“Common Elements of Effective Screencasts”

by Joseph Friedman | Xchanges 7.1

Introduction

Screencasts are videos of computer screens with narration that are used to teach or demonstrate computer-related tasks. Jon Udell coined the term “screencast” in 2004 after a competition to name this growing genre of internet video. The term first appeared in print in a MacWorld article and has since gained widespread use on the internet.

Before screencasting programs, the only options for showing someone how to use a computer program over the internet were to send them a program, have them download a trial version, or write lengthy instructions. In the 1990s the first screencasting programs, such as Lotus ScreenCam, appeared. These programs were the first to allow users to capture video of their computer screen and save it as a file. More recent screencasting programs such as Camtasia, Screenr, and Jing allow a user to capture video, record narration, add additional media elements, edit, and upload or export to a variety of file formats—all in an integrated environment. Adobe has released a set of screencasts on how to use their software called the Adobe Video Workshop. The Adobe Video Workshop is an example of a professional screencast, but through the use of modern screencasting tools, anyone can create a screencast of similar quality.

A screencast can simply capture a user performing a task at a computer. But a screencast can also incorporate text, images, zoomed-in “close-up” shots, music, and other media elements. A screencast can be as long or as short as the creator desires: from a few seconds to an hour or more. This versatility has allowed screencasts to fill many different niches.

Screencasts are commonly used for tutorials, but they can also be used to present concepts, review software, give a conversational demo, or even tell a story. Screencasts can also be used in education. A professor can pre-record a screencast for reference material, or students can use a screencast to demonstrate knowledge of a process or concept. A screencast can reduce the number of repetitive questions that need to be answered and act as a self-help resource. Screencasts can be used outside of the classroom as well. A business can use a screencast to train employees on their business software or to demonstrate a product to consumers.

Screencasting literature is limited, and this paper discusses the elements of multimedia that are most applicable to screencasts from a technical communication standpoint. This paper will also survey the current state of screencasting in a new media environment, discuss genres of screencasts, synthesize elements that make a screencast effective, and speculate on future directions for the medium.