

Rapid Authoring
(RAP-id AHTH-er-een)

SOLID
What is a Rapid Authoring Tool?
A rapid authoring tool is software designed to allow for the easy, quick development of e-learning without the need for advanced coding skills.

Key Properties
Rapid authoring tools share the following characteristics:
- Software that is easily accessible to the general public
- An interface that is familiar and intuitive
- Allows for content to be generated and published to the internet or an LMS
- Does not require advanced coding skills
Other Sources of Information About Rapid Authoring Tools
The Resources tab on the Articulate site has downloadable ebooks to help new users get started as well as a link to the E-Learning Heroes Community
Resources From The Train Like a Champion Blog
3 Tips to Getting Started with Articulate Storyline
Rapid Virtual Training Design is Here!
Solid guidance from Brian about rapid authoring
- "While the element of rapid authoring tools has been classified as a solid and not a radioactive element, its ease of use and wide availability do pose a danger. Just like PowerPoint has opened the door to a lot of bad instructor-led training because it has been used so poorly by so many for so long, rapid authoring tools can also be abused in the name of quickly generated content and e-learning. It is possible to simply generate a bunch of screens of content (think about something that resembles a long PowerPoint deck with slide after slide of information), press the “Publish to LMS” button, and voila, you have a long, boring, “click-through” e-learning module."
- "The key with rapid authoring (or any other element on this periodic table) is that for best use, we need to continue to find new, better, more advanced ways to bring them to life. Failure to do this will result in learning experiences that eventually appear out of date or worse, no longer align with best practices in learning design."
- "The rise of rapid authoring tools such as Articulate Storyline and Adobe Captivate have made it easy for in-house talent and inexpensive e-learning contractors to quickly develop modules that, not too long ago, would have cost tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars and taken months to develop."
Elements that Bond well with Rapid Authoring Tools
Because rapid authoring tools are a primary means of generating e-learning content, there are a whole host of elements to consider bonding with your next online module project: