We collaborate closely with each of our clients during all phases of design and production to ensure that the final product fulfills the client’s aesthetic vision, communication and educational goals, and technical parameters. We recommend one or more face-to-face meetings for concept development, followed by frequent contact through email, conference calls, and onsite meetings (if budget or circumstances permit) throughout production. To facilitate long-distance collaboration, we use a password-protected project site for every project, where we keep an updated schedule and task lists, and share documents, designs, and prototypes.

To achieve these goals, we have adapted and expanded a popular Information Architecture (IA) process to the development on online learning activities. Information architecture is the foundation for great Web development and it guides us as we create a blueprint for each project. Our process incorporates learning theory into the heart of theconcept development process to ensure an engaging and effective learning experience for the end user.

Overview: Interactive Design for Digital Learning Activities

1. Goals
   1. Who are the audiences for the Web activity? Identify and prioritiz
   2. How does the Web activity support the institutional mission?
   3. What is the desired pedagogical approach? (Transmission, behaviorist, discovery, constructivism)
      
      
2. Concept Development
   
   1. What is the Big Idea? State it clearly and succinctly.
   2. What are the learning objectives?
   3. What is the conceptual approach?
   4. Which activity type(s) is best suited to serve the project audience, goals, and conceptual approach? Choose one (or two if a hybrid) and describe the core interactivity that embodies that activity type. (Creative Expression, Puzzle/Mystery, Role-Play, Simulation, Interactive Reference)
   5. What sites already exist for this audience on this subject? List names and URLs here.
      
      
3. Activity Outline and Content
   1. Briefly outline the activity sequence. What will users do? Overall, what will users do? What will happen as a result? What will the user create, if anything?
   2. Use Cases. For each of your typical users, create a user scenario with these elements:
      1. The user character: a name, gender, age, identity that make their actions concrete.
      2. The user character’s goals for using the site and a task they want to accomplish.
      3. What this character does on the site to succeed at their task.
   3. What assets will be required? Which are available in-house? How and where will the rest be obtained?
      
      
4. Structure & Function
   1. Create a flowchart detailing the user experience, covering all the major paths and options.
   2. Define the navigation scheme for the activity, both globally (throughout the entire activity) and locally (specific to each section)
   3. Describe the activity’s functionality—list the desired functionality and the technical methods for implementation.
      
      
5. Visual Design
   1. Create wireframe layouts of key pages in the activity
   2. Create a functional prototype and conduct user testing
   3. Create an activity storyboard
   4. Create design comps for each wireframe
   5. Create a style guide (specifying display font, body font, colors, image treatments)
   6. Develop a working prototype

Once we have a working prototype built and approved, we launch into full production: scriptwriting, illustration, programming and site construction. Whenever the budget allows, we incorporate formative evaluation to help us shape the final product.