Sample Instructional design problem
I encountered an interesting design challenge in building an interactive, mobile-first course in image & video analysis for grad students in a business analytics degree program (MSBA). The subject matter expert (SME) I was working with suggested exposing learners to the digital image processing steps in the diagram below (before). As this diagram is cited in all the textbooks and academic research, it does appear to be seminal, content-wise. But it posed a challenge, design-wise.
Before
It was difficult for our learners to make sense of this diagram and its dimensions were poorly-suited for the constraints of our mobile-first LMS. I considered what our users really needed to grasp here and determined that in their role as aspiring business analysts, they most needed to understand the high-level process and the relationships between its phases.
After
So I designed a graphic that was better suited to our learners’ needs, our style guide, and our mobile-first platform. I used color, copy, and spacing more meaningfully to capture the big buckets, clarify the ongoing role of the knowledge base, and specify that the steps must be performed sequentially. The new graphic passed muster with the SME (he loved it!) and it served as a visual centerpiece for the course content.
Sample interactive microlearning
Here’s a lesson I created for a learners who are looking to understand and apply the behavioral science concept of loss aversion within a business context. This lesson is just a primer in loss aversion—meant to marry theory with practical application—so it’s bite-sized and interactive. To create this lesson, I conducted research, created a scope and sequence, designed interactions and graphics, wrote the copy, and recorded voiceover explanations. I used Sketch and Articulate360.
Click to try out this microlesson in “Understanding Loss Aversion.”