What is good vocal training software?

What are great examples of software training videos?

• Teaching end users how to get the most out of sophisticated software can be a challenge. Many companies use online video tutorials to demonstrate key workflows to users, however they tend to be quite dry and not particularly engaging. What are your favorite examples of software training videos that really engage the viewer, do a good job of simplifying complex concepts or making dry content seem fun? And does the use of a 'real' presenter on-screen help bridge the gap between the software and the person using it?

• Answer:

  I agree software training videos are so boring. I believe the problem is 80% delivery, 20% content. Most people who do video training are use to classroom where they lecture (show you how to do something) then you have to wait until after lecture to have a lab so you can try what you learned.  This delay between learning and trying is the killer. Web based video has the same problem. It's based on the classroom model, show, wait then try. For software training to work videos need to be hands on, near real-time follow along learn by doing. Teachers need to see themselves as mentors and not lecturers.  Videos need to be short and to the point 2 - 6 min in length. I'm a visual learner, dyslexic and probably ADD. I have no patients to wait to learn, so I developed a video training product a few years ago called SofTutor.  It's a video player that plays in the software you want to learn, which reduces a lot of the frustration associated with video based training for software.  SofTutor has progressed over the years and now anyone can add their own content to train, support and collaborate with their users. I'm beginning wonder if we even need formal training, just indexes into videos to help us find what we need to get the job done i.e. just in time training. Now all we need is more teachers who see themselves as mentors. Our experience with real presenter has been good and bad, we don't show them anymore.  In software training they can take away from the learning experience.