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Learning design

End to end process of creating training materials for chicken and egg farm auditors

January 2023 to August 2023

Key info

Project type

Product design, government

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Team size

5 team members - 2 visual designers, service designer, project lead/subject matter expert, subject matter expert

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My role

Generalist designer​

Tools used

  • Camstasia

  • Miro

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Skills used

  • Interviewing​

  • Data analysis

  • Video editing

  • Surveys

  • Journey mapping

  • Ideation

Quick facts

  • Goal - verifiers feel confident verifying chicken operators

  • Interviewed verifiers to identify training needs

  • Ideated with verifiers and subject matter experts

  • Training materials included videos and slides which were presented in real time and shared after the training

  • Verifiers appreciated being involved in the design and felt more confident

Project goal

Design and deliver training materials to recognised verifiers to help them feel confident in verifying a chicken and egg operators against their risk management programme (RMP).

Background

Legislation changes mean that all operators with more than 100 chickens need to be registered with Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) on a Risk Management Programme (RMP). These operators also need to be verified (i.e., audited) against their RMP. This increased the demand for verifiers with knowledge and experience with the chicken industry and verifying against RMPs.

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Many current verifiers had experience in verifying businesses either for animal welfare or against a RMP but not always both. They already knew how to verify, they just needed confidence and knowledge in verifying chicken and egg farms against the RMP.

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Limitations:

  • short time frame, they needed to ready to verify by 1 November 2023;

  • very little access to learning & development colleagues/expertise; 

  • lack of resources to properly measure success of training (e.g., very few staff have the capacity and the ability to create surveys/interview individuals)

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Process

Discover and define

  • We interviewed verifiers in groups (5 sessions) to understand their experience with verifying against RMPs and verifying chicken and egg operators and any training needs they had

  • We interviewed operators (11) and visited their businesses (1 visit) to understand their businesses

  • I surveyed verifiers to identify their level of experience, confidence in verifying and qualifications and knowledge of the chicken and egg industry

  • I interviewed experienced chicken and egg RMP verifiers to identify what information trainees would need and to understand what happens before, during and after a verification 

Raw verifier interview data

Thematic analysis of interview data

We created journey map to identify what experienced verifiers do, the knowledge they need, and challenges they experienceI created personas to show needs, experience, and pain points of verifiers​​​​​

Verifier journey map

Map of auditing process

I planned and facilitated ideation / exploration into needs over 2 sessions with verifiers and the project team​Using the journey map in the ideation sessions, we identified topic areas that the new verifiers might need to know about.

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Training needed to:

  • include examples of challenges and how to handle them:

  • ​cater to varying levels of knowledge and experience

  • accessible to those around the country

  • include information on the chicken industry

  • include information on the RMPs and related legislation be engaging

Verifier ideas for the training sessions

Verifier needs for training

Develop and deliver

Using the outputs from the ideation and interviews, we created a strawman for the training materials

  • I spoke to trainers, who have created similar training, to get insight on existing training materials and techniques

  • I assigned topics to SMEs (including a member of the poultry industry) to write and present content at the training sessions and held regular meetings to ensure everyone was on track and had everything they needed 

  • We got permission from chicken operators to allow verifiers to visit their businesses to get a hands on experience before they do any audits/verifications

Training materials strawman

Training strawman

​Training sessions​

  • On the training days, SMEs gave the presentations (as we had no access to trainers)

  • I coordinated the training days including inviting trainees, makings sure the chat was monitored for questions etc

  • I recorded the sessions and edited the videos

  • Responsibility to maintain training is with another team who was involved in creation of the training, attended the training and have been provided with the materials​

Training features

  • Two days of real time online sessions divided into 12 modules. Verifiers are located throughout the country, so training was hosted online to save on time and travel costs

  • Modules covered information needs such as: chicken industry, RMPs, examples of challenges and resolving them etc

  • Online modules ran to a schedule. The schedule was provided to trainees in advance so that trainee verifiers could attend the modules that catered to their needs.

  • Modules included slides, video, photos, question and answer sessions, and discussions  to keep trainees engaged

  • 12 videos (one for each module) and associated slides were shared with trainees and those who could not attend the training. This allows trainees to revisit the materials and view only what is relevant to their needs. ​​

Slide from module on chicken industry
Slide from module on chicken industry

Screenshots from session

Slide from module on chicken industry

Impact

  • 88% attendance rate

  • Trainees appreciated that the sessions were recorded as they could view them later

  • Trainees provided positive feedback on the training sessions and especially enjoyed the module on the poultry industry

  • Trainees felt more confident in their ability to verify chicken and egg operators against their RMPs

  • The project team felt that they learned the value of involving users in the development of the training materials

  • Internal stakeholders appreciated being involved in the design of the training materials

What I'd do differently

  • I didn't get as much feedback on training as I would like. If I did it again. I'd follow up with a phone call or another email or allowed trainees to provide feedback anonymously.

  • Run another ideation session and include more of my learning and development colleagues. I felt that the sessions re-iterated the needs rather than generated unique ideas to resolve their training needs.

  • Encouraged presenters more to include more interactive content (e.g., polls, quizzes) to improve engagement

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