Services

A Narrative Learning Systems designs and develops elearning and experiential training programs for corporations. All programs use the Elements of Narrative Learning Environment and provide a structure that ties material into a sequence of connected events, increasing understanding and recall. This approach results in higher performance for participants, and higher ROI for the corporation.

Team Leadership

Project: The course takes participants on a parallel journey with Tom Whittaker, the first handicapped person to climb Mount Everest, As Tom recounts his ascent up the mountain, participants develop their leadership identity.

Challenge: This e-learning program was originally designed with a "click and read" format. NLS was asked to re-design the program into a high-level interactive course.

Design: The course is designed to follow a path similar to the Mount Everest ascent. The first three steps in the journey involve preparation. A series of assessment tools help participants to look at their current skill levels. The fourth step is a 360 feedback tool. Feedback is requested from 25 people familiar with the participant. Steps 5 through 7 require them to create a narrative story about leadership, a story about how they want to be seen as a leader, and an action plan utilize the skills. Participants are asked to reflect on their experiences and complete activities using an online journal.

Result: The course is currently being marketed throughout the United States and the United Kingdom.

Project: The e-learning course is marketed by universities in continuing education as preparation for the Project Management Professional Certification exam.

Challenge: The course required using the PMBOK Guide and the PMP Exam Prep books as resources. The online presentation had to be designed without being a duplication of the material in the reading assignments.

Design: The online course provided context for the reading assignments. A story is told as a documentary account of a project and the challenges faced by the project manager. Animated characters recollect the project and the lessons learned from the experience. Participants are presented six interactive case studies and asked to make a decision.

Result: Course is being offered through universities throughout the U.S.

Senior Management Communication

Project: The senior management team in the oil and gas industry. They wanted a classroom course that would help improve the communication within the team.

Challenge: Managers were territorial. The course needed to address their issues and build team communication skills.

Design: Managers had previously created a value statement. This was used to set an expectation for the behavior expected from the senior managers. They were also given an assessment tool to determine their communication type. Through a series of activities, they learned how their styles affected their relationships with others. The managers concluded the course by negotiating an action plan with each other.

Results: The course resulted in decreased conflict and allowed the management team to work more successfully. The course was presented to the mid-managers and supervisors throughout the company

Freight Management

Project: Freight Broker is a rapidly growing home-based profession in the trucking industry. Client wanted to provide an online version of his highly successful classroom course.

Challenge: Due to the popularity and success of the classroom course, the online version needs to present the same material and experience.

Design: The key to the online course was the stories and experiences of the instructor. An animated figure of the instructor was created that was able to tell the stories and offer wisdom about running the home-based business. We also used an animated 18-wheel truck as the narrator of the course. Participants finish the course by making actual sales calls to prospective clients. The phone calls were a piece of the program that the client originally thought could not be included.

Results: Course is currently being marketed throughout the U.S.

Relationship Sales

Project: Client was planning a reorganization that required new skills for many of the effected employees. The employees would be able to build a better working relationship with customers.

Challenge: The project required that multiple programs be developed and taught in six countries.

Design: A blended approach required two day-long classroom courses and four online courses. The classroom courses provided the skills and the opportunity to practice them. The online courses provided additional information and decision making activities.

Results: Participants were able to positively impact their customers. The company saw a significant increase in customer relations and sales.

Behavioral Safety

Project: European division of a major services company in the oil and gas industry wanted a two-day course on "behavioral safety." Behavioral safety requires that every member of the company be responsible for their own safety and the safety of every other member in the organization.

Challenge: Company wanted the program to be highly personalized to their culture and current situation. Employees currently viewed safety as the responsibility of the safety manager.

Design: Used results of a recent safety survey to make participants aware of the need for taking responsibility for safety. They were taught a six step process for having safety conversations. Through a series of activities and practice, participants were able to use the process without notes. A third day was held

Results: Company saw am immediate improvement in behavior from course participants.