Scenario design

In this four-week live, online course, you’ll apply action mapping and scenario design techniques to a project from your job, learning as you work.

The course takes you from defining the performance problem to creating a prototype activity for a real-life project. The activity could be a mini- or branching scenario to be used in any format — live sessions, on paper, self-paced elearning…

You’ll practice the following skills:

Plan for strong activities (high level overview)

Identify a change in business performance that the project will help create
Analyze the performance problem and identify where scenarios can help
Analyze on-the-job decisions to write challenging, targeted scenarios
Identify which type of scenario will work best

Write challenging scenario questions

Include the complexities of the real world
Write subtle options that make people think
Create feedback that helps learners build mental models that they’ll transfer to the job
Identify which information to include and how to include it
Use scaffolding and other guidance to provide the right amount of challenge
Structure the materials so people are immediately engaged and challenged
Create a prototype activity to test on learners and win approval from stakeholders

Plan a branching scenario

Identify the best idea for a branching scenario
Write and prototype a typical decision point
Plot the scenario and test it on the audience
Draft challenging debrief questions to help people transfer their learning to the job

Choose formats and evaluate the project

Consider ways to provide scenarios on demand rather than in formal training events
Choose the most effective media for the learners’ needs and budget
Plan to evaluate and improve the project using changes in the performance goal and interviews with learners

See the action mapping competencies that this workshop targets.

We focus on design, not tools: No specific development software is required. If you plan to create a branching scenario, you’ll probably want to use a program like LucidChart or Twine to draft your plot.

Prototype activity: The workshop brings you to the “prototype one activity” stage on this workflow. Once you’ve done the analysis and have created a prototype, the rest of the process is straightforward.

Self-paced elements: The private course site includes self-paced activities that help you practice on a fictional project before you apply the skills to your own project in weekly assignments. I’ll be available over email for private questions and feedback.

All course sessions are recorded. You’ll have access to the recordings and all other materials on the site for a year.

Time commitment:

4 hours of pre-work before the first online session
2 hours or more of work before each remaining session (total of 10 hours of on-the-job application)
4 90-minute online sessions with discussion