Feedforward to Stronger Employee Performance (Storyline)

Audience: This training was developed for managers at an office product wholesale vendor who is implementing a new system for addressing employee performance issues. This system will supplement and support the purpose and aims of the company-wide annual performance review tool. 

Business Problem: IT staff are frequently behind schedule on delivering IT infrastructure projects, which are critical for maintaining workflow within all departments as well as improving customer experience. A key contributor to those delays is the inconsistency in response times for tech support tickets. The findings of a departmental survey aimed at identifying trouble areas revealed that a major issue for both managers and staff was dissatisfaction with the performance evaluation system. The consensus was that the process was ineffective: feedback was primarily focused on past performance and lacked actionable, timely recommendations for improvement. 

Solution:

This module, part 3 of a 4-course series, trains IT managers in how to partner with their staff in implementing a forward-focused approach to feedback. They collaborate in monitoring, assessing, and addressing the performance of established goals for improvement on a continual basis. In addition to improving department morale and project delivery rates, the aim of the new system is to improve the rate of on-time tech support ticket responses by 20%.

Process:

A needs analysis based on the ADDIE model was performed to identify the knowledge and skills necessary for building on those that the managers had acquired in the previous modules. The content was segmented to align with learning objectives and reduce cognitive load. Basing the module on realistic scenarios ensures greater engagement and learning retention, and frequent knowledge checks enable learners to connect prior knowledge and track their attainment of the objectives. This training was refined through multiple feedback rounds and included assessments targeting levels 2 and 3 of Kirkpatrick’s Model of Evaluation. Those assessments, as well as additional longer-term progress checks, measure the knowledge and skills gained and the module’s impact on organizational goals.

Highlights:

• Animated characters engaging in realistic discussions in relevant settings

• Continuous scenario (from beginning to conclusion) as vehicle for content

• Review of skills and knowledge acquired in prior modules in training series

• Varied interactions (branching, accordion, drag-and-drop, click to reveal, matching)

• Multiple models of and practice with ineffective versus effective versions of targeted skills

• Access to course-related resource

Tools: Articulate Storyline 360, Canva, Pixabay

Streamlining Email Communication (Rise)

Audience:  This learning module was created for staff at a digital marketing firm in departments involved in ad campaigns, including project heads, who are responsible for maintaining regular email communication on department practices and projects. Overall, they have a high level of proficiency with technology and many have hybrid positions. Most are technically proficient in using the firm’s email platform. No formal training on composing effective emails is offered, so employees depend on their prior experience with work email practices.

Business Problem: Department members spend a disproportionate amount of time each day on attending to email messages. The results of a brief oral survey conducted by project heads indicated that a common problem for staff  was that they were often unsure about the purpose/goal of message content, making it challenging for them to send an effective, relevant response. The firm utilizes other modes of digital communication but requires ad campaign details to be handled via email so that information and related actions are documented and preserved. 

Solution: By implementing a department-wide, streamlined approach to composing and responding to messages, the time spent on email interactions would be reduced by 25%, resulting in a more balanced division of work time and activity for staff working together on ad campaigns. This course guides project heads and their team members in using each component of this improved email communication system.

Process: The ADDIE model was incorporated throughout the development of the training. A needs analysis identified the knowledge and skills required to address learning gaps for the staff, and the content was chunked to align with learning objectives and reduce cognitive load. The inclusion of model email interactions that reflect realistic, typical issues email users encounter is critical for enhancing learner motivation and buy-in with the new system. The course was refined through multiple feedback rounds and included assessments targeting levels 2 and 3 of Kirkpatrick’s Model of Evaluation. Those assessments, as well as additional longer-term progress checks, measure the knowledge and skills gained and the module’s impact on the company’s goals.

Highlights:

• Models of realistic and relevant email communications 

• Engaging images and graphics

• Multiple examples of common email issues and their solutions

• Varied interactions, including accordion, tab, and labeled graphic blocks

• An initial message analysis task that is repeated later in the course review 

• Integrated knowledge checks and a final assessment

Tools: Articulate Rise 360, Canva, Unsplash, Pixabay