TROUBLESHOOTING & SUPPORT E-LEARNING

This e-Learning experience enables Support Engineers to troubleshoot the LogRhythm SIEM product.

RESPONSIBILITIES: Lead Instructional Designer & Developer
TARGET AUDIENCE: Support Engineers
TOOLS USED: Articulate Rise 360, Articulate Storyline 360, Canva, Adobe Illustrator, Mural, MS Excel, MS Word, Saba LMS
CLIENT: Exabeam (shared with permission)
YEAR: 2024

EXPERIENCE THIS PROJECT

This abridged version of the course is shared with permission. It has been simplified and scrubbed of proprietary content.

THE PROBLEM

The existing instructor-led support-focused course for the on-premise LogRhythm SIEM cybersecurity product was outdated and did not sufficiently meet learning objectives or business goals. After a needs analysis, I determined that we needed to retire the instructor-led course and replace it with a comprehensive certification pathway that would prepare users to provide Tier 1 troubleshooting support.

THE SOLUTION

After analyzing business needs, existing materials, and gaps, I determined that the solution should include a self-paced, on demand e-Learning component that curated and repackaged the content from the outdated instructor-led course. I worked with SMEs to incorporate real-world use cases, hands-on practice, and formative assessments and feedback, all built within a retro video game theme to enhance engagement. The new certification pathway would also include an interactive lab environment for extended realistic practice, structured troubleshooting exercises, and written and practical exams to reinforce the training and assess skills.

THE PROCESS

ANALYSIS & DESIGN

Needs Analysis: I analyzed the existing course content and related onboarding materials for internal support staff. I interviewed the course instructors and reviewed course survey feedback. I identified that the existing course lacked practical experience and feedback opportunities. Key elements such as real-world use cases, realistic practice, and regular formative assessments became priorities for the new pathway.
Aligned to Learning Needs: Using data gathered from past support tickets, I collaborated with SMEs and stakeholders to identify the most frequent topics for which users requested troubleshooting support. This ensured that the content would be aligned to learning needs.

The Mural planning space, where we collaborated on big picture goals and began the Action Mapping process

Action Mapping: To ensure that the course addressed practical support skills, I led an Action Mapping-inspired process with SMEs and stakeholders, structured around three key layers:
1. Performance-Based Learning Objectives: For each of the topics identified, I started by asking, “What must Tier 1 Support Engineers be able to do in order to effectively troubleshoot this topic?” This shifted our focus from knowledge-heavy content to hands-on skills, ensuring every learning objective was tied directly to real job tasks.
2. Realistic Practice Activities: Next, we identified authentic practice opportunities by asking, “How can learners practice these behaviors in a way that mirrors their on-the-job responsibilities?” This quickly made it clear to us that we would need to integrate practice labs within a virtual machine environment, where learners could work through realistic cases aligned with common ticket types.
3. Supporting Information: Finally, we identified the essential knowledge learners would require to perform each task successfully. By asking, “What do learners need to know to complete these activities?” we narrowed down content to critical, actionable information, avoiding unnecessary details.

The planning spreadsheet document where I aligned learning objectives to practice activities, content, and assessment

CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

With the learning objectives and necessary content identified, I started building the courses in Articulate Rise. Learn more about some highlights of the development process below.

Development Highlight #1: Visual Design

I decided to have some fun and incorporated a retro video game theme to create a cohesive, engaging experience. I used Canva and Adobe Illustrator to design custom graphics for a variety of Rise block backgrounds and course elements, with each module representing a new “level” in the game to portray the learner's progress through the course.

View a few examples of how the graphics were used to bring the video game theme to life below.

Development Highlight #2: Course Map

I created a video game style map to represent the progress the learner makes through each "level" of the course. I drew the map in Adobe Illustrator using retro video game map screens as inspiration.

Development Highlight #3: Review Game

To reinforce learning, I developed a multiple choice review game in Articulate Storyline, incorporating elements from the course’s visual theme. This interactive experience allowed learners to review key concepts in a simulated troubleshooting scenario. View screenshots to get a feel for the game. A link to play the game is also included below.

Play the review game.

Development Highlight #4: Participant Guide Document

In collaboration with our lab manager, I developed a student exercise guide to accompany the course. The lab manager designed the lab activities aligned to the learning objectives and I structured the document, adding summaries of the essential information and course graphics and materials, as well as visual cues to support learners.

Development Highlight #5: Written Exam

I developed exam questions aligned directly to the learning objectives and implemented them in Saba LMS, ensuring alignment with course goals and certification requirements.

The planning spreadsheet document where I aligned learning objectives to practice activities, content, and assessment

Question edits and preview in Saba

TAKE A LOOK

Get a feel for the e-Learning content by exploring an abridged version of the fourth module of the course for yourself.

Experience this project.

Note: For an optimal experience, view this content on a desktop screen.

RESULTS & TAKEAWAYS

Project Lead Takeaways:

Leading the Troubleshooting & Support project was an invaluable experience in both instructional design and project management. From the project’s inception, I was involved in all major decision-making, which allowed me to shape the course's objectives, structure, and instructional strategy from start to finish. Spearheading this course has reinforced my ability to lead large-scale instructional design projects, make strategic design decisions, and effectively coordinate a multi-disciplinary team.

Results:

The Troubleshooting & Support course achieved a higher standard of learner readiness for performing Tier 1 support tasks. While it’s too early to have received detailed feedback from learners, one key area I plan to monitor as surveys roll in is practical application and skill transfer. I’ll be looking to see if learners feel better prepared to handle real-world cases after completing the course. Positive feedback would indicate that the Action Mapping approach successfully aligned training with job tasks. A business metric I am tracking is Tier 1 support cases from certified partners. If this course is successful, it will result in deflections of these types of cases.

Moving Forward:

As we prepare to kick off the next project in the certification series, the Tier 2 path, I’m excited to apply the lessons learned during this project to refine our processes and enhance the course design even further.