The document describes the process of creating an interactive PDF for learning using Adobe InDesign. It discusses the speaker's initial misconception that led to exploring what interactivity is possible in a PDF. The presentation outlines the basic elements of an interactive PDF, including parts, navigability, and initial ideas. It then describes the four general stages of design, development, testing, and deployment. Examples are provided for each stage. Early lessons learned are shared about keeping designs simple and focused on learning and learners.

1. CREATING A LEARNING-FOCUSED
INTERACTIVE PDF
VIA ADOBE INDESIGN
Shalin Hai-Jew
Kansas State University
Virtual SIDLIT 2020
Aug. 5 – 7, 2020

2. PRESENTATION DESCRIPTION
An initial instructional design query suggested that Adobe InDesign could be used to
create an interactive PDF file in which a learner could move visual objects against a
kind of background. That initial misunderstanding led to an actual exploration of
what an interactive PDF can and cannot do and resulted in a first interactive
PDF…with some lightweight interactivity. This session describes the steps to creating
an interactive PDF for learning using Adobe InDesign. Some instructional design
thinking has been applied around this exploration (misadventure?) even though the
created object itself is fairly simple.
2

3. BASIC ELEMENTS OF
AN INTERACTIVE PDF
3

4. THE FILE
A lightweight file with easy hosting online
Open-source PDF format
 Downloadable and playable offline
Functionality across contexts
4

5. PARTS AND PIECES
A level of fixedness, a level of user-instigated movement (and implied and stated
decisions and choices)
A background context, a backdrop
 A space in which a person operates
Artworks
 Movable pieces (for placement)
 Sizing of objects
 Rotation of objects
An overall consistent look-and-feel
5

6. NAVIGABILITY
Ability to move between parts of the interactive pdf
 Typical movements from page-to-page
 Typical movements between parts
6

7. MY INITIAL MISCONCEPTION …and DAYDREAMING about
POSSIBILITIES
7

8. A BACKGROUND LAYER AND MOVABLE OBJECTS
ON THE FOREGROUND
A background layer and deformable / resizable and movable objects on the
foreground
 Enabling students to (move objects) (over a particular background) for a problem-solving context
 Enabling students to (move objects) (over a particular background) for a design context
Seems like a simple ask and a simple build initially and from a distance
8

9. INITIAL INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN ASK
Can you build a grain mill depiction using interactive pdf that enables a student to
move selected objects onto various surfaces to simulate the functions of a grain
mill…with a technology that students have access to or a free interface?
(The person asking showed a website with this tool being built by another university
and hosted on a website.)
 Would they loan it to you (so we don’t have to reinvent the wheel)? (Will ask.)
9

10. INITIAL IDEAS FOR INTERACTIVE
PDFS FOR LEARNING
10

11. A DIORAMA
Background and Objects
Persons
Spaces and backgrounds
Furniture
Room objects
Decor
Freeform shapes
Dialogue bubbles
Learning
Learners can create scenarios that they
can explain later
They can create crime scenes
They can create scenarios based on
particular prompts (with available basic
objects)
This can be a dramaturgy application
where learners create a scene of
dramatic tension or a denouement
11

12. A GARDEN
Background and Objects
A garden plot background or garden
box
A rabbit (or a colony or nest of rabbits)
Various plants that may be emplaced in
the garden
Some limited chicken wire
Some limited organic ways to deter
rabbits (chemicals, plants, and others)
Learning
Learners can design a garden that is
rabbit-proofed
12

13. A HOME OFFICE DESIGN
Background and Objects
Generic characters
Workplace background (or space)
Office furniture
Office equipment
Learning
13

14. A LIGHT PHYSICS PROBLEM
Background and Objects
A physical context
Relevant physical objects
Relevant depiction of forces
Learning
Learners can anticipate what happens
next in the scenario and move the
respective objects to the correct locations
in the aftermath of an event…or in T2
(Time 2) after the setting of T1 (Time 1)
14

15. ARTFUL EXPRESSION
Background and Objects
A canvas of various material types
Ways to apply shapes onto the canvas
Ways to apply images
Ways to apply decorative objects
Learning
Learners can practice artful visual
expression
15

16. PROBLEM SOLVING
Background and Objects
A background context
A setup of the problem
Various visual objects that may be used
to express various solutions (presented in
an open and non-directive way)
Learning
Learners can depict their solutions and
write or talk about their solutions
16

17. MAPPING
Background and Objects
A background map
Items that may be placed on the map
Assumed functionalities and implications
of the various objects (like fences, like
buildings)
Learning
Use for space design
Use for user-based space design
17

18. GROUP WORK
Any of the prior can be applied to group work
A digital interactive PDF file enables online collaborations, too
18

19. THE MAKING OF TIC TAC TOE (FAIL!) as a TRIAL RUN
19

20. BACKGROUND, BACKDROP IN MS VISIO
PROFESSIONAL
Building a simple square board in MS Visio
Light lines to indicate the spacing for the x’s and o’s
Creating a simple x
Creating a simple o
Ensuring that the pieces generally fit on the board
No directions because the game is so well known
20

21. 21

22. MOVABLE ELEMENTS
Creating x’s and o’s that are differentiated
45% transparency
Overlay of color over black x and black o
Differentiation of bordering
22

23. 23

24. PHOTOSHOP TO CROP X’S AND O’S AND TO SIZE
CORRECTLY
24

25. HOWEVER…IMMOVABLE
DIGITAL OBJECTS IN THE
INTERACTIVE PDF
…even with layers…
25

26. LOOK AND FEEL
The look and feel is fairly simple
No extra signaling where possible (although color is interpretable)
26

27. WORKS IN MS POWERPOINT
27

28. 28

29. THE BUILD SEQUENCE In FOUR GENERAL STEPS
29

30. FOUR GENERAL STAGES
1. Design
2. Development
3. Testing
4. Deployment
30

31. CREATING AN INTERACTIVE PDF FOR LEARNING
31

32. DESIGN (1)
32

33. INITIAL VISUAL CONCEPTUALIZATION
Environmental scan:
 What are other people doing with the technology?
 What are the technological enablements?
Inspirations:
 Is there inspiration through…
 Research?
 Popular journalism?
 Social media? Social visuals?
 Field visits?
 Interviews?
 Brainstorming?
33

34. INITIAL VISUAL CONCEPTUALIZATION(CONT.)
From the physical to the virtual:
 Is there a core physical “location” for this two-dimensional multimodal pdf?
 Is there a core symbol for this two-dimensional multimodal pdf?
Learning context:
 What is a learning objective, and how can an interactive pdf enhance the learning?
Target learner mental models and attitudes? Backgrounds?
 What are learner mental models of the issue? Related issues?
 What are target learner attitudes?
 What are target learner backgrounds?
 What are understood learning conventions and traditions of the particular target learners for the particular deployment?
 How can an interactive pdf tap into the prior (without stereotyping)?
34

35. INITIAL FUNCTIONAL CONCEPTUALIZATION
What will the learners be doing in the interactive pdf? (Any one of the following? A
combination? Others?)
 Will they be navigating between sections? Different parts?
 Will they be exploring data?
 Will they be going through an experiential sequence?
 Will they be solving a problem?
Will there be ways to clarify what sorts of interaction opportunities are available?
Will the interactive pdf be purely driven by users, or will it include some automation?
Why or why not?
Will there be versioning of the interactive pdf for different learner groups?
35

36. APPLIED EXAMPLE: DESIGN
How about using a word cloud visual as the base for an interactive learning object in
which people may click particular “explorable” words and go to deeper analyses of
the term? The word cloud can be a kind of “image map.”
There will be contents not only that are high frequency but also those in the “long
tail.”
How about using thousands of articles about the novel coronavirus and pandemic
from March 15 – May 14, 2020 (and totaling over 4,300 articles)?
36

37. THE LEARNING “USE CASE”
What are some common topics being discussed in mainstream journalism on the Web
and Internet?
What are some autocoded topics around particular key terms?
What are some conversations based on target terms?
What are some gaps in information?
What are some possible questions of relevant interest regarding the topic?
What are some critical ways to think about the press coverage during two months of
data capture (in the early months of the SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 pandemic)?
37

38. MULTIPLE WAYS TO EXPLORE THE DIGITAL
CONTENTS
Multiple ways through the digital contents:
 A (linear or branched) sequence
 Items from the image map
38

39. DEVELOPMENT (2)
39

40. DEVELOPMENT (2) (CONT.)
40

41. DEVELOPMENT (2) (CONT.)
41

42. DEVELOPMENT BASICS
Collect necessary information. Ensure legal usage.
 Collect data.
 Analyze the data.
Process the data through various computational and other analyses. (Use “sanity
checks” to ensure that no data is lost.)
 Create data visualizations.
 Create other necessary visuals, and size properly for usage.
Create relevant artwork.
Create written contents.
Ensure proper designs for effective learning.
42

43. DEVELOPMENT BASICS (CONT.)
Collate textual and visual and other contents in InDesign.
 Add scripted behaviors.
Add assessment, if desired.
Walk-through the file, and ensure that the respective elements work properly. If there
is branching logic, test every branch. Test every functionality.
 Transfer the file to another machine, and test (without local dependencies).
 Test online for basic functionality in the cloud version.
43

44. APPLIED EXAMPLE: DEVELOPMENT
1. Capture as many relevant articles as possible.
2. Condense the articles into a combined PDF.
3. Ensure OCR (optical character recognition) and machine readability. Re-version
as a .txt file (for less computational load when conducting computational text
analysis for the large files).
4. Place into NVivo.
 Run various text-based analytics, and output data.
 Output data visualizations. (Process the visuals to standard, with proper resolution, aspect ratio, and others.)
44

45. APPLIED EXAMPLE: DEVELOPMENT (CONT.)
5. Place objects in InDesign.
 Create pages for the various topics. Contextualize the data visualizations with data.
 Create a general look-and-feel.
 Add behaviors to the objects for navigability. Ensure ability to return to the original image map (reset
for repeatability).
6. Ensure accessibility where possible with textual descriptions.
7. Test the interactive pdf.
8. Revise.
9. Deploy.
10. Collect feedback.
45

46. TESTING (3)
46

47. ALPHA AND BETA TESTING
Alpha (α)
Intellectual property
Writing
 Spell check
 Grammar check, parallel construction
 Language versioning, language correctness
Visuals
Accessibility
Beta (β)
User interface design (UID), navigability,
clarify of functions
User / learner acceptance
 Target learning groups (delineated, by group)
Controlled against misapprehensions and
misunderstandings
Learning value from various versions
47

48. ALPHA AND BETA TESTING
Alpha (α)
Navigation, functionality
Deployment on multiple platforms
Versioning (and various file types)
Teaching and learning value (as
designed)
Beta (β)
Prosocial implications
48

49. APPLICATION OF NEW INSIGHTS TO THE
REDESIGNS
IP, accessibility
Language
Content updates
Technological functionality
Learner perceptions
Learner motivations
49

50. APPLIED EXAMPLE: TESTING
The testing for the “cloud” and “interactive PDF” versions of the files were basically to
see if the links worked and went to the correct locations.
The first draft was updated to include jumps to both the cluster diagram of the word
cloud on the cover…and to some “long tail” topics.
50

51. DEPLOYMENT (4)
51

52. PLATFORM
In general, pdfs can be deployed on any number of platforms and in any number of
ways. In this case, just Export from InDesign. Test, and upload.
Another approach is to publish to the cloud. The cloud version comes with a
downloadable pdf (if that particular selection is made).
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53. DEPLOYMENT
53

54. APPLIED EXAMPLE: DEPLOYMENT
The deployment started first with the
interactive pdf.
Once changes were made, first one
version was set up in the cloud. It was
then replaced with a slightly more
complex revised version.
 It is fairly easy to access recently published
files. This enables access without having to
validate in to the Adobe Creative Cloud, which
the “Publish Online Dashboard” would require.
54

55. STARTING AN INDESIGN FILE
55

56. STARTING A NEW INDESIGN FILE
Start a new .indd file in Adobe
InDesign 2020
Choose a basic page size
At the top right, set the file type to
Interactive for PDF
56

57. INTERACTIVE FOR PDF (CONT.)
This shows the panel for the
“Interactive for PDF” file type in
InDesign to the right of the
workspace
57

58. INTEGRATION OF ELEMENTS IN INDESIGN
Go to File -> Place objects.
Keep objects centered (within the layout box).
Right click the objects to turn them into various
objects, like buttons. Add the behaviors to
each of the objects.
58

59. FEEDBACK LOOPS
Set an email for the creator as a feedback loop.
If one has controls over information on the back end of the hosting site, use
information from there as well, to understand usage of the object.
(Feedback was not set up for this trial run.)
59

60. SOME EARLY LESSONS LEARNED
60

61. EARLY LEARNING ABOUT DESIGN (1)
Think simple, and avoid overcomplexity; representations should be sparse and simple,
not ornate
 Learner knowledge and imagination fills in the blanks
Focus more on learner understandings of the interactive PDF
 They should understand the context intuitively
 They should see what they can do right away
 Visuals should be self-explanatory (and / or they can be labeled)
Design for a range of learning options
Design for a range of learner choices
61

62. EARLY LEARNING ABOUT DESIGN (1) (CONT.)
Realize that the presented context is a relatively “close ended” one, so create
opportunities for learners to express outside of the interactive PDF, too.
Also the presented context can have freeze points and can change over time…but is
essentially a static sort of visual thinking and problem-solving experience.
The “design hand” comes in in inspiration and expression.
Every design idea involves cost—in effort (research, development, deployment, and
others)…and risk (publishing, engaging a broader public)—so it helps to pull back a
little on the ambition and on the whimsy. Moving from concept to execution requires
obvious and non-obvious expenditures.
 However, if you’re committed, do it. Regardless.
62

63. EARLY LEARNING ABOUT DEVELOPMENT (2)
Keep the target learning and learners at the forefront.
Design without misrepresentations. Avoid human stereotypes. Be inclusive in the
design.
Build with legal requirements in mind early on, including intellectual property (IP),
privacy, and accessibility.
 Create contents from scratch. Be very aware of the provenance of all contents. Maintain proof of
content origins.
 Acquire legal releases from all talent.
 Ensure that all images have alt text. Ensure that all videos have transcription and closed captioning.
When using color, ensure that information is not only offered through color alone (intensity matrices
with number and text labels; choropleth maps with labels, and others)
63

64. EARLY LEARNING ABOUT DEVELOPMENT (2) (CONT.)
Be aware of changing technological requirements and constraints.
Use technologies that are appropriate to the task.
Aim for no-cost where possible.
Focus on the “lowest common denominator” in terms of file types, so various versions
can be created for various contexts.
Enable downloading of information for review and re-learning.
Avoid technological obsolescence, the “slow (and fast) fires” that may make a work
inaccessible.
64

65. EARLY LEARNING ABOUT TESTING (3)
Test with rigor. Test every branched
path.
Test against all known standards for the
work. Include all dimensionalities
(legality, writing, imagery, learning
values, technological standards, and
others).
Make sure that imagery is of sufficient
fidelity, resolution, and contrast, for
information.
Pilot test learning resources before
going live.
Learners can be turned off over the
small things. Consider culture. Consider
taste.
Offer competitive contents
(informational) and learning
(experiences) and formative assessments
(beneficial to the learning)…
Stand out from other offerings. Do not
emulate.
65

66. EARLY LEARNING ABOUT TESTING (3)(CONT.)
If versioning by language, ensure that
the language translations are tested by
native speakers.
Ensure there is a coherent look-and-feel.
Test all versions of the learning
resource…across all dimensions.
Elicit a rich sense of responses from a
diversity of learners in the pilot-testing
phase.
Record the findings, and revise
accordingly.
Keep very clear records and a
documentary history of the project, so it
is clear what resources may be used into
the future…for revisions.
66

67. EARLY LEARNING ABOUT DEPLOYMENT (4)
Make sure all who contributed to the work are credited.
Conduct effective outreach to the respective target learner groups. Use different
messaging strategies as needed.
Measure usage by the broad public (and particular target groups).
Assume most users will not realize how much work went into the digital learning
object.
 Be responsive to their communications and feedback.
Conduct environmental scans to understand the competition in the environment.
67

68. EARLY LEARNING ABOUT DEPLOYMENT (4)(CONT.)
Design a feedback loop into the learning resource.
Set up a plan for updating and revising the learning contents as needed, based in
part on the feedback.
68

69. AND THEN…A LITTLE REGRET
There were so many features of interactive PDFs that I didn’t use…such as the playing
of sound, the playing of videos, outlinks, and others.
I also didn’t focus as much on the actual learning…that would be beneficial.
Also, I probably should have been a little more ambitious…but a lot of the energy
went to collecting the research, data cleaning, creating the data visualizations, and
others.
In the real, I would have put in much more work to cleaning up the visuals, offering
full data tables with top-level topics and related sub-topics, and so on.
69

70. WHEN TO USE
INTERACTIVE PDFS FOR LEARNING?
70

71. VARIOUS LEARNING MODALITIES
F2F (face-to-face) or offline, fully online, blended / hybrid
Guided or supervised, non-guided or unsupervised (self-discovery), mixed guided
Stand-alone, integrated within a sequence
Of a piece, disaggregated
Formal, informal, non-formal
71

72. SOME TECHNOLOGIES USED IN THIS PROJECT
Research:
 Web browsers, web search engines
 Adobe Acrobat Pro
Data Cleaning, Data Processing:
 Notepad
Data Analysis:
 NVivo
 Excel
Screen Capture:
 Gadwin Printscreen
Digital Visuals:
 Microsoft Visio Professional
 Adobe Photoshop
Interactive PDF Creation:
 Adobe InDesign
Deployment:
 Adobe Cloud
72

73. REFERENCES
Chelius, C. (2014, Apr. 3). “Create an interactive PDF.” Adobe Press. Retrieved from
https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/how-to/indesign-create-interactive-pdf.html.
73

74. CONTACT INFORMATION
Dr. Shalin Hai-Jew
 Kansas State University
 ITS
 shalin@ksu.edu
 785-532-5262
 The Test Object “An Interactive PDF from a Word Cloud”:
 https://indd.adobe.com/view/f7777639-04e7-41c3-8c41-e30bdcdf5f56
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