A 3-day (4 hours in total) digital-friendly learning journey designed for mid-to-senior level leaders at global companies to develop and retain talent to achieve team objectives.
Optimize the learning efficacy of the cognitive skills by integrating learning science research findings.
Hands-on practice activities based on the customized scenario.
Empower peer learning through facilitated group coaching sessions.
Engage the learner through diverge-and-converge, synchronous + asynchronous, flexible learning experience.
As the high level of resignations is predicted to continue through 2022, 57% of the respondents to a HBR survey of more than 10,000 knowledge workers across the globe, said they’d consider taking a new job in the coming year. DDI got lots of requests from company clients to help their mid-to-senior level leaders play a role in stanching employee attrition.
Business context
Current "Developing Organizational Talent" course:
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Has not been updated since 8 years ago and doesn't include any retention element.
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Content is "very outdated" and "too much theories".
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Too long (synchronous class is 5-hour long, and 1~2 hours long pre-work), but leaders just want to "get in and get out".
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Learning experience is "not relevant, engaging and immersive", and heavily rely on the experience of the facilitators.
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Revenue is declining significantly.
Problems to solve
How might we:
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Redesign the current course and solve ALL THE PROBLEMS ABOVE .
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Complete the redesign and launch the MVP (minimal viable product) within 2 months.
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Achieve the balance between customization (relevant to each company client) and scalability (can be consumed by all the company clients regardless of their sizes, industries, and cultures).
Design challenges
To make sure we can test and iterate our solution hypothesis before diving into development, I created the design process combining backward instructional design and agile product design.
In the 2-month timeline, the first 2 weeks were spent on scoping:
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Defined learning objectives.
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Determined learning experience frame work and requirements.
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Drafted the learning architecture (blueprint) of the new course (including the structure of the content, high level experience flow and instructional principles).
In the third week, we used a 4-day design sprint to brainstorm all the learning events under the learning architecture. Three learning events were voted by the team to be prototyped in the next two weeks through two 4-day design sprints, and the final hypothesis was tested with 37 mid-to-senior level leaders from 2 company clients in week 6.
Tools/Technology:
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Self-paced online experience: Rise 360.
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Synchronous live session experience: Mural + MS Teams.
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Workbook: MS PowerPoint.
Two Month Timeline
Understand & Test & Learn & Iterate
(6 weeks)
Develop & Launch MVP
(2 weeks)
Planning of "Understand & Test & Learn & Iterate"
The learning architecture of the NEW course "Developing Organizational Talent"
The Prototype of the group coaching session (Online)
Process: backward design + agile
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Approach talent retention from talent development perspective, which is the strength of DDI.
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Connect to the target learners' reality by helping them solve two specific problems they perceived as "most challenging" in terms of creating an appropriate development plan for their teams based on our design research findings.
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Enhance the learning effectiveness through scenario-based hands-on practice. No dry theories, lectures, and slides.
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Facilitate the learning from peers through structured storytelling, constructive feedback and group coaching.
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Divide the learning journey into three days (no more than 2 hours learning each day) to adapt to the busy leader's schedule and effectively manage the cognitive load.
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Embed the design research into the learning journey by assessing the prior knowledge and compare the post-journey survey, so that the learning efficacy measurement is data-driven.
"We have been looking for the leadership development solution tailored to this level of leaders to improve their thinking skills. This solution is just spot on."
-- Learning & development manager of the company that participated the prototyping
"This is a problem-solving experience for me. All I care about are how can I solve it and how can I do it better. I'm super excited about this learning journey!"
-- Director of marketing of the company that participated the prototyping
Key features of the finalized solution
My role in this project: Learning design lead
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Analyzed DDI research data.
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Conducted interview with internal stakeholders, clients and target leaders.
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Synthesized the research findings and review with the squad team.
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Evaluated the tools/technologies for the development.
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Developed the MVP for the first release, including all the learning events such as video scenarios, Mural canvas activities, facilitator guide, pre-and-post survey, workbook, job aids, etc.
Design research
(1 week)
Understand & Test & Learn & Iterate
(6 weeks)
Develop & Launch MVP
(2 weeks)
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Created the design process
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Designed and conducted the Cognitive Task Analysis (CTA) with 12 mid-to-senior level leaders from 5 different industries.
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Co-determined the learning objectives with Subject Matter Experts (SME).
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Created and proposed the learning architecture of the course.
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Defined the measurement of the learning effecacy.
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Co-designed the design sprints activities to engage the whole squad in the ideation process.
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Prototyped and iterated the solution.
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Conducted the interview with the testers and generated the prototyping report.
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Reviewed the learning and the final solution with stakeholders.
My role and contribution