Before diving into development, the initial design phase is where the magic starts! This is the brainstorming stage, where ideas flow freely, and I shape the vision for the course. The goal? To make learning about growing beets as engaging as playing a game. I started by identifying the key learning objectives, deciding on a scenario-based approach, and outlining a course that isn’t just another dull training but a visually rich, interactive experience. At this stage, I asked myself:

• How can we make beet growing exciting?

• What animations, visuals, and storytelling can pull learners in?

• How do I structure this so that learners feel like they’re actually in a garden, making decisions?

From these questions, I sketched out a high-level course structure, defining the flow of lessons, interactions, and quizzes that would create an immersive experience. Once I had a solid vision, it was time to get serious and put these ideas into a detailed storyboard.

If the initial design is about dreaming big, then storyboarding is where I translate ideas into a structured plan, kind of like writing a script for a movie. Here, every slide, interaction, and learner choice is mapped out visually.

I created wireframe sketches of what each screen should look like, making sure every button, animation, and transition had a purpose. The storyboard included:
Visual Layouts: Where will the farmer character stand? Where does the “Next” button go? How do we highlight key information?
Text & Speech Bubbles: What does the farmer say to guide learners? How do we keep it conversational yet informative?Interactivity: Keep learners engaged with quizzes and knowledge checks, also decision making throughout the course.

Storyboarding s a lifesaver because it prevents wasted development time. Everything is mapped out before jumping into the actual build. It’s like having a blueprint before constructing a house, except this house teaches people how to grow beets!

This is where the real action happened. After finalizing the storyboard, I jumped into Articulate Storyline 360 and started building the course. The first step was laying out the slides, importing visuals, and making sure navigation was smooth and intuitive.

Next came the fun par, turning a simple slideshow into an interactive experience:

• Animations – Making buttons fade in, creating a smooth hover effect, and adding seamless transitions to keep things dynamic.

• Interactions – Setting up click-to-reveal options, and quiz mechanics so learners weren’t just passively reading but actively engaged.

• Triggers & Variables – These were my secret weapons, controlling everything from quiz scoring to custom learner feedback based on their actions.

• Audio & Feedback – I added the farmer, background sounds, and clear messaging to ensure learners stayed engaged and informed.

And of course, no development process is complete without rigorous testing. I went through every interaction, tried to break things on purpose, and fine-tuned anything that wasn’t working smoothly. Once I was satisfied with how the course functioned, I published it for review ensuring that anyone accessing it got the full, immersive experience I had envisioned.

The final result is a fully interactive, scenario-driven eLearning course that made growing beets an engaging and hands-on experience.