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I've done a couple of these a few different ways and found that sound is
the most import and the most difficult. Video can be easily supported
with pictures or images later, but sound is had to re-do.
If video is import, get a DV camera with an external lapel (lavalier)
microphone to record one person or a shotgun (directional) microphone to
record a group. If video isn't important, use the webcam, but get an
external lapel mic or a shotgun mic. I got my lapel mic for $25 and my
shotgun mic for $50 from Amazon.com and it was well worth the
investment. Missing a comment is so frustrating when you try to review
the material with a group.
As a note, most DV video cameras record sound very well, so well that
some of them record the hum of the tape and motors in the camera. I
haven't experienced this a lot, but it's another reason to get an
external microphone.
The nice thing about webcams is they are portable; video cameras may
require plugging into an electric socket if you're going to record for
longer periods than the battery allows for.
A couple questions, are the users in the discovery session going to be
reviewing content on-line or on a computer screen? Or are these
tangible items? A DV video camera or webcam will struggle to record
monitors, you'll want to use a screen capture program like Camtasia.
(www.techsmith.com)
- Chris
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+chrism=docutechcorp -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+chrism=docutechcorp -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
Behalf Of lorraine -at- lorraineflynn -dot- com
Sent: Thursday, October 26, 2006 12:03 PM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Recording a discovery section
Hello
Can anybody recommend a good way to record a user discovery session? Are
webcams useless and should we spring for a video camera? Will it pick up
sound ok? I have to run some user sessions for a lessons learned type
document but am quite inexperienced in this area.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
L.
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