Video walkthrough guide #

This page is for creators who record a walkthrough of Exponential: a tutorial, an overview, a "first look". It adds the creator's workflow to Recording a screencast, which covers the basics. A good walkthrough shows one task well, uses the real names of what is on screen, and says which version it shows.

Contents #

1. Plan: one video, one promise
2. Script it with the real names
3. Record for a phone screen
4. Edit: the safety pass and the accuracy pass
5. Publish
6. Keep it correct

Plan: one video, one promise #

Pick a task the help already explains, so viewers can read on, and a matching script from this section:

Write the promise in one sentence before anything else: "After this video you can <task>."

Script it with the real names #

Use the names exactly as the screen shows them, in bold in your script and transcript: Send for publishing, Store draft and exit, Discard draft, Manage versions, Publish layout. The names on this page are taken from A tour of the administration and The layouts editor.

WALKTHROUGH SCRIPT
Title:        <the task, as a viewer would search it>
Promise:      After this video you can <task>.
Version:      Exponential <6.0.14 | 6.0.15 | main branch, checked on <date>>, design admin4
Disclosure:   <line from the disclosure page>
Help page:    <link>

0:00  Disclosure and promise (10 seconds)
0:10  Where we start: <screen>
0:20  Step 1  Click <name>            Say: <one sentence, from the help>
...
      Result: show what changed, on the site if it shows there
      Outro: "The help page is linked below. Questions: the forums or Telegram."

Record for a phone screen #

• Record one browser window, not the whole screen, at a zoom that is readable on a phone.
• Use the light color mode for recordings unless you show dark mode on purpose (the sun button switches it).
• Move the pointer slowly; pause a second on each click. Say what you press: "I press Edit".
• Record the voice separately, or in a quiet room; fix it in post.
• Keep a printed copy of the script beside you; never read keys or passwords from the screen.

Edit: the safety pass and the accuracy pass #

Watch the whole recording twice before publishing.

SAFETY PASS (frame by frame where a sign-in, a summary or an error page appears)
[ ] No password, key, token, cookie, server address, settings file
[ ] No real person's name, e-mail, order or message
[ ] No other tabs, notifications, bookmarks or file names
[ ] The exp:install summary is cut or blurred (it prints the password)

ACCURACY PASS
[ ] Every button name matches the screen and the help
[ ] Every number and date has a source I can link
[ ] The version is said and shown
[ ] Nothing claims an endorsement, a program, a release date or a speed multiple

The full list of what must not appear is on Keeping secrets off screen.

Publish #

• Title, thumbnail and description: Titles, thumbnails and descriptions.
• Captions and a transcript: Captions and accessible video.
• State the license of your video. If you read help pages aloud or show them, they are under the GNU FDL 1.3; quoting with a link is the simple way (Citing sources and licensing your writing).
• Share it where the community looks: the forums and Share (Publishing on Share and Projects).

Keep it correct #

• After each release, read the changelog for changes to the screens you showed (6.0.15 changelog).
• When a step no longer works, pin a correction and fix the description; re-record when it matters (Correcting a video or post).
• When the video is obsolete, say so in the title or description.

Related pages #

• Recording a screencast
• Setting up a demo installation
• Captions and accessible video
• Free documentation: this page is free to copy, translate and improve under the GNU FDL 1.3.