SmartBuilder Features

Features by Category

	Layout and Presentation Time-Savers
	Powerful Interactivity
	Professional Design
	Objects for Every Requirement
	Flexible Publishing
	Content Management and Collaboration
System Requirements for Authors of SmartBuilder
System Requirements for Learners

Cast of objects
Manage object selection, layering, and sequencing in one place using the cast panel. Keep your focus on specific objects by using the hide and lock features to exclude other objects.

Automatically align and space
Automatically align and space multiple objects with one click.

Snap to Grid
Visually align objects using the show grid feature, or use the snap to grid feature to automatically align objects.

Group objects into sets
Save time by placing objects into sets that provide built-in sequencing, scoring and show/hide logic.

Change once, update everywhere
Automatically extend media updates to any lessons that use that same media, or lesson changes to any courses that use that same lesson.

Instant preview
Preview your content at the click of a button without having to wait for final publication.

Library search
Quickly locate media, assets, templates, lessons or courses using search criteria such as title, keywords or date.

Import from PowerPoint
Convert PowerPoint documents into SmartBuilder lessons. Convert each text and picture into native objects that can be edited within SmartBuilder.

Flow Chart
Create rich branching scenarios and interactions using an intuitive, icon-based flow chart. Click on each icon to see the actual objects displayed on the stage. Record branching conditions quickly and easily by mimicking learner actions on real objects.

Action Panel
Create an unlimited variety of interactions and behaviors by combining triggers, conditions and responses, which can be associated with any object.

Powerful assessments
Create standard multiple choice assessments, or, report scores for any kind of interaction ranging from branching scenarios to case studies. Randomise, pool, and weight questions. Automatically report scores using SCORM or AICC.

Hyperlinks
Associate hyperlinks with text, buttons and hotspots to trigger events within your lesson or to launch external web pages, internal documents and media.

Print
Print certificates, check-lists, or other performance support materials. Specify exactly what is included, from an entire page to just a portion of it.

Variables
Create number, text and true/false variables for more advanced interactions. Set and get variable values using intuitive point-and-click menus in the action panel – no scripting is required.

SCORM/AICC tracking
Non-technical users can easily store and retrieve data such as student name, page location, score and variables to and from any SCORM or AICC compliant LMS.

Advanced SCORM/AICC methods are also provided for highly customised tracking requirements.

Transitions
Make objects appear or disappear with a variety of spin, zoom, mask, fade, or slide effects. Specify transitions for a specific object, or quickly apply transitions to an entire set of objects.

Customise object look-and-feel
Choose from a variety of pre-loaded designs, or import your own graphics. Apply a background template or create your own backgrounds that can include headers, footers, watermarks, navigation buttons or other resources.

Shape Library
Create backgrounds, displays, and designs by customising the various display properties of over 50 shapes including symbols, lines, and arrows.

Freeform layout and design
Place objects (text, media, shapes, etc.) anywhere on the page. Resize objects and adjust layering to meet your specific design requirements.

Master page
Similar to the master slide feature in PowerPoint, the master page enables you to quickly create a consistent background across all pages of a lesson. You can also include interactive elements on the master page, such as navigation buttons or tabs for resources such as a glossary.

WYSIWYG guarantee
What you see is what you get. Specify whether published content should remain at a fixed size, scale proportionally, or go full screen - and rest assured that your content will appear to your learners exactly as you intended.

Rich text
Create static text, dynamic text, and input text with full formatting controls for font, size, color, style, line spacing and justification.

Rich media
Import media with SWF, JPG, PNG, GIF, MP3 and FLV formats. Then, go beyond simple presentations to create interactions using embedded media. You can, for example, pause an audio track when a hotspot is clicked, or, show a message or a question when a video is completed.

Learner response objects
Choose from 8 response types including entry fields, hotspots, and radio buttons. Combine different kinds of response objects within the same question to create richer and more meaningful interactions.

Animated timeline
Set cue points on a timeline to control when objects appear and hide. Add transition effects to grab the learner's attention and create a professional appearance for your content.

Drag and drop
Associate drag objects with drop-zones and specify feedbacks. Select from a variety of settings such as immediate feedback or delayed feedback. Quickly set up generic feedback such as a check mark for correct and an “x” mark for incorrect, or set up unique feedback for each drag and drop combination.

Streaming SWF
Using this object you can embed software simulations and other interactions from other tools like Captivate or Qarbon directly within your SmartBuilder content.

Timer
Use timers to limit the time allowed for questions, to track the time spent on a task, or to delay the showing and hiding of other objects. Customise the count sounds and clock display. Set up cues for the timer to trigger events as it counts.

Percent Tracker
Display scores or progress using gauges and status bars. The percent tracker converts a value between 0 and 100 into a graphical representation that includes animations for value changes. It is ideal for providing intrinsic performance feedback.

iFrame web object
Embed almost any kind of web enabled resource in your SmartBuilder lessons from live web sites to documents to media.

Create re-usable learning objects
Unlike tools which create monolithic training pieces, SmartBuilder produces re-usable lessons which can be delivered as stand-alone learning objects or combined with other lessons into courses.

Rapidly assemble courses
Combine new lessons, existing lessons, or lessons developed externally using third-party tools.

Generate SCORM or
AICC compliant content
SmartBuilder automatically generates the manifest and meta-data files required by an LMS to import content and track results. SmartBuilder content has been certified by the ADL to be SCORM conformant and has been tested with many industry leading LMSs including Saba, EKP, Plateau, SumTotal, Moodle and others.

Deliver content to web servers,
LMS's or to CD-ROM
Generate content for web (Intranet, Internet, LMS) or CD-ROM delivery from the same source files.

Make third party content
SCORM compliant
Quickly convert almost any third party content into SCORM compliant learning objects by simply importing content, and then adding meta-data such as a title, description and keywords.

Shared content library
Store all content in a shared library so that users can edit, reuse and repurpose content without emailing files back and forth. Use check-in/check-out features to eliminate version conflicts. Archive versions for roll-back.

Updateable templates
Use templates to obtain design consistency. Jump-start your project by using one of SmartBuilder's many professionally built templates or create your own custom templates.

Template updates can be automatically propagated to the courses that use them.

Translation manager
Re-purpose content for different audiences and languages. Create translation versions, assign translators, track progress and maintain version control from a single simplified interface.

Manage translations in SmartBuilder or export text to Excel and re-import translation text.

Collaborative review tool
Assign review tasks and then make review and revision comments through a single interface that tracks approval status and comments for all reviewers.

Reporting
Run reports on: lesson usage (list of lessons being used in courses), assets and media usage (list of media and assets used in lessons), and workflow rejections (rank of reasons for disapproved lessons).

Customisable meta-data
Meta-data describes your content with information such as title, description and keywords, so that it can be integrated with third-party platforms such as LMS's and performance support systems. SmartBuilder provides a flexible and highly customisable meta-data interface that supports multiple languages.

1024 x 768, 16-bit colors, 32-bit colors recommended