Working with Wellnessa scenario-based eLearning experience
I designed this learning concept project for employees who have recently pivoted to a remote work-space at home. The project will include four modules that cultivate wellness habits in different areas of the workday. This project showcases one fully built module: Building a Mindful Morning Routine.
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Overview
Audience: Employees newly shifted to working remotely at home
Responsibilities: Instructional design, eLearning development, graphic design, storyboarding, prototyping
Tools: Articulate Storyline 360, Figma, MindMeister, Google Suite
Responsibilities: Instructional design, eLearning development, graphic design, storyboarding, prototyping
Tools: Articulate Storyline 360, Figma, MindMeister, Google Suite
CreativCore, a fictitious company for this concept project, had experienced a marked increase in employee turnover since shifting to a remote setting at the onset of the Pandemic. Leaders and managers struggled to support team members working in isolation in slapdash home offices. Maintaining a high energy work pace with no face-to-face interaction resulted in burned out employees and low morale. What's more, the added stress of the Pandemic reduced employee productivity. A culture shift was in order to retain experienced employees that were integral to the company.
An in depth performance analysis revealed a knowledge deficiency in work-life balance that required training in building wellness across the remote workday. A needs assessment determined that a scenario-based eLearning experience would give employees the chance to practice daily habits that de-stress the remote working experience, thus improving morale. The concept project here showcases one of the modules that is part of a larger training program.
An in depth performance analysis revealed a knowledge deficiency in work-life balance that required training in building wellness across the remote workday. A needs assessment determined that a scenario-based eLearning experience would give employees the chance to practice daily habits that de-stress the remote working experience, thus improving morale. The concept project here showcases one of the modules that is part of a larger training program.
Process
Action Mapping
I consulted SMEs to develop the action map and establish the overall training goals for this project. Input from a wellness expert helped me to identify the actions and behaviors that employees need to perform in the morning before the workday begins that support a healthy morning routine. With the action map in place, I used backward design to create the assessment questions so I could ensure the content aligned with the learning objectives.
Text-Based Storyboard
After creating the action map and assessment, I wrote a text-based storyboard that integrated the key actions into a narrative. The first part of the eLearning is instructional content about wellness and prompts the learner to start thinking about wellness habits at home. The introduction leads to a module menu, where the user can choose a wellness topic. One module, Building a Mindful Morning Routine, has been developed end-to-end and can be accessed through the menu. The other modules are currently in development.
I built the Building a Mindful Morning Routine narrative in a second-person perspective, set in a remote-work-at-home situation. The entire module takes place before the work day begins and includes many decisions a remote worker must make when beginning the day at home. In addition, I created a "guru" character to help the learner make decisions and offer wellness tips.
The story unfolds in distinct segments, each scene ending with a question prompt and a series of choices. The question prompts are multiple choice with unlimited tries, the rationale being that the learner practices realistic wellness decisions with each answer. Feedback is provided by the Guru and transitions the learner to the next scenes.
I built the Building a Mindful Morning Routine narrative in a second-person perspective, set in a remote-work-at-home situation. The entire module takes place before the work day begins and includes many decisions a remote worker must make when beginning the day at home. In addition, I created a "guru" character to help the learner make decisions and offer wellness tips.
The story unfolds in distinct segments, each scene ending with a question prompt and a series of choices. The question prompts are multiple choice with unlimited tries, the rationale being that the learner practices realistic wellness decisions with each answer. Feedback is provided by the Guru and transitions the learner to the next scenes.
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Interactive Prototype
Once the storyboard was approved, I moved on to an interactive prototype in Figma so I could create and test my ideas quickly. I laid out the frames for each scene, putting the user experience at the heart of the design. The iterative design process also allowed me to ensure the graphical layouts were balanced and consistent throughout the module.
The visual style of the module reflects a playful color palette and a unique set of graphics. I customized vectors from Freepik to build the background scenes and animation layers and prototyped interactions and screen flows, all in Figma. I chose Figma because the graphics, storyboard, and prototypes could be shared on one artboard. At this phase, I made graphical changes and reorganized slides to ensure an immersive learning experience.
The visual style of the module reflects a playful color palette and a unique set of graphics. I customized vectors from Freepik to build the background scenes and animation layers and prototyped interactions and screen flows, all in Figma. I chose Figma because the graphics, storyboard, and prototypes could be shared on one artboard. At this phase, I made graphical changes and reorganized slides to ensure an immersive learning experience.
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Project Development
With the prototype approved, "Working with Wellness" was developed in Articulate Storyline 360 quickly and efficiently.
Features
- Gamification: For this project the learner earns lotus petals rather than points. The learner must complete the lotus flower to achieve a mindful morning routine.
- Animation: With the Trigger feature in Articulate Storyline, I created engaging animations, interactions, and motion paths.
- Avatar: "Wellness Guru": An avatar named Kai delivers feedback and guides the learner on the wellness journey, rewarding lotus petals and offering advice.
- Music and sound effects: music and sound effects are gently layered in to indicate rewards earned or as background music. Upon reflection, I would add more sound effects to create a more immersive experience.
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Evaluation
While I have not done a formal evaluation on Working with Wellness, I have created an evaluation plan. I recommend a Kirkpatrick Level 3 evaluation, as a Level 3 determines the degree to which learners apply what they learned during training on the job.
The Level 3 evaluation for the Working with Wellness program will determine whether learners consistently demonstrate wellness habits with confidence while working at home. The following elements would be measured:
A support package will reinforce the learning, consisting of:
I have anticipated challenges in implementing this training, specifically around communicating in a remote setting. In addition, more experienced workers may resist adopting new wellness habits. Resistant employees will be mitigated by offering peer-groups and coaches, as well as job aids that highlight wellness tips.
The Level 3 evaluation for the Working with Wellness program will determine whether learners consistently demonstrate wellness habits with confidence while working at home. The following elements would be measured:
- Logged hours while working at home.
- The number of breaks taken throughout the day as well as the duration of the breaks.
- Wellness journal entries that indicate mood, stress level, and overall morale, to be evaluated by an independent coach/expert in the field.
A support package will reinforce the learning, consisting of:
- Job aids
- coaching sessions
- recognition in newsletter
- peer-support groups
- self-directed learning resource library
- follow up microlearning modules
I have anticipated challenges in implementing this training, specifically around communicating in a remote setting. In addition, more experienced workers may resist adopting new wellness habits. Resistant employees will be mitigated by offering peer-groups and coaches, as well as job aids that highlight wellness tips.
Reflection
When I shared my final project with colleagues, I received positive and encouraging feedback. They mentioned the realistic storytelling and colorful graphics as elements that kept them engaged throughout the experience.
Additional ideas for this project include support materials, such as journaling pages, job aids, and incentives, as mentioned in the evaluation above. If I could improve Building a Mindful Mourning Routine, I would build in more branching, where the learner can go down paths with different outcomes (To view a branching scenario I created, see my Delivering Effective Feedback project.). In addition, I would add more sound effects throughout to enhance the learner experience.
Creating this concept project honed my skills in designing a module using a variety of tech tools. Since I do currently own the Adobe Suite, I feel fortunate that I was able to use a vector editing tool like Figma while simultaneously building an interactive prototype.
Additional ideas for this project include support materials, such as journaling pages, job aids, and incentives, as mentioned in the evaluation above. If I could improve Building a Mindful Mourning Routine, I would build in more branching, where the learner can go down paths with different outcomes (To view a branching scenario I created, see my Delivering Effective Feedback project.). In addition, I would add more sound effects throughout to enhance the learner experience.
Creating this concept project honed my skills in designing a module using a variety of tech tools. Since I do currently own the Adobe Suite, I feel fortunate that I was able to use a vector editing tool like Figma while simultaneously building an interactive prototype.
