Corporate Training Program
Write-Up
Overview
This project addresses my approach to a theoretical manufacturing problem experienced by a real company I work for. I had access to subject matter experts (SMEs) but did not actually meet with key shareholders and learners to analyze the problem, set goals, or receive feedback. To demonstrate proficiency in those areas, portions of this write-up are dedicated to explaining what I would do in a real-world scenario. These are clearly marked in blue sections.
The write-up is organized in a format following Cathy Moore's action mapping guidelines. This includes the following steps:
Action Mapping Steps
Step 1: Setting The Goal
Step 2: Asking Why
Step 3: Prototyping
Step 4: Evaluating & Iterating
Tools Used:
- Articulate Storyline 360
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Photoshop
- DaVinci Resolve
- Microsoft Word
- xAPI connected to Veracity Learning LRS
Step 1: Setting The Goal
In a real-world scenario:
The project would start with a conversation with the key shareholders and SMEs to understand the problem. If we found that training would solve the problem, then we would set a performance goal. Based on Cathy Moore’s action mapping guidelines, that goal would be the following:
To reduce the number of repairs due to soldering issues by 50% or more within three months of the manufacturing team completing training.
To start this project, I discussed potential manufacturing problems with our subject matter experts (SMEs) on staff. The SMEs explained soldering was the most common skill- or knowledge-based problem so I based this project around soldering.
Soldering
Soldering is the process of melting metal onto electrical connections of two parts, most often between a circuit board and another EC. When the metal cools, a strong solder joint forms to pass electricity between the parts, creating an electrical circuit to perform a task.
Step 2: Asking Why
The next step was to figure out how to reduce soldering issues.
This led to another discussion with the subject matter experts (SMEs), asking questions about why soldering problems may occur and what actions could be taken to solve them. Before this discussion, I reviewed books and online resources to understand soldering so I had enough background information to understand the SMEs and ask relevant questions.
The SMEs and I uncovered numerous possible causes of soldering issues, such as a lack of resources for thorough part inspection or a lack of motivation among the employees. The most common skill- or knowledge-gaps were around the following topics:
Click on the + icon to learn more about each topic.
How much solder to add to each EC is knowledge that may be reinforced through training.
Training may cover knowledge gaps by teaching learners what to look for during inspections.
In addition to these topics, the SMEs also suggested including a refresher on safety information, as it is always extremely important to successful manufacturing.
Step 3: Prototyping
Planning
After gathering the necessary information, I organized it into a mindmap based on Bloom’s Taxonomy levels. An eLearning course satisfied the first four levels (Remembering, Understanding, Applying, Analyzing) but proper soldering required physical practice. To cover the remaining two levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy (Evaluate, Create) and ensure an effective training, I included in-person mentoring, along with a Job Aid to reinforce information whenever the learner needed it.
Actions and Consequences
Once the information was organized, I brainstormed specific eLearning activities with the SMEs to demonstrate why the actions around safety, tinning, and inspection are so important for the learner. Some examples include:
Tinning Activity
Action: Electronic components are not tinned properly.
Consequence: Components may fall off or create unwanted electrical connections, leading to additional troubleshooting for the learner.
I initially designed a drag-and-drop interaction to test the learner’s understanding. After reviewing it with the team and other instructional designers, I realized another type of activity more clearly demonstrated the consequences of specific tinning scenarios.
This led to the use of animated videos where the learner is asked to identify when the right amount of solder is applied to the electronic part. Three different outcomes are available, depending on whether the learner adds too little, too much, or just the right amount of solder. This version of the activity is more unique than the drag-and-drop. It also has a gamification element to help retain knowledge.
Examples of consequences are shown below, based on when the learner stops adding solder:
Too Little Solder
Correct Amount of Solder
Too Much Solder
Inspection Activity
Action: Soldering inspections are not done thoroughly.
Consequence: Passing problematic solder joints leads to additional troubleshooting. Failing solder joints that should pass leads to wasted inventory or annoyed coworkers who have to fix the soldering.
To demonstrate these consequences, I created three scenarios asking the learner to evaluate whether the soldering was done correctly. Each part may be viewed from a top- or side-view, forcing the learner to interact with the parts to perform a thorough inspection, as they are required to do in real life.
eLearning Storyboarding & Visual Mockups
After brainstorming the activities, I created a text-based storyboard for the eLearning, breaking down the text and user actions on each slide. I also drafted visual mockups of the eLearning module, keeping in line with company fonts and colors. Simplified graphics were used to follow Mayer’s Multimedia Principles and avoid cognitive overload.
Audience
An important part of creating the text and visuals of any project is to understand the audience, and this project was no exception.
Based on our manufacturing team and data from the industry as a whole, the field is overwhelmingly male. Over 35% of manufacturing employees are 55 years of age or older and this percentage continues to rise. This information led to using a more formal, direct tone to deliver information throughout the project, considering who the audience is and would be in the near future.
As this project is specifically for my portfolio, I left out some technical details to make it more comprehensible for those without a background in electronics manufacturing.
Step 4: Evaluating & Iterating
In a real-world scenario:
I would evaluate the effectiveness of the training by comparing return rates, repair rates, and repair causes before and after implementing training. I would also interview learners and mentors to get their impression of the three steps in the course (eLearning, in-person mentoring, job aid). Using this information, along with xAPI data from the eLearning course (failure rates, time on a slide, etc.), would allow me to create better iterations by following the Successive Approximation Model.
To mimic the review process, I shared this training with instructional designers in various online communities. They provided excellent feedback to improve UX, text hierarchy, and interactions, which helped smooth out the eLearning experience.
Step 5: Conclusion
From initial learner evaluation to slide mockups to evaluation by other instructional designers, each step of this project cemented important skills to develop and deliver an impactful learning experience. I also gained valuable time working with Storyline, SCORM, and xAPI coding, all of which were interesting to use. Overall, this project demonstrates a number of key benefits of hiring me:
- Impressive time management skills as I balanced project creation with working a full-time job.
- The ease with which I'll enter a new role due to my willingness and capability to learn new tools.
- The ability to work independently while maintaining excellent organization and attention to detail throughout the project and write up.
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