June 13th, 2018

How to Use Scenario Based Learning for Corporate Training and Gain a Better ROI

At EI Design, we have been offering custom learning and performance support solutions to our customers across the world for over 16 years. Over this period, we have seen changes in many facets including technology (Flash to HTML5), delivery formats (traditional eLearning to mobile learning), and learner demographics (increasing percentage of millennials). With these changes, most of the popular Instructional Design approaches too have evolved.

In this blog, I show you how you can use the a powerful technique that is, Scenario Based Learning to design high-impact corporate training and do justice to your new mandates and in the process see an improved ROI.

What is Scenario Based Learning (SBL)?

Scenario Based Learning is a popular Instruction Design approach that uses real-life situations.

It helps learners learn through relatable situations.
It can also be used to check-point or validate their learning.
Additionally, Scenario Based Learning provides room for learners to practice what they have learned (in a safe environment).
More significantly, it can be used as a powerful approach to help learners understand the impact of their choices or consequences of their decisions.

How Can Scenario Based Learning Be Used to Create High-Impact Corporate Training?

As I had highlighted earlier, at EI Design, we extensively use Scenario Based Learning for our corporate training solutions to create high-impact learning and performance support solutions.

While much has changed over the last 16 years, our core design philosophy has not changed, and it continues to be to “Build engagement frameworks” by making learning:

Motivating
Interesting
Relevant and relatable
Experiential
Memorable
Continuous

We use Scenario Based Learning in the following ways:

For knowledge gain: You can use real-life situations to substantiate primary learning. As these situations are relatable for learners, they will be able to connect and internalize the learning easily.
For improving retention: Post the knowledge acquisition, the Scenario Based Learning can also be used to help learners practice. This keeps the “forgetting curve” at bay and helps learners steadily improve their proficiency in a safe environment.
For an effective application of learning on the job: Scenario Based Learning can be used as extremely effectively as Performance Support Tools or learning aids that can help learners apply their learning on the job.

Can Scenario Based Learning Be Applied to All Types of Corporate Trainings?

Scenario Based Learning can add tremendous value to most corporate trainings. The 7 examples featured here outline how you can use them effectively and improve your ROI.

Sales Training
This example is related to training salespeople in the retail segment. We have used scenarios to allow the learner to handle customer queries and asked them to make a choice about the right kind of reaction to a particular situation.
Compliance Training
We have used scenarios in the following three ways to achieve outcomes in this series on Generic Compliance:
1. Validating learning.
2. Application of the learned concepts.
3. If the learning triggers the desired behavior.
Soft Skills Training
To manage conflicts at the workplace, this course offers scenarios in the following two ways:
1. Setting the context: The course begins with a branching scenario followed by each challenge being connected to a topic in the course.
2. Validating the learning at an application level: Along the learning path, we’ve implemented multiple scenarios to keep a tab on the cognition level of the learned concepts.

Application Simulations Training
This is an engaging application simulation on Salesforce where the simulation is carried out in an innovative format. Additionally, there is a challenge that uses a scenario based approach at the end of the simulation that puts the learner into a situation and asks him/her to respond.
Professional Skills Training
This example uses a conversational scenario in which learners can engage in a simulated environment and perform activities where they make choices and view the consequences of their decisions. They are challenged to perform better and understand and apply their learning through gamified situations.
Awareness Training
This example uses interactive videos to build awareness on Travel Security for professionals travelling to various countries. Decision-Making Scenarios are used effectively to put users into potentially hazardous situations and then asked to make a decision; and based on this, they could view their consequences and, as a result, learn the best practices in a better manner.
Quality Training
This example involves solutioning for the process conformance mandate of quality certifications. Scenarios involving potential roadblocks in the certification process and making decisions to develop a project management and collaboration tool is the key highlight of this training.

Can Scenario Based Learning Impact ROI Positively?

Certainly, the effective usage of Scenario Based Learning will impact ROI positively. Let me illustrate how we have achieved this.

Our usage of Scenario Based Learning for corporate training helps our customers see the following impacts:

Demonstrable gain for learners: Reflected in performance improvement and triggering the desired behavioral change.
Demonstrable and positive impact on business as learners gain new skills or improve their productivity.
Improvement on ROI.

Summary

I hope this blog provides pointers on the possible ways you can use Scenario Based Learning for corporate training and see a positive impact on your ROI.

If you have any queries, do contact me at apandey@eidesign.net.