Video Tutorial Guidelines

This guide will help you complete your tutorial video. The best practices listed will ensure that your tutorial, which represents the Library organization as a whole, is of the highest quality.

Each tab on the left covers the basics of a single facet of creating a video tutorial: 

• Instructional design
• Writing a script
• Audio recording
• Video recording and visuals
• Aesthetics
• ADA compliance
• Additional resources

​​​​​​If this is your first video, please contact a member of the Digital Learning Objects (DLO) team. They will help you with all parts of the production process. Members of the DLO team are:

• Danielle Evans
• Liz Holdsworth
• Marlee Givens
• Jordan Moore
• Gabe Nagel
• Alison Reynolds

Here is a brief outline of the DLO workflow.

​​​​​​Throughout your process, keep the following essentials in mind:

• Think of what you want the audience to learn or accomplish, then design backward from that end goal. (See the Instructional Design tab for more information).
• Maintain focus on what information the audience needs. Remove any digressions, and if you must include a policy, simplify it.
• Tell the user what the video is about at the beginning and remind them of what they learned at the end.
• Keep it simple! Use uncomplicated instructions, graphics, and everything else that impacts the viewer's cognitive load.
• Aim for a 3 - 5 minute maximum duration for any tutorial. Viewership for instructional videos usually plummets after the 6 minute mark.
• If your tutorial needs to be longer, chunk it out into a series of videos or timestamp different steps/concepts. Each chunk should accomplish a specific task or goal.
• Include contact information at the end of the video so the viewer can get further assistance.
• Ensure that your tutorial follows ADA compliance guidelines, as this is a requirement for all Georgia Tech Library DLOs. (See the ADA Compliance tab for more information.)