Using Pixton to Create a Comic Book eLearning Universe

The retail training program at the company I work for was inneed of an overhaul. The materials that had served as the standard for onboardingnew associates were overwhelmingly long and lacked design continuity. We neededa strategy that modernized the delivery and made eLearning more relatable and engaging.Through my journey to reinvent the training program, I discovered the power ofcreating a comic book eLearning universe through a web-based tool called Pixton.

An animated call for change

In 2015 a career change led me to Axcess Financial, afinancial solutions provider based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Originally my role inthe organization was to oversee the implementation of marketing in our retailspaces; however, by 2017 the scope of my work took an unexpected shift when my managerbrought up the subject of training. What began as a topic of conversation eventuallyevolved into a new career in learning and development.

One of my first projects in my new L&D role involved a thoroughreview of the materials from the existing program. My manager provided great insightand guidance throughout the discovery process, and I was encouraged to spendtime in our stores to fully immerse myself in the retail experience. Thisexercise was quite revealing and beneficial, as it helped me understand the actionsand behaviors that would eventually become the course content. This opportunityalso allowed me to interactwith my learners and gain perspective on what improvements were needed toenhance their onboarding experience.   

My manager and I ultimately concluded that the entireprogram needed to be replaced. The consensus was that the existing courses weretoo long, the design aesthetic lacked consistency, and the learner experienceneeded to be updated and enhanced to keep up with the times. Additionally, I believedthat a new strategic approach was required, one that could mimic retail behaviorsto bring more relevance and authenticity to our associate learning. 

While searching for a strategic solution I attended awebinar demonstration where I was introduced to Pixton, a web-based tool that seamlesslyallows the user to graphically communicate through the mediumof comics. With its vast library of characters, props, and backgrounds,storyboard layouts can be designed to reflect any scenario for educational ortraining purposes. I immediately recognized the potential of Pixton, and how itcould enhance my company’s approach to training. As Pixton allows interestedparties to test their product before purchase, I began constructing a course usingtheir tool to propose my vision for eLearning.        

The process of creating a comic book eLearning universe

Once my initial proposal and concept was approved, I went towork rewriting content—dissecting it into smaller pieces and simplifying thelanguage to make it easier for associates to understand. Soon the cartoonpanels were bringing the rewritten content to life, with characters and layoutsthat mimicked our retail spaces.

During this creative process I developed two characters,Alyssa and Josh, who became my trainer and trainee who could further elevate thecomic book narrative. By introducing these characters, the content suddenly hadnames and faces that would provide guidance in each eLearning course and throughoutthe onboarding process. These main characters played an instrumental role in makingthe content easier to understand because the language became moreconversational, which felt more relevant to training in the real-world.

With the help of my developer, these ideas and concepts werethen imported into an authoring tool and complemented with simulations, audio, andcomplementary buttons and backgrounds to give the design aesthetic a finishthat felt vibrant and bold.    

In five months’ time I was able to deliver a suite of product-specificeLearning courses that supported training in more than 648 retail locations, across13 states. Our new, comic book eLearning universe was met with praise from bothlearners and leadership alike. One leader complimented the new approach bystating, “Love the new training. Super cool and updated. Can’t wait to seemore!”    

In conclusion

Like any instructional designer, my work is far from complete.However, thanks to Pixton, the once-daunting task of designing training hasbeen transformed into something interesting and captivating. Through the helpof this web-based tool, I was able to introduce and implement a comic book universeof eLearning that has inspired my company and learners with its fun and modernappeal.