Microsoft Power BI Training Available

New virtual, instructor-led training (vILT) course

Microsoft Power BI is one of today’s most powerful business intelligence and data visualization tools. It allows you to connect to multiple data sources, transform raw information into clear insights, and present your findings through stunning dashboards and interactive reports.

We are excited to announce our new virtual, instructor-led training (vILT) course: Introduction to Microsoft Power BI. This hands-on class is designed to get you up to speed quickly so you can confidently analyze and share data across your organization.

Why Learn Power BI?

Organizations of every size rely on Power BI to help teams make data-driven decisions. With its ability to connect to dozens of data sources and create professional-looking dashboards, Power BI has become essential for anyone working with business data.

By learning Power BI, you will:

  • Turn raw data into meaningful visuals and reports
  • Build interactive dashboards to monitor business performance
  • Share insights securely across your organization
  • Gain confidence in making data-driven decisions

What You’ll Learn

During this 2-day course, you’ll explore the core components of Power BI through guided practice and real-world examples. Topics include:

  • Navigating the Power BI interface
  • Connecting to and transforming data from multiple sources
  • Creating tables, charts, and maps to visualize data
  • Using filters, slicers, and drilldowns for deeper insights
  • Working with calculated columns and DAX measures
  • Designing interactive dashboards and publishing them to PowerBI.com

Who Should Attend?

This course is ideal for:

  • Professionals who work with data in Excel or databases and want to upgrade their skills
  • Managers and analysts who need to build and share reports
  • Anyone looking to enhance their business intelligence and data visualization expertise

No prior experience with Power BI is required.

Course Format

This is a virtual, instructor-led training (vILT) course delivered live online. Participants can ask questions, share screens, and get real-time guidance from an expert instructor. Training is highly interactive and designed to build skills you can use immediately on the job.

Get Started Today

Ready to unlock the full power of Microsoft Power BI? Enroll in our upcoming Introduction to Microsoft Power BI course and start transforming data into actionable business insights.

Learn more and register here »

Not All Audits Are Bad: Why Your eLearning Needs One

The word audit usually makes people cringe. You probably think of the IRS, stacks of paperwork, and stress.

But not all audits are bad. In fact, an IconLogic eLearning Audit can be one of the most valuable steps you take to improve training inside your organization.

Think of it less like the IRS and more like a wellness check-up for your training. Just like a doctor helps you catch small issues before they become big problems, an eLearning Audit enables you to identify what’s working, what’s not, and how to get the most from the investments you’ve already made.


A Different Kind of Audit

Here’s the difference: our eLearning Audit isn’t about penalties but possibilities.

✔ Find out if your training really drives performance.
✔ Spot opportunities to make tools like Storyline, Captivate, or Camtasia work harder for you.
✔ Strengthen compliance before it ever becomes a risk.
✔ Give learners more engaging, interactive, and accessible experiences.

Instead of costing you money, this audit helps you save money—by stopping waste and boosting results.


Real Stories, Real Wins

We’ve seen firsthand how a fresh perspective can turn training around:

  • A company with hours of video training found that completion rates were high, but retention was low. Once we audited the program, we restructured the content with clear objectives and practice opportunities. Suddenly, learners weren’t just checking boxes but remembering and applying what they learned.
  • Another organization selected a video-first tool because it was fast and familiar. Later, they realized their employees needed interactive, decision-based training. During the audit, we suggested layering in the right tool for branching and scenarios. The combination gave them the speed and interactivity their learners needed.

The Takeaway

Yes, it’s an audit—but not the kind that keeps you up at night. This audit helps you sleep better, knowing your training is effective, compliant, and worth every dollar spent.

👉 Contact us today to schedule your eLearning Audit. Not all audits are bad—some are exactly what your training needs.

TechSmith Camtasia: Let There Be Light!

TechSmith has released Camtasia 2025.2.3, and one of the most noticeable new features is the introduction of Light Mode as an application UI option.

For years, Camtasia users have been working in Dark Mode by default. While Dark Mode has benefits, not everyone prefers editing in a darker workspace. With this update, you now have the choice to continue using Dark Mode or brighten things up with the new Light Mode.

Why Light Mode Matters

  • Make text and menus easier to read for some developers
  • Reduce eye strain in brightly lit environments
  • Provide a cleaner, modern interface that aligns with your operating system’s theme

Whether you’re editing eLearning projects, software demos, or marketing videos, the ability to customize your workspace means a more comfortable and efficient workflow.

How to Switch to Light Mode

  1. Open Camtasia 2025.2.3
  2. Go to Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Camtasia > Settings (Mac)
  3. Select Appearance
  4. Choose between Dark Mode or the new Light Mode

That’s it—you can instantly toggle between the two interfaces and pick the one that works best for your editing environment.

Here’s a video that demonstrates the process of switching between modes and how the modes look.

Final Thoughts

The addition of Light Mode may seem like a small change to the Camtasia interface, but it’s a big win for usability and personalization. TechSmith continues to refine Camtasia, making it easier for creators to focus on what matters most—delivering professional, polished videos.


👉 Learn more and get professional Camtasia training and mentoring from me. I’d be honored to work with you.

Adobe Captivate: How to Use the Certificate Widget

One of the most common requests I hear from eLearning developers is, “Can I automatically provide learners with a certificate once they’ve completed my Captivate project?” The good news is—yes, you can! Adobe Captivate includes a Certificate Widget that makes it easy to recognize learner achievement with a polished, professional-looking certificate.

Why Use a Certificate?

Certificates give learners a sense of accomplishment, especially when completing compliance courses, corporate training, or skills-based modules. They’re also helpful for organizations that want to document training completion.

When to Use the Certificate Widget

If you publish your project to a web server or other non-LMS environment, the Certificate Widget is an excellent option for providing learners with proof of completion.

However, most platforms already offer built-in certificate functionality if your content is hosted on an LMS (Learning Management System). In those cases, using your LMS certificate feature instead of Captivate’s widget is usually better—this ensures tighter integration with completion tracking and reporting.

Adding a Certificate in Captivate

Here’s how to set it up:

  1. Insert the Certificate Widget
    • On the left toolbar, click the Widget icon.
    • Select Certificate from the widget options.
    • The certificate block will be added to your slide.
  2. Customize Certificate Visual Properties
    • With the certificate block selected, select the Visual Properties panel on the right.
    • Choose from the available certificate designs.
    • Update placeholder fields for learner name, course title, completion date, and signature.
    • Adjust fonts and colors to better align with your branding.
  3. Preview and Publish
    • Preview your project to confirm the certificate looks correct.
    • If you’re publishing to an LMS, test to ensure learner details (such as name and completion date) are displayed properly.

Best Practices

  • Only rely on the widget if you’re not using an LMS. For LMS-hosted courses, use the platform’s certificate feature whenever possible.
  • Keep the certificate design professional and straightforward.
  • Test your project thoroughly in the environment where learners will access it.
  • Use the built-in layouts as a foundation and apply branding updates through the Visual Properties panel.

Here’s a video I created that demonstrates the process of adding and formatting a certificate widget.

Final Thoughts

The Certificate Widget in Adobe Captivate provides a quick, no-code way to reward learners with proof of completion—especially when publishing to a web server or other non-LMS environment. For LMS-based courses, it’s usually better to let your LMS handle certificates so they’re fully integrated with your reporting system.


Need More Help with Captivate?

I offer live, project-based Adobe Captivate training and 1:1 mentoring for teams and individuals. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to master advanced features, I can help.

TechSmith Camtasia: Single Window Recording

TechSmith recently released an update to Camtasia 2025. The 2025.2 update, which is available on the Camtasia 2025 Home screen, includes an excellent new feature: Single-Window Recording mode.

Update announcement for Camtasia version 2025.2.1, featuring a 'Download Now' button.

Why Single Window Recording Matters

In earlier versions of Camtasia, when you launched the recorder you typically captured your entire screen or manually defined a custom region. While that worked, it also meant extra editing and potential distractions.

Some common issues included:

  • Pop-up notifications or toolbars sneaking into your recording
  • Background applications appearing unintentionally
  • Extra cropping or cleanup required to maintain focus

With Single Window Recording, you can now target a specific application window—and Camtasia will record only that window, regardless of what else is happening on your desktop. This helps you create polished, professional-looking tutorials right from the start.

Key Benefits

Here’s why you’ll want to try this feature immediately:

  • Focus on the task: Learners see just the software or app you want them to see—nothing else.
  • Cleaner output: No background clutter, browser tabs, or desktop icons creeping into view.
  • Flexible editing: Resize or adjust the captured window in the Camtasia editor without sacrificing quality.
  • Seamless audio integration: Window recording includes associated system audio, so nothing is missed.

How It Works

Using the feature is simple:

  1. Launch the updated Camtasia 2025 and click Record.
  2. In the recorder, select the Single Window option.
  3. Choose the application you want to capture.
  4. Start recording.

    Only that window will be captured—even if you alt-tab, drag other windows on top, or get notifications.

When you finish, the recording imports directly into the Camtasia Editor or REV, ready for editing or exporting.

Here’s a video I created showing Single Window mode in action:

Perfect for Trainers and eLearning Developers

For those of us creating step-by-step tutorials, eLearning modules, or software demonstrations, this update saves editing time and improves learner focus.

Instead of worrying about what’s happening on your desktop, you can concentrate on delivering clear, professional instruction.

Final Thoughts

The Single Window Recording feature in Camtasia 2025 is more than just a minor tweak—it’s a productivity booster that helps you deliver better, distraction-free video content.

If you haven’t explored Camtasia 2025 yet, I highly recommend downloading the trial and testing this new recording workflow. Once you experience the simplicity of capturing only what you need, you may never go back to full-screen recording.

What do you think? Have you tried the new Single Window Recording feature? Share your thoughts in the comments below—I’d love to hear how you’re using it.

Looking for Camtasia training? I offer live, public classes and one-on-one mentoring.

Is Software Training Dying—or Evolving?

I’ve spent decades delivering software training, and I’ve never seen disruption this fast—or this sharp.

  • AI & on-demand learning: Tools like ChatGPT and YouTube can teach software skills instantly, anytime, anywhere.
  • Vendor pushback: I recently received a lawyer letter from Articulate demanding I stop using the words “certification” or “certificate”—and to stop using their software logos, a practice common in our industry for decades.
  • Vendor exclusivity: Articulate only partners with one U.S. training provider and won’t consider others.
  • Vendors going direct: Adobe now delivers its own Captivate training, taking over a market that independent trainers used to serve.

These changes aren’t minor. They’ve pushed my revenue from certain software training offerings down to anemic levels—and I’m not alone.

So the question is: What’s next for live, instructor-led training?


The Numbers Behind the Shift

Decline in Traditional Training Providers

Chegg, once a staple in the academic and training world, saw a 30% drop in revenue and 31% fewer subscribers in 2025, leading to a 22% workforce reduction—largely due to students turning to AI-powered tools for learning (source).

Corporate Training Is Growing—but Not in the Same Ways

The corporate training market was valued at $164 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach $487 billion by 2031 (source). But how that money is spent is shifting:

  • Only 35% of employers now use business schools for training.
  • 57% use online learning providers.
  • 51% use private training companies.
  • Many are moving toward internal, on-demand content rather than external, live instruction (source).

AI’s Impact on Learning Models

The AI in Learning & Development market was valued at $9.3 billion in 2024 and is expected to hit $97 billion by 2034, with a 26% annual growth rate (source).

Meanwhile, 93% of U.S. businesses report using AI tools, but only about 50% of employees have been trained to use them effectively (source).

This mismatch raises an important question: if AI is replacing some training, who is ensuring workers get quality, context-specific instruction?


Why This Matters

Live, instructor-led training offers things AI can’t (at least not yet):

  • Context tailored to the learner’s specific role and challenges
  • Real-time feedback and the ability to troubleshoot unique issues
  • Human connection that motivates and engages

If the market continues shifting toward vendor-controlled and AI-driven learning without room for independent, live training, we risk losing these benefits.


Closing Thought
This isn’t about resisting change—it’s about recognizing that some forms of learning are worth preserving. The challenge ahead is finding space for live instruction in a world that increasingly values speed, scale, and automation.

What do you see happening in your corner of the industry? Is live training still in demand, or are we watching the end of an era?

Adobe Captivate: Web Objects

If you want to make your eLearning content more dynamic and engaging, Adobe Captivate's Web Object feature is a powerful tool worth exploring. A Web Object allows you to embed external content directly into your Captivate project, integrating live web-based materials like websites, videos, maps, dashboards, and interactive widgets without inflating your project file size.

One of the biggest advantages of using Web Objects in Adobe Captivate is keeping your content current without republishing the course. For example, if your training references a company policy page or a frequently changing knowledge base, embedding it as a Web Object ensures learners always see the latest version. This is ideal for responsive eLearning development, where agility and up-to-date content are essential.

Web Objects also enable you to bring in content and interactivity that Captivate can’t natively create. Want to add a Google Form, a live YouTube video, or an HTML5 calculator built with JavaScript? With a Web Object, you can seamlessly include these components inside your Captivate slides. This can be a game-changer for interactive eLearning design, giving learners hands-on engagement with tools and platforms they’ll use.

In addition to improving interactivity, using Web Objects helps optimize your course performance. Because you're linking to externally hosted content rather than importing large media files, your Adobe Captivate project remains lightweight, which reduces loading times and improves the learner experience, especially on mobile devices or slower connections.

However, it’s important to understand when a Web Object might not be the right fit. Since the content is hosted externally, learners must be connected to the internet. Also, SCORM or xAPI tracking doesn’t extend to Web Objects, meaning you won’t be able to track user interactions within the embedded content unless you implement custom solutions. Additionally, browser and LMS compatibility may vary depending on the content you’re embedding.

Despite these limitations, embedding external content in eLearning using Web Objects offers tremendous flexibility. Whether linking to real-time dashboards, embedding secure intranet portals, or simply including a video hosted on Vimeo or YouTube, Web Objects provide a simple yet effective way to enhance your courses without adding complexity or bloat.

In conclusion, if you're an instructional designer, developer, or trainer looking to create engaging and scalable eLearning, Adobe Captivate’s Web Object feature can help you build modern, interactive courses that remain current and lightweight—an essential combination in today’s fast-paced training environment.

Here's a video I created that shows web objects in action.

 

If you need Adobe Captivate support, I offer training, mentoring, and development support.

I have a top-selling Captivate course on Udemy if you'd like training on demand.

TechSmith’s Free Online Screen Recorder

Looking for a quick and easy way to record your screen, without opening Camtasia or paying for a subscription? In this video, I’ll show you how to use TechSmith’s brand-new free screen recording tool to capture screen activity, voice narration, and even webcam footage.

Whether you're creating tutorials, demos, or training content, this recorder is a game-changer.

✅ No download required

✅ No Camtasia license needed

✅ 100% Free to use

 

You'll learn how to:

  • Access the TechSmith screen recorder
  • Choose what to record: full screen or window
  • Include webcam and mic audio
  • Save and use your recordings anywhere

 

🛠️ Ideal for educators, trainers, and content creators seeking a fast and flexible recording solution.

 

Learn more about Camtasia training here: https://www.iconlogic.com/techsmith-camtasia-certificate-live-online-course.html

 

#TechSmith #Camtasia #ScreenRecording #FreeTools #Tutorial #EdTech #eLearning

TechSmith Camtasia 2025 Training Now on Udemy

🚀 Just Launched!
 
Ready to create polished, professional screen recordings and videos—even if you’ve never edited video before?
 
My new TechSmith Camtasia course on Udemy is now live! Whether you're an educator, trainer, business pro, or content creator, this hands-on course walks you through everything you need to confidently record, edit, and share high-quality videos.
 
🎬 Learn how to:
 
✅ Record your screen like a pro
✅ Add effects, callouts, animations & more
✅ Create quizzes and interactivity
✅ Export to YouTube, LMS, or web
✅ Work faster with real-world projects
 
Perfect for beginners. No prior video editing experience required!
 
 
 

Adobe Captivate 2025: Interactive Videos

In this Adobe Captivate 2025 (version 12.6) tutorial, you’ll learn how to create an interactive video that displays knowledge check questions as overlays—going far beyond a traditional play-and-pause video.

You’ll see how to add and configure knowledge checks, insert bookmarks at key points in the video, and trigger actions that display those questions as overlays when a bookmark is reached. You'll also learn how to use an action to resume the video timeline after the learner interacts.

This technique helps keep learners engaged while reinforcing key concepts without disrupting the flow of the video.

If you need help with Adobe Captivate, I offer public vILT classes and one-on-one mentoring.

Also, check out my Adobe Captivate 2025 course on Udemy.