authors, our training content can be quickly converted into e-learning courses with FIRST-TRAIN.
Everybody is very satisfied with EVOLUTION³, because with two editors our “e-learning inexperienced” trainers are not overwhelmed , while are our “old hands” limited.
Features of our authoring tools
Not all authoring tools have the same functions and features. Tools that are designed for quick e-learning content creation are typically limited in their features. AUTHORING PLATFORM EVOLUTION³ offers sophisticated learning content creation, with numerous features in different application areas, such as content creation, management, and publishing of e-learning courses.
We use EVOLUTION³, FAST-TRAIN and FIRST-TRAIN ourselves on a daily basis and continue to develop the tool – based on our experience and that of our customers.
This means that even with the standard configuration of AUTHORING PLATFORM EVOLUTION³, you get a powerful tool that is always at the cutting edge of development and yet adaptable to your specific requirements at any time.
Content creation
Course content is created using the EVOLUTION³, FAST-TRAIN editors. Text, images, videos, audios and exercise types can be added and edited with the WYSIWYG interface.
With our preview function, you can test animation sequences and exercises at any time. For example, you can see exactly what the learner will see and hear and how the interactions are working.
Here is a brief overview of the most important functions that our authoring tools provide you for creating and editing of content:
Images
- Importing and exporting image files
- Image editing
Audio
- Import and export audio files
- Audio recording
- Including audio files in exercises
Video
- Import and export video files
- Webcam recording
- Screen recording
- Inserting video into interactions
- Linking to external video sources
Animations
- Animation of images or texts
- Import of HTML5 animations possible
Formatting
- CI customized templates (templates)
- Text and style editing
- Object alignment and editing
- Import of PowerPoint slides
- Adaptive and Responsive Template design (ART templates)
Interactivity
Interactivity is when the learner does not just passively consume the content provided, but is encouraged to actively do something. This is possible, for example, in the form of various exercises or action elements
Why interactivity?
If learners are not engaged, they will not learn anything. By being actively involved in the learning experience, learner motivation and engagement is proven to increase and learning success is enhanced as a result.
Here’s a brief overview of the main interaction options of our authoring tools:
Templates
Templates provide you with layouts for presentation, exercise, and interaction pages. By using templates, you can save a lot of time when creating an e-learning course.
Our templates not only ensure a consistent look and feel of individual pages within an e-learning course, but also provide visual consistency between different e-learning courses. In addition, our templates are graphically and instructionally designed in such a way that they do not distract the learner, but rather focus their attention on the content.
With the browser-based authoring tool EVOLUTION³, for example, you can ensure consistent and standardised production of learning content through a FRAMEWORK without being cut off from further tool development.
Personalization and customisation of existing pages is possible at any time
Of course, it is also possible to work without a template ("blank sheet")
Extend with additional, tailor-made page and exercise templates
Brand change: CI specifications for several (e.g. brand-specific) layouts can be stored centrally and existing courses can then be switched at the touch of a button
Create exercises and interactions with videos as well as 360° panoramas, 3D objects, etc.
This is what an IT manager says:
To comply with the CI of our company, we need many individual e-learning templates and functionalities. Nevertheless, we always want to be up to date with the latest developments in our authoring tool. With EVOLUTION³ this is no problem.
Content Management
Managing and organizing your created content is an important factor for a strategic use of e-learning. Content that has already been created should be straightforward to update, localise, or reuse in new e-learning courses. This not only saves time, but also enables efficient workflows.
In addition to the file manager, in which you store all the media used, our authoring tools also have a task management function in which you can keep track of the production process.
File Manager Features:
Access restricted folders for secure file exchange
Structured file libraries (image, video, audio, etc.)
Editing functions
Task management features:
Calendar overview
Milestone creation
Task and message creation
Metadata
More smart content management features:
Simple project documentation (storage and organisation of project documents in the project)
Flexible review and approval processes
Independence from service providers
- Uniform source code and editing environment of the supplied learning content on the company’s own server
- Content created by agency A can be reused, adapted and extended by agency B;C etc
Versions and Localisation
Even in transformation processes in larger companies, it can be a challenge to provide the tailored information in the appropriate language for the individual target groups.
That is why the AUTHORING PLATFORM EVOLUTION³ offers extensive functions for versioning modules. Starting from a master version, different content and language versions can be created. The versioning feature allows the creation of project versions where the difference between the master copy and the versions can be tracked and synchronized. Authors of the master copy can configure which elements can be changed and which cannot.
- The integrated data exchange manager makes it easy to copy pages or entire chapters from one module to another
- Eliminates the need to share large projects via email
- Reuse and repurpose previously created content in new projects
- Using the layout switching feature, modules or parts of modules such as chapters or pages created for one group brand can be converted to the brand layout of another brand
- Centralized management of global content production
This is what a training manager says:
EVOLUTION³ is more than just an authoring tool for creating e-learning courses. AUTHORING PLATFORM can manage and organize the complete project. All my project documents are saved in the project, and with the task management I can always see the current project status and delegate tasks to team members.
This is what an translation manager says:
Whether I use XLIFF export/import, or translation mode for smaller projects or QA, translation work has never been so fast and easy!
This is what a training manager says:
We produce our e-learning content in different languages and content versions. With AUTHORING PLATFORM I always keep an overview of all versions!
Teamwork
E-learning production involves many different people who do not necessarily have to work in the same location or at the same time. As a 100% online application, AUTHORING PLATFORM EVOLUTION³ makes international teamwork and project management easy through its worldwide availability.
Here is a selection of our features for successful teamwork:
100% online
Secure login with 2-factor authentication
Projects/courses are always up to date for all project participants
Task management to coordinate your e-learning projects in real time
Notification function for communication
Powerful and flexible roles and rights system, through which each team member only gets the access that is necessary for his field of activity
File manager: Central storage system for media with access-protected folders
Our locking functionality prevents several people from working on the same page at the same time to prevent accidental overwriting of conflicting content.
Review mode
Sharing options
Facilitated integration of external service providers (e.g. agency, translator)
This is what a training manager says:
Never before have I been able to coordinate and delegate teamwork as well as with EVOLUTION³! Even though my project team is spread across multiple locations, they can work simultaneously on a project. In our AUTHORING PLATFORM, not only do I always have an overview of each project – I can also react quickly if questions arise in the team or production gets behind schedule.
This is what an author says:
Communication is super easy in EVOLUTION³, saving time and frustration. But what I like best is the lock function – so I can be sure that the page is just edited by me. Once a page or chapter is finished, it simply stays locked and the final status can’t be accidentally changed.
This is what an IT manager says:
Even in an international team it is a great relief for me not to have to install any software. The AUTHORING PLATFORM can even be run on our company’s own server. I also don’t have to worry about regular updates.
With EVOLUTION³, I can also flexibly combine the various internal departments and external agencies. The roles and rights system gives me comprehensive access and activity control, guaranteeing that we can work securely.
Assessment scenarios
You can check whether a learner has understood and can apply what they have learnt using different knowledge checking and assessment approaches. These can be inserted, for example, at the end of each chapter and/or at the end of a course.
With our authoring tools, you have numerous different assessment scenarios at your disposal:
Tests with different types of exercises
Drawing from any number of question pools (e.g. topic, level of difficulty, random or compulsory questions)
Randomly selected questions
All questions selected
Assessments with lookup functionality
Subsequent extension of assessments with new or revised questions or additional question pools
Import assessment questions via Excel files (using standardised question templates for rapid test creation)
Publish / Uniform technical implementation
The content created with our authoring tools can be published as a wide variety of end products in web, mobile, test and print formats. By doing so, we ensure that our authoring tools are compatible with your learning management system (LMS) and meet the requirements of your organization.
This is what a training manager says:
With the AUTHORING PLATFORM, I can rely on a company-wide assured standard of quality.
This is what an IT manager says:
The decision was made to go with EVOLUTION³ because with this authoring tool I don’t have to worry about it not working in a year. In addition, I don’t have to worry about whether the authoring tool is compatible with every LMS used in the group.
Our single-source publishing approach lets you create your e-learning and make it accessible to your learners with just a few clicks.
- Desktop
- WBT
- CBT
- eBook
- WBT
- eBook classic
- eBook pro
- ePub3
- HTML5
- PPT
- Word
- ODT
- ODP
- SCORM
- Tin Can API (xAPI)
- AICC
This is what a training manager says:
With the AUTHORING PLATFORM EVOLUTION³, I can publish our e-learning courses in a variety of output formats in next to no time.
Fixed Stage vs. ART
Our platform offers options for
- traditional fixed-stage templates with sophisticated interactions and information rich screen layouts for high-quality learning
- adaptive-responsive templates in which layouts can be adapted and fine-tuned for responsive presentation on different sizes of smaller screens
- fully responsive templates where the layout automatically responds to any screen size
While these three modes are based on different templates, all projects are managed on the same platform and edited with the same editors, allowing easy reuse and repurposing of learning content and media with the same set of familiar tools.
Fixed Stage
With a so-called “fixed Stage”, our e-learning courses automatically adapt to scale to the screen size of the end device used. However, a fixed stage keeps the relative position and layout of elements, including animated and interactive elements, in place This means that e-learning courses with a fixed stage can be designed to include rich instructional content best suited for the larger display of a desktop or tablet.
ART
Our ART templates are adaptive and responsive, i.e. the layout adapts to the display resolution and orientation (portrait – landscape) of end devices. The content is automatically responsive within each layout design.
ART templates are normally are designed to provide optimised layouts for the following end devices:
- Desktop
- Tablet
- Mobile
Each page usually consists of three sections:
- Header area,
- Content area
- Footer area
The header always remains visible at the top of the page, which means even when scrolling down the page. It contains the following CI-compliant elements:
- Logos
- Search function
- Main navigation bar (for desktop view)
- Menu (on tablet and mobile views)
At the center of a page is the content area (text, images, videos, etc.). The layout of the content automatically adapts according to up to 3 different device types.
The footer consists of only one button that takes the user back to the top of the page. The footer only appears when a page is scrolled.
This is what a training manager says:
With EVOLUTION³, I can publish our e-learning courses in a variety of output formats in next to no time.
Training & Support
In addition to our training courses, you can also benefit from CBTL technical and instructional design support. We are always happy to assist you with the creation of your e-learning course, depending on your needs.
Our Training Opportunities:
- Online training
- In person training
- Instructional design training for e-learning beginners
Our support:
- Fast, direct online support.
(email, phone, video conference, live chat) - Manuals and documentation
- Tutorials / How-To Guides
- Demos
- Consulting services
This is what a training manager says:
With CBTL, I not only get a good authoring tool with reliable support, but also resource support in creating my e-learning courses.
This is what an author says:
Not only is the AUTHORING PLATFORM EVOLUTION³ a brilliant authoring tool in which you can create high-quality e-learning courses – the support of CBTL is also available at any time. I get not only technical assistance but also instructional design tips and ticks – what more could I ask for!
Flexible customization and support
CBTL provides you with the AUTHORING PLATFORM EVOLUTION³, a powerful tool that can be optimally adapted to your needs at any time thanks to its extensive roles & rights system, its browser-based & team-oriented work and diverse publishing options.
EVOLUTION³ supports strategic approaches to e-learning content creation and complex workflows. Localised versions retaining internationally consistent production standards can be implemented with EVOLUTION³–FRAMEWORK, even when collaborating between different brands, departments and external agencies.
This is what a training manager says:
A project can always have unforeseen developments. Therefore, I am glad that we have chosen AUTHORING PLATFORM EVOLUTION³. This authoring tool can flexibly adapt to our processes and workflows.
With EVOLUTION³, we have a tool at hand that enables a smooth collaboration between external agencies and our company. Not only are defined production standards and processes adhered to, but translations and/or adaptations are also carried out quickly and comprehensively.
Contact us
Do you have any questions or want to discuss with us any of the above topics? Then contact us.