~1 min read
GenZ, people ranging in age from 14 – 23, is immersed in a world of motion. In fact, GenZ has never known a world where videos weren’t easy to make and readily accessible. An August 2018 Pearson study found that GenZ prefers to learn using videos. In contrast, millennials (ages 24 – 40) prefer to read. But how do these findings apply to our products?
Ying Hu in Pearson UXR studied three proposed concepts: Time manager, Messages and scaffolded help, and Study guide. True to the August 2018 Pearson study, videos came up repeatedly. For example, she noted that students “…particularly like to find video content.” Likewise, in the areas of Messages and Scaffolded Help, she devotes a slide to Video is what they need for help. The key “Takeaway: Keep video content as part of help whenever possible.”
But it’s not only students who prefer videos. Katherine Brousseau, VP of Pearson Customer Success, found that instructors also want videos. “They prefer live trainings and videos to text based step-by-step instructions.” according to her March 1, 2019 NEO blog.
Videos allow professors and students to access closed captioning, voice, and music. Video content at Pearson appears to align well with the earlier GenZ study. It’s slick, inviting, and much more fun than most images. The downside is that they’re expensive! A video takes roughly 10 or more hours to produce. When branding, the UI, or new features require changes, they’re not easy to make.
What we need is another solution that’s faster and cheaper to produce. Not a replacement for all videos, but an alternative.
Patricia D'Ambrosio 