Flash to HTML5 Conversion with the 4 Rs of Rapid eLearning

The Challenge: Convert 1500 Flash-based courses developed in different tools (most without source files) to HTML5, using Lectora Online. The courses also needed to be accessible on any browser/ device/ mode.

CommLab India’s Solution: The ‘4R’ conversion strategy (Record/ Republish/ Redesign/ Rebuild) based on availability of source files and complexity and relevance of content.

The Result: The effective reuse of valuable training content from older courses through online training delivered any time, on any device.

Our client is the world’s largest telecommunications company by revenue. Based in the US, they are also the third largest provider of mobile telephone services in the U.S., servicing the media, entertainment, and technology sectors.

Their motto is to create connection to friends, family, work, commerce, education, health, entertainment, and more. Their solutions meet the evolving operational needs of customers, connecting businesses across industries to help them thrive and reinvent themselves.

Committed to keeping their customers connected, even in the wake of unpredictable, catastrophic events, they are constantly innovating and working to build the newest technologies to impact the world for the better. With over 250,000 employees and ranked among the top Fortune 500 companies, their goal is to change the world for the better.

The client heard about CommLab India through a stakeholder from another organization and chose to try us out as we are one of the very few eLearning vendors offering multiple services under one roof (classroom to eLearning conversion, Flash to HTML5 conversion, eLearning translations, and LMS services).

Our first project with them in 2017 involved converting 1500+ courses into HTML5 (discussed in this case study). This was one of our largest projects in terms of ticket size (USD 19,82,007) during which we worked with around 15 stakeholders from the organization. Flash to HTML5 conversion being one of our core services, CommLab India had the expertise, experience, and resources needed to achieve their huge requirement within very tight timelines.

The Background

The client needed to find a way to effectively train their sales and service technicians, who seldom had time to complete the eLearning courses at work. This made it necessary for training to be made available on demand. The client wanted to develop a training program that could be accessed by employees on their mobile devices such as laptops, smartphones (Android and iPhone), and iPads. The courses were intended not only to improve knowledge but also to offer comprehensive performance support solutions to their mobile workforce.

The Requirement

The client had a repository of over 1500 Flash-based courses on processes, policies, and products that they wanted converted to a HTML5 format. To this end, the initial requirement was for us to extract content from around 900 old courses and redevelop them in HTML5 compliant Lectora Online. We were also required to develop the courses using standard wireframes available in the tool.

We could convert all the 900 legacy courses into HTML5 within the given timelines, and so the client provided us with more courses, bringing the total to 1500 legacy courses to be converted. They required all final converted courses (whatever the tool in which they were originally developed) to be homogenized in terms of interactivity and design, and for them to be seamlessly accessible on multiple devices including:

iPads (landscape and portrait modes)
Android devices (landscape and portrait modes)
iPhones (landscape and portrait modes)
IE11, Mozilla and Chrome browsers on desktops and laptops

The client inputs included source/published files of 1500 legacy courses (908 initially, and the rest after the first batch of courses were converted to HTML5) developed in different authoring tools (Flash, Lectora, Captivate, Adobe Presenter, Articulate Storyline, HTML, Qpack, etc.) along with a Checklist and Style Guide.

There were several challenges in developing these courses, the main ones being:

The sheer number of legacy courses (created in Flash or older versions of authoring tools such as Adobe Presenter and Storyline) that had to be redeveloped for HTML5
The non-availability of source files for most of the courses
The different levels of interactivities in the course (the requirement being the converted courses had to be similar interactivity and design)
The need for each slide to be developed for five different device-screen combinations – desktop/laptop, iPad portrait, iPad landscape, mobile portrait, and mobile landscape
The need to test the courses on multiple devices in different layouts (portrait/Landscape) to ensure they function as intended in all devices
The need to work on Lectora Online that led to several issues:
- Despite our very tight timelines, we had to accommodate the times/days for their scheduled system maintenance or updates.
- Creating and uploading slides and videos directly online was also very challenging, and led to long wait times before we could test/review the slides/courses.

We recommended a well-defined course conversion strategy with Lectora Online to address these challenges. Our team worked with the client to develop seven wireframes that could be applied for different screen types for all devices under consideration. These included wireframes for:

Assessment Only
Informal Learning
Non-sequential Learning
Prescriptive Learning
Read and Acknowledge
Sequential Learning
Video Acknowledgement

This level of standardization made for easy communication and reviews, and ensured on time, within budget delivery.

We used the ‘4R’ Flash to HTML5 conversion strategies – ‘Record’, ‘Republish’, ‘Redesign’, and ‘Rebuild’ – to convert the legacy courses, the choice of strategy based on the availability of source files, complexity of topic, and level of interactivity. We:

RECORDED simpler courses without source files and published the final files in Lectora
REPUBLISHED courses that were developed in older versions of authoring tools when the source files were available
REDESIGNED courses that needed content updates or modification of instructional approach
REBUILT courses developed in obsolete software (with source files and valid media elements available) in Lectora Online reusing the assets

The sheer size of the project called for meticulous planning and strict adherence to timelines, checklists, and quality processes. The team that worked on the project included 2 project managers, 3 project leads, and 30 courseware developers.