Default settings are really useful. For new users, these settings are often enough to suit their needs and complete whatever tasks they have. But default can be limiting if we never move beyond it. Although software ideally goes through user testing, the default features may exist for different reasons (e.g., the software constraints of the time) rather than the purpose of the tool. Although the default parameters may be enough, the user should not be constrained to these affordances and needs to break free.
In my instructional design role, I do my authoring through Articulate Rise. I really like Rise, it’s clean, it’s fast, it does what I want it to as long as I live within its preset blocks. It has been frustrating at times, like when it did not support native tables (tables are now a thing in Rise) and how it still does not support writing math equations. I’ve started to notice that I have to turn down specific requests from subject matter experts because of Rise’s current limitations. This shouldn’t be the way creating an experience should be like. The subject mater experts have PCK and are looking to create specific types of activities. Although we can work within the parameters of Rise, I’ve begun to notice that I have been artificially trapping myself within the default affordances.
When exploring examples of WISE and its authoring system, I noticed that just by having free text responses, the mindset towards creating an e-module shifted. In the WISE authoring system, students can type up their own responses and then re-visit these. Although this doesn’t seem like a huge shift, it’s important to me because Rise’s pre-set blocks don’t allow for this. Thankfully, by recognizing this gap and further exploring Rise, I know that we can design similar types of experiences, although by connecting to other tools.