Performance Analyzer™ v3.0 Features and Benefits (At a Glance ...)
Highlights of Performance Analyzer™ v3.0 include:
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Global Options - In Performance Analyzer, a large variety of global options can be set to define certain characteristics and functionality for the entire simulation-based assessment. These options include the following:
Controlling the size of the assessment playback window.
Applying security options (to avoid cheating) - The Print Screen key may be disabled during assessment playback, which prevents end users from taking unauthorized snapshots of assessment content. The simulation-based assessment may be configured to fill the entire screen area during playback, which prevents any distractions from other screen areas. Task switching may be disabled during assessment playback, which prevents the end user from using the mouse or keys to switch to another task or program window.
Defining the number of tasks (from the pool of available tasks) displayed for a single assessment session.
Specifying whether tasks will be displayed sequentially or randomly. If displayed randomly, each task will be randomly selected from the pool of available tasks.
Specifying whether each task within the assessment will be given equal weighting when calculating the user's final score (regardless of the number of individual steps performed within each task).
Specifying the passing score for the simulation-based assessment.
Specifying the number of times a single end user can take the simulation-based assessment.
Specifying a penalty value (as a percentage) that will be applied to each of the end user's incorrect attempts on a step. For example, if the penalty value is specified as "20%", it means that the end user will lose 20% of a step's assigned point for each incorrect attempt he/she makes on the step. Thus if the end user makes 5 incorrect attempts on a step, his/her point for that step will equal zero.
Specifying an external Performance Analyzer file, RapidBuilder file, RapidExam file, web page, or another type of external file to be automatically launched once the end user exits the simulation-based assessment at runtime.
And more.
Global Objects - Performance Analyzer enables developers to quickly reuse objects/elements across multiple frames by making them Global. Objects can be set to be Global across certain frames or all frames (on which the objects are supported) within the Performance Analyzer file. This makes it easy to have similar objects/elements appearing across multiple frames. It also makes it easy to update the object/element (since modifying a global object/element automatically updates it on every frame where it is used). This also helps keep the file size down because only one copy of a global object/element is stored internally.
Thumbnail Frame View - Displays thumbnail images of all or selected frames in the current Performance Analyzer file. This enables developers to view multiple frames at a glance and provides an alternate means of frame navigation and frame editing (e.g., cutting/copying, pasting, deleting, etc.)
Advanced Video Support - Performance Analyzer includes the following types of video support:
ASF, AVI, MOV, MPG, and MPEG video files supported.
Video Stage and Flash Stage objects enable video files and Flash files to be linked or embedded directly on frames within Performance Analyzer files. The developer may define an in and out point (which enables playing part of the video or Flash file instead of the entire file). The developer can also control whether video/Flash playback is initiated automatically when the frame is displayed on the screen or is initiated manually by the end user clicking a Play button. In either case, an action/event can be set to trigger once the video/Flash file finishes playing.
External video files may be played with Hyperlink buttons.
Advanced Audio Support - Performance Analyzer includes the following types of audio support:
ASF, AU, MP2, MP3, and WAV sound files supported
External sound files may be linked to frames (screens) or played with Hyperlink buttons. The developer may also enable the end user to interrupt audio playback on a frame at runtime.
Built-in sound recorder enables sound to be recorded from any available sound device. Recorded sound clips may also be saved to disk as .WAV or .ASF audio files (in order to be reused in other Performance Analyzer files, frames, and objects).
Background sound may be added as a linked/embedded file.
Advanced Image Support - Performance Analyzer includes the following types of image support:
Image Files - Image files (BMP, GIF, JPG, and PNG) may be imported to Image objects and as background images on screens. Images (imported to Image objects) may also be rotated to any angle from 1 to 360 degrees.
Animated GIF Files - The Animated GIF object enables animated GIF files to be imported into Performance Analyzer files (in addition to the regular static .BMP, .JPG, .GIF, and .PNG image files that may be imported using the Image object).
Animation and Special Visual Effects - Performance Analyzer enables the developer to add various types of animation and visual effects to a simulation-based assessment, including the following:
Animation on buttons - Multiple images may be cycled on button objects to create custom image animations.
Slide-outs - Objects may be configured to animate (or slide) on to the screen with a specified visual effect.
Frame transition effects - Special visual effects (such as wiping, sliding, blurring, fading, and dissolving) may be applied when transitioning from one screen to another during playback. The developer may also specify a sound file to play while the frame transition effect is occurring on screen.
Text may be displayed with dissolving and exploding effects during playback.
