Instructional Design Case Study
Analysis and Design Phases
This case study will walk you through the first phases of instructional design. It will
reiterate concepts, principles, and practices used by designers in the first three phase. Use this
case study as a benchmark for your understanding of ID and as reference for future ID endeavors.
Everything in black is an outline that you can follow for your own projects. Everything in red are
sample answers that I’ve come up with. I’ve also annotated this document with important
comments.
Scenario: An upper-level manager at Apple has noticed an average of 3,000 complaints per
month across all Apple Stores, from August 2012 to August 2013. This number increased from
August 2011 to August 2012, when geniuses received an average of 1,600 complaints per month.
ANALYSIS PHASE
STEP 1: Answer the following questions to consider an initial appraisal of the situation:
1. What model should start your analysis? Problem, discrepancy, or innovation? Why?
Problem Model because we want to first determine whether the problem is actually
significant. If it is, we then would want to perform a discrepancy analysis if a training
program is already in place, or an innovation analysis if new training is necessary.
2. To determine if the problem is a significant one, construct a list of questions you would
like answered in the needs analysis phase.
1. Is there any other sources of data we can compare this number of 30 to?
2. Is there an existing metric or benchmark for number of complaints per month?
3. What kinds of complaints are they?
4. When are people complaining?
5. Is there any connection between these complaints and sales?
6. Do other stakeholders believe this is a problem? (lower management, geniuses,
customers, etc.)
3. What sources of data can answer these questions? (e.g., managers, geniuses, customers,
etc.)
 Managers can answer 1,2, and 3
 Complaint logs (online) can answer 3 and 4
 Sales data can answer question 5
 Interviews and/or surveys with primary and secondary stakeholders might answer
question 6
4. To determine if training can solve the problem, construct a list of questions.
1. Are the complaints primarily process-related?
2. Are the complaints related to customer service?
3. Is there a pattern to the complaints?
4. Are the complaints related to the quality of the products?
5. How are geniuses currently trained?
6. What about the training is not sufficient?
5. What sources of data can answer these questions?
 Complaint data can answer questions 1, 2, 3, 4


Management/HR can answer question 5 and 6
Customers can answer questions 5 and 6
Results Scenario:
Based on the needs analysis, the following key results were found:
1.
2.
3.
65% of all complaints (23,500) were related in some way to interaction with a genius.
a. 20% of these complaints were related to a negative customer service
experience when interacting with genius.
b. 20% of these complaints were related to unclear communication about
product problems
c. 60% of these complaints were related to long wait times.
20% of the complaints were due to Apple return and warranty policies.
15% of the complaints were due to the quality of products.
STEP 2: Based on these results, answer the following questions:
1.
2.
3.
Can training help manage these results? Why?
 Yes, I believe training can manage the results that were related to interaction w/ a
genius. There seems to be a clear need related to how geniuses communicate with
customers and the overall process itself.
Who needs to be trained?
 Geniuses, store managers
What general areas or topics should these stakeholders be trained in?
 Communicating and interacting with customers (relational)
 Communicating technical problems to customers
 Managing and staying on schedule for genius bar appointments
STEP 3: Now write learning goals for your training program.
1.
2.
3.
Genius bar workers will learn to build rapport with customers who have genius bar
appointments.
Genius bar workers will learn to explain and teach customers about technical problems in
an easy to understand way.
Store managers and genius bar workers will learn how to stay on schedule and meet
customer expectations for timeliness.
DESIGN PHASE
STEP 1: Now turn these goals into learning objectives using the guidelines for learning
objectives.
1.
When given three case study scenarios, genius bar workers will reenact rapport-building
strategies based on Apple’s performance-based criteria.
2.
3.
When given three technical problems, genius bar workers will orally explain the technical
problem in an easy-to-understand way, based on specific performance criteria.
When given three scenarios that cause delays in genius bar appointments, managers and
genius bar workers will write down in their own words alternate processes that will
alleviate the delay.
STEP 2: Now perform a learning task analysis and prerequisite analysis for each of the
objectives.
Here’s an outline I came up with for the first learning goal:
1.
When given three case study scenarios, genius bar workers will reenact rapport-building
strategies based on Apple’s performance-based criteria.
a. What is rapport and how can you build it?
i. Definition of rapport
ii. Different methods to build rapport
b. Connection between rapport and customer satisfaction
i. What does Apple think about customer satisfaction?
1. What are Apple’s core values?
ii. Why is rapport building important for you?
iii. What are consequences of not building rapport?
c. Know three ways to communicate rapport
i. Three Communication Strategies for building rapport
ii. How are they alike and different?
d. Choose the best of three ways to build rapport given a scenario
i. Advantages and disadvantages of each method
ii. When is each strategy most useful?
e. Practice rapport building
i. The performance criteria for building rapport
STEP 3: Create learning objectives for every step in the outline and assign a type of learning
to each.
MAIN LEARNING OBJECTIVE: When given three case study scenarios, genius bar workers
will reenact rapport-building strategies based on Apple’s performance-based criteria.
a.
On an assessment, Genius bar workers will define in their own words rapport and
identify methods for building rapport from a list of examples and non-examples.
(declarative knowledge and concepts)
ii. Genius bar workers will correctly define rapport in their own words based
on the formal definition of rapport (declarative)
iii. Genius bar workers will correctly identify methods for rapport building
from a list of 10 examples and non-examples. (Concept)
b. On an assessment, Genius bar workers will summarize connections between
rapport and customer satisfaction.
a. Genius bar workers will correctly outline the importance of customer
satisfaction to Apple’s culture (Principle/Attitude)
i. Genius bar workers will correctly define in their own words
Apple’s cultural values that are pertinent to them. (Declarative)
iv. Genius bar workers will outline three reasons rapport building is
important to them. (Principle)
v. Genius bar workers will identify three consequences for not building
rapport. (Principle)
c. On an assessment, genius bar workers will discriminate between three strategies
for building rapport through communication.
vi. Genius bar workers will correctly summarize three communication
strategies for building rapport, in their own words. (Declarative)
vii. When given a list of 10 characteristics, Genius bar workers will correctly
match a communication strategy to a characteristic for at least 8 of the
10 characteristics. (Concept)
d. When given five scenarios, genius bar workers will select the best rapportbuilding strategy from a list of three rapport-building strategies (Concepts and
problem-solving)
a. Genius bar workers will summarize common contexts when rapport
building is necessary. (Problem-solving)
viii. Genius bar workers will outline advantages and disadvantages for each
rapport-building strategy when provided three strategies. (Concept)
e. When given a random scenario, genius bar workers will perform the correct
rapport-building strategy based on performance criteria. (Problemsolving/psychomotor)
ix. Genius bar workers will define in their own words the performance
criteria for rapport-building strategies. (Declarative)
2.
3.
When given three technical problems, genius bar workers will orally explain the technical
problem in an easy-to-understand way, based on specific performance criteria.
When given three scenarios that cause delays in genius bar appointments, managers and
genius bar workers will write down in their own words alternate processes that will
alleviate the delay.
STEP 4: Make design decisions based on research-based guidelines.
Lesson 1: Rapport Building for Genius Bar Workers
Learning Objectives:
MAIN OBJECTIVE: When given three case study scenarios, genius bar workers will
reenact rapport-building strategies based on Apple’s performance-based criteria.
a.
On an assessment, Genius bar workers will define in their own words rapport and
identify methods for building rapport from a list of examples and nonexamples.
(declarative knowledge and concepts)
b. On an assessment, Genius bar workers will summarize connections between
rapport and customer satisfaction.
c. On an assessment, genius bar workers will discriminate between three strategies
for building rapport through communication.
d. When given five scenarios, genius bar workers will select the best rapportbuilding strategy from a list of three rapport-building strategies.
e. When given a random scenario, genius bar workers will perform the correct
rapport-building strategy based on performance criteria.
Time
Topic
Content
5 minutes
Introduction to
rapport building

10 minutes
20 minutes
Defining
Rapport and
identifying
methods for
rapport building
Connections
between
Rapport and
customer
What is rapport
management
how does it
relate to you?

Definition of
rapport

Methods for
building rapport
(communication
and noncommunication
methods)

Apple’s cultural
values and
importance of
customer service
Learning Activities

Students will be
presented with the
learning objectives for
this lesson

Students will be
presented with extreme
video examples of rude
customer service.

Students will be
presented with three
scenarios that will
introduce them to the
topic of rapport building.

Students will be
presented with a formal
definition of rapport

Students will be
presented with three
methods and then watch
three video scenarios of
rapport

Students will identify
which method of rapport
building is displayed in
each video.

Practice! Students will
complete a quick practice
assessment asking them
to define rapport and
select methods.

Video of CEO Steve Jobs
discussing importance
customer service
Small-group discussion in

Events of
Learning

Gain
attention
to lesson

Informing
learner of
objectives
Media Delivery and
Materials

Facilitator
Lecture with
presentation
slides

Participant
guide where
students can
follow the
facilitator and
complete
activities.

Video clips

Presenting
the
stimulus
material

Facilitator
lecture with
presentation
slides

Eliciting
performan
ce

Participant
guide

Video clips

Providing
feedback

Presenting
the
stimulus
material

Participant
guide
Presentation
slides

satisfaction


15 minutes
Three
communication
strategies for
building rapport


The connection
between rapport
management
and customer
satisfaction
The
consequences of
being rude
Defining three
communication
strategies for
building rapport
Differences and
similarities
between the
three strategies








10 minutes
Selecting a
communication
strategy


What contexts
are most
challenging?
Selecting a
strategy based
on context




30 minutes-
Assessment

Perform rapport
strategies

groups of 3 to discuss
rapport management and
customer satisfaction
Facilitator led feedback
and recap of discussion
Video clips of rude
customer service
Practice! Video- students
will write out
consequences of being
rude and short
explanation about why
rapport was important in
that situation
Students presented with
formal definition for the
three strategies
For each strategy,
students will view a case
study example
Students will write their
own new example of each
strategy
Students presented with a
table that outlines all
similarities and
differences between each
strategy
Practice! Students will
match communication
strategy from a list of 10
strategies
Brainstorming activitystudents asked to come
up with three scenarios
when rapport building is
challenging.
Discuss brainstorming
activity
Overview of
communication strategy
model
Practice! Students will
choose and defend a
strategy depending on
context
Students will partner off
and be given a random

Eliciting
performan
ce


Providing
feedback




Presenting
the
stimulus
material
Eliciting
performan
ce

Providing
feedback

Presenting
the
stimulus
material

Eliciting
performan
ce


Providing
feedback
Eliciting
performan








Facilitator
guidediscussion
questions
Video of
customer service
Assessment for
video
Participant
guide- table of
strategies
Presentation
slide-table of
strategies
Facilitator guide
Case study
Participant
guidebrainstorming
activity;
communication
strategy model
Presentation
slidescommunication
strategy model
Practice item
Scenarios for
assessment

scenario and will role play
a rapport strategy
Discussion of results
ce

Providing
feedback

Answer key for
assessment