This is the third episode in a short series about different ways to create scenarios in Rise. We’ve already looked at the built-in Scenario Block, and a nifty way to incorporate scenarios into the testing process. In this post and the next I’ll explore a couple of approaches that are more involved, but ultimately (I think) are more flexible.
So far we’ve looked at using a single block or feature to create scenarios, with slightly disappointing results. The scenario block doesn’t allow for more than 200 characters in a single text block, so you can’t write long explanations or feedback and the heavily templated approach limits you to using Articulate’s backgrounds and characters. The scenario-as-quiz option doesn’t allow branching and you are limited to images and text (though at least you can supply your own images).
Scenario with knowledge check
A third approach (again, taking this article as the original inspiration) could be to combine a standard Rise content block with a Knowledge Check block. You get full flexibility in terms of media (using images, text, audio or video, or a combination of any of them), and you can use the Knowledge Checks to provide instant feedback and guide learners along the ‘good’ path.
This time I used a interaction storyboard for Natalie and Patricia’s story, but the interaction is confined to a multiple-choice knowledge check. I divided the scenario into a series of mini-episodes outlining a progression in the story (in this case I’ve opted to illustrate the ‘good’ path). After each mini episode, I added a knowledge check question, summarising the situation and asking the learner what to do next and giving them three options (good/bad/not-great).
Learners choose an option and click Submit to get instant feedback on their choice:
The learner can take the question again to check on the feedback for the other answers, or they can move on to the next mini episode by selecting the Continue button.
What was good and what was meh?
I really should restructure the other posts and answer this properly, but it’s just like me to light on a good structure about halfway through.
The Good
- Wider choice of content options. You could have image and text (these images were Office stock pix) or video, or audio
- No word/character limits
- Instant feedback for each question
The Meh
- Branching still not possible. Not proper branching anyway
- Because these are knowledge checks, you can’t log the results in an LMS
- I ended up using a Continue button stack instead of the Continue option because it was quite difficult to get it to play nicely with the knowledge check block
I found that this option worked really nicely for guiding a learner through a scenario, showing the ‘good’ path and offering instant feedback.
What do you think so far? Each option seems to take me a little closer to what I’d like to achieve. Leave your comments below or on the review copy (link above or here)
Sarah Slade 
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