These software packages capture a "movie" of the presenter's/user's screen, including audio such as voice. They are useful for creating tutorials and gathering usability test data.
Adobe Captivate
- Generally best at creating a polished tutorial on how to use software and Web sites.
- Has a Flash/Director-like slide-based editor that can produce advanced interactivity like branching and assessment.
TechSmith Camtasia
- Best at capturing video of a screen, or creating a simple tutorial quickly.
- Works best for capturing a PowerPoint presentation with voiceover.
- Can export to multiple file types, but file sizes are larger. Flash is smallest and most portable.
Screen Recording Reviews
- Redmond Mag: allow me to demonstrate
- DonationCoder.com: ScreenCasters
- Information Wants To Be Free: Camtasia vs. Captivate
- Streamingmedia.com: Captivate vs. Camtasia
TechSmith Morae
- Best at capturing and quickly reviewing usability test data.
- Like Camtasia, you can record a Web cam video of the user and include it in a corner of the resulting video.
- Easy access to the start and end of usability tasks, keyboard and mouse events, URLs and navigational paths, and time-based metrics.
- Task segments can produce highlight videos.
- Groups can use the remote viewer to add notes and markers.
- More expensive and feature-rich than other solutions.
Morae Reviews
- Wichita Usability News
- About.com: Web Usability
- Network World Fusion: Usability Testing for the Masses
- Robin Good: Usability Testing Lab-in-a-Box
Other Resources
- All TechSmith products
- Echo360 - blended learning and lecture capture
- Silverback - Mac usability testing
- ScreenFlow - Mac screencasting