How to Build Scenarios with Action Mapping and Lectora

“Action Mapping is a way to design your e-Learning content and focuses on 'doing' not “knowing,” said Betty Hornor, presenter at the 2013 Lectora® User Conference. It is also a great way to prevent e-Learning developers from giving their learners an information overload within their online training course.To begin to build your action map, you first should follow these four basic steps:

1. Define your business goal

1. Identify what learners must do to accomplish their goal

1. Select what activities will help

1. Pinpoint what content is really, really crucial

Here is an example from Hornor’s presentation of an action map:

After you create your plan, you should consider the design of your E-learning course. Before you begin the design of your course Hornor suggests you ask yourself these questions:

• Delivery – Will your course be a scenario-based lesson or more of an assessment?
• Style – Will you be using more of a comic book style or a real world look and feel?
• Characters – Will you be using characters? If so, are you using avatars, cartoons or photos?

Once you complete your action map and establish the design and style of your course, incorporate a script into your action map.One free tool to help you create this script and organize your course is Twine. This tool builds text based scenario lessons and builds branching to give you a visual picture of your course.For more information on Action Mapping, check out the blog, 4 Simple Steps to e-Learning Design: Action Mapping by Cathy Moore.To find even more e-Learning tips and knowledge, subscribe to the Lectora e-Learning Blog or visit Lectora University.