Better Business Communication :
The Pyramid Method
Overview
“Pyramid Method” Business Communication Course
An eLearning experience developed and implemented in Talent LMS, with integrated modules from Articulate 360’s Storyline and Rise authoring tools.
This microlearning course implements adult learning principles and Gagne’s 9 Events of instruction in its design. It also integrates gamification and extensive feedback and assessments throughout the training.
Audience – Adult professionals and students who want to improve their effectiveness in communication, both written and verbal.
Responsibilities – Instructional design, eLearning design, script writing, scenario scriptwriting, evaluations, and assessments.
Tools used – Talent LMS, Articulate Storyline, Adobe Creative Cloud, Powerpoint, Microsoft Forms, Vegas Movie Studio, Camtasia.
Problem
University graduates and professionals, both young and experienced, are always eager to improve their communication skills. When interacting with executives, whether in a presentation or an impromptu meeting, the ability to articulate ideas clearly, logically, and persuasively is an indispensable skill.
Solution
Developed by a highly influential thought leader from McKinsey & Company Consulting (Barbara Minto), the “Pyramid Method” is structured to help consultants communicate directly and persuasively, and has been a cornerstone of consultancy skills for decades.
I designed and developed this 20-minute interactive eLearning course to give learners an introduction to the Pyramid Method, intending to make a lively and interactive UI that engages learners through various types of feedback and modes.
Process
The course design took place over two months in my graduate program in Instructional Technology. As such, it incorporates a strong theoretical and design foundation, particularly Gagne’s 9 events of learning.
I started with Talent LMS, to explore the capabilities and limitations of the platform for course creation (rather than just delivery). I found that, although some drag-and-drop and quiz mechanisms were native to Talent LMS, and the UI was clean and straightforward, I would need to develop some modules in the Articulate 360 suite in order to make the course more robust and interactive.
So I developed two elements in Storyline-
⦁ A module of an “elevator pitch” scenario.
⦁ A Jeopardy-style drag-and-drop game.
And I developed two elements in Articulate Rise –
⦁ A set of content-presentation panels.
⦁ A drag-and-drop matching activity, for cognitive mastery of the pyramid concept.
The rest of the course is made up of edited video content, a few original graphics, formative assessments, and an evaluation instrument created in Microsoft Forms.
This is a concept course that will continue development in the future.
Screenshots
Outcomes
The course, hosted on Talent LMS, serves as a proof-of-concept for integrating asynchronous microlearning for adult learners in business or academic settings.
Takeaways
I enjoyed developing this course by first exploring the LMS and learning how to integrate content from the Articulate 360 suite. The process had some unexpected quirks that provided valuable insights.
In the future, I aim to take a similar approach with other LMSs, starting with their native functionality and then supplementing with external authoring tools.