The Basics of Jewelry Sales

To determine the most relevant areas of focus, I sought the expertise of a Subject Matter Expert (SME) who is experienced in jewelry sales. In our first meeting, I discussed my intention to use a scenario-based method to simulate real-world sales situations for the associate. Subsequently, I began the design process by defining the learning objectives using an action map, creating a storyboard, designing job aids on Adobe Illustrator, and building an interactive prototype with Articulate Storyline.

Using the ASSURE model of learning as my guide, I developed a text-based storyboard that incorporated the story, questions, answer choices, and consequences. 

My primary objective was to create an interactive learning experience that would allow learners to engage with the content before applying their knowledge in scenarios. To achieve this, I included guided practice exercises where learners could identify worn jewelry and match birthstones to the months. This approach helped learners grasp the information and retain it more effectively for application in real-world scenarios.

Another priority was to provide learners with constructive feedback that would aid in their learning process. I achieved this by explaining answer choices, incorporating positive and negative sounds, and including a "mentor" character who provided tips on best practices. This allowed learners to learn from their mistakes and try again while receiving guidance throughout the course.

I utilized Adobe Illustrator to create the necessary job-aids and color scheme for this project. Using this software, I generated vector graphics of the birthstones, which were incorporated into both the reference guides and the "drag and drop" scenario within the course.

Consistency was a key consideration in the design process, so I based the color scheme around the primary color in the company logo. This ensured cohesiveness between the course and the brand. While designing the course on Articulate Storyline, I made sure to maintain color consistency across the slides to provide a seamless experience for the user. I carefully selected and revised the colors multiple times to ensure that they were user-friendly and visually appealing.

After creating the visuals and color scheme for the project, I proceeded to develop an interactive prototype on Articulate Storyline. I started by designing a few slides, such as the mentor slide, question slide, and help slide. These served as templates that I could easily adapt for the various scenarios, adjusting the characters and content as needed.

Using the SAM model, I continually iterated and refined various elements of the project, such as adding a hover state to continue buttons and answer choices. This approach allowed me to rapidly build and enhance the project simultaneously.

Throughout the development process, I sought feedback from peers by sharing the project on Articulate Review 360 and several instructional design groups. The feedback I received was incredibly useful in improving the design and functionality of the project. For instance, one of the recommendations that I incorporated was adding a transparency sheet behind the help buttons to prevent users from inadvertently clicking on other buttons.

Once I finished the full development of the course and received approval from the SME, I published the course and tested it for errors on both desktop and mobile devices.

I learned a lot from doing this project. I found the Action Map helped to provide a deep undestanding of the necessary information provided for me by the SME, and this aided to my ability to write a storyboard, which helped for ease of design within the scenarios.

I also learned not to be stuck to one design. Utilizing iterative design processes are important, as having multiple iteratitions of a design helps to provide better ease for the learner and creates the most impactful learning experience.

If I were to do this project again, I would like to create visual mockups of background images and characters on Adobe Illustrator, to give the appearance of a more "story-like" scene. Additionally, I would like to create a more "videoesque" scene with characters walking and interacting with each other to provide learners with further engagement in the scenario.