The Visual Lounge

TechSmith Corporation
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The Visual Lounge

Visuals and videos are powerful, but creating them can feel overwhelming. Yet they are essential to creating content that impacts understanding, helps improve communication, and can save you and the viewers time and money.  The Visual Lounge is a place where we talk about creating and using visuals and videos for all sorts of communication. Whether you’re creating a course to help your organization roll out new software, an educator learning to better communicate with  your students, or a marketer helping your customers see the impact of your product, our conversations will help see how visuals can impact your work.  Listen in as Matt Pierce, Learning & Video Ambassador, leads you through a variety of conversations with industry guests and experts. You’ll get practical advice and insights to help you to create better and more impactful images and videos.

  1. 3D AGO

    Skip the Classroom: Rethinking Education and How Videos & Skills May Turn into College Credit

    What if all that time you spent learning Python on YouTube or mastering Photoshop through online tutorials could actually count toward formal education credits? For this episode, we’re at the U.S. Distance Learning Association’s (USDLA) latest conference, to talk with Dr. Joe Sallustio, veteran higher ed expert and Co-Founder and Host of The EdUp Experience podcast. We chat about how learning has fundamentally changed and why it may be time for higher education to wise up to the trend of video-based learning.   After all, YouTube, TikTok, and Reddit are the go-to places for millions of people to get answers or to learn new skills. So if you pour hours and hours into learning a topic, shouldn’t that count for something? Joe explains how ‘Credit for Prior Learning’ (CPL) could help to bridge the gap between how people actually learn today and higher education by awarding credits for lived experience and skills. Joe also shares his advice for anyone new to making videos, and explains how AI can knock down the barriers to entry if you’re ready to start making training videos. Learning points from the episode include: 00:00 – 02:13 Introduction to Joe and his background in higher ed02:13 – Joe’s biggest tip for using images and video in learning content03:05 – 04:55 How teachers can start to use images and videos as part of training04:55 – 06:30 How new video creators can get past the barriers to entry 06:30 – 07:47 How to create viewer-friendly content based around their expectations07:47 – 08:16 Why video subject and viewer intention determine the ideal length08:16 – 10:28 How ‘credit for prior learning’ could bridge the gap between traditional education and online learning10:28 -13:03 Should higher ed offer ways to prove knowledge outside the norm?13:03 – 13:15 How to connect with Joe13:15 – 14:08 Joe’s final take14:08 – 14:27 Outro  Important links and mentions: Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joesallustio/

    14 min

  2. JUL 9

    How to Ruin a Good Video and Other Mistakes We've All Made

    What makes you click away immediately from a video vs. stay glued to the screen? Maybe it’s overwhelming background music or cursor movements that make you feel seasick. We’ve all seen videos that don’t quite click for us (and perhaps made a few of them ourselves). So, in this episode, we look at common instructional video mistakes to avoid to keep your learners watching. It’s an older episode and one of our most popular ones but is still packed with plenty of must-know tips. Host Matt Pierce sits down with Andrew DeBell (Sr. Learning Solutions Strategist at Atlassian), Cara North (Founder and Chief Learning Consultant for The Learning Camel), and Chandra Owen (our former Lead Instructional Designer), to hear their biggest tips on pacing, audio, editing, and how to make sure viewers get the most valuable information. And because this is a safe space here, everyone shares their own common mistakes and things they’re still working on. After all, even the pros can make mistakes. P.S. Matt also reveals news about a brand new free TechSmith tool – Camtasia Online. Listen out for details in the intro or click the link below.  Learning points from the episode include: 00:00 – 04:00 Introduction to Cara, Andrew and Chandra04:00 – 08:23 When do you choose to use video?08:23 – 11:37 One tip for improving how they use video or images in their work11:37 – 12:27 Ad break12:27 – 15:22 The number one thing that ruins a good video15:22 – 21:09 Small mistakes that can make a video hard to watch21:09 – 26:04 The top reasons people stop watching videos26:04 – 30:34 Music at the top/tail end of a video30:34 – 34:07 Using picture in picture in video best practices34:07 – 39:09 The mistakes we’ve made and are still working on39:09 – 43:08 Speed round questions43:08 – 43:58 Best place to connect with Cara, Chandra and Andrew43:58 – 46:08 Final takes46:08 – 47:04 Outro Important links and mentions: Connect with Andrew: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewdebell/Connect with Cara: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caranorth11/Connect with Chandra: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandraowen/Get started with Camtasia online: https://camtasia.techsmith.com/

    47 min

  3. JUL 2

    The Evolving Role of L&D: Embracing Visuals, AI, and Workforce Participation

    Learning and development isn’t just up to the folks in the L&D department anymore. In this episode, we hear how modern workplace communication and learning extend to the wider organization, thanks to technology breaking down barriers in visual communication. Host Matt Pierce sits down with David Kelly, former Chairman and CEO of The Learning Guild, to explore how L&D has changed over his career and why the role of an L&D professional needs to go beyond just creating content. David brings over two decades of learning and performance leadership to this episode, sharing his take on how AI and modern communication tools are transforming the way we learn and share our messages across workplaces. We talk about the cultural shifts happening in L&D (and workplaces in general) in the age of AI and visual communication, plus how leaders can model those behaviors for their teams. He also breaks down the key skills that L&D people need today, including innate curiosity and the ability to articulate well. Learning points from the episode include: 00:00 – 01:47 Introduction to David01:47 – 03:21 David’s biggest tip for using images or video in learning and development03:21 – 05:42 How to embrace areas of discomfort in modern learning design05:42 – 09:45 Why L&D pros need to move beyond the mindset of just producing content09:45 – 14:10 The must-have skills that L&D people need today14:10 – 16:43 The role of visuals in modern workplaces and L&D16:43 – 20:34 How to get people to embrace using visuals as part of their everyday lives 20:34 – 25:00 What leaders can do to push that culture forward25:00 – 29:50 David’s speed round questions29:50 – 30:41 David’s final take on L&D30:41 – 31:34 Outro Important links and mentions: Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lnddave/

    32 min

  4. JUN 25

    Systems, Support, and Simplicity: Key Lessons in Effective Visual Learning Design | Abbey Cooke, Jeff Weaver, & Robyn Defelice

    Want to know the secrets of the L&D content pros? Become an even better visual designer today with these simple, quick tips for improving your approach to creating content. We hear from three visual design and learning strategy experts in part two of our special 250th episode celebration. Hear how to escape the “curse of knowledge” from Abbey Cooke, Director of Training & Onboarding at Effective School Solutions, why visuals should be the supporting act not the star of the show from Jeff Weaver, Expert in L&D, Training, Culture, and OD, and how to stay organized with your content strategy from Robyn Defelice, Intrapreneur, Author & Presenter, Learning Strategist for her company RADLearning. Learning points from the episode include: 00:00 - 01:32 Introduction01:32 - 03:06 Abbey’s advice for overcoming the “curse of knowledge”03:06 - 05:03 2 tips for being more effective with your learning design05:03 - 09:37 Jeff’s advice on how to use visuals to support the message09:37 - 14:03 Robyn’s process of using templates, batching, and staying on track14:03 - 18:05 Tools that help Robyn stay organized and productive18:05 - 18:24 Outro Important links and mentions: Connect with Abbey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbey-like-the-road/Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreybweaver/Connect with Robyn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rdefelice/

    18 min

  5. JUN 18

    AI, Feedback, and Repurposing Like a Pro | Multiple Guests

    We like to ask anyone who joins The Visual Lounge, what’s your one take you want to give our audience? It’s an open-ended question so we always get a good variety of unique answers and love hearing the advice, life lessons, and mindset changes we can apply to using video and images in our work.  To celebrate our 250th episode milestone, we bring together friends of The Visual Lounge to ask them this question.   In part one of this episode, you’ll hear from:  Betty Dannewitz, Learning Solutions Architect at Blanchard  Jeff Batt, Course Author & Owner at Learning Dojo Destery Hildenbrand, Learning & Development Consultant at Destery1Kenobi Kassy Laborie, Speaker, Author, Virtual Training Pioneer at Kassy LaBorie Consulting Nick Floro, Learning Architect, CEO at SealWorks Interactive Studios  Each one offers insights into their own processes and fresh and valuable advice. We talk about everything from pushing through creative blocks, using AI to help with storyboarding or writing, gathering feedback from learners, to becoming a repurposing pro. Tune in to hear from experts who are living and breathing the world of video and visual design. For part two, we’ll be talking to more great people to hear their thoughts and advice on how they approach content creation. Stay tuned for more coming soon! Learning points from the episode include:  00:00 - 00:46 Introduction 00:46 - 01:30 Jeff Batt shares backstory on his career 01:30 - 02:47 Why you need to be an artisan 02:47 - 04:29 What to do when you feel stuck in a creative rut 04:29 - 08:34 Destery’s advice for staying up to date with the latest tech   08:34 - 09:45 Concrete benefits of using AI  09:45 - 11:08 Why Kassy Laborie sees AI as a handy writing partner 11:08 - 12:33 How using AI helps Kassy achieve her goals 12:33 - 13:36 How AI helps Kassy assess writing  13:36 - 15:59 Nick Floro talks about how easy it is to get feedback these days 15:59 - 17:30 How you can get L&D departments to buy into using new tech  17:30 - 20:22 The trend of AI tool integration in everyday tools  20:22 - 22:10 Betty Dannewitz’s tips for creating extra content  22:10 - 23:16 How repurposing content affects how you build it in the first place  23:16 - 24:08 Outro   Important links and mentions:  Camtasia: https://www.techsmith.com/camtasia/audiate Betty Dannewitz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ifyouaskbetty/  Betty’s website: https://ifyouaskbetty.com  Jeff Batt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffbatt/ Destery Hildenbrand: https://www.linkedin.com/in/desteryhildenbrand/ Kassy Laborie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kassylaborie/  Kassy’s website: https://kassylaborie.com/  Nick Floro: a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickfloro/" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

    24 min

  6. MAY 28

    Harnessing Video for Enhanced Learning (Revisited)

    Is video always the best way to teach something? Video has transformed the world of workplace learning and still makes up a huge part of it today. Just about any workplace, big or small, can create training videos with minimal cost. But it doesn’t always make it the right tool for the job. In this throwback episode of The Visual Lounge, host Matt Pierce revisits a conversation with Jonathan Halls, author and head of his own company as a workplace learning and talent development consultant. Jonathan breaks down the three questions to ask to determine whether video is the right medium to use and his take on why overly polished content isn’t always necessary. We get a little geeky about learning science to explore how learning actually occurs in the viewer’s minds and how this shaped Jonathan’s whole mindset on training content. Learning points from the episode include: 00:00 – 01:08 Why we’re revisiting this episode 01:08 – 03:56 Introduction to Jonathan03:56 – 04:52 Jonathan’s quick tips for using video in workplace learning04:52 – 06:04 The mindset shift Jonathan recommends 06:04 – 09:24 Three questions to ask to decide on a learning medium 09:24 – 14:47 How to provoke learning with video and why “learning” requires context 14:47 – 18:06 Where video is most effective in the learning journey18:06 – 22:38 Do learning videos need to be overly polished?22:38 – 29:41 Jonathan gives a quick breakdown on why he wrote his book 29:41 – 33:14 Speed round questions33:14 – 34:30 Jonathan’s final take34:30 – 35:55 Outro Important links and mentions: Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanhalls

    36 min

  7. MAY 14

    The Evolving Future of Video: AI, Authenticity, and Connection in the Workplace (Revisited)

    In just a few short years, AI usage has boomed in the content creation world. Not just that, it’s also changed a LOT, and in ways many of us never predicted. In this episode, Matt Pierce takes us back to 2023 when many of us were still experimenting with AI and had bold predictions about its future. He asked the audience on LinkedIn for predictions, fears, and insights into how people were using AI for video content. How much has changed since then? Were our predictions right? Matt unpacks some of the top trends people were discussing, including AI for accessibility, dynamic learning, user-generated content, and the ins and outs of video production. A common theme that’s still relevant today is the role of authenticity and the human voice in our content. While AI can do a lot of the grunt work and can help us turn ideas into finished products, the human voice is still king. Learning points from the episode include: 00:00 - 01:53 Introduction to the “State of the Union” of AI today01:53 - 03:45 A look back at the LinkedIn conversation and how things have changed03:45 - 04:42 How tech specifications have changed04:42 - 07:51 AI’s role in enhancing video production07:51 - 08:42 Why automation hasn’t eliminated the need for authentic voices 08:42 - 09:25 How future videos might adjust content for dynamic learning09:25 - 10:13 Accessibility enhancements with AI tools10:13 - 11:36 The future of interactive video11:36 - 16:15 The rise of user-generated content in learning16:15 - 17:10 How more digitization will affect learning content17:10 - 23:18 The value of human connection and authenticity 23:18 - 26:21 Future tech and platform-specific considerations26:21 - 27:33 Join the conversation27:33 - 27:59 Outro Important links and mentions: Audiate: https://www.techsmith.com/camtasia/audiate/Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewrpierce/

    28 min

  8. MAY 7

    Practical AI Applications for Video Production

    Have you ever felt a little out of your depth when making an extra complex or brand new video type? Maybe AI could help. Host Matt Pierce shares his experience as someone used to creating training content, adapting to creating content for a commercial. We hear about the script drafting process, the challenges of balancing feasibility, including budget and resources, with creative ideas, and the different stages of storyboarding. Naturally, we should always look at tools to help us out in unfamiliar territory. So Matt breaks down how he’s been using AI for tasks like creating casting calls, storyboarding, script analysis and prop identification, plus audio adjustments. While AI is great at doing some things, Matt’s clear about one thing. It’s not able to (nor should it) do everything. But it's getting genuinely good at lifting specific parts of the video creation process to new heights. Matt also highlights our growing AI toolkit across Camtasia, Screencast, and Audiate to help you achieve what you want to do with your videos faster and more efficiently. Learning points from the episode include: 00:00 - 01:26 Introduction 01:26 - 04:07 The process of learning to write scripts for commercial videos 04:07 - 07:39 Storyboarding your video – from stick figures to AI-generated characters 07:39 - 09:13 Other ways you could use AI in the scripting and storyboarding stage09:13 - 10:19 How AI can improve background noise quality 10:19 - 11:18 What’s coming in Camtasia and Audiate that will help you make high-level videos 11:18 - 12:29 We’re at a turning point with AI 12:29 - 13:52 Matt’s favorite use cases for AI in making videos 13:52 - 15:26 Tools to help you create and share videos 15:26 - 16:16 Outro Important links and mentions: Camtasia: https://www.techsmith.com/camtasia/Audiate: https://www.techsmith.com/camtasia/audiate/Screencast: https://www.techsmith.com/screencast.html/

    16 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
20 Ratings

About

Visuals and videos are powerful, but creating them can feel overwhelming. Yet they are essential to creating content that impacts understanding, helps improve communication, and can save you and the viewers time and money.  The Visual Lounge is a place where we talk about creating and using visuals and videos for all sorts of communication. Whether you’re creating a course to help your organization roll out new software, an educator learning to better communicate with  your students, or a marketer helping your customers see the impact of your product, our conversations will help see how visuals can impact your work.  Listen in as Matt Pierce, Learning & Video Ambassador, leads you through a variety of conversations with industry guests and experts. You’ll get practical advice and insights to help you to create better and more impactful images and videos.

Information

  • Creator
    TechSmith Corporation
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    253
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 TechSmith Corporation
  • Show Website
    The Visual Lounge

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