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The project

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This module was a redesign of a 10-year-old module on fire sprinkler system components. The original module was part of a test prep course for a state fire technician exam. 

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• Tools: Articulate Rise 360, Powerpoint

• Learners: Novice fire safety technicians 

 

The problem

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The original course had been designed a decade earlier by a subject matter expert. It was Powerpoint-based, text-heavy, and contained outdated graphics. Schematics were difficult to read and did not meet accessibility standards. Furthermore, the content was very technical and at times difficult to interpret as a novice. Since the module was part of a paid test prep course, the company was motivated to improve the quality of their product to increase pass rates and provide a better learner experience. 

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The solution

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My task was to redesign the module with the adult learner in mind. Because this was a prep course for a closed-book test, information retention and clear explanations of concepts would be essential. Since the project required a rapid turnaround, I chose Rise 360 as my authoring tool.

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The process

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I began by interviewing the President of the test prep company, who had commissioned the project, as well as a subject matter expert. After learning more about the target audience and learning context, I outlined a design for the module.

 

In order to increase retention, I added visual elements (such as clear photos of components), simplified the language where appropriate, and broke down the text into more manageable chunks. I also incorporated interactivity to engage the learner, such as a click-and-reveal schematic and flash cards. 

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Here is a video of the end result:

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Takeaways

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One hurdle in this project was the lack of photo assets owned by the company. As a result, many of the photos needed to be credited, which made some sections feel a bit cluttered.  Overall, though, the

President of the company was pleased and excited, and acknowledged that it was a notable improvement on the original. 

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