COURSE OVERVIEW
This scenario-based eLearning concept project was designed and developed to help collection specialists use effective debt collection techniques. In the course demo, the learner engages in a real-life, low-risk scenario, ultimately learning what actions lead to collecting an outstanding payment and a positive customer review.
Audience: Collection Specialists at Star Recovery Services
Responsibilities: Instructional Design, Action Mapping (Needs Analysis), Storyboarding, Visual Design, Mockups, eLearning Development
Tools Used: Articulate Storyline, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Audition, Microsoft PowerPoint, Mindmeister, WellSaid Labs
KPI: The recovery of outstanding payments will increase by 15% by Q4 as Collection Specialists use low-pressure debt
collection techniques.
THE PROBLEM
Soon after implementing a quarterly collections goal, The Credit and Collection team at Star Recovery Services Corporate Office noticed that clients needed to pay their outstanding balances. Unfortunately, clients did not pay the debt due to negative reviews about forceful debt
collection tactics. Understanding the importance of a collections goal, the team didn’t want to go out of business for not collecting their
client’s debt. After deciding that 5-star reviews were equally as crucial to the team as increasing debt collection, they reached out for help.
THE SOLUTION
After careful analysis with the client, I determined that the problem was performance-related and caused by the collection specialists’ lack of knowledge of low-pressure debt-collecting techniques. Therefore, to solve the performance problem, I proposed an immersive scenario-based eLearning experience to help collection specialists practice low-pressure debt collection techniques in a real-world setting.
MY PROCESS
Guided by the ADDIE model, I iterated on each step of my process until I was confident with the look, feel, and content of the learning experience. Before reaching full development, my process included creating an action map, drafting a storyboard, and designing visual mockups.
ACTION MAP
(PRESS PLAY TO REVIEW/ZOOM)
ACTION MAP: PROCESS
After the client accepted my proposal of a learning solution based on low-pressure debt collection techniques, it was time to work with the client to dissect the performance problem and contributing factors further. I set up a meeting with a subject matter expert (SME), Briana Martin. In the meeting, I asked her about a typical workday, scenarios she encountered and the proper way to handle common problems. To begin the action mapping process, I proposed a measurable performance goal for the learning experience, which is included on the left side of the action map above.
After creating the business goal, I worked with the SME to brainstorm the observable tasks and behaviors the learners would need to engage in and avoid to help meet the performance goal. The next step in my process was to carefully evaluate each action and consider which would help contribute most to the business goal. This evaluation revealed three high-priority actions that became the focus of the content in the learning experience and heavily influenced my design and development process. These actions can be seen branching out from the debt collection goal in the action map above.
Action mapping is a crucial part of my design process because it allows me to meet the client's needs while keeping the content in the learning experience meaningful and relevant to the learner. By setting a measurable performance goal, I can keep all stakeholders concentrated on business performance and success rather than just the "information" they need to know. Prioritizing actions allows me to reduce cognitive load and help the learner encode and retain the most crucial information concerning the performance goal.
TEXT-BASED STORYBOARD
TEXT-BASED STORYBOARD: PROCESS
Once I identified all high-priority observable tasks and behaviors through action mapping, I drafted and iterated on a text-based storyboard to serve as a blueprint for my final product. To help the learners meet the established performance goal, I prioritized the main features I wanted to include in the experience. The final product needed to be scenario-driven and based on selected actions in the action map to avoid information overload.
Another priority was to include learner feedback based on selected choices. The learner would receive positive reinforcement for correct decisions through a mix of sound effects, wording, and visual design. The learner would watch the consequence scenario play out for incorrect choices, learn from it, and try again. Once I prioritized the critical assets of the course, I had a clear path for completing the storyboard in a way that would best help engage the learner in the scenario. I also included a mentor to help the audience access helpful information when needed.
VISUAL MOCKUPS
VISUAL MOCKUP: PROCESS
When I was confident that my storyboard laid out an engaging, learner-centered experience, I moved on to the visual decision step of the process by creating mockups for my vision and iterating on them. My main objective was to include visuals and scenes that helped tell the story while maintaining a balance of verbal, visual, and auditory information. I explored photos of abstract art for color inspiration. I created a style guide to keep fonts, colors, and spacing consistent with the Star Recovery Services branding.
