Case Study

CARES Program eLearning Course: The Game of Success

My Instructional Design Process

Analysis

I began by identifying the needs of the learners and the organization.

Key questions included:

• Who are the learners?
• What information do they need first?
• What barriers might prevent them from engaging with the program?

This step helped define the core learning objectives and tone of the course.

Design

Next, I developed the structure of the learning experience.

This included:

• defining learning objectives
• creating a learner persona
• planning interaction points
• developing a storyboard to map the course flow

The design phase focused on creating meaningful learner interactions rather than passive information delivery.

Development

The course was built using Articulate Storyline 360.

During development, I created:

• Interactive slides and navigation
• Scenario-based decision points
• Animated visual elements
• AI-generated video segments

Iterative testing ensured the course remained intuitive and easy to follow.

Tools

• Articulate Storyline 360

• Hedra AI

• Canva, Adobe Creative Cloud Suite

• ElevenLabs

• Gemini, Manus, Claude

These tools allowed for rapid development while maintaining a professional learning experience.

Design Artifacts

During development, several instructional design artifacts were created to guide the project.
Learner Persona - Helped define the needs, motivations, and challenges of the target audience.
Storyboard - Outlined the sequence of interactions, scenarios, and learning objectives before development began.
Design Document - Defined course goals, instructional strategies, and assessment approach.

Key Takeaways

This project reinforced several important instructional design principles:

• Scenario-based learning improves learner engagement
• Visual storytelling helps simplify complex information
• Interactive experiences encourage deeper learner participation
• Rapid prototyping allows for faster feedback and iteration

Learner Persona

The learning persona was developed with feedback from the project SMEs based on historical data. I utilized this persona to ensure all elements of the course were client-focused and relevant.

Tools: Canva, Adobe Stock, Claude

Storyboard

This storyboard was the jump-off point for developing the eLearning course. Helping the team's vision go from the abstract to reality.

Intro Slide

The introductory slide acts as a strategic 'hook' to build immediate learner engagement and signal a high-energy, interactive experience. As you progress into the final course, you’ll notice a shift in the visual palette and asset style—a direct result of iterative design and collaboration with Subject Matter Experts to better align with the program's evolving brand."

Mall Interaction

To give learners agency over their journey, I designed an interactive 'Mall' environment. This allows users to explore and select personal goals from a wide range of options, mimicking real-world decision-making.

Game Board

To drive motivation, I implemented a gamified progress map. This 'Game of Success' uses a micro-credentialing approach—earning coins at each stop—to provide the extrinsic rewards to encourage learners to complete the course. The look of the gameboard changed from design to development based on SME feedback.

Prototype

I created a two-scene prototype for the SME team to review and provide feedback on the course before completing the full course. Several changes were made, including the addition of content on the financial literacy piece of the CARES program that was originally left out of the course by the SMEs.

The Projected Results:

Increased Enrollment - The agency expects a 20% increase in client enrollment into the CARES program
Data on Clients' Interests - For those not enrolling in the program, the agency will receive data on why and be able to follow up with clients at a later date.

Microsoft Forms Evaluation

The survey at the end of the course was developed in MS Forms. I am also able to easily create high-quality surveys in Survey Monkey, as I used this tool frequently while working with the federal government.

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