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Brainshark is good for expert PowerPoint users and for rapid e-learning development.
July 16, 2014

Brainshark is good for expert PowerPoint users and for rapid e-learning development.

Anonymous | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 5 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Overall Satisfaction with Brainshark

I used Brainshark to create rapidly developed e-learning modules for a large financial services company's external customers. Brainshark was also used by the company's marketing department, whose license we shared. The project involved training external customers on a new trading platform the company was developing.
  • If you're a good PowerPoint animator, then Brainshark is for you.
  • Brainshark allows easy, rapid development.
  • The Quiz interface in Brainshark is well developed and has been markedly improved in later releases.
  • It is not possible, other than the quiz interface, to provide interactive functionality.
  • Some of the publishing interface is a bit clunky. For example, if you are editing slides from a certain point in the presentation, you are returned to the beginning, after editing. I would prefer to be returned to the slide I just edited. This may seem like a small thing, but when you have limited time, the small things add up.
  • Although the reporting functions in Brainshark are robust, it would be nice to be able to set up adhoc reports based on criteria the user selects. Some of this exists now, I would just like to see it taken a few steps farther.
  • We had lots of excellent feedback from external customers. 80% of the e-learning surveys were positive.
  • We were able to create e-learning modules very quickly. Two weeks per 15-20 minute module. That is VERY rapid development.
  • Subject matter experts had a bit of difficulty learning how to review content. We had to develop a different system for them, because unlike PowerPoint, you can't embed comments.
  • Instructional designers were not happy that they could not imbed interactive exercises in the e-learning. The ability to create interactive simulations for any kind of technical training greatly increases the "stickiness" of the learning.
  • lectora,adobe captivate
Brainshark is easier to use than both Lectora and Adobe Captivate. If you have a rapid development project with less skilled authoring tool users, but users with good PowerPoint skills, Brainshark is a good choice. But here's the thing. If you want to create robust e-learning, you should choose, and make the commitment to learn, a more robust authoring tool. I prefer Adobe Captivate for it's interactive ability.
In my current work, we evaluated Brainshark. Others in HR are still using it. We opted out in this department (Sales Learning and Development). The reasons were part financial (Brainshark license required a yearly financial commitment, whereas we can produce unlimited e-learning modules using one Adobe Captivate license. This decision to obtain the Brainshark license with a yearly financial commitment was out of our hands.), and partly at my recommendation. I recommended Adobe Captivate due to it's robust, interactive ability. I firmly believe that providing learners interactive simulations for technical training, and for soft skills too, really aids the learning process. I think that Brainshark is an excellent marketing tool.
Do you want to publish e-learning outside of an LMS? Brainshark makes it easy to do this. Will users be expert PowerPoint users? Brainshark is helpful for these types of users. Do you require robust reporting? Brainshark has this. Do you require interactive functions? Brainshark is limited here.