Using Branching Scenarios

I just recently completed development on an ethics course for a non-profit organization that used branching scenarios. The client gave us a number of approved scenarios to illustrate how their code of conduct would apply in real life.

For one of them, they simply told us that one of the managers had invited a group of male managers to lunch, but did not invite the female manager. To determine whether this was something that should be reported or not, the client gave us a number of questions that needed to be answered first.

The Scenario in Pictures
To make the scenario more interesting and memorable, I showed our protagonist watching the male managers enter the restaurant.

Scenario is presented

The Primary Branch
I then presented the learners with three options of what our protagonist should do: 1. Report it, 2. Do nothing, or 3. Ask more questions.

Primary Branch – 3 Questions

When learners clicked on one of the three options, I had a layer appear with feedback either telling them they needed to rethink their answer and try again, or that they made the right choice and to continue on to ask more questions.

Learner prompted to ask more questions

As they clicked on each question, they would get the answer they needed from one of the characters.

Learner gets more information

The Sub-branch
After they clicked on each question to get all the information they needed, two new options appeared; 1. Report it and 2. Don’t do anything.

Sub-branch with two final questions

After they clicked on each answer, a final feedback slide would tell them whether or not they made the right choice.

Final feedback at end

Final Answer Delayed
The idea behind all this is that the final answer is delayed. Just like in real life, sometimes we don’t have all the information we need to make the right choice.

To accomplish this, I used a combination of layers, states, triggers, and variables in Storyline. Here’s what the final product looked like:

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Turning Rules & Regulations Into Stories

You’re in the unenviable position of having to create an e-learning course on regulatory requirements. How can you breathe life into Article 27 Subsection 42 so that learners won’t forget it five seconds after they exit the course? Just turn it into a story.

The previous training was in the form of a PowerPoint using those ubiquitous bullet points. It was drab and uninspired. 

Before – Slide with Bullets

“Now, how are you going to make that into a story?” you might ask. Well, think of it this way; ask yourself (or better yet, the SME) what would be the consequences if A27S42 were violated? Where there’s a rule, there are always consequences, and those consequences are…drum roll please, your story!

Consequences can be grouped into three basic categories:

1. Direct – If you leave the bathtub running long enough, it’s going to overflow.
2. Disciplinary – Maybe there is no good sensible reason you can think of for A27S42, but you know if you violate it, you could get fired or face disciplinary action.
3. Legal or regulatory – Your organization could get fined for violating these, and those fines can sometimes compound daily until the issue is properly resolved.

I’ve only discussed the negative consequences here, but there may also be positive ones like rewards, recognition, bonuses, etc. for doing the right thing.

Once you have the positive and negative consequences, create characters in the course who go through their day encountering various scenarios where these rules come into play. Give the learner opportunities to explore what happens both when they obey the rules and when they don’t using simple branching, layers, or states. This is especially easy to do in Storyline, but is also possible in other programs. Here’s what the new, improved story version looks like:

Character is presented with real-life situation

Learner has to choose what to do next

Learner gets feedback based on their decision