My Process for

the Mission & Values Training Module

Starting Point

The Family Footwear* leadership team recently went through a process to answer three critical questions guiding their company. They distilled four values which are foundational to their clarity statement.

I translated this flyer into an online training module for all new employees. The store manager served as the subject matter expert. Since I previously worked at Family Footwear, I was able to infuse my experiences into this module as well.

*Name of company has been changed to protect the privacy of their training assets; Document used with permission.

Crafting Objectives

As shown below, I crafted one course-level objective and two learning objectives to guide the design of this module. With the assessment strategies in mind at the start, I then created the learning materials.

Learning Materials

My initial concept of instruction was to 1) provide text and graphics that reinforced the three clarity statements and 2) to collaborate with members of the Family Footwear leadership team to create a video of each person elaborating on one of the four values.

I wrote a script for the video, but due to a lack of time on their side, the video is still in the works. In lieu of that for now, I created a tabbed block in Rise for learners to read about the core values. The text in the tabbed block is the same as in the company's flyer.

Constructing Guidelines

In order to make the connection between the company's values and on-the-job behaviors crystal clear, I categorized expected behaviors by the value(s) they uphold. The image on the right shows one example for the value of reliability.

Applying Knowledge

It's not enough to present content to learners and expect them to automatically use that information. They need to apply that knowledge. To assess Learning Objective 1.1, I crafted a simple matching task for learners to connect behaviors to values. My intention here was to get learners engaged in a low-stakes application activity and to have some success before moving on to higher-level practice questions.

To assess Learning Objective 1.2, I created scenario-based multiple choice questions of true-to-life situations a sales associate could find themselves in (right). These questions serve as a way for learners to analyze a situation, consider possible outcomes, and apply their understanding of the values-based behaviors Family Footwear expects.

As an added benefit, they expose learners to real situations they may encounter on the sales floor, providing training even within the assessment.

For all questions throughout this module, I provided both affirmative and corrective feedback for any answer the learner picks.


Program Evaluation

This module went live on April 1, 2022. It was reviewed by the store manager, an assistant manager, and several sales associates for accuracy and cohesiveness. I can report that they are very pleased with the module and look forward to using it for all new hires.

Because Family Footwear doesn't use a learning management system at this time, my plan for evaluating this module's effectiveness is to:

1) use the responses learners submit via a Google quiz at the end of the module to assess their reaction to it and whether they can apply their knowledge to novel scenario questions.

2) interview new employees, management, and training staff after the first few trainees go through the module to get their impression of how their subsequent one-on-one work with trainees has changed.