I want to tell you about a small shift that changed how our team starts every Articulate Storyline eLearning project. (You could do the same for Captivate too).
Early in my career, my storyboard lived in a Word doc. That is what I learned to do in my master’s program. Script on the left, visual description on the right. It was functional. It communicated what I needed to communicate. And every single time I shared it with a subject matter expert, I watched their eyes glaze over (and so did mine for that matter).
They didn’t know how to give me feedback on a table. They’d approve a script they didn’t fully understand, and then I’d build the module and come back to them with a prototype and suddenly have a long list of changes that would have been obvious if they’d seen the visual from the start.
Sound familiar?
The Problem with Text-Only Storyboards
Here’s what I’ve come to believe: most SMEs and stakeholders aren’t bad at giving feedback. They’re bad at giving feedback on abstractions. When your storyboard is a document, you’re asking them to imagine what the finished product will look like from a table of text. That’s not a skill most of them have, and it’s not fair to expect them to.
A visual storyboard changes the dynamic entirely. When someone can see the layout, the amount of text on screen, the relationship between the visual and the narration, they can give you actual useful input. They can say ‘this feels too dense’ or ‘I’d lead with this point instead.’ They can engage with the design, not just approve the words.
That’s a better conversation. And it leads to fewer revision cycles after you’ve already built something.
Why Canva Specifically
I’ve tried building visual storyboards in PowerPoint, Google Slides, and a few other tools. Canva has become my default for a few specific reasons.
It’s easy to share. A Canva link opens in any browser. My SME doesn’t need to have the software installed, a certain font installed, doesn’t need to download a file, and doesn’t need to deal with compatibility issues. I send a link, they click it, they see exactly what I’m seeing.
Comments work well. Stakeholders can leave comments directly on the visual, on the exact frame they’re responding to. That context matters. ‘This frame needs more clarity’ is more useful than an email with no frame reference.
The visual design carries over. When I use their brand kit and their organization’s visual standards inside the storyboard, the final module already has the right aesthetic before I’ve developed and programmed a single slide. The design decisions aren’t a separate step at the end. They’re baked in from the beginning.
It’s fast to update. When feedback comes in, I can make changes quickly without reformatting a document or rebuilding a table. The storyboard stays clean through the revision process.
The visual storyboard isn’t an extra step. It’s a step that saves you multiple steps later, specifically the steps where you’re rebuilding something that was already approved but turned out not to be what anyone actually pictured.
The Template I Use
I’ve been refining my Canva storyboard format for a while now, and this month I’m sharing it with #IgniteLearning members.
The template includes frames that capture the visual layout, on-screen text, narration script, and design notes, all in a format that’s designed to be shared with non-ID stakeholders. It’s built for the in-house workflow, which means it assumes you’re working with real SMEs, real timelines, and a real need to get useful feedback before you build.
VIP members get the fully editable Canva file. Free members get a PDF preview.
The difference between those two things is the difference between seeing what the template looks like and actually being able to use it in your next project. Which is the whole point.
If You’ve Been on the Fence About VIP
Every month, VIP members get a fully editable template file built specifically for the kind of work we do in L&D. Not generic templates you have to adapt. Templates built for the in-house reality.
This month it’s the Storyboard Template. Last month it was the Virtual Training Run-of-Show. Next month it’ll be something else that fits directly into your workflow.
Plus VIPs get access to a live workshop every month where we work through these tools and templates together in real time. This month we’re doing a live build session
using the storyboard template and of course, open office hours, where you can get 1-2-1 coaching on whatever you might be struggling with.
If you’ve been following along and wondering whether the VIP tier is worth it, this is a good month to try it. The 7-day free trial means you can access everything, including this month’s template and the live workshop, before you commit to anything.
Start your free 7-day VIP trial inside #IgniteLearning and get instant access to the Canva Storyboard Template, https://zps.circle.so/checkout/ignite-learning