UPDATE! Adobe discontinued Flash at the end of 2020, so the option to import Flash movies and publish Flash output from Storyline 360 is no longer available. Learn more here!
You probably knew it was coming and may have mixed feelings about it, but the time is officially here: Adobe will discontinue Flash completely at the end of 2020.
So, what does this mean to you as an Articulate developer? Here’s the scoop:
How does this affect you?
If you have courses that rely on Flash animations or videos, were developed in previous versions of Articulate Storyline or Studio, use the Articulate Mobile Player, or if you haven’t yet upgraded to Articulate 360 or Storyline 3, you need to take action before January 1, 2021.
If I have old courses that were developed in Storyline 2, do I need to do anything?
Yes! Any courses previously published in Storyline 1, Storyline 2, Studio ’09, or Studio ’13 must be upgraded and republished to HTML5 before the end of this year. They will not work after December 31, 2020.
To republish your courses, you’ll need first need a license to Articulate 360 or Storyline 3. Then, it’s as easy as opening the course file (the .story or .ppt file) and clicking the Upgrade button prompt. Articulate then does all the hard work to bring the course up to date in a matter of seconds. You should verify everything looks how you’d like it to, and then use the Publish feature to republish the course.
Where can I get more information about Articulate’s plans for the end of Flash?
Articulate has done an amazing job of putting everything you need to know in one easy to find article right here.
Can Yukon Learning help with our conversions?
Absolutely! Do you have courses that need to be upgraded and republished, but don’t have the want or time to do so? We’d love to help! Drop us a line and we’ll get right back to you.
How would a conversion project run with Yukon Learning?
We’d first work on a new player template for use with your courses. We’ll walk you through the various options you have with the new modern player in Articulate 360/Storyline 3, as well as offer tips for your specific brand.
Next, we’ll work on converting one course in its entirety for your review and feedback. From there, we’re off and running using the same process for your library of courses. At the end of the project, we’ll send you two sets of files:
- The newly upgraded, and Flash free, Articulate 360/Storyline 3 source files (so you can maintain the course going forward), and
- The LMS or Web published course package (for upload to your hosting platform, replacing any older versions of the course).
How much does a conversion project cost?
Every conversion project is different and has various factors that determine both the price and timeline. The best way to get more information is to send us an email so we can talk through your specific project. Some of the questions we’ll ask include:
- How many courses total do you need to convert?
- What tool(s) and version was used to develop the courses?
- Are any content updates needed?
- Do the courses need any design updates (such as replacing outdated imagery)?
- Do you already have a template created in Articulate 360/Storyline 3?
- Do your courses require 508 compliance?
What recommendations do you have for working conversions?
- First and foremost, plan ahead. Don’t wait until December 1st to start thinking about your conversion project…rather, start planning now!
- To get started, make a list of your legacy courses and what tool and version of that tool was used to develop them. If your courses were developed in Articulate 360 or Storyline 3 and you didn’t publish to Flash only, you are golden and can do a happy dance. Seriously, do a happy dance! You just saved yourself some work!
- Once you have the list of courses, try to plan for how many you’ll need to convert each month from now until December. Some of our customers have hundreds of courses to convert, so planning for 20-25 a month is crucial to account for the time they’ll need to dedicate to the effort.
- Relax…the process may seem tedious, but keep in mind that you’ll never have to do it again! And, at the end of this process, you’ll have mobile-friendly HTML5 courses. Now that’s a win!
Have questions?
Regardless of your unique situation, we are here to help when and if you should ever need us.
In the meantime, happy converting!
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