Workflow notes, free tools and design shortcuts I use every week to build courses faster. Mostly short, practical and tested on real projects.
Learning Developer Playbook
What happens when you skip Storyline and Captivate and build a SCORM eLearning course with just JavaScript and GSAP? You get total creative control, tiny file sizes, and interaction types no…
Nov 8, 2026 · 9 min read
Learning Developer Playbook
How solid is your AI-generated code, really? Vibe Check is a free, browser-based vibe code audit tool that scans your .zip or .html files across eight categories and gives you an instant grade, with…
Oct 11, 2026 · 7 min read
Learning Developer Playbook
How long does it really take to build an eLearning course? This free scope calculator uses four research-backed models to estimate eLearning development time based on your authoring tool…
Sep 13, 2026 · 7 min read
Learning Developer Playbook
Need to extract images from Word and PowerPoint files without saving them one at a time? The free Office Image Extractor pulls every embedded image and vector graphic from .docx and .pptx files in…
Aug 30, 2026 · 3 min read
Learning Developer Playbook
Struggling with quiet narration in your e-learning videos? Learn how to use the HandBrake audio volume boost feature to rescue low recordings without expensive software. This step-by-step guide…
Aug 16, 2026 · 7 min read
Learning Developer Playbook
Stop copying Lorem Ipsum from websites—there's a faster way. Learn how to use the =lorem() function to generate lorem placeholder text instantly in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Articulate…
Aug 9, 2026 · 4 min read
Learning Developer Playbook
Tired of round-tripping through Storyline or Rise every time you tweak a custom HTML widget? This free Windows toolkit lets you test Storyline web object content locally with a single right-click…
May 17, 2026 · 7 min read
Learning Developer Playbook
Many instructional designers avoid JavaScript not because they lack ability, but because of fear of coding for instructional designers that goes unnamed and unchallenged. This lesson helps you…
Mar 8, 2026 · 4 min read
Learning Developer Playbook
Stop manually entering hex values into your eLearning authoring tool. The free PPTX to eLearning Color Theme Converter lets you import custom color themes into Storyline, Captivate, and Lectora from…
Mar 4, 2026 · 9 min read
Learning Developer Playbook
The SCORM Viewer now includes built-in WCAG accessibility auditing that scans your courses for missing alt text, contrast failures, keyboard traps, and ARIA errors — all without leaving your…
Feb 11, 2026 · 8 min read
Learning Developer Playbook
Storyline gets you 90% of the way there—but that last 10% of polish takes more effort than it should. These tools fill the gaps: lock icons that make disabled navigation obvious, seekbars that…
Apr 29, 2025 · 5 min read
Learning Developer Playbook
Split your Storyline text into individual characters and animate each one with elastic, bouncy effects using SplitType.js and GSAP. This tutorial walks through loading an external library, replacing…
Jul 3, 2024 · 6 min read
Learning Developer Playbook
The Simplify tool removes anchor points but often distorts your path. Here's the trick: select the Delete Anchor Point tool, hold Shift, then click the point you want gone. The anchor disappears and…
Nov 4, 2023 · 2 min read
Learning Developer Playbook
Illustrator's updated 3D and Materials panel makes creating extruded arrows faster than the old legacy method. Draw a curved path, apply Extrude and Bevel, tweak materials and lighting, then save to…
Oct 22, 2023 · 3 min read
Learning Developer Playbook
Tracing around an object to isolate it usually means losing its shadow. Here's the fix: use Ctrl+Alt+2 to select the luminosity channel highlights, invert the selection, fill with black on a new…
Oct 15, 2023 · 2 min read
Learning Developer Playbook
Forget clipping masks just to see how your design looks cropped to the artboard. Trim View (View → Trim View) instantly hides everything outside the artboard boundaries—no extra steps, no layer…
Sep 24, 2023 · 2 min read
Learning Developer Playbook
Good e-learning design isn't just talent—it's habits. Study menus and movie posters for layout ideas. Sketch before you build. Keep it simple for your audience, not other designers. Communicate…
Sep 3, 2023 · 4 min read
Learning Developer Playbook
Gamification isn't games—it's borrowing what makes games work (feedback, progression, challenge) and layering it over learning. Ender's Game shows this everywhere: flight simulators, interactive…
Aug 15, 2023 · 4 min read
Learning Developer Playbook
A comprehensive guide that covers InDesign fundamentals with clear explanations, helpful screenshots, and workflow best practices throughout. My one disappointment: the interactivity chapter…
Aug 8, 2023 · 2 min read
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