Learning Experience Architect
Learning Experience Architect
Immersive Training for Complex Systems
Role: Lead Instructional Designer | Format: Instructor-Led Classroom Training & Virtual Reality | Audience: Entry-Level Navy Schoolhouse Students | Scope: 125 Classroom Lessons & 4 Virtual Reality Conversions
Project Summary
This project was a long-term effort that incorporated multiple learning strategies and delivery methods. My team developed comprehensive lesson plans, trainee guides, lab materials, assessments, and immersive virtual training experiences to support specific lessons within the broader curriculum.
For the immersive training portion, we were tasked with taking selected classroom content and transforming it into Virtual Reality experiences. Students first learned the foundational material through instructor-led and supporting course content, then used VR headsets to enter a virtual environment where they could interact with detailed 3D models and apply what they had learned.
This approach became particularly valuable when we identified that students could complete the entire course without physically interacting with certain equipment. To help close that gap, we developed immersive training that gave learners the opportunity to explore and practice concepts such as equipment operation, assembly, and disassembly in a virtual environment.
The experience was very well received by stakeholders and learners. Its success helped demonstrate the value of immersive training within the curriculum, and the approach was later incorporated into training developed for another United States Navy schoolhouse rating.
Challenges and Solutions
One of the primary challenges was determining how to translate previously developed and SME-approved classroom content into an effective virtual experience. Because much of the instructional material was already established, the focus shifted from rewriting the content to deciding how learners should interact with it in VR. This required careful consideration of interaction design, sequencing, and the best way to represent classroom concepts within an immersive environment.
A second challenge involved validating the virtual training without having the physical equipment available in the classroom. This created a unique situation where we needed to develop the experience cost effectively while still ensuring that the content accurately reflected the real equipment and procedures.
To address this, we worked with Navy personnel who had access to the equipment and could review and validate the virtual experience. This allowed us to confirm both the accuracy of the classroom material and the way that content had been translated into VR.
Ultimately, the project gave us an opportunity to accomplish two goals at once: convert established classroom instruction into immersive training while also validating the underlying content against the real equipment.
My Role
As the Lead Instructional Designer, I was responsible for overseeing a team of 15 instructional designers, assigning tasks, developing action plans, and helping coordinate the instructional development effort across the project. I also worked closely with the multimedia and quality assurance teams to make sure the training remained aligned across design, development, testing, and delivery.
I served as a primary point of contact for government stakeholders, gathering feedback from multiple reviewers and consolidating that input into clear direction for the development team. This helped keep the project moving while ensuring stakeholder expectations were reflected in the final product.
During the conversion of classroom content into Virtual Reality, I worked directly with multimedia developers to make sure the intent and instructional value of the original classroom training were preserved. I was also heavily involved in designing the learner experience, including how users would interact with the virtual content, navigate the environment, and remain engaged while practicing the material in a more immersive format.
This role required me to balance team leadership, stakeholder coordination, instructional strategy, and user experience design across a large, multidisciplinary development effort.