Cyber Security
Branching Scenario
​
Cybersecurity is an ever-increasing concern, and training staff on the importance of following the correct protocols during a hacking attempt is of crucial importance.
​
Explore and learn with this fun, interactive branching scenario, where you, the new cybersecurity trainee, learn how to deal with the cyber attack in your company alongside John, the local IT professional.
INTRODUCTION
​
"Branched learning scenarios, also known as branching logic, enables L&D professionals to control users' individualized paths based on their previous answers in a learning course or survey. Branching logic customizes each user's experience when completing a survey or learning course through relevant questions." - Roundtable Learning
​
Clearly, if one uses branching learning scenarios in the right way, learners can learn what they need in a risk-free environment, especially in cases where there is significant risk involved in real-life situations.
​
Every L&D or ID professional, should be able to create effective branching scenarios. Read below to see how I tackle using this great tool for learning.
THE PROCESS​
​
The first thing is to determine whether a branching scenario would fit this topic and learning objectives or not. Why not just create a handout or booklet with the cyber security protocols and be done with it?
​
Well, simply due to how our brains are wired and how we react to stress, reading through pages and pages of safety protocols in the moment of a cyberattack, might not be the best thing to do here. Time is of the essence, and it is important to have your staff feel confident and assured that they can make the right decisions quickly.
​
Creating a risk-free environment where the consequences of their actions are explained to them and immediate feedback is provided, leads to a deeper understanding of WHY the protocols have been developed and applied this way.
​
And so, after creating the learning objectives with an SME, it's time to create the branching scenario.
​
TOOLS USED
​
Genially, Milanote
​
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
​
Research, UX, Visual Design, Needs Analysis, eLearning Development, Story-Planning
THE PROCESS​
​
L&D Professionals should possess strong creative copywriting skills.
A wonderful guide I use for creating an engaging story is the Universal Story Structure Pyramid created by Gustav Freytag.
Time to plot it all out...​
​
I then used Milanote to create a diagram for plotting out my branching scenarios. Milanote is great for creating a clean, clear, and neat presentation of a branching scenario, making it easy for Subject Matter Experts, stakeholders and all other parties involved to view and understand what they're looking at.
​
Visual Design​
​
After planning in Milanote, I then used Genially and thanks to their amazing UX & UI, I was able to whip up and design this branching scenario in a matter of a few hours, start to finish.
View the images in the gallery below to see some of the process of designing within Genially.
REFLECTIONS​
​
Branching Scenarios are SO MUCH FUN for everyone involved if done correctly.
I loved the fact that I was able to exercise my creative copywriting muscles and that I am able to use such innovative and intuitive tools as Genially and Milanote (no, I'm not sponsored by them; I just genuinely love the tools!)
​
If you like what you see, send me a message and let's work together.