Project Write-ups

Text-Based Storyboard

Once the action map was completed and approved, I began working on a text-based storyboard that incorporates these key actions into a cohesive narrative.  

I framed the scenario as a flight attendant’s first day on the job, and I consulted with the SME to ensure each element was grounded in reality. 

Although several possible situations may require de-escalation, I chose a passenger angry over weather delays and unplanned checked baggage due to its common occurrence. Question prompts appear featuring correct choices and realistic distractors as the learner goes through the scenario. I incorporated a mentor to provide assistance and simulate the guidance of actual flight crew leaders. 

Selecting an incorrect choice would require the learner to either try again immediately or lead them through an extended sequence where the plane lands and a customer satisfaction report appears, providing feedback. This approach highlights a variety of realistic outcomes, including the flight being diverted from its destination - a worst case outcome for airlines.

Visual Mockups

Once the text-based storyboard was revised and approved, I moved into the design phase of the ADDIE model by creating visual mockups for the scenario in Adobe XD. Adobe XD allowed me to experiment with visual elements and layouts, helping me develop a polished and immersive design.

I maintained a consistent visual style for each element, from the background to the characters. I also created a custom color palette based on my title slide’s background illustration and got to work on editing each asset to match the color scheme using Affinity Designer, a vector editing software. 

Another priority was to maintain a logical narrative, which meant sourcing and editing three different airports to have realistic departure and arrival destinations (including the remote airport the flight may be diverted to). Lastly, I designed the prompt boxes, buttons, and font to reinforce the goal of de-escalation, which led to the minimalist prompts and subtly rounded corners. 

Satisfied with the look and feel of my mockups, I developed a visual storyboard to combine the visual mockups and text-based script. Then, it was time to recreate everything in Articulate Storyline 360 to further refine the elements and implement interactivity.

Visual Storyboard

The visual storyboard combined my Adobe XD mockups with the text-based storyboard, organizing all elements in one place. I defined the programming for each slide and prepared the interactive prototype. The objective in the Visual Storyboard aligns with the Application level of Bloom’s Taxonomy, as learners apply de-escalation skills in a realistic scenario.

Interactive Prototype

Next, I moved into the development phase of the ADDIE model. Using Articulate Storyline 360, I created an interactive prototype based on the visual mockups and storyboard. The prototype featured a title screen aligned with Gagne’s first event of instruction—gaining attention—using the on-screen text: "Can you navigate tough passenger situations and successfully land your flight?" It also included the scenario introduction, mentor introduction, and programmed consequences for both correct and incorrect responses to the first question.

I incorporated smooth fade transitions and crisp animations for each prompt and slide element to maintain narrative immersion. I also prototyped custom animations of the plane’s takeoff and landing using motion paths and synchronized audio. These elements were designed to support the ARCS Model of Motivation, specifically enhancing Satisfaction by providing engaging and rewarding experiences for the learner.

The prototype also included the first implementation of the passenger’s anger meter which was used to visually gauge the passenger character’s reactions to the learner’s choices.

With the basic framework for the rest of the project established, I shared the prototype seeking feedback on the look, feel, and overall experience of the scenario. The reception was positive and I made minor adjustments to tighten the transition times and to add audio to the passenger call light. I moved on to the full development once I was satisfied.

Full Development & Implementation

The full development and implementation stage of the ADDIE model in Articulate Storyline 360 was straightforward and efficient now that all elements had been created and a programming framework for each choice was established. During implementation, I ensured the scenario was deployed effectively, ready for learners to engage with, and provided tools to measure its success through ongoing evaluation.

Features

Custom Visuals: I sourced each visual asset from an image repository and edited them using Affinity Designer to maintain immersion and a cohesive look. This included resizing, editing layers, recoloring individual elements, and merging assets. These visuals were tested during implementation to ensure they contributed to the learner’s engagement and understanding.

Custom Animations: I achieved the airplane animation sequence by importing the customized airplane vector and setting it along a motion path timed with audio of airplane take-offs and landings. This animation bookends each choice to maintain continuity throughout the experience and transitions to the airline’s headquarters. I also created a passenger call light used to indicate the request for assistance. A looping animation of the flashing glow around the call light was achieved through two layers fading out and into each other cued to the airplane notification sound. These animations were evaluated during the implementation phase for their impact on learner engagement.

Prescriptive Feedback - Mentor: For each question, the learner can access a mentor named flight leader Kelly to provide suggestions for their responses. This mentor helps steer the learner toward the correct behavior while providing explanations for why that choice is effective. According to Kirkpatrick’s Model of Evaluation, Level 2: Learning, this feature supports learner comprehension and knowledge retention by providing feedback that explains the rationale behind each choice. The feedback was tested during the implementation phase to ensure it effectively guided learners towards the correct behaviors.

Gamification - Passenger Anger Meter: I incorporated the anger meter as light gamification to help boost learner engagement and contextualize the emotion of the passenger’s dialogue. Seeing the meter increase or decrease alongside choices provides immediate feedback while building toward customer satisfaction reports. I decided to have the meter decrease with the correct choices to parallel the intended de-escalation of the passenger’s anger. During the implementation stage, the anger meter was evaluated to ensure it enhanced learner interaction and satisfaction, in line with Kirkpatrick’s Level 1: Reaction, which measures learner engagement and emotional connection to the training.

Customer Satisfaction Reports: In addition to the anger meter, customer satisfaction reports are earned and presented at the end of the experience. The learner is initially shown a five-star rating scale followed by a detailed response from the passenger. There are three different reports a learner can see depending on the choices selected. Each detailed review provides clues for the learner to help answer the question correctly if they got it wrong. In the implementation phase, these reports were assessed to measure how well they reflected Kirkpatrick’s Level 3: Behavior, determining if learners could apply their skills effectively to impact customer satisfaction. 

Scenario Branching - Diverting the Flight: One of the incorrect choices in question 2 leads the learner to question 2.5 where the situation has escalated significantly and they have one last chance to de-escalate. Correctly answering this question moves the learner along to question 3, while incorrectly answering this question causes the flight to be diverted to a remote airport. I created a newspaper to show this outcome to simulate the disastrous media attention of flight diversions for airlines. According to Kirkpatrick’s Model of Evaluation, Level 4: Results, this scenario branching serves to measure the long-term results of failure to de-escalate situations in a real-world context. During implementation, this feature was tested to assess how well it demonstrated the potential real-life impact of the learner’s actions.