Business Context & Performance Problem

New Customer Support agents required extensive mentoring to handle complex data-line issues (DSL, Fiber, 4G, Satellite, Cable TV). This created several business risks:

• Senior agents were pulled away from live queues

• Onboarding quality varied by mentor

• Ramp-up time was difficult to predict or scale

• Technical knowledge was delivered inconsistently

The organization did not need “more information.” It needed new hires who could resolve common issues autonomously.

Solution

The solution consisted of seven story-based eLearning modules with gamification elements, developed in Rise 360. This platform was chosen for its ability to handle large amounts of content efficiently while offering interactive exercises and quizzes.

Key Features:

• Contextual, story-driven scenarios to enhance engagement.

• Tasks based on real-world scenarios reflecting the most common customers' issues

• Immediate feedback on learner actions to reinforce understanding.

• Job aids integrated into the modules.

Story context

The course begins with a humorous Vyond video depicting a town struck by a storm, leaving residents without TV or internet. Learners take on the role of a hero tasked with helping the residents restore their services.

Structure

• Each module focuses on a specific technology (e.g., DSL, FTTH, Sat TV).

• Learners navigate customer conversations, solving problems through knowledge check interactions in Rise.

• Support is provided through video guides and an imaginary mentor for learners who need assistance.

• Feedback is given immediately after each action and at the end of conversations, linking choices to customer outcomes.

Constraints & Friction

This project operated under several constraints:

• High technical complexity across multiple technologies

• SMEs with deep expertise but limited instructional experience

• A six-month delivery window

• The need to scale onboarding without increasing mentor workload

These constraints required strong scope discipline and SME enablement, not just instructional design.

Options Considered & Rejected

Several alternatives were evaluated:

1. Extended shadowing / mentoring

•  Rejected due to scalability and inconsistency.

2. Reference-heavy knowledge base

•  Insufficient for decision-making under pressure.

3. Tool-centric technical training

• Did not map well to customer conversations.

A scenario-first, decision-driven eLearning system was selected instead.

Design Strategy & Key Decisions

Key design decisions included:

1. Using a single narrative framework (storm-struck town)

→ Provided emotional engagement and coherence across modules.

2. Structuring modules by technology type, not by tools

 → Mirrored how problems appear in real calls.

3. Applying a test-then-tell (generation) approach

 → Forced learners to attempt solutions before instruction.

4. Embedding an “imaginary mentor”

→ Modeled escalation behavior without real-time support.

Implementation & Delivery

I led the project end-to-end:

• Planned and managed a six-month delivery timeline

• Coordinated a team of three SMEs

• Designed the learning architecture and scenarios

• Built prototypes, gathered feedback, and iterated

• Developed and deployed the final solution in Rise 360

• Published and assigned courses via Cornerstone LMS

To scale content creation, I:

• Created SME templates and writing guides

• Defined clear review and quality standards

• Established weekly check-ins and shared task tracking

Learning Approach

The course design was guided by Michael Allen’s CCAF Model and elements of the ARCS Motivation Model:

Context: A humorous, story-driven scenario to set the stage and contextual tasks resembling the reality on the job as much as Rise 360 allowed.

Challenge: Learners solve real-world problems to help residents restore services.

Activity: Interactive multiple-step tasks, such as customer conversations and troubleshooting exercises.

Feedback: Immediate realistic, extrinsic feedback after some decision-making points and intrinsic feedback at the end of conversations to reinforce learning.

ARCS Model:

Attention: The humorous intro video and story captured learners’ interest. The "test-then-tell" approach (solving problems before theoretical content) kept them engaged.

Relevance: Real-life scenarios mirrored actual job tasks, making the content practical and meaningful.

Confidence: Challenging yet achievable tasks, supported by video guides and an imaginary mentor, boosted learners’ confidence.

Satisfaction: Gamified elements, such as a map showing saved areas of the town, and the hero narrative made the learning experience enjoyable and memorable.

Test-then-Tell method (Generation method)

To ensure learners are sufficiently challenged we used the generation method, by giving them a problem to solve before providing them instructions of how to solve them. 

Outcomes, Signals & Learnings

Mentor time spent on the onboarding was cut by 50%. Impact data is currently being collected. 

Early signals include:

• High learner engagement and completion

• Positive feedback from the Head of Customer Support

• Improved SME capability in writing practical tasks and recording demos