Let's Bake a Cake

July 2023

I challenged myself to create a playful, game-inspired e-learning course on baking a cake using Articulate Storyline 360. This project was designed to showcase the practical skills I developed through a series of LinkedIn Learning courses, covering everything from basic slide and layer creation to more advanced use of triggers, variables, and custom interactions.

This was my first project in Storyline 360, and I wanted it to reflect both what I had learned and my enthusiasm for designing interactive, learner-focused content. I used a free trial of Storyline to bring my idea to life - choosing the simple theme of baking a cake to keep the focus on user experience and functionality rather than complex subject matter.

⚒️ Tool: Articulate Storyline

💻 Roles: eLearning Developer & Instructional Designer

What you'll find on this page:

A full run-through video of the course from the learner's perspective.
Short clips highlighting specific features and interactions.
A breakdown of the slides and layers, with screenshots and explanations.

Full Course Demo

Watch the entire course as a learner would experience it - from entering their name to earning their final score!

Short Feature Clips

These under-a-minute videos spotlight key moments and interactions that may be missed in the full run-through. These include:

Name re-entry functionality
One-star result and retry scenario
The dynamic star rating system
Question retries and feedback
Ending options (e.g., sharing cake with friends)
Responses to incorrect answers

Name re-entry functionality

One-star result and retry scenario

The dynamic star rating system

Question retries and feedback

Ending options (e.g., sharing cake with friends)

Responses to incorrect answers

Project Breakdown with Screenshots

Each slide and interaction was built with attention to learner feedback, user control, and engagement. Here's how the project is structured:

Name Entry

Learners enter their name and confirm it. If incorrect, they can go back and edit before continuing.

Setting the Scene

The character, Andrew, wants to bake a cake - but the recipe is in a bit of a muddle. It's up to the learner to help!

A recipe for chocolate cake ingredients is shown next to a thought bubble with a cake and a man looking thoughtful. Text indicates he needs help baking.

Question 1: Reordering the Recipe

Type: Drag and drop
Attempts: 3
Learners arrange steps in the correct order and receive feedback based on accuracy.

Recipe Confirmation

Regardless of their answer in Q1, learners are shown the correct recipe before moving on.

A complete chocolate cake recipe, showing ingredients on the left and numbered method steps on the right, with a small cake icon at the bottom.

Question 2: Pantry Check

Type: Decision-based
Attempts: 1
Learners determine whether Andrew needs a shopping trip, based on what's in his cupboards.

Shopping Trip

An info slide where Andrew chooses to buy all the ingredients anyway, just to be safe!

A man with crossed arms beside text explaining Andrew is going shopping for all ingredients, regardless of what he already has. A "Lets get shopping!" button and a chocolate cake ingredients list are also visible.

Question 3: Selecting Ingredients

Type: Drag and drop
Attempts:3
Learners drag required ingredients into a basket, incorrect or missing items prompt a retry.

Time to Bake!

Andrew's mixed the batter. Learners click to progress to oven-related decisions.

A man in a kitchen, standing between a mixing bowl and a stovetop with a pot. A speech bubble says he has mixed the ingredients and is ready to put it in the oven. Another bubble shows an oven icon and text about dividing the mixture and putting it in the oven.

Question 4: Set the Oven Temperature

Type: Dial input and numerical entry
Attempts: 3
Learners use a dial to input the oven temperature based on the recipe. A tooltip reminds them Andrew isn't using a fan oven!

Question 5: Baking Time

Type: Dial input
Attempts: 3
Similar to Q4, learners adjust a dial to set the correct bake time.

Finishing Up

Andrew thanks the learner and offers two choices:

'Let's try some with friends' - a celebratory scene with the learner's name.
'You're welcome!' - leads directly to the results slide.

Results and Star Rating

The results slide dynamically responds to the learner's score:

Score under 20: Cake in the bin, try again!
20+ points: Thumbs up and cake success!
Star ratings are awarded as follows:
- 10 Points = ⭐
- 20 Points = ⭐⭐
- 30 Points = ⭐⭐⭐
- 40 Points = ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- 50 Points = ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Reflection

This project was not only my first full build in Articulate Storyline 360, but also a chance to experiment with custom interactions, meaningful feedback, and playful storytelling. I aimed to combine practical instructional design principles with interactive elements that keep the learner engaged.

Google Sites

Report abuse