Improved Business Efficiency and Flow In a Software Development Environment

Dean works as a Program Manager at BERP Systems, a federal contractor that collaborates with Microsoft. They specialize in creating bespoke business application software for the federal government, primarily working with a product called Dynamics 365.  

The Challenge

Before using Pictory, Dean faced several challenges:

• Creating L2 Videos for Software: Initially, their approach to creating instructional videos was basic—recording actions in PowerPoint while someone explained the process. This method was not very sophisticated and the team was not satisfied with hearing their own voices in recordings.
• Finding an Efficient Video Creation Method: They explored AI-generated voices and various products to improve their video creation process. This search was driven by the need for a more professional and efficient method to produce instructional content.
• Efficiency in Video Production: As they are not videographers, their primary focus was on software development and ensuring its proper testing. They needed a way to create videos quickly and efficiently without detracting from their main work.
• Enhancing Quality Assurance (QA) Process: Initially, their QA team generated videos as part of their testing process. They sought ways to improve this process and make it more efficient and comprehensive.
• Security and Privacy Concerns: Working with government agencies, they had to be cautious about not displaying sensitive or personal identifying information in their videos.
• Creating User-Friendly and Accessible Content: They needed to ensure that the video content was easy to understand and accessible to non-professional software testers, typically government employees assigned to the project.
• Utilizing AI and Automation: They faced challenges in automating the video creation process, integrating it with their existing tools like Azure DevOps, and ensuring that the narrative for each step in the video was clear and comprehensible.

The Solution

Pictory significantly transformed the way BERP Systems approached their instructional video creation, addressing their numerous challenges with an innovative solution. By automating the video production process, Pictory enabled the team to efficiently create high-quality, clear, and concise L2 videos for software instruction and testing. This automation was particularly beneficial given their tight development schedules and the need to focus on their primary task of software development.

With Pictory, the team was able to integrate video creation seamlessly into their workflow, without the need for extensive videography skills or resources. The use of AI-generated voices and the ability to easily incorporate screenshots and step-by-step instructions made the videos more accessible and user-friendly, especially for non-professional software testers who were part of the government departments. This approach not only saved time but also enhanced the quality and effectiveness of their testing and training materials.

The API functionality of Pictory provided a streamlined process for integrating video creation into their existing tools like Azure DevOps, further automating the process and reducing manual effort. This led to an improved quality assurance process, as the QA team could generate detailed and clear instructional videos alongside written test cases, enhancing the overall testing experience. The positive feedback from customers and the potential for widespread application across various projects within the company highlighted the success of Pictory's solution in not just solving the immediate challenges but also in adding long-term value to BERP Systems' software development lifecycle.

The Results

Pictory has helped Dean and his team to save a lot of time and money developing high quality training, allowing them to focus on their development cycle.  It has received great reviews from the clients, as it is helping them get clear video instrucions.   It has improved their QA testing.