How to set up a screen recording assessment for technical walkthroughs, software demos, and screen-based automation demonstrations.
Screen recording assessments capture what the learner does on their screen — narrating through a software automation, demonstrating a process in a CRM or support tool, or walking through a design or technical task. The recording shows both the screen and the learner's audio narration.
Screen recording fits when the skill is what the learner can do on a screen — and what they can articulate while doing it. For interpersonal skills (a pitch, a coaching conversation), Webcam Recording in a regular video assessment is the right format instead. For the strategic frame, see Assessments: Designing Knowledge Checks That Are Useful.
Setup requirement: Learners need to install the Continu Screen Capture Google Chrome Extension before they can take a screen recording assessment. Communicate this in the assignment notification — without the extension, the learner can't complete the assessment.
How to Create a Screen Recording Assessment
1. Open the Assessments tab. Navigate to Create > Assessments from the left-hand navigation panel, then click Add an Assessment.
2. Choose Video Coaching. Screen recording is configured under the Video Coaching path. Click Video Coaching.
3. Fill in the basics. Title, Author Name, Description. Add tags if relevant. Click Next.
4. Write the video prompt. The prompt is what the learner sees before they record. Be specific about what they're demonstrating, what tools or screens they should use, and what success looks like.
5. Choose Grading Criteria or Overall Points Value. A rubric (Grading Criteria) produces more consistent grading for multi-skill demonstrations. A single Overall Points Value works for quick capability checks. See Setting up Grading Criteria for Video Assessments for rubric design.
6. Select Screen Recording as the Recording Type. Under Recording Type, choose Screen Recording (rather than Webcam Recording). Set the Recording Limit (1–60 minutes) — be realistic; learners need time to demonstrate, but a 60-minute cap creates grading load.
7. Configure attempts and assessment settings. Set how many attempts the learner has, the Minimum Passing Grade, retake policy, and whether learners see their grade. See Assessment Settings for the full breakdown.
8. Preview and publish. Click Next to preview the assessment from the learner's view. Click the X to exit preview, then click Create to publish.
Considerations
Specify the screens or tools. "Walk us through how you'd handle a refund request in Zendesk" is specific. "Show us how you do customer service" leaves the learner guessing what screens to share.
Define the time expectation. Tell the learner upfront: "Plan for 3–5 minutes." Without that, recordings vary widely in length, which makes grading inconsistent.
Ask for narration, not just clicks. Screen recordings without audio narration are hard to grade — the grader sees the actions but not the thinking. Be explicit: "Narrate your thinking as you go."
Set the Recording Limit to fit the prompt. If the prompt is a 3-minute task, a 60-minute limit invites runaway recordings. If the task needs depth, a 5-minute limit cuts learners short. Match the limit to the actual scope.
Configuration Pitfalls
Not Communicating the Chrome Extension Requirement. Learners who get the assignment but don't have the extension installed can't complete the assessment. Include extension installation instructions in the assignment notification or in your program's onboarding.
No Rubric on Multi-Skill Demonstrations. A screen recording that asks the learner to demonstrate three different skills (e.g., find the customer, investigate the issue, deliver the resolution) needs a multi-criterion rubric. A single overall score collapses the grading signal.
Recording Limit Mismatched to Prompt. A 60-minute limit on a 3-minute task wastes grader time on recordings that should have been short. A 5-minute limit on a complex automation cuts learners off mid-demonstration. Test the prompt against the time limit.
Skipping Grader Calibration. Screen recordings are subjective by nature. Without calibration, graders apply their own standards. Run a 15-minute calibration before the program goes live — see Assessment Grader Settings.
Preview Without Testing the Recording Flow. Preview shows the learner-facing prompt, but it doesn't test whether the Chrome Extension actually captures correctly in your org's setup. Have a pilot user complete an actual recording before launching at scale.
Where This Fits
You're here because you're building a screen recording assessment. The rubric design framework lives in Setting up Grading Criteria for Video Assessments. The grader settings live in Assessment Grader Settings. Once published, see Assigning an Assessment for assignment paths.
See Also
- Assessments: Designing Knowledge Checks That Are Useful — the strategic anchor.
- Setting up Grading Criteria for Video Assessments — rubric design.
- Assessment Grader Settings — who can grade.
- Create a Video Assessment — for webcam-based demonstrations.
- Creating a Video Coaching Assessment — the broader Video Coaching add-on.
Screen recording captures both the screen and the thinking. A specific prompt and a calibrated rubric make it work.