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How do I add a labelled graphic or use the hotspot element?

The Hotspot element allows creators to combine text and images into a single interactive element.

Lou Monsour avatar
Written by Lou Monsour
Updated yesterday

Hotspots are great for taking paragraphs or bulleted lists of text and turning them into more interactive content.
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Examples of ways you could use this element include:

  • Step-by-step processes

  • Correct vs incorrect information

  • Text metaphors

  • Labelled graphics

  • Explanatory charts or graphs

  • Software menus and functions

  • Document parts

  • Features of a product

Hotspots work just like any other content element for creators - they can be added in any location, moved around and copied. Sage includes Hotspots in her calculations of topic quality and length.

Expand the sections below to learn more.

Steps to add a Hotspot element to a course


Add the element to your topic or article by selecting the 'Hotspot' option from the Content box, then follow these steps:
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  1. Provide instructional text for learners on how to explore the Hotspot. For example: 'Click the numbers on the image below to learn more.'.

  2. Add an image to your Hotspot by uploading an image from your computer or importing an image from our image library.

    1. Once an image has been added, your first hotspot marker will appear on top of the image (These markers are the icons that sit in various locations in your image and that learners will interact with). Each hotspot marker visible on your image can be managed using the tabs below the image labelled 'Hotspot 1', 'Hotspot 2', and so on.

  3. Add additional hotspot markers by clicking the +Add hotspot button (each Hotspot element can have up to twenty markers) and dragging the hotspot markers to any part of the image.

  4. Add a title to each hotspot marker.

  5. Add a description to each hotspot marker using the rich text editor. (This may be a step in a process, a description of the part of the image the marker sits next to, or a part of a document.)

  6. If applicable, you can add an image to each hotspot marker - these are small images that will appear when learners select the hotspot marker.

  7. If applicable, you can also add audio to your hotspot marker by enabling 'Add audio to Item X'. The options are - upload an audio file (.mp3 or .wav file that is no larger the 100MB), record your own audio, or automatic; for the automatic option, select your preferred AI character voiceover and add your text to the description box.

  8. Using the drop-down button at the top-left of each hotspot, you can change the hotspot marker symbol from numbers (which is the default) to alternative options such as letters, symbols or arrows.

  9. Confirm whether you wish to enable the setting 'Explorers must select all hotspots before progressing.'. We recommend using this setting to ensure learners don't scroll past the hotspot activity without actively engaging with it.
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Click Save. Your hotspot is now ready for learners to explore. After opening a hotspot, learners can close it by clicking another hotspot or by clicking the X symbol in the top-right of the open hotspot.
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Video demonstration


The following video explores examples of this element in action along with how to add it to a topic or article. Please note, certain aspects of the UI may have changed since the video was recorded.

How Hotspots work for explorers


Explorers see hotspots as images with interactive hotspot markers. They can click on a marker and see the associated description floating above the image.

Unexplored markers will animate and appear in your organisation's interaction colour for explorers until they are explored. Explored markers will appear with a green background and a tick (replacing the chosen Hotspot icon) - indicating they have already been viewed. There is also a 'countdown' of explored markers above the image. This makes it clear to explorers where they need to explore next.

Important - For explorers, if audio has been added to the hotspot element, the learner will see an audio play button, which they must click to listen to the hotspot audio.


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Hotspot best practices


Below is a list of our recommended best practices.

  • Select an image which has clearly differentiated parts within it, to make it obvious to explorers about how they should explore the image and it's markers.

  • Each marker can have a different icon - the numbers 1 to 10, letters A to J and a range of icons (tick, cross, heart, circle, arrows, star, ? and !).

  • You can optionally add an introductory title or paragraph of text to a hotspot. This will appear above the hotspot and can provide instructions for explorers about the hotspot (if you haven't already outlined this in, say, a text element above the hotspot element).

  • You can select an option to require explorers to view all hotspots before they can progress. This can be useful for compliance topics where you need to be certain explorers have viewed all content.

  • When you are editing a hotspot as a creator, the marker you are editing will animate (to help tell the difference between markers with the same icon).

  • You can also use the Image Editor to edit your image - crop it, add notes or change the filter.

Examples


Let's take a look at some examples of the hotspot element in action!

Example - Process

Hotspots work well to explain a process in an interactive way:
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Example - Charts or graphs

Hotspots can also work well to explain charts, graphs, reports or other documents:

Example - Software

You can use hotspots to explain software or systems:

Example - Images within a hotspot

You can incorporate images within your hotspot markers. To do this, click on 'Insert Image'.

Example - Documents within a hotspot

You can include downloadable documents within your hotspot markers. To do this, click on 'Upload File'.

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