When eLearning Is Not the Solution

During a potential client consultation, I was asked to design and develop an eLearning module from a poorly formatted pdf file for how to archive projects. The suggested parameters were to design a module to run 10-15 minutes, include some basic interactions and include a knowledge check/quiz. 

At the meeting, I asked some key questions about the original goal of the module. I learned this was one of many presentations given to new employees during their onboarding experience. In some cases, there was quite a gap in time between their onboarding week and the first time they needed to create an archive report. By the time the information was needed, users had forgotten the process or turned in archive requests that were missing key information. After digging a little deeper, I learned that creating a course was an easy way to “check the box” that new employees had received training.  

I diplomatically suggested that we could cover the key points in the form of a job aid. Since users didn’t need to commit these steps to memory they didn't need quiz results to check for understanding. This document could live on the company Sharepoint site. During onboarding, users would receive an overview of the Sharepoint location.

A common directive throughout the archiving process was the need to include the full file name when taking screenshots. Instead of telling them how to get good screenshots, I proposed having each person take sample screen shots to check their understanding during the presentation.

Results and Takeaways

The stakeholders were very amenable to my polite response to the initial request and loved the job aid I created. I was able to remove redundant information and remove pixelated graphics that distracted from the message.