Running Head: STORYBOARDING CONSIDERATIONS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN Storyboarding Considerations for Instructional Design Nicholas Rider Purdue University EDCI 513 1 STORYBOARDING CONSIDERATIONS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN 2 Abstract Instructional design is a demanding field, requiring those professionals who are a part of it to not only be well-versed in the theories of teaching and learning, but well-equipped in the tools and practices of its community. Besides being the resident expert on instructional strategy, the instructional designer (ID) is often called upon to manage projects, converse with clients, and play the role of the developer in courses, modules, and learning objects. In the process of attending to these responsibilities, the ID is likely to encounter Storyboarding. Storyboarding is a broadly-used term that can refer to pre-development techniques for filmmaking, animation, software/web development, and instructional design. Storyboarding, as a tool, has the potential to save significant time, foster client relationships, and improve the quality of final deliverables. While these benefits are valuable, storyboarding is not without costs. Storyboarding has a substantial time commitment and suffers many of the same drawbacks as other iterative, collaborative approaches. Measuring the costs and context against potential gains should help the practitioner determine whether or not to engage in storyboarding. This paper will explore the concept of storyboarding within instructional design and examine the benefits and disadvantages. Further, it will describe scenarios where storyboarding has a higher likelihood of success and those where it may fail. Finally, we’ll explore some tools the practitioner might be expected to use in this process. Keywords: storyboarding, instructional design, prototyping STORYBOARDING CONSIDERATIONS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN 3 Storyboarding Considerations for Instructional Design Storyboarding is still very much a buzzword in instructional design, rather than a “well understood [or] widely used technique” (Change, 2014). The truth is, storyboarding is used to describe a variety of activities depending on the context. In filmmaking, animation, software/web development, and instructional design it can refer to a strategic pre-production activity (Storyboarding, n.d.). In business and marketing, it might refer to a brainstorming or problem-solving activity (Higgins, 1995). In the classroom, it may describe the format of a case study (Morrone, 2012). For the purpose of this paper, we are considering it from an instructional design perspective. According to Nicole Legault (2011), Instructional Designer and Community Manager at Articulate, storyboards are “visual organizers, typically a series of illustrations displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a video, web-based training, or interactive media sequence.” Golombisky, 2010, describes storyboards in a similar fashion, stating that storyboards “[visualize] the entire project in the form of individual scenes, shots, or screens” (p.168). For this paper, the following definition is used: Storyboarding is a flexible, iterative pre-production activity where scenes/screens are visualized and sequenced to provide specifications for development of instructional materials. Despite its buzzword qualities, storyboarding is anything but new. Modern uses of storyboarding find their roots in filmmaking. Walt Disney is credited with coming up with the concept in the 1920s (Higgins, 1994). So effective was the technique, that the movie Gone with the Wind (1939) was actually “completely storyboarded” (Storyboarding, n.d.). Since that time, the general technique of storyboarding has been adapted to many industries because of its simplicity and effectiveness for visualizing and organizing ideas. STORYBOARDING CONSIDERATIONS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN 4 Types of Storyboards in Instructional Design It does not take long when researching to discover that “there are many different ways to storyboard” (Brigham, 2014). Not only so, some counsel “there is no wrong way” (Legault, 2011). Flexible is an appropriate word to settle on. The storyboard is the product of storyboarding, and, consequently, where we begin. Since there are so many different types, we examine a few of the more prevalent examples of storyboards found in instructional design: text storyboards, visual storyboards, and prototyping (Brigham, 2014). Text storyboards are typically devoid of graphics and contain, obviously, a lot of text. Standard fields include the project title, screen title, an indication of where the screen appears in the sequence (e.g., 1 of 15), descriptions of on-screen graphics, audio details, and navigation information - the boards/screens that branch from this board (Brigham, 2014). For a text storyboard, graphics are either not present or very well developed. If they are present, then it is not really a text storyboard, rather a visual storyboard. Figure 1 is an example of a text storyboard. Note that the layout is in a table format. The majority of text and visual storyboards utilize tables to organize Fig. 1 - Text Storyboard Template. Source: Brigham, 2014 details surrounding each board. Visual storyboards take the text storyboard a step forward by including actual or mockup graphics and screen user-interface (UI) components. These are sometimes necessary because “text versions of a scenario…fail to consider all the dimensions” (Holtzblatt, 2005, p.231). The majority, if not all, of the text storyboard fields are present in the visual storyboard. STORYBOARDING CONSIDERATIONS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN 5 Figure 2 is a sample template of layouts typical for these types of storyboards. Notable is the exceptionally large, empty field for the board element. This is to feature the graphical component as prominently as possible since it is the primary focus of a visual storyboard. The graphic should be large enough that reviewers can make out sufficient detail to recognize problem areas or concerns about the UI and the graphic/photo choices. Fig. 2 - Visual Storyboard Template. Source: Brigham, 2014 Prototyping is a third type of storyboard. Prototyping is the act of building an entirely functional product in a lightweight development environment. It can be argued that prototyping moves beyond storyboarding because it reaches into the development process. This is true when the prototype software being used to render the storyboard is the actual platform that will be used when the final product is launched. The fact of the matter is, prototyping isn’t supposed to reflect a final product. Prototyping takes the Visual storyboard one step further and demonstrates how the intended elements are expected to function. This is usually done in a development or sandbox type of environment that doesn’t affect production systems. Prototyping does not utilize the typical storyboard template because it is a rough demonstration of how the final product will look and work. The designer does not need a field for slide number, because they are actually in order, integrated into the prototype. Narration, quizzes, Fig. 3 – Prototype Storyboard in Articulate SL. STORYBOARDING CONSIDERATIONS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN 6 and navigation mirror what the developer of the prototype believes the final product will look and feel like. Figure 3 is an example of a prototype using Articulate Storyline 2. Note that it contains the on-screen text, graphics, and UI so that the client can immediately experience how the product works. Benefits of Storyboarding Having examined common types of storyboards, it is important to consider why the instructional designer (ID) might want to use them at all. Increasing efficiency is one reason for employing storyboarding as a predevelopment technique (Brigham, 2014, Okur and Gümüş, 2010, p. 4714, Change, 2014). By storyboarding the final product, one is essentially getting a blueprint that can be handed over to a development team. By reaching consensus on the storyboard, a company can save valuable time later not having to backtrack. Reaching consensus is done faster because storyboarding makes sure the group is “on the same page” (Brigham, 2014, Guitierrez, 2014). Storyboarding also increases transparency and communication. According to Holtzblatt (2005), they “provide a conceptual common denominator for design discussions with users; it is much more likely that a user will grasp the metaphor of a storyboard…over more abstract modeling techniques” (p.231). Change (2014) notes that storyboards serve as a “focal point for productive dialogue and promotes a proper context around input collection.” And input collection is critical. Collaboration is also invited through the storyboarding process. Multiple people can participate (Okur and Gümüş, 2010, p. 4714) and the ID is able to “get client buy-in” (Storyboarding, n.d.). Storyboarding can even “help the [subject matter expert] fill in expert content” (Rector, 2013). STORYBOARDING CONSIDERATIONS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN 7 Besides these benefits, the process also affords other value to the instructional designer. One such benefit is that it “forces the instructional designer to rethink structure and flow” (Brigham, 2014). Visualizing and documenting the screens affords the instructional designer a high-level view of the story. Consequently, if a change is thought to be valuable, the ID can experiment with the sequence well in advance of development (Storyboarding, n.d.). Finally, storyboarding can serve as an early quality assurance step. It helps to “ensure that the team does not overlook any intents and steps that are critical to the work.” (Holtzblatt, 2005, p.229) As Holtzblatt (2005), put it “storyboards by their very nature ensure synthetic sequential thinking and thereby a more complete design for the user” (p.231). The user experience (UX) is a big topic in modern eLearning circles. As more and more open content floods the market and institutions compete for enrollment, quality content will play a part in student perceptions and institutional rankings. Taking steps to make sure students are not suffering in a poorly designed course could be time well-spent. Concerns with Storyboarding or “Why Shouldn’t I Use It?” With every activity engaged in, another is not. This is a simple truth when dealing with limited resources. An important consideration to make with storyboarding is the time commitment. Make no mistake, it “takes a lot of time to build and format” (Brigham, 2014). The question can be boiled down to whether or not one can afford not to storyboard. This is a question that may only be answerable after having gone through a few storyboarded projects. Without experience, it is difficult to estimate the upfront expense. Another concern is whether or not the subject matter expert (SME) and client are committed to sufficiently participate in the process (Okur and Gümüş, 2010, p. 4715). Without their collaboration and feedback, the instructional designer (ID) is faced with three options: wait STORYBOARDING CONSIDERATIONS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN 8 and risk deadlines and extensions, proceed and risk modifications to the developed product, or terminate/hold the project. None of these are great – so an upfront agreement for participation levels should be secured. As discussed previously storyboarding can also occur through prototyping. This can be an attractive option at first, especially for the ID who is familiar with software that works well with storyboarding. One must be careful though with taking such an approach. Choosing a technology up front, even if ‘only to prototype’, can lead to undesired consequences. As Holtzblatt (2005) indicates, “As soon as designers start focusing on technology, technology and its problems become their central design concern” (p.229). Storyboarding (at least of the text and visual variety) also has a tendency to “[limit] the final product to…being linear since it is difficult to do branching scenarios” (Storyboarding, n.d.). Indeed, this depends heavily on the storyboard developer’s skillset, but, as noted earlier, branching and complex scenarios may be difficult to communicate to the client with storyboards. Another reason to be wary of engaging in storyboarding is the potential for indecisiveness in the client or SME (Okur and Gümüş, 2010, p. 4715). Both groups have the freedom to change their mind, putting the storyboard developer in a difficult position. While feedback is welcomed and valued through the iterations, wavering opinions can significantly decrease momentum. What may seem like a small matter in the mind of a stakeholder, can result in a great deal of rework. An assessment of the client and SME is in order before deciding to engage in storyboarding. When and How to Storyboard It has already been mentioned that there is “no one way to build a storyboard” (Brigham, 2014) and quite possibly no wrong way (Legault, 2011). With such opinions, one is hard- STORYBOARDING CONSIDERATIONS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN 9 pressed to prescribe a method that will suit every situation. That said, what follows is an attempt to outline when storyboarding does not make sense, when it might, when it should typically begin, and a broad framework for engaging in it. When Not To Storyboard Knowing what projects are not appropriate for storyboarding can save both time and headaches. One of the best rules of thumb for not storyboarding is when the project is really small or the team only consists of you (Guitierrez, 2014, Keating, 2013, p. 020). “If you’re doing the designing, scripting, and building, adding storyboarding to this could be overkill.” (Keating, 2013, p.020). There are a couple of other scenarios where storyboarding may not work as well as intended. These include highly complex, non-linear learning activities and underdeveloped concepts. Legault (2011) believes that “using storyboards for non-linear activities becomes too complicated to be useful to a client.” If the project incorporates a lot of programming logic or branching scenarios, it is important to consider if the client will be able to make sense of the storyboard when completed. If the answer is no, then an alternative technique should be explored. Underdeveloped concepts are another instance when an instructional designer (ID) wouldn’t want to begin storyboarding. As Keating (2013) points out, fuzzy concepts lead to “multiple storyboard versions” (p.020). This works against a primary goal of storyboarding – to save time. When to Storyboard Speaking of sequences, knowing when to storyboard is a helpful matter. “Too early and change will be significant, too late and input won’t be useful” (Brigham, 2014). With that in STORYBOARDING CONSIDERATIONS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN 10 mind, consider the Storyboard in light of the ADDIE process. Opinions vary on whether it should be in the design or development phase, but there is agreement that it should never occur before analysis (Malamed, 2009, Keating, 2013, p.020). Since another goal of storyboarding is to provide developers with a finished blueprint for building a course, it seems that design is the more suitable phase. However, if the ID is employing a prototype storyboarding approach, development and design are happening concurrently (Malamed, 2009). Keating (2013) provides some other guidelines for determining when storyboarding should be used (p.020): • “Large, complex courses, or courses that are not linear or have a logical path” (this is in direct contrast to Legault (2011)) • For branching scenarios, “without a storyboard, this can become a nightmare when designing and ultimately building the course or content.” (this goes against earlier advice (Storyboarding, n.d.), but again, the developer skillset may be the deciding factor) • “When a team is involved…over three people, a storyboarding [sic] is almost vital, even if very primitive.” • “When courses involve a variety of multimedia…keeps all the elements together.” • “When you’re outsourcing.” Bingham (2014) suggests the following guidelines for using the various types of storyboards: • Text-based storyboards are appropriate when “you have a graphics person handling” the visuals, “in instances where the visual look of the course has sort of already been established”, when “reviewers are tech challenged.”, and “when you are pressed for time.” STORYBOARDING CONSIDERATIONS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN • 11 Visual storyboards should be used when there is a need to “Give reviewers a clear picture of what will be onscreen” and “When you are responsible for layouts and graphics” • Prototype storyboards should be used when “it’s crucial for reviewers to experience the course’s look and feel (new clients), “for complex interactions that visual or text storyboards can’t explain easily”, or when the storyboard needs to be “close to real thing”. General Guidelines in the Storyboarding Process Storyboarding is typically part of the design phase, so an upfront analysis should be completed by the time storyboarding begins. Assuming this is the case, as the storyboard emerges, the instructional designer (ID) should be able to determine if the content and sequencing support learning objectives (Rector, 2013). Guitierrez (2014) suggests that the primary objective should continually be the focus. As the storyboard takes shape, it is important to respect the principles of Cognitive Load theory and “minimize text and images occurring at the same time” while balancing this with a need to “convey your idea to other team members” (Rector, 2013). Sutherland and Maiden (2010) recommend leaving out “overly realistic detailing…because it forces people to focus on the detail rather than the bigger picture” (p.11). In examining the literature, Holtzblatt (2005) provides a very intuitive and readable guide for the storyboarding process. Since this paper is not a how-to guide, we defer to Rapid contextual design : a how-to guide to key techniques for user-centered design for a look at the actual process. Winston Change (2014) claims there is a way to know when it has been done properly: it will be “iterative and quick…a self-organizing, rapid and evolving development methodology.” STORYBOARDING CONSIDERATIONS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN 12 The Right Tools for the Job Storyboarding can be as rudimentary or as technologically advanced as desired. Since prototyping is considered a form of storyboarding, constraints for the deliverable should be considered before jumping in. For instance, prototyping in Articulate Storyline is a reasonable decision if the client has revealed that this is the eLearning tool they use in-house and that they require the flexibility to update the material in the future. If no technology has been specified, and the freedom and flexibility to choose is available, there are many suitable tools-of-the-trade (see Appendix A). The Future of Storyboarding It is difficult to predict the future of storyboarding. Instructional designers (IDs) are including more and richer media in courses, exploring personalized learning, breaking new ground in virtual reality, and seeking to ever-improve user-experiences. These all demand a structured approach to designing instruction. Is the storyboarding technique that way forward? There is a strong argument that it is not, at least not in the more traditional sense. Text and Visual storyboards are still appropriate for the work being engaged in today, and they provide an excellent platform for informal, conceptual brainstorming, but this is a new era, one where IDs are not faced with the development challenges their predecessors dealt with. If Walt Disney were around today, could we honestly believe he would still be laying out storyboards in the same manner? Not likely. Disney sounds like he pushed the envelope. Consider these words from Mihkelson and Klease in 1993 (p.300): “Storyboarding is a systematic form of instructional design and is therefore an efficient process that is essential before programming costs are incurred. It enables the objectives to be addressed, the learning strategies, interactivity and simulation to be sequenced and STORYBOARDING CONSIDERATIONS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN 13 all to be reviewed by the design team before actual programming begins. This was particularly important as the computer- based component of the package was the most costly.” Today, graphical user interfaces afford IDs the ability to develop courses for themselves. The concern over programming costs is diminishing. This doesn’t mean that new technology won’t emerge that requires the skills of a technical developer, but technical dependency is not what the people are asking for. The concern is more and more with do-it-yourself solutions. That said, expect that prototyping will be trending much more. Especially as the tools for storyboarding, sequencing, and collaborating are integrated further into technology (Legault, 2015). And more so when we become as comfortable sketching mockups on iPhones and tablets as we are on the back of napkins. Summary/Conclusion Storyboarding is a pre-development process as unique as the instructional designer using it. Storyboarding’s nature lends itself to flexible implementation and a variety of tools. It should be part of the tool belt for any instructional designer engaged in eLearning where visualizing, collaborating, and designing cohesive projects is important. While storyboarding can fall under many categories – prototyping is likely to be adopted as the next big iteration. STORYBOARDING CONSIDERATIONS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN 14 References Brigham, D. (2014). Instructional Design Essentials: Storyboarding [Video]. Lynda.com. Retrieved from http://www.lynda.com/PowerPoint-tutorials/Instructional-DesignEssentials-Storyboarding/160064-2.html Bunch, J. (1991, July). The storyboard strategy. Training & Development, 45(7), 69+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.lib.purdue.edu/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA11056611 &v=2.1&u=purdue_main&it=r&p=PPMI&sw=w&asid=16d929713d6bd7979c66514e61f cb433 Change, W. (2014). Is Your Agency Ready to Start ‘Storyboarding?’ Retrieved May 20, from http://www.nextgov.com/cio-briefing/2014/08/your-agency-ready-startstoryboarding/92648/ Essley, R., Rief, L., & Rocci, A. (n.d.) What are Storyboards? Retrieved June 6, 2015, from http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/what-are-storyboards Golombisky, K. (2010). White space is not your enemy a beginner’s guide to communicating visually through graphic, web & multimedia design. (R. Hagen, Ed.). Amsterdam: Amsterdam . Guitierrez, K. (2014). A Simple Guide to Creating Your First eLearning Storyboard. Retrieved May 27, 2015 from http://info.shiftelearning.com/blog/a-simple-guide-to-creating-yourfirst-elearning-storyboard Higgins, J. M. (1995, June). Storyboard your way to success. Training & Development, 49(6), 13+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.lib.purdue.edu/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA17184360&v=2. 1&u=purdue_main&it=r&p=PPMI&sw=w&asid=bc86a33b39ca4895d2a7f08b5a8ce447 STORYBOARDING CONSIDERATIONS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN Holtzblatt, K. (2005). Rapid contextual design : a how-to guide to key techniques for usercentered design. (J. B. Wendell, S. Wood, & I. ebrary, Eds.). San Francisco: San Francisco : Elsevier/Morgan Kaufmann. Keating, G. (2013). Storyboarding in eLearning. Training & Development, 40(1), 20–21. Legault, N. (2015). E-Learning: Storyboard vs. Prototype. Retrieved May 20, 2015 from https://community.articulate.com/articles/e-learning-storyboard-vs-prototype Legault, N. (2011). PowerPoint: Sample eLearning Storyboard Slides. Retrieved from http://nlegault.ca/2011/12/29/powerpoint-sample-elearning-storyboard-slides/ Malamed, C. (2009, May). Storyboards for eLearning. Retrieved May 21, 2015, from http://theelearningcoach.com/elearning_design/storyboards-for-elearning/ Mihkelson, A., & Klease, G. (1993). ‘Unilearn Chemistry’—An Australian initiative for the independent learner. Distance Education, 14(2), 297-302. Morrone, M. (2012). Storyboarding with PowerPoint to bring cases, case problems, and course content to life. Journal of Teaching and Learning with Technology, 1(1), 61. Okur, M. R., & Gümüş, S. (2010). Storyboarding issues in online course production process. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2(2), 4712–4716. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.03.755 Rector, R. (2013) Storyboarding for Instructional Design. Retrieved May 27, 2015 from http://www.tc.columbia.edu/iDesign/images/Storyboarding%20Workshop%20.pdf Storyboarding. (n.d.) Retrieved May 20, 2015, from http://www.instructionaldesign.org/storyboarding.html Sutherland, M., & Maiden, N. (2010). Storyboarding Requirements. Software, IEEE, 27(6), 9– 11. doi:10.1109/MS.2010.147 15 STORYBOARDING CONSIDERATIONS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN 16 Appendix A: Storyboarding Tools* Tool Description Context Costs Link ??? Contact for price Website Audience: Enterprise or Individual Suitable for: Prototyping $$$ Education and volume/bundle discounts available Website Flowcharting application – alternative to MS Visio. Useful for branching scenarios and other logic heavy scenarios. Audience: Enterprise or Individual Suitable for: Flowcharting / Diagramming FREE Free version available for educational use Website Microsoft Office PowerPoint Slide presentation software. Easy graphic manipulation, slide creation. Robust user support, broad user-base, synchronization/collaboration ability. Audience: Enterprise or Individual Suitable for: Visual Storyboards $$ Website Microsoft Office Word Highly accessible and familiar to most users. Audience: Enterprise or Individual Suitable for: Text or Visual Storyboards $$ Website Index Cards/Paper Various sizes. Rapid development and easily reordered. Low cost, readily available. Great for entry-level storyboarding. Audience: Any Suitable for: Text or Visual Storyboards $ N/A Celtx Simple Storyboard Creation with flexible tools/objects. Made for media production, but adaptable to eLearning Storyboards Audience: Video Production Professionals / Miscellaneous Suitable for: Visual Storyboards $ Subscriptionbased monthly fee Website Twine “Open-source tool for telling interactive, non-linear stories”. Extensible with coding. Not visibly attractive, but potentially an effective mapping utility. Audience: Individuals Suitable for: Flowcharting / Diagramming FREE Website Storyboardthat.com Easy to use online storyboarding software with numerous assets, culturally relevant characters, flexible layouts. Audience: Enterprise or Individual Suitable for: Visual Storyboards Website Adobe Captivate Alternative to Storyline. Familiar adobe product interface, eLearning authoring tool, many built in shapes, objects. Easily create branching scenarios, import from PPT and publish to HTML5. Audience: Enterprise or Individual Suitable for: Prototyping / Branching Scenarios $ Subscriptionbased monthly fee / Teacher Pricing / Free version $$ Subscriptionbased monthly fee Website Draw.io Online program, highly flexible, many UI components, easy to use. Doesn’t generate separate slides, but is great for quick mockups, flowcharting and whiteboard session. Audience: Any Suitable for: Visual Storyboards / Flowcharting / Diagramming FREE Free for personal, academic, and charitable use Website Litmos Author - Rapid Intake Collaborative eLearning authoring tool. Includes storyboard capabilities. Similar features as Articulate Storyline but online and collaborative Audience: Enterprise Suitable for: Prototyping Articulate Storyline 2 eLearning authoring tool. Includes “story” view for easy slide reordering and a user-friendly interface for designing slides. Include complex interactions and script/html editing abilities. Ability to import PPT files. Publish to Flash/HTML5. Respectable user community. Lucidchart My Rating *After reading about storyboarding, my recommendation for the novice is to stick with the familiar. Learning to storyboard is enough of a cognitive load by itself. Once the instructional designer has a grasp on the basic process, they will know better what software will satisfy their unique needs. STORYBOARDING CONSIDERATIONS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN Appendix B: Storyboarding Template Resources 1. SH!FT Template | SH!FT Learning http://info.shiftelearning.com/free-storyboard-template-for-elearning 2. theElearningcoach.com | Storyboard Depot http://theelearningcoach.com/resources/storyboard-depot/ 3. Ultimate List of Free Storyboard Templates for eLearning | eLearining Industry http://elearningindustry.com/free-storyboard-templates-for-elearning 4. Storyboard Paper Templates | Printable Paper http://www.printablepaper.net/category/storyboard 5. Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling | Digital Storytelling http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/page.cfm?id=23&cid=23&sublinkid=37 6. Storyboards | E-Learning Heroes https://community.articulate.com/downloads/course-design/storyboards 7. 15+ eLearning Storyboard Templates | Flirting W/ eLearning http://nlegault.ca/2012/05/09/15-elearning-storyboard-templates/ 17
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