2025.10.15
2025.10.15
Creating e-Learning with Articulate Storyline! A Thorough Comparison Between In-House Production and Outsourcing
Articulate Storyline is a widely adopted authoring tool for creating e-learning materials. Since it can be introduced relatively easily without specialized knowledge, it is possible to produce e-learning materials in-house; however, certain costs such as contracts are involved. Although Articulate Storyline is used by many companies, considering the cost aspect, there are cases where outsourcing to a production company can ultimately reduce expenses, so many people may hesitate to adopt it. This blog explains the advantages and disadvantages of producing e-learning materials in-house versus outsourcing to a production company.
1. What is Articulate Storyline
Articulate Storyline is a widely adopted authoring tool for creating e-learning content.
Because it allows content creation with an interface similar to PowerPoint, it is used not only by e-learning production companies but also by many businesses to create original content. Its user-friendly editing interface and rich features enable the creation of highly satisfying e-learning materials for learners.
2. Main Features
2-1 PowerPoint Import
Using the PowerPoint import feature, you can easily bring slides into Storyline. Animations applied to the PowerPoint slides are also preserved, so there is no need to reset animations again within Storyline after importing (except for some special animation settings).
If you already have assets such as educational materials, you can relatively easily convert them into e-learning content.
It is also possible to create new slides with an operation feel similar to PowerPoint.
2-2 Adding Interactive Elements
It is possible to add interactive elements to slides that users can operate by clicking or dragging. Content that branches into different stories depending on the selected button can also be easily designed. You can create content with a high degree of freedom that encourages active learning by allowing drag-and-drop operations, playing videos, and more.
2-3 Creating Quizzes
Various quiz formats are supported. You can create quizzes in different formats such as multiple-choice questions, drag-and-drop questions, and fill-in-the-blank questions. Since quizzes have a scoring function, it is also possible to design story branching based on correct or incorrect answers.
In addition, you are not limited to preset quiz formats and can arrange them with a high degree of freedom. Quiz formats that cannot be created with preset formats can sometimes be realized through customization.
2-4 Multi-device Support
Created content supports responsive design. Even when learning on smartphones or tablets, it will be displayed in a format suitable for the device.
2-5 Voice Creation Function
Equipped with a synthetic voice engine (Text-to-Speech), you can easily add narration to slides. Since you can finely adjust the voice using Speech Synthesis Markup Language (SSML), it is possible to create more natural voices and handle special pronunciations such as technical terms. The voice supports not only Japanese and English but also various other languages.
3. Advantages and Disadvantages of In-house Production
Articulate Storyline is offered as an annual subscription. Even first-time users can easily create e-learning materials, but some may hesitate whether it is worth the cost to implement it.
Here, we introduce the advantages and disadvantages of producing e-learning materials in-house using Articulate Storyline for your reference.
3-1 Advantages
Can reduce production costs
The cost varies depending on factors such as the scale of the project and how much effort is put into developing the content, but outsourcing the production of e-learning materials to an external production company incurs a certain level of production costs. Naturally, producing e-learning materials in-house can reduce the costs involved in production.
Flexible schedule adjustment is possible
Similar to production costs, when outsourcing the creation of e-learning materials to an external production company, schedule coordination between both parties is required at each stage, such as pre-production meetings, checking the completed content, and issuing correction instructions. Communication between companies often involves significant time lags.
When producing in-house, schedules can be adjusted internally, allowing for relatively flexible responses and minimizing time lags.
Can be corrected immediately
In materials that include information such as statistics, there are cases where the content does not change annually but only some figures need to be updated. Even such minor changes incur certain costs and production time when outsourced to an external production company. Producing in-house allows for immediate response, enabling rapid content updates.
3-2 Disadvantages
Editing work takes up a lot of time
In many cases, corporate training personnel handle multiple tasks in addition to creating materials. Since producing e-learning materials takes a lot of time, there is a risk that the time available to focus on their primary duties will decrease.
Unable to respond to unexpected errors
Articulate Storyline is characterized by its user-friendly operation, but technical issues can occur, such as the completed content not functioning properly on the LMS. When produced in-house, the company must also identify and resolve the causes themselves. It requires specialized knowledge and experience to distinguish whether the problem lies with triggers or variables set on the slides, or with the design or functions of the LMS, and there is a risk that these issues cannot be easily resolved, preventing the e-learning from being published.
Unable to create high-quality content
Until you become familiar with the operation, you cannot fully utilize the features of Articulate Storyline. It is extremely difficult to create high-quality content shortly after introduction. If the content you worked hard to create receives poor feedback from learners, you will not be able to achieve satisfactory learning outcomes.
4. Advantages and Disadvantages of Outsourcing
You can create e-learning materials in-house using Articulate Storyline, but if the project is large in scale or internal resources are insufficient, it is often difficult to produce the desired content. In such cases, it is recommended to outsource the production to a production company.
From here, let's look at the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing to a production company.
4-1 Focus on Your Core Business
By entrusting the production of e-learning materials to an external production company, you can concentrate your internal resources on your core business. Content creation with Storyline shares some similarities with creating PowerPoint slides, but it is necessary to utilize Storyline-specific features such as adding interactive elements and exporting in SCORM format (including trigger and layer settings).
By outsourcing to a production company, you can avoid the stress of spending extra time on unfamiliar production tasks.
4-2 Producing High-Quality e-Learning Content
Production companies have many staff members with extensive knowledge and experience in e-learning materials. They can also provide attractive designs and ideas, allowing you to confidently entrust them with the creation of high-quality e-learning content.
4-3 There is technical support capability
Technical issues may arise, such as the completed content not functioning properly on the LMS. Handling everything in-house, from diagnosing whether the problem lies with the LMS or the content to resolving the issue, can be quite burdensome.
By outsourcing to a production company, you can receive prompt support for technical troubles, thereby avoiding the worst-case scenario of unexpected issues causing delays in the planned release of your e-learning content.
4-4 Availability of Human Resources
Production companies with abundant personnel can handle projects involving the simultaneous creation of large volumes or multiple pieces of content. If you need to create content in multiple languages or produce several pieces of content at the same time, it is advisable to first consider outsourcing to a production company. Depending on your budget and schedule, you can also opt to have only some of the content produced by the company.
4-5 Production Costs and Communication Take Time
As mentioned above, outsourcing the production of e-learning materials to an external production company incurs a certain level of production costs. Additionally, communication with the production company is necessary, and even small corrections can take time to coordinate.
4-6 Flexibility in Response
When outsourcing to a production company, while you can obtain professional quality, there is also the inconvenience of "not being able to flexibly make changes in-house."
4-7 Difficulty Noticing New Ideas and Customer Perspectives
When requesting a production company to create e-learning materials with highly specialized content such as explanations of your own products or company-specific rules, they may lack the basic knowledge and rules that are naturally held within your company, making it difficult to notice detailed needs. Before proceeding with production, it is necessary to have thorough meetings to share the planning intent and theme of the e-learning materials and to set goals (educational objectives).
4-8 Not sure where to outsource
There are many production companies for videos and content, not limited to e-learning. It can be confusing to decide whether to hire a company specializing in e-learning production or one that is well-versed in your industry based solely on information found through web searches.
5. How to Choose a Production Company
When selecting a production company, it is advisable to check the following points from their website and other sources. Once you have narrowed down to companies that seem suitable for your request, we recommend contacting them directly.
Whether they have specialized knowledge and skills in e-learning material production
By choosing a production company with specialized knowledge of e-learning, not limited to Articulate Storyline, you can expect the creation of highly effective e-learning materials. When selecting, it is also important to check whether the website not only lists their services but also introduces the production staff and shares the latest information in the digital education industry, reflecting their commitment to e-learning material production.
Can you check past production examples and client evaluations?
By checking production achievements and client evaluations, you can assess the reliability of the production company. Also, if samples of e-learning materials are posted, be sure to review them and estimate whether the production of e-learning materials that match your image can be expected.
Whether it matches your company's field
By choosing a production company that is well-versed in your industry, you can expect higher quality e-learning material production. Check the website for published case studies and whether there are any other services or business areas offered besides e-learning material production.
Whether the design and atmosphere of the website seem to match your company's atmosphere
Whether the design and atmosphere of the production company's website match your company is also a key point in selection. Additionally, you can choose based on the direction of the e-learning materials you want to create, such as "We have made it with a formal image until now, but want to create a more friendly impression."
How was the response when you made an inquiry?
The response you receive when making an actual inquiry is also a key point in selection. From whether communication can proceed smoothly and whether proposals align with your needs, you can infer whether the project can be reliably advanced.
6. Strengths of Human Science
Human Science has handled numerous e-learning productions utilizing Storyline.
From first-time implementation to improving existing materials and translation support, we provide optimal support tailored to our customers' challenges.
Extensive experience in Articulate Storyline production
We have extensive experience in producing Articulate Storyline content. We can assist even customers who are creating e-learning for the first time, as well as those who want to improve their existing materials.
> e-learning Implementation Results
Requests can be made at any stage of production
At Human Science, we offer comprehensive services related to e-learning, from planning and design to system development and operation, enabling us to handle all processes related to e-learning production in a one-stop manner.
We provide support from the very beginning, including planning and design or even if you don't know what is needed to create e-learning, all the way through to content operation.
> Human Science's e-Learning Services
Not only production but also translation support available
Global companies and multinational educational institutions often need to release e-learning materials simultaneously in multiple languages. Our company also operates a multilingual translation business, enabling smooth multilingual adaptation of content created with Articulate Storyline.
We have project management expertise
Our company has been involved in many large-scale projects to date. Leveraging the systematic project management know-how we have cultivated through these experiences, we provide efficient and high-quality e-learning content production.
7. Summary
Articulate Storyline allows even beginners to easily create e-learning content, but it can take time until you get used to the operations and design.
By outsourcing to an experienced production company, you can create higher-quality and more effective materials in a shorter period of time.
If you are considering creating highly effective e-learning, please feel free to consult with Human Science.