Ideas for Product Specs eLearning

[Jeanette]

For the scenario part (where the learner asks the customer questions & then figures out which product is best), you could so something like Sumeet Moghe did in this project: Leave Processing

[Joe_Deegan]

Originally Posted by Jeanette

For the scenario part (where the learner asks the customer questions & then figures out which product is best), you could so something like Sumeet Moghe did in this project: Leave Processing

Great example! I love how they used the resources. That's exactly what I am working towards. The main difference and the reason why I want to include an intro section overviewing the details of the product is because on the sales floor they won't have resources to use. They will need to be able to answer questions and make recommendations without leaving the customer to check a web site or manual. I'd love to throw them straight into the scenario but if I keep it realistic and don't give them resources to use I'll need to first educate them on the product. Right?

[Jeanette]

Well, yes & no - I think it'd be okay to throw them into the pool like Tom said, and just provide gentle feedback if they make a mistake. That's one of the awesome things about elearning, is that it provides a safe place for people to mess up. Maybe one way you could have the best of both worlds is to add an Engage interaction as a dropdown item on the toolbar, so that if they do respond incorrectly, they could look stuff up if they need to. That way you're still throwing them in the pool but there's a life vest nearby.

[DavidAnderson]

What about presenting the course (or each module intro) from the perspective of the client or customer?

Let the customer tell the salesperson why they bought the product. Maybe throw in some other customers who didn't buy the product because the salesperson emphasized technical details instead of making emotional connections?

Find some images taken from behind ppl (over the shoulder) so the learner, as the salesperson, faces the customer and hears in first person from the customer on the benefits, features, and value.

Might be a fun way to change perspective on the learner.

[Joe_Deegan]

That's a good idea David and would be reusable for other projects focused on sales and product knowledge. So, when you say use an image of a person taken from behind do you mean to use as the salesperson that the user will be playing the role of? I'm thinking it would just be the over the shoulder shot in the corner of the screen. Thanks.

[DavidAnderson]

Right - the user is the salesperson and the "voice" of the course is coming from the customer as opposed to the anonymous, high-level authority voice who normally presents the course.

Here's a quick mockup but sounds like you got the idea of the sales person perspective.

[Jenise_RidgeViewMedia.com]

Hey Joe:

If you're able, put together a small focus group of your learners, say 5 people so you have one person who's a "tie breaker". Show the focus group your 2 to 3 design options and have them provide their feedback.

Also, keep all of your stakeholders in the design loop.

More often than one cares to mention, a designer/developer embarks on a design journey, even one that supports adult learning, and a stakeholder or a high-level learner somewhere stopped the direction "cold", and you end up starting over.

Just a lesson learned from the trenches. Make sure all key decision makers (and not just your manager) see prototypes of the course design before building it all out.

Best to you!

@jenisecook

[Joe_Deegan]

Thanks Jenise! I have 2 more product knowledge/sales projects lined up after this one so I will be using a combination of all these ideas over the course of several projects. Should help keep things interesting for the learner if the same design is not duplicated every project.

Funny you bring up having stakeholders preview prototypes. I am taking an eLearning dev class where we are discussing Michael Allens "Successive Approximation" where several prototype reviews are emphasized. I am actually also using this project for my class and have a prototype due this week so I should also get some great feedback outside of the workplace from my classmates.