The Deer Hunter's Journey
This concept project is a scenario-based training for customers who are newer to deer hunting. The goal is to teach those new to the hunting industry what type of gear is appropriate when taking into consideration the pursuit, location of the hunt, time of year, temperature, and wind speed.
Audience: Those new to the hunting industry with a focus on whitetail hunting
Responsibilities: Instructional Design, eLearning Development, Visual Design
Tools Used: Articulate Storyline, Adobe XD, Mindmeister, Google Docs, Amazon Web Services
Overview
Hunters who are new to the outdoor industry struggle to stick with the sport early on because they face an overwhelming amount of information. With the surge of new hunters since COVID, the need for retention has never been stronger. With the surge of new hunters since COVID, the need for retention has never been stronger. Some main issues new hunters face include: which camo pattern to buy for their pursuit, selecting appropriate fabrics for under layers, and selecting the correct outer gear such as footwear and gloves.
Because of this, they will purchase the wrong items causing them to have an unsuccessful hunt which directly results in losing newer hunters. Overall, this causes a drop in sales.
I proposed a scenario-based eLearning experience designed to help new hunters decide what gear to wear based on multiple factors. The experience allows the learner to make the same decisions that a hunter would encounter when getting ready for their hunt. The learner sees the outcomes of their choices and is offered feedback by a mentor when relevant.
Process
I consulted with a subject matter expert (SME) from the company who has been in the field of hunting for over 20 years. While working with the SME, we were able to identify the specifics that make it difficult for new hunters. Using this information, I came up with the idea that a scenario-based eLearning experience would be a good fit to help new hunters. I designed this experience by defining goals in an action map, storyboarding the script, creating an interactive prototype, and developing the full interactive simulation.
Action Map
Working with the SME, we created an action map. We started the process by identifying specific action items new hunters need to take in order to have a successful hunt. From there, we branched off each of those specific action items to define the steps that need to be taken in order to achieve those goals.
By doing this process, we identified the high-priority actions. We were able to use these actions to create our scenario-based questions within our learning experience.
Text-Based Storyboard
Using real-life scenarios I created with the SME, along with the high-priority actions from the action map, I came up with five interaction scenarios. For each scenario, I wrote the correct response, along with two wrong choices, giving the learner three possible options to choose from. If the learner selects the incorrect response, they will see the consequence stating what happened as a result of that choice. The learner would then select the “Try Again” button to get back on track.
To make for a more engaging learning experience, I created a mentor character named Samuel. Samuel has been hunting whitetails in Iowa for over a decade, so he is prepared to help the learner along the journey. For every question, there is an “Ask Samuel' button that the learner can select if they need any helpful hints along their journey.
Visual Mockups
To layout the design of the course, I used Adobe XD. Because the learner needs to be able to go back to the task card as often as needed, I needed to make the user experience seamless.
To do this, I created a tab interaction on the left side of each question where the user can switch between Samuel’s guidance, the task card, and the question. By using this design, it maintained consistency, and used basic, universal icons to represent the information in the tabs throughout the entire experience.
For the color scheme, I chose colors based on the time of year the hunt is taking place; this helps immerse the learner in the experience. I then collected feedback from other designers to ensure the color palette was effective.
After creating the initial iteration of the design, I gathered feedback from other designers to identify areas in need of improvement. Using the gathered feedback, I made changes accordingly. I went through this process several more times before completing the final mockup.
Visual Storyboard
In order to easily transition from design to development, I created a visual storyboard to layout the interactions and events in the course. This consisted of adding the script, programming, and animation notes, and including on-screen graphics.
By creating the storyboard, it was easy to see how the experience flows. It saved time by helping to identify any missing elements before getting to the development phase.
Interactive Prototype
With the mockup and storyboards complete, I developed the interactive prototype using Articulate Storyline. I developed this up to the first question before gathering feedback. I then applied the feedback and proceeded to develop the remainder of the experience.
To create slides, I used vector images from Adobe Stock and Freepik. I then made it interactive directly in Storyline. I imported the tab interaction buttons from Adobe XD in order to have the perfect shape.
After I had the final interactive prototype developed, I gathered additional feedback from other designers. Once I had all of the feedback, I went through and made the appropriate revisions before publishing the final project.
Full Development
With the mockup and storyboards complete, I developed the interactive prototype using Articulate Storyline. I developed this up to the first question before gathering feedback from other designers. I then applied the feedback and proceeded to develop the remainder of the experience.
To create slides, I used vector images from Adobe Stock and Freepik. I then made it interactive directly in Storyline. I imported the tab interaction buttons from Adobe XD in order to have the perfect shape.
After I had the final interactive prototype developed, I gathered additional feedback from other designers. Once I had all of the feedback, I went through and made the appropriate revisions before publishing the final project.
In order to not overwhelm the learner early on, I created a “Task Card” button on the side of each question for the learner to refer to at any point in time needed. I also created a “Mentor” button, and a “Question” button for the learner to easily navigate.
Takeaways
Throughout this project, I was able to deepen my understanding of Articulate Storyline 360, Adobe XD, and visual design.
One of the main areas I struggled with was the design of the tabs to the left of each question slide. My goal was to create a visual design that allowed the learner to know which tab they were on without simply changing the color; I wanted to extend the design beyond that point. After a few mockups and feedback, I came up with the idea to leave the icons in place while leaving the background color of the question box.
If I were to do this project again, I would like to have a mentor character with various expressions. Throughout the project, I was able to gain a better understanding of how to use vector graphics that fit with the overall look and feel of the project. Moving forward, I feel confident I am able to pick graphics and make them come to life within a project to create more of an immersive feel for the learner.
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