Mindmap Analysis

Products Comparison

The purpose of this mindmap is to provide a side by side comparison of authoring tools from the following vendors, Adobe, Articulate, and Microsoft. The major lesson this comparison reinforced is Adobe's leadership role with the Adobe e-Learning intergrated suite. Adobe has a centerpiece tool, Adobe Captivate that is designed with the instructor, student and learning in mind. Adobe embellishes Captivate with integration via Flash for animation, PhotoShop for digital image development and Dreamweaver for Web design creation.

Articulate offers a rapid development integrated e-Learning suite, Articulate Studio, which lacks strong horizontal and vertical development options. Articulate is designed for quick turn content solutions an instructor needs in a demand driven learning environments. Articulate Studio lacks a strong development framework (where Adobe and Microsoft excel) that permits open, flexible customization for instructional design. Articulate Studio also lacks a definitive Web design authoring tool, which is an important content development source for online learning systems.

Microsoft's Expression Studio lacks an authoring tool for e-Learning. I pursued this "missing solution piece" with Microsoft's e-Learning group and learned there is no Expression e-Learning tool in the pipeline (this by no means a definitive source but an Expression e-Learning authoring tool looks bleak). I was encouraged by a couple of Microsoft MVP's to review Camtasia's Studio solution. I reviewed Camtasia Studio for applicability to task but passed on this product suite due to Adobe Captivate's evident strengths. I will continue to use Microsoft's Expression Web product for Web design, adding the capabilities of Expression Studio over time to the content I plan to accomplish in instructional design.