Want to go beyond text-based answer choices? Freeform pick-one questions use a multiple-choice format but allow learners to select objects instead of words. Choose pictures, characters, shapes, or buttons for visual interest. Read on to learn how to build them.

• Insert a Pick-One Question
• Identify the Answer Choices
• Customize the Question Properties
• Modify the Selected State for Answer Choices (Optional)
• Make Pick-One Questions Accessible

Insert a Pick-One Question

There are two ways to create a pick-one question. If you’ve already added objects to an existing slide, you can convert that slide to a freeform question. To start from scratch, follow these steps:

1. Choose one of the following paths to insert a freeform question:

   • Go to the Home tab on the ribbon, click New Slide, and choose Freeform Question.

   • Go to the Slides tab on the ribbon and click Freeform Question.

   • In Story View, right-click anywhere in the workspace, scroll to New Slide, and choose Freeform Question.

   • In Slide View or Form View, right-click anywhere in the Scenes panel, scroll to New Slide, and choose Freeform Question.

2. In the Insert Slide window, use the search field at the top and the filters along the left edge to locate the type of question you want to add. The slide browser includes built-in templates and professionally-designed Content Library 360 templates.

3. When you click a slide thumbnail, the right side of the window displays a description of that question type. Click Insert Slide to add it to your project.

4. A new pick-one question will open in Slide View. Add objects such as pictures or buttons to the slide to serve as answer choices.

5. Switch to Form View, then proceed to the next step to identify your answer choices.

Identify the Answer Choices

In Form View, identify the objects you want to use as answer choices. If your pick-one question will be graded, select the correct answer.

1. Place your cursor in the Choice column, then use the drop-down to select the objects you want to convert into answer choices. As you scroll through the list, Storyline 360 highlights items in red on the slide thumbnail on the right side of the screen, so you can see what you’re selecting.

2. If your pick-one question will be graded, mark the radio button for the correct answer in the Correct column.
   
   If your question doesn’t have correct and incorrect responses, go to the Question tab on the ribbon and select None from the Score drop-down to make it ungraded. The Correct column will disappear.

Note: If you’re using a Content Library 360 pick-one template, the answer choices have already been identified for you, but you may need to edit them to fit your scenario. 

Customize the Question Properties

After creating a freeform pick-one question, you can customize its attributes. Shuffle answer choices, provide feedback, offer branching, set the required score and number of attempts, and choose whether learners must answer the question or can skip it. Learn more about using the question editor.

Modify the Selected State for Answer Choices (Optional)

Storyline 360 adds a Selected state to each answer choice and applies a glow effect. When learners select an item, its Selected state is automatically applied to indicate which item they’ve chosen.

The default glow color is determined by your theme’s Accent 5 color, but you can customize the Selected state with different formatting. Learn more about adding and editing states.

Make Pick-One Questions Accessible

Accessible pick-one questions help learners identify their options, make selections confidently, understand what each answer choice represents, and receive clear feedback. Follow these tips to boost pick-one question accessibility:

• Provide clear instructions. Explain what learners should do when presented with image- or object-based choices (3.3.2 Labels or Instructions).
• Give meaningful feedback. Let learners know whether the selected answer was correct or incorrect, and, when appropriate, help them understand the outcome of their selection.
• Make image-based answer choices understandable. Provide a clear question or prompt and add meaningful alt text to images, shapes, or characters so learners understand what each option represents (1.1.1 Non-text Content, 1.3.1 Info and Relationships).
• Set a logical focus order. Arrange answer choices in a meaningful order so keyboard and screen reader users can move through options in a logical sequence (2.4.3 Focus Order).
• Keep focus states visible. Make sure learners can easily identify which answer choice currently has keyboard focus. If you customize the focus indicator, ensure it remains easy to see against surrounding colors (2.4.7 Focus Visible, 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum)).
• Use sufficient contrast. Choose text and background colors that are easy to read in all answer choice states. Use at least a 4.5:1 contrast ratio for text and 3:1 for non-text elements like image borders or selection indicators (1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum), 1.4.11 Non-text Contrast).
• Make answer choices easy to select. Use large, clearly spaced answer-choice objects for learners using touch, a mouse, or other input methods. Aim for a minimum target size of 24 by 24 pixels (2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum)).
• Test answer choices with a screen reader and keyboard. Make sure learners can use the Tab key to navigate to each answer choice and select it with the Enter or Space key. Learn more about navigating quiz questions with a screen reader or keyboard (2.1.1 Keyboard).