I've been posting here for a little while, and maintain some tutorials over at my site Up Your A11y, but so far it's all written content.
I'm toying with the idea of creating some YouTube videos that cover similar content, just so people can choose the medium they prefer.
Do people like/prefer video tutorials? What do you find most useful in a video tutorial and what are your pet peeves with them?
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I like video content and articles. Depends on the topic or my mode of thinking at the time. You're written stuff is great!
If you're going to make some videos, it would be cool (and meta) to explore how video and audio can be more accessible on the web.
Ooh yes I like that idea - and I think there is a lot to be said about it!
I think my main driver for considering translating some stuff to video (other than seeing some people seem to engage with video content) is being able to show recordings of screen reader usage/keyboard navigation etc. But there are other ways this could be done like smaller embedded videos 🤔
I’ve experimented with adding small embedded videos that work quite well (around 10 - 20 seconds).
I think it would be great to show screen reader etc. It’s something that can be communicated over video much more easily and is more engaging like you said. Go for it!
It's hard for me to say, because I think both are great. If it's something very detailed that I need to follow step by step, then I prefer written tutorials. For more topical tutorials on things I'm just learning about, I prefer video.
I took a look at your site, and really enjoyed the content! I'm going to apply some of the tools I picked up to my own site. There is definitely more room for quality accessibility tutorials.
I'm so glad you found some of the content useful!
That's really interesting insight 🤔 I hadn't considered that maybe some more high-level intro/overview type content might work better as video. Great good for thought - thank you!
I actually prefer written tutorial as it allows me to learn at my pace rather than at the speed of the video. Learning coding usually involve a lot of back and forth and it is better for me in a written format.
Video can also be good for showing interactivity or results. In which case I like embedded videos.
I hadn't considered just embedding short clips - great idea!
I prefer written tutorials, largely because I can read faster than I can follow along in real time (or sped up). I don't dislike them, but if I have an option to scan something 'on a page' rather than scrub through time and listen for what it is I may be looking for, I'll take that option.
Yeah I think I tend towards the same, and it's interesting to hear I'm not alone in that!
I see so many video tutorials out there and I really want to provide info in the medium people find it useful, which is what made me wonder if I should start doing more videos!
I prefer written tutorials for the reasons other people have stated. However, if the topic is amusing, interesting or entertaining then I also enjoy it as a video. For example The Coding Train, 3Blue1Brown or something like this video by the Engineer Man. But I usually watch that stuff just out of curiosity or for entertainment, not to so much to purposefully learn something new. That happens more as a side effect
That's really interesting - thank you for sharing! And thanks for those references - I'll have a watch 😁
Let us know when you upload your first video!
My preference leans more towards written. I feel as if reading a tutorial helps with keeping at your own pace and allows the reader to do more research and reference. Following along with a video can subconsciously hold you in this weird place (tutorial purgatory) where you're just looking and listening, but not necessarily absorbing.
I think I identify with that too - I'm pretty sure I drift away more easily from videos than written word. Some people must find the opposite I'd imagine 🤔
100%. It's all about preference. I never used to like written articles and I would cringe when I saw lengthy ones, but it was something I learned to love.
I like content that is to the point. It can be drag scrubbing through a video or wading through text.
Good point! I have a feeling that a good, succinct, video tutorial will need quite a lot of careful planning and editing...
It depends on the nature of the video but for me, it's not the case and I churn videos out rapidly. I find the sooner you get in front of a camera the sooner you experience the flow of the educational content which leads to faster iteration and then I transcribe my videos into the content.
Many seem to struggle with video, some form of analysis paralysis.
I Like both, Video and written. But i think often the learning is faster and better when i watch a Video tutorial.
Both.
Depends of the context. Sometimes I can read fast enough and follow the right flow of the code, but sometimes too I need to watch a video to teach myself and avoid any kind of error that could happened to be.
So maybe it could be an idea to have a written tutorial, but with a link to a video you can go to if you decide you'd rather see a walkthrough?
Exactly, I like having both options at my disposal. Also, a lot of people prefers consuming a tutorial through a video instead reading.
Both > Written > Video