5 Things to Consider when Designing a Branching Scenario or Simulation
Last time around I was talking about the power of choice and consequence in learning and that led to the topic of branching scenarios. I mentioned I really enjoy the times I get to create branching scenarios and simulations as an instructional designer at a university. While I’m not yet a guru by any means, I would like to share some tips and tricks for creating them that I’ve found very helpful. Let’s start with design considerations.
When designing the scenario/simulation keep in mind these five C’s (Snegirev, Tucker):
The Challenge — Appearing near the beginning of a scenario/simulation, this is a description of a given situation that puts the learner in a dilemma and forces them to make decisions to solve the problem (see next point).
The Choice — A question with options (three options seem to be the norm) in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives. There is normally one best choice, with the other alternatives being either wrong, or not as good. Choices need to be relatable to the users. For novice learners a right choice and some wrong choices seem to be the best construction. For intermediate to advanced learners consider a series of options that provide varying levels of correctness (i.e., not outright wrong).
The Consequence — Just like real life, the point of consequences in a scenario/simulation are to teach us. They are provided in the form of feedback — either the choice itself and/or further details that explain why that choice wasn’t the best. For beginners or difficult concepts, the feedback should be immediate, in that it allows the learner to go forward if his or her choice is correct. For incorrect responses, the learner is given additional training or information before being allowed to proceed. For intermediate to advanced learners try delaying the feedback and allowing learners to dig themselves into a bit of a hole via their choices. If they don’t recognize the peril on their own, tell them at some point before they get too far along the wrong path.
The Characters — Learners need to recognize and feel they have something in common with the main characters. They need to be able to relate so empathy is important. You’ll need to tell a story but be careful not to go to far back with the details of the story. The characters should have roles that align with the learning targets of the scenario/simulation.
The Context — The context is the background for the situation. You convey the context by images and by sounds. Make sure that everything you put into the context has a reason for being there and it relates to the real-life experience the learner would face.
Next time, I’ll share a few more practical ideas for creating branching scenarios and simulations.
