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Instructional designer

Jennifer Varano

Projects

eLearning

Email spear phishing

Problem: Email phishing scams have become wide-spread across all industries and can lead to major financial losses.

Solution: I created this eLearning course for employees to realistically practice identifying and managing spear phishing email at work.

Challenges: This project was for a graduate class so I had to create scenarios that were generalized enough for any industry yet still contextualized. The use of AI was also a requirement.

Business impact: This design centered around the goal of increasing the number of employees who report suspicious email by 60%.

Tools: Articulate Storyline, InVideoElevenLabsSlidesgo

Adding medication to animal feed

Problem: Observations showed performance gaps in the manual process to add medication to animal feed.

Solution: An eLearning course to improve performance gaps with authentic practice and application outside of on-the-job training. I have included an example of an assessment section to show how the learners would demonstrate their ability to perform the actual process. Please note that placeholders are used for some documents.

Challenges: The process involved numerous steps involving paperwork and manual tasks. This is why I focused the design on replication of the tools and performance of the actual work. In addition, there were differences in the process between each mill due to logistics, but I worked with the SME to form standardized best practices.

Business impact: This project was developed to help improve quality and safety compliance.

Tools: Articulate Storyline, Adobe Premiere

Ladder safety

Problem: Ladder safety non-compliance was shown in audits and performance observations of a construction company.

Solution: A flexible eLearning to refresh employees on how to apply ladder safety on the job.

Challenges: Designing the training to engage both new and veteran construction workers. For this reason, I chose to create the scenario-based assessment at the end.

Business impact: Ladder-related incidents should decline as employees correctly set up and use ladders safely.

Tools: Rise 360

Videos

30-60-90 day review process

Problem: A new process was created for 30-60-90-day reviews. Originally in a paper format, I created an electronic version using the company LMS.

Solution: I created a video tutorial using the mock version of the LMS to demonstrate how to navigate and complete the process. Sensitive information has been redacted.

Challenges: Many employees access their training through a phone and have small pockets of time for training, so a concise, flexible output was needed.

Business impact: This tutorial decreased questions and problems by 40% compared to other training for system changes.

Tools: Cornerstone LMS, Adobe Premiere

Manufacturing software training

Problem: A new ingredient receiving software was installed in an animal feed mill. The employees needed training on key areas of how to use the software.

Solution: I collaborated with mill SMEs and captured the software processes in real-time to create a training video on the new system. You will view one section of the video. Sensitive information has been redacted.

Challenges: I had to work in real-time with the SME at the mill and capture the tasks and processes as they happened. The process wasn’t linear and required pre-planning and flexibility.

Business impact: This project centered around the goal of improving and standardizing ingredient receiving software training.

Tools: CompuWeigh software, PowerPoint, Adobe Premiere, ElevenLabs

Instructor-Led Training

EdTech SaaS training

Problem: I used an effective instructional EdTech platform called Pear Deck that teachers were interested in but didn’t know how to use.

Solution: I created and facilitated a cross-functional VILT session to demonstrate the instructional capabilities of platform.

Challenges: I wanted the participants to experience the platform first hand so I used the platform to instruct the session.

Business impact: 100% of participants found the session relevant, engaging, and useful based on evaluation surveys.

Tools: Pear Deck, Microsoft Word, Google slides

Deliverables

Organizational project document

Problem:

Solution:

I needed to organize the tasks, data, and deliverables for a cross-functional animal nutrition cohort.

I created a project document with Excel for tracking and organizational purposes. All sensitive information has been redacted.

Job aid for events calendar

Problem:

Solution:

Many employees didn’t know how to sign up for events on the LMS calendar.

I created a simple job aid with visuals that was emailed to all employees and could be saved and referenced in the moment of need.

Manufacturing training checklist

Problem:

Solution:

Trainers in all mill areas needed a common list of safety and operational tasks for new hire training.

I organized the collaborative ideas of mill management into a streamlined checklist. Here is an example of one section.

My Values

01

Build backwards

I start designs with what learners need to do and how they will demonstrate they can do it.

02

Replicate the real world

I create solutions that practice and refine on-the-job tasks and skills.

03

Anchor to the business

I ensure that learning designs connect to key organizational goals.

04

Use science and theory

I incorporate established learning and instructional design theories into my work.

05

Stop, collaborate and listen

I rely on teamwork, flexibility, and communication throughout the project life cycle.

06

Maintain a project management mindset

I focus on delivering value and continuously improving in all stages of the design process.