Learning experience design
Developing phishing awareness through realistic email simulations
I created an interactive training experience that places learners in a simulated inbox environment to teach phishing awareness, using the CCAF instructional design model to guide design decisions. Through interacting with realistic emails and receiving feedback, learners improve their ability to detect malicious content in everyday communications.
Responsibilities
Instructional design
Storyboarding
Visual design
Prototyping
eLearning Development
Tools
Articulate Storyline 360
Vyond
Canva
Google Docs
ChatGPT
Audience
Primarily designed for new hires at higher risk of phishing attacks
The problem
While many companies provide phishing awareness training, these programs are often too generic and fail to simulate the pressures of a real workplace.
I found that new employees are particularly vulnerable—they’re still navigating unfamiliar systems and company culture while being expected to recognize phishing threats.
The solution
Learning goals
Based on my analysis findings, I developed comprehensive learning goals using measurable verbs from Bloom's Taxonomy. These goals served as my design blueprint, ensuring every element of the learning experience aligned with the intended outcomes.
Key design decisions
I began the design process with a text-based storyboard, which allowed me to test ideas, gather feedback, and make changes before development.
My design was guided by the CCAF model (Context, Challenge, Activity, Feedback), a learner-centered framework by Dr. Michael Allen that emphasizes meaningful, interactive learning.
Design decision 1
Plausible and relevant contexts
Design a realistic context
Unlike traditional eLearning, I chose not to begin with a “You will be able to…” objective list, as these often feel abstract, causing learners to tune out before they understand the relevance of the training. Instead, I opened the course with a realistic problem-solving scenario. An HR character tells learners, as new employees, that phishing emails have increased and they’ll need to identify and report suspicious messages.
🌟 This immediately establishes relevance, feels authentic, and helps learners see the real-world value of the training from the start.
Strong contexts facilitate knowledge transfer
The learning experience was then built around a simulated email inbox, where learners analyzed realistic messages and made decisions in context.
🌟 Grounded in the CCAF model, this approach bridges the gap between learning and real-world performance.
Design decision 2
Incremental challenges
Focus on challenge-based learning
Challenges help learners stay focused, motivated, and actively engaged. To harness this, I designed the course with progressively increasing levels of difficulty—starting with simple emails and advancing to more complex, nuanced phishing scenarios.
🌟 This step-by-step approach allowed learners to build their phishing detection skills and confidence without feeling overwhelmed.
Build a private, low-pressure environment
Striking the right level of challenge was key. I intentionally avoided turning this into a competitive social learning experience so that new hires could safely experiment and learn from mistakes.
🌟 Such a private environment help leaners to focus on learning rather than outperforming others.
Design decision 3
Authentic learning activities
Generate authentic activities
I initially considered using multiple-choice questions but soon ruled them out.
🌟 The format is too limited—learners choose from predefined answers rather than think critically. More importantly, it lacks real-world context. In the workplace, no one asks, “Is it A, B, C, or D?”
Want learning to stick? Make learners think
Instead of testing recall, my goal was to help learners develop decision-making skills they can apply on the job. So I designed a more authentic experience : after reading each email, learners assess the risk and choose how to act—reply, report, or delete.
🌟 These activities mirror the real decision-making process involved in handling potential phishing threats: Evaluating context—Anticipating consequences—Taking appropriate action.
Design decision 4
Effective and explanatory feedback
Feedback served as the primary instructional tool
Instead of starting with phishing rules and definitions that can quickly disengage learners, I immersed them in realistic challenges from the start.
🌟 Instruction was then delivered through targeted feedback at key learning-ready moments— after each decision was made.
Prioritize explanatory feedback
Explanatory feedback is especially helpful for beginners like new hires. For instance, if a learner misses a phishing email, the HR mentor character explains the specific tactics used in that message; Conversely, if the learner incorrectly flags a real email, the HR highlights how misreporting can waste resources.
🌟 Since feedback is given only after learners make mistakes in the challenge, it aligns more closely with their personal learning needs.
Evaluation & iteration 1
Knowing 'You're right' isn't enough
Their feedback uncovered a key opportunity for improvement: Currently, correct answers received only judgmental feedback—phrases like “Great job” or “Well done.” While motivating, this didn’t help learners understand why their choice was right. Some even admitted they guessed and weren’t sure what clues they had identified.
To address this, I updated the design to include explanatory feedback for correct responses. Now, when learners accurately report a phishing email, they’re shown specific cues that signaled risk—such as urgent subject lines or suspicious sender domains.
Visual mockup
To ensure visual consistency and learner engagement, I created a mood board and style guide early in the design process. The mood board set the tone and visual direction, while the style guide outlined clear standards for typography, color, icons, and UI elements.
I used Vyond to create the characters and scenes due to its rich asset library, then switched to Articulate Storyline for the other components such as dialog boxes and email interfaces.
Interactive prototype
I built a partial prototype in Storyline, integrating Vyond-designed visuals to create a more immersive experience. I added simple animations—like changes in the HR character’s facial expressions—to show consequences visually rather than relying on text alone. This helped strengthen emotional impact and deepen learning.
Instead of developing the full course, I focused on a small section to test the design, gather feedback, and make iterative improvements before full development.
Evaluation & iteration 2
The timing of feedback makes all the difference
🌟 This change was also grounded in learning science: delayed feedback—offered after learners have taken meaningful action—encourages reflection and self-assessment. In contrast, immediate feedback (triggered as soon as an attachment is clicked) can short-circuit that process and reduce opportunities for deeper learning.
Full development
Learnings & reflections
Authenticity lies in the thinking, not the tech
Realistic learning doesn’t have to mean high-tech simulations. Simple, well-designed tasks—like deciding whether to report, delete, or reply to an email—can be just as effective when they reflect how people actually think on the job.
🌟 What makes an activity feel authentic is the mental process it requires: understanding the situation, considering options, anticipating outcomes, and making sound decisions.
Strengthening evaluation with a broader lens
While I ran multiple rounds of testing on both the storyboard and prototype throughout the project, my approach leaned heavily on qualitative, anecdotal responses.
🌟 If I had more time, I’d use the Kirkpatrick Model to evaluate the learning program more systematically. Its four levels—Reaction, Learning, Behavior, and Results—would help me understand not just how learners felt, but what they actually learned, how they applied it, and whether it made a real impact on organizational outcomes.
Real consequences, real impact
I recreated a realistic corporate inbox to mirror how phishing threats show up at work. But if I had more time, I would have layered in more meaningful consequences—like showing what happens if a malicious email is ignored or deleted, such as a coworker falling for the scam.
🌟 That kind of consequential feedback creates emotional weight and sticks with the learner, which makes the learning more powerful and memorable.
