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E-Learning in Action

The Problem

Brian is the instructional designer for an online learning program for sales representatives of a home improvement store. Through the program, Brian plans to help these sales representatives match a customer’s needs with products in the store. Brian’s learning program specifically focuses on kitchen products: cabinets, flooring, appliances, and plumbing.

Although Brian has decided that this material is best presented as a tutorial (online course), he is concerned about how to actually present the content. He plans to cover a variety of products, but is concerned that a listing of cabinet types and finishes, followed by a listing of flooring types, appliances, and plumbing parts could easily bore learners. Besides, that would also overlook the exciting part of the content: helping a customer design an attractive, usable kitchen within their budget constraints. He wonders how he can get this material across to learners and build their enthusiasm for kitchen design.

Brian’s challenge is a common one. Until now, the design process has focused on what to present. Now, attention turns to the challenge of how to present the content. You addressed part of this challenge in the last phase, when you determined the format that the learning content should take.

But the heart of this challenge is in the design phase. This is one of the most complex phases of the entire design and development process because, in this phase, you actually plan the presentation of the content. In this phase, you do the following to designing the content.

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Suggested Solution

Brian begins his challenge by developing a high-level design for the online learning program. Consistent with the learning objectives developed earlier, Brian determines that the course has these units:

• Determining the customer’s needs, which explores ways to help customers clarify their own goals pertaining to a new or remodeled kitchen, and set parameters for the project.
• Choosing cabinets and flooring, which involves a variety of aesthetic, use, and budget issues
• Choosing appliances, which involves similar aesthetic, use, and budget issues
• Choosing plumbing, a choice the primarily emerges from the choice of appliances
• Preparing a model, using software available on computers placed on the sales floor

Brian recognizes that the sales representatives have little time to train-perhaps a few hours a week-and their primary motivation to participate in the training is to increase their commissions. So he decides to design the course as a discovery learning exercise: one in which they could earn an imaginary commission. In each lesson, Brian presents another aspect of a customer’s needs. He would then let learners try to choose products that meet the customer’s needs, then give feedback on the choices learners made.

In the continuation of the design phase, Brian will develop the detailed design for the learning program, including a sample section and storyboards for each screen.

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