Instructional Design Approach
ARCS Model:
​
-
Attention: Suspenseful incident.
-
Relevance: Realistic office context.
-
Confidence: Clear steps to act safely.
-
Satisfaction: Riya’s growth arc + empowerment message.
1
The Problem
Cybersecurity incidents don’t always happen because employees are careless.They happen because phishing emails are designed to look normal, urgent, and trustworthy.
Employees are often:
​
-
Multitasking
-
Working under time pressure
-
Conditioned to respond quickly to authority
Traditional cybersecurity training focuses on rules and definitions, but fails to show how small, everyday decisions lead to major consequences.
2
The Solution
I designed a story-driven cybersecurity microlearning experience that places learners inside a realistic workplace scenario.
Instead of telling learners what phishing is, this experience:
​
-
Shows how phishing actually happens
-
Demonstrates consequences in real time
-
Helps learners emotionally connect with the mistake
-
Reinforces correct behaviors through reflection and practice
The learning is delivered through animated storytelling using Vyond, making the experience relatable, engaging, and memorable.
3
The Learning Experience
The story follows Riya, a corporate employee who receives an urgent email that appears to be from HR. Under pressure, she clicks a link, unknowingly exposing her credentials.
What follows:
​
-
System disruptions
-
Security alerts
-
IT investigation
-
A guided reflection on what went wrong
The experience ends with Riya applying her learning and helping others avoid the same mistake reinforcing the idea that cybersecurity is everyone’s responsibility.
4
Instructional Design Approach
This project was designed using scenario-based learning and error-driven instruction.
Key Design Principles Used:
​
-
Learning from mistakes – showing consequences before solutions
-
Anchored instruction – teaching concepts through a realistic problem
-
Emotional engagement – using story tension to improve retention
-
Reflection and reinforcement – helping learners internalize behaviors
Rather than overwhelming learners with policies, the course focuses on:
“What should I notice?”
“What should I do next?”
Reflection
This project reinforced an important learning design insight:
People don’t change behavior because of rules.
They change behavior because they understand consequences.
By using storytelling instead of instruction-heavy slides, this experience transforms cybersecurity from a technical topic into a human one.