Recycle It, Check It, or Trash It?

This eLearning interaction is a concept project designed for waste management customers to learn about proper recycling practices. Customers drag and drop items to the proper container to improve correct recycling procedures and cut down on waste.

• Audience: Customers of Waste Management Systems

• Responsibilities: Instructional Design, eLearning Development, Visual Design, Storyboard, and Mockups

• Tools Used:  Storyline 360, Google Docs, Mind Meister

Problem

It is essential that customers properly sort recyclables from non-recyclable waste. Misplaced items can damage equipment, contaminate recyclables, and cost waste management companies time and money.

Solution

People tend to make mistakes because of either a skill or knowledge deficit. In this case, customers may lack the knowledge of whether certain items should be recycled or thrown away. In order to help people understand and practice how to recycle correctly they will be presented with the information they need as well as an opportunity to practice this knowledge in an engaging drag and drop interactive.

Process

I designed and developed the entirety of this eLearning course. Through constant iteration, feedback, and tweaking I was able to create a final, polished project. To that end I created an action map, wrote a text-based storyboard, made visual mockups, and developed the final product.

Text-Based Storyboard

I learned from the action mapping process that I needed to both give information and allow the user to practice using that information. I created a storyboard to outline where the information would be delivered and how the drag and drop practice would work. I decided to present the information at the beginning of the experience and then have it available during the practice as a reference. This would allow the user to practice recalling the information while still being able to access it if needed.

Visual Mockups

I begin creating visual mockups directly in Storyline 360 so that I could experiment with the visual design in the authoring tool I planned to do the final product in. I shared the mockups with colleagues and applied feedback to tweak the layout and feel to be more user-friendly.

Full Development

As this was a concept project I was able to move into the final stage of development quickly. I had fun exploring sound and animation triggers in Articulate 360 to enhance the experience and emphasize correct and incorrect choices.

There were a few lessons I learned in creating this project. 

Persistence in Problem-Solving: There were instances when features in Articulate didn’t work as expected the first time. However, I was able to resolve all issues by either trying again or researching solutions. This process helped me build confidence and strengthen my skills.

Focus on the Learner: As I worked through multiple iterations of the course, I kept the learner at the forefront of my mind. With each change, I imagined myself as a first-time user, considering how the adjustments would enhance the experience. I also shared the course with others and gathered feedback to further refine the overall experience. Ultimately, keeping the learner’s perspective guided my decision-making throughout the process.

Stick to the Experience: My ultimate goal was to create a project that allowed users to practice their knowledge in a way that closely resembled how they would use that knowledge in real life. This has been proven to help encode information that learners will need to apply again in a real world setting. As I made choices I focused on presenting the information and allowing the user to harness the information in practical application.