Reflection – Storytelling

Challenge and Selection

As a Consultant for Learning, I deal mostly with mass changes and further implementation of  software, ways of working, new training needs, among other things. When working with the “big”  Clients, the expression “one-size-fits-all” needs to be put aside, because there are people from all  over the world with different backgrounds, different knowledge scopes, totally different levels of  computer-savviness and motivations.

The selection of Storytelling for one of my eLearning projects came from the need of a more  appealing and compelling training for the new software being implemented in this Client’s company  as It makes it relatable, It gives strategy color, and life in character and plot. Why did I choose  Storytelling as the tool to develop it? It was mainly due to the fact that after all the training-needs- analysis phase of the project was completed, the central verdict was that the inequalities among the  workers were too hefty which made us decide to create more than one eLearning for the same topic  in order to keep everyone engaged, taking into consideration the different needs and motivations.

Application

It was settled that for the Customer Care team I would use Storytelling eLearning by creating the  stories of personas (characters) and their daily lives. This would make the workers feel relatable and  less prompt to get bored by the content.

For the purpose, we gathered the results of their interviews and tests, and created the profile of 5  virtual personas to use in the course. For each and every character I have designed a different  routine and role to play in the course. What all these characters had in common was the fact that  they were Customer Care workers and we used the picture of some headphones and desk as a prop  to indicate this.

So, the content of the eLearning was pretty heavy and complex, it had to do with a new software  being implemented in the whole company and the workers ought to learn how to use it in record  speed time. I’ve described the life of these workers from the moment that they would leave their  houses to head to work until the moment they would leave the office to go home. I have based the  content of the Storytelling eLearning on the different backgrounds and cultural specifications  reflected on their interviews and made it as interactive as possible, describing persona-journeys.

Insight and Approach

What initially seemed to be a simple task – preparing an eLearning that teaches the workers how to  use a software – turned out to be a much more complex one in which Storytelling tool played a  pivotal role to engage and motivate.

The workers of this department said that they even entered the course more than once and never  had so much fun in completing an eLearning. All in all, they are now fully aware of how to use the  new software and Storytelling allowed not only for them to feel relatable to something while  learning, but also for the Company in general to experience a much smoother mass transition.

What would I do different next time? Maybe using Storytelling eLearning for all the departments  instead of just this one. Customer Care department felt engaged and involved in the process from  the very beginning and the results reflected it, they passed the quiz at first, they entered the course

more than once and speedily learned how to use the software and return to the course every time a  question would arise. There were some departments in which the result was quite different, and the  users are still struggling with this software change, not willing to take the eLearning once again. Why  is that? Because I assumed that they were more computer-savvy who wouldn’t need a persona- based eLearning to feel engaged. I was wrong. Next time I am facing a mass implementation as this  one I will most probably create a Storytelling eLearning for all the departments, only diversifying the  personas (characters) included and their journeys, to fulfill each department need.


Reflection – Storytelling Challenge and Selection As a Consultant for Learning , I deal mostly with mass changes and further implementation of software , ways of working , new training needs , among other things . When working with the “ big ” Clients , the expression “ one - size - fits - all ” needs to be put aside , because there are people from all over the world with different backgrounds , different knowledge scopes , totally different levels of computer - savviness and motivations . The selection of Storytelling for one of my eLearning projects came from the need of a more appealing and compelling training for the new software being implemented in this Client ’s company as It makes it relatable , It gives strategy color , and life in character and plot . Why did I choose Storytelling as the tool to develop it ? It was mainly due to the fact that after all the training - needs- analysis phase of the project was completed , the central verdict was that the inequalities among the workers were too hefty which made us decide to create more than one eLearning for the same topic in order to keep everyone engaged , taking into consideration the different needs and motivations . Application It was settled that for the Customer Care team I would use Storytelling eLearning by creating the stories of personas ( characters ) and their daily lives . This would make the workers feel relatable and less prompt to get bored by the content . For the purpose , we gathered the results of their interviews and tests , and created the profile of 5 virtual personas to use in the course . For each and every character I have designed a different routine and role to play in the course . What all these characters had in common was the fact that they were Customer Care workers and we used the picture of some headphones and desk as a prop to indicate this . So , the content of the eLearning was pretty heavy and complex , it had to do with a new software being implemented in the whole company and the workers ought to learn how to use it in record speed time . I ’ve described the life of these workers from the moment that they would leave their houses to head to work until the moment they would leave the office to go home . I have based the content of the Storytelling eLearning on the different backgrounds and cultural specifications reflected on their interviews and made it as interactive as possible , describing persona - journeys . Insight and Approach What initially seemed to be a simple task – preparing an eLearning that teaches the workers how to use a software – turned out to be a much more complex one in which Storytelling tool played a pivotal role to engage and motivate . The workers of this department said that they even entered the course more than once and never had so much fun in completing an eLearning . All in all , they are now fully aware of how to use the new software and Storytelling allowed not only for them to feel relatable to something while learning , but also for the Company in general to experience a much smoother mass transition . What would I do different next time ? Maybe using Storytelling eLearning for all the departments instead of just this one . Customer Care department felt engaged and involved in the process from the very beginning and the results reflected it , they passed the quiz at first , they entered the course more than once and speedily learned how to use the software and return to the course every time a question would arise . There were some departments in which the result was quite different , and the users are still struggling with this software change , not willing to take the eLearning once again . Why is that ? Because I assumed that they were more computer - savvy who would n’t need a persona- based eLearning to feel engaged . I was wrong . Next time I am facing a mass implementation as this one I will most probably create a Storytelling eLearning for all the departments , only diversifying the personas ( characters ) included and their journeys , to fulfill each department need .