ELEARNING PROJECT FEEDBACK THAT WORKS
scenario-based training
This scenario based eLearning project is a course focused on helping new managers develop essential feedback skills whilst they ease into new roles. With interactive engagements, complex situations and learning tools to grow from your decisions, this course is sure to help you develop - no matter your experience.
As an additional note, this is an extremely common problem I have found in the various companies I have worked with. I used my previous knowledge and resources, hence my dedication in creating something to help eliminate the problem.
Figure 1.0
eLearning Overview
SUMMARY
MY ROLE
I developed this project from concept through completion. Major roles included: presentation design, instructional design, visual development, scenario writing, authoring and programming.
AUDIENCE
Recently promoted design team managers across the department
OVERVIEW
For newly promoted managers, their experience leading teams and working with direct reports was lacking. They don’t know if, when, or how they should give feedback, especially considering they lacked the feedback from their managers. This was becoming a re-occurring cycle.
Through my knowledge from training various staff and working with very learned and experienced managers throughout my career, I decided to create a scenario-based learning course, developing every aspect of the project, from ideation through development.
The course was met with such extremely positive feedback, that I have developed it as a staple of my productive work. The school has used it as an introductory to all staff in relevant departments. We had a 100% satisfaction approval.
Feedback that works, Scenario-based eLearning - January 2022
THE PROBLEM
On a surface level, the problem was that with so many new staff being hired at a rather quick pace over the last two years, there has been a promotion for many employees to management positions. As newer managers, their experience leading teams and working with direct reports is lacking.
Furthermore, because the new managers themselves haven’t had the chance to be upscaled, not only is there a fear of not knowing how to give productive feedback, but almost a desire to avoid providing any.
This on numerous levels has affected communication, team relations and progression between colleagues on even a basic level of face-to-face communication.
THE SOLUTION
After defining and analysing the problem, I determined that a combination of solutions would help build successful feedback skills since communication in the workplace is complex. Alongside an immersive eLearning experience through PowerPoint (being that all staff were with familiar with it), recommended solutions include live workshops, an analysis of communication tools and procedures, and culture coaching at the C-level.
This eLearning solution allows new managers to learn and practice feedback skills in a safe virtual environment, building skill and confidence that will result in higher productivity and morale. I also conceived a separate version geared towards team members themselves to make the feedback loop complete.
See process below
Figure 2.0
Main feedback concerns
DEFINING THE PROBLEM
How do I create a resource which doesn't introduce (software wise) any new complicated programmes so that staff can immediately immerse with the training - so it is self guiding. At the same time, the expectations need to be established that this is a necessary development to help fundamentally grow the team and department as a whole.
All whilst making sure from the feedback that the course doesn't come across as condensing or insulting as to of the intelligence of the staff.
Figure 2.1
Action Map
ACTION MAP
I started strategizing by creating an action map, and determined a variety of solutions to work in tandem. From there I focused on developing the eLearning project, using insights from constructs such as the ADDIE model and Meyer’s multimedia principles for optimal learning.
For this project, I acted as the SME, drawing from my experience working in various business roles and my education in Law, Teaching and organizational leadership and communication. The action map includes detailed items that are necessary for performing best feedback practices, and are oriented around a measurable goal of increased productivity. This ensures the resulting project will include relevant, crucial activities for the learner to complete.
Storyboard
Consulting with the Head of Department and subject leads, I then used insights from the action map to weave questions, actions, and consequences for the eLearning scenario into a text-based storyboard. To help learners internalize desired behaviours, I included consistent – yet varied – storytelling scenarios that resulted in meaningful rewards and consequences.
I documented my scenarios and decision points with a text-based storyboard, which included scripts for user scenarios, navigation options, questions for the learner, consequences based on the user answer choice, and help text for optional help screens the learner could select at key decision points throughout the course.
Figure 2.2
Example of Storyboard (Scene 2)
Figure 3.0
Visual Mock up and Notes
Mentor
Icons created by myself using Adobe Ai, matching the Eastern theme
Artwork of traditional Chinese culture
I hand drew and created these matching art pieces using Adobe Photoshop
VISUAL MOCK UP
With the story development complete, I turned my attention to the visual design elements and attributes needed for the project. I knew these scenarios would be text-heavy, so I needed to break up the content to reduce cognitive load on the learner. One way I accomplished this was by “hiding” additional information behind a virtual help button assistant. In addition to breaking up the content, this feature also provided guided instruction for the user.
Furthermore, following Mayer’s Personalization Principle, I created the mentor character to provide guided instruction throughout the course. I created the character as an AI character to be engaging and relatable to the learner in an effort to increase learner engagement - being that the guiding note was that staff didn't feel their intelligence was being insulted.
HIGH FIDELITY MOCK UPS
With both the story and visual elements developed, I combined the text-based storyboard with the visual designs from PowerPoint to create a visual storyboard. Seeing all elements together in this format allowed me to think through the project flow, make decisions regarding interactivity and determine if and when I wanted to include further narration. The visual storyboard became an important design document as I moved forward to the next phase of the design model, which was interactions and prototyping.
Note: I made the core theme design decision to use photorealistic imagery versus illustrative styling. This was to help immerse the learner in the environment. I wanted the imagery to paint a picture in the learner’s mind as they read the scenario.
Figure 3.2
Animations and Interaction layout
ART, INTERACTION & ANIMATION
After getting feedback on the visual storyboard, I moved into the authoring environment. For this project, I used both PowerPoint and Articulate Storyline360. With the visual storyboard in hand, creating a prototype was straightforward. I created a prototype to include: intro workstation, intro scene, two complete scenario with setup, question choices, result screens, and a conclusion slide. The purpose of the prototype was to test the functionality and interactive flow of the project and gain feedback.
The best outcome, albeit rather difficult, was that with PowerPoint I could translate the course to other software including Storyline360. With transitions there was a bit of difficulty as PowerPoint has really progressed in this department and no html or even AWS code could handle the morph. For that regard I had to use trigger videos as the animation.
See prototype below
PROTOYPE AND PROTOYPE FEEDBACK
I knew gaining feedback was critical, so I submitted this to several peers and department leads for review. The majority of feedback I received was extremely positive noting the relevance of each scenario and the detail as to which the answers provided instruction on how to improve. All amendments can be denoted below.
DOUBLE-CLICK TO FULL SCREEN
Even though the format was different for the second task, the theme was kept consistent to keep the user visually informed of their choice.
DOUBLE-CLICK TO FULL SCREEN
On the decision screens for correct and incorrect responses. Testers felt there was not enough of a visual distinction between the two screens. To address this, I added further visual colour elements and changes.
DOUBLE-CLICK TO FULL SCREEN
A further visual distinction for the negative response which was recorded as theme throughout the course to maintain consistency.
ELEARNING PRESENTATION DEMO
EXPERIENCE THE PROJECT
The full project consists of over 100+ slides, available to be presented in PowerPoint and PowerPoint Kiosk. The project has been translated to Articulate storyline 360 for student portals linked with Google Classroom.
Below is a guided video where I go through each of the key aspects of the project so you can see first hand, the capabilities of PowerPoints & eLearning.
ELEARNING PRESENTATION
take aways
This new style teaching and eLearning lesson experience is focused on helping educational professors teach Eastern philosophy to an audience unfamiliar with the concepts.
With self guided information, navigated teaching and efficient pedagogy, the ability to learn something sophisticated and new, has never been more appealing.
FEEDBACK & RESULTS
The next step was to implement the information into cognitive animated interactions through the slides in order to get a sense of the formatting for each type of slide (title, information, task, research, etc). The balance was to make the interactions subtle, but distinctive enough so students knew the type of task that was commencing, whilst understanding the prompts for the tasks that were initiated.
I developed an interactive prototype presentation to collect feedback on the functionality of the project before diving in and developing the project in full. This was a chance to understand if the eLearning lesson project had accommodated to the needs of the teaching pedagogy within Gagne's 9 Event s of Instruction. The key indication was the interaction between what was considered content, what was then considered the task the students needed to engage with and finally, assessing the performance with a seamless integration.