Danielle Russo

Hi, and welcome to my portfolio!

I am an instructional designer and eLearning developer who loves to use my creativity and passion to create engaging and interactive scenario-based learning experiences. I focus on concise and performance-driven outcomes, and collaborate every step of the way to ensure content accuracy and alignment with business goals. I love using different resources such as Articulate Storyline 360, Articulate Rise 360, Camtasia, Vyond, 7Taps, PowerPoint, Google products, and much more.

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My Portfolio

Click the images below to view my samples.

My Design Process

To design and develop effective learning solutions, I use a detail-oriented approach with several iterative rounds for each step. Below is not an exhaustive list, but rather a snapshot of what each part of my process might entail.

Preparation

During the preparation phase, I like to:

Initiate communication with the project sponsor and other key stakeholders
Examine any available source content, materials, or data to review before the kick-off meeting
Prepare a list of high-level questions based on the initial conversations and materials reviewed

Analysis

The project begins with the kickoff meeting, which is an opportunity to have all key stakeholders and subject matter experts in the same room and to define:

Desired performance outcomes
Project requirements and scope
Clarify project roles
High-level timelines and deliverable deadlines
Audience, seat time, and modality

During the analysis phase I also gather data to determine underlying causes and recommend appropriate solutions.

Basically, is training needed? And if so, what kind?

During a needs analysis, I:

Identify performance gaps through interviews, surveys, focus groups, observations, and data review
Analyze trends
Analyze the audience:
- - What job role? What department?
  - Tech proficiency? Location? Remote or on-site?
Analyze tasks:
- - What are the most common mistakes? Why are they happening?
  - What are the most critical aspects of performance tasks?

Design

I use results gathered from analysis and feedback from subject matter experts to:

Define learning objectives
Map learning objectives to assessments and business goals

Then I create a design document outlining:

- The business purpose, target audience, seat time, training recommendations, deliverables, learning objectives, training outline, and assessment plan

Once I send the design document for review and feedback, I implement the feedback.

Then I create a storyboard or prototype depicting:

- A detailed description of branding (fonts, color palette), images, layout
- A slide-by-slide description of visuals, slide text, narration/ voiceover, animations/ interactions, and corresponding learning objectives

I send the storyboard or prototype to SMEs for review and feedback, implement the feedback, and then I am ready for development.

Development

Development is one of my favorite parts of my process! I love to build interactive learning experiences in different modalities that have different features. Some examples are:

- Storyline: scenario-based learning, avatars, voiceover, states, layers, triggers, variables, branching scenarios, accordions, 360-degree images for virtual tours, knowledge checks, and quizzes
- Rise: carousels, flip cards, markers, and buttons
- Camtasia: scripts, voiceover, callouts, tutorial learning, podcast editing, and promotional videos
- Vyond: scenario-based learning, avatars, scripts, voiceover, and varying scenes
- PowerPoint: instructor-led training, discussions, breakout rooms, small and large group exercises, skill-based practice, and virtual or in-person formats
- Canva: clean design, posters, job aids, infographics, gifs, and other microlearning

I use visual design principles and adult learning principles to avoid cognitive overload and make learning relevant and visually clean.

The development phase typically involves several iterations of feedback and revisions, sometimes referred to as the Alpha, Beta, and Gold revision cycles. Each iteration involves review from SMEs and other stakeholders on the project. I then implement that feedback before continuing to the next revision cycle.

Implementation

Depending on the project and modalities, when the final revision of the development process is complete I would either hand off the course to be implemented or facilitate it. As part of the facilitation process, we would track results. If it is an eLearning course, I would hand it off to be uploaded, administered, and tracked in a learning management system (LMS).

To do this I would:

Publish the course to create a zip file and SCORM package
Hand off the zip file to an LMS administrator

Evaluation

After learning has been implemented, I look at different levels of evaluation following the Kirpatrick Model to track learning and training impact. Some of these include:

Kirpatrick's Level 2: Final graded quiz and knowledge checks
- These are built into the training
- These give immediate feedback to the learner and are ideally coupled with Level 3 evaluations

Kirpatrick's Level 3: Observe and assess behavior 1-2 months after the training
- I assess through observation, interviews, and learner performance
- This is ideal when logistically possible to assess learner outcomes on the job after the training

Kirpatrick's Level 4: Impact on the organization
- This may occur anywhere from several months to several years after the training
- This is difficult to measure as it is hard to isolate the impact of training from other factors such as budget, improved technology, employee changeover, etc.
- As a result, this is a less common form of assessment