RECENT PROJECTS 2025

I designed and developed four projects between October 2024 and March 2025.

1. A redesigned Instruction Manual
2. A Website
3. A Podcast
4. A Storyboard for an Online Tutorial.

Project 1

OVERVIEW: THE REDESIGN OF AN OLD INSTRUCTION MANUAL

The layout of the original instruction manuscript is crammed. Its language is verbose and its paragraphs and sentences are sometimes unclear in meaning. This is a redesign project and involved digital and editing skills. The instruction manual for the solar-powered fountain contained details of how to assemble, use and clean a solar fountain.

I evaluated the solar-powered fountain’s manual, critiqued its design and instructions based on UX and Gestalt design principles, then redesigned the manual. I am quite pleased with the redesign.

REFLECTION

This artifact was chosen to showcase how information design, technical writing and editing can improve a badly designed manual. I assessed the original manual under the following headings:

CONTENT

• Table of contents is missing.
• The print is not of high quality.
•  The sentences are occasionally too verbose instead of being simple and clear.
• The instructions are inconsistent, not well organized, and fail to achieve their purpose.  Parts of the manual were difficult to understand.  
• Incorrect formatting of figures/diagrams. Standard format requires figures to be left-adjusted.

LAYOUT & ORGANIZATION.

• There is no page numbering in the original document. ‘A0’ is written at the top right-hand corner of each page. This is confusing.
• The manufacturer’s name and product model are absent.
• The label ‘Accessories’ should be renamed and called ‘list of parts’ or ‘parts list’.
• The orientation of the manual is not consistent. The last page (specification), is oriented in landscape format, unlike the prior pages.
• Information should appear in the order the audience will want/need to assemble the product. The numbers (1,2,3,4,5 etc.) should have been used to show the order to follow when assembling the solar powered fountain.
• The manual should have had a distinct and separate heading for the cleaning instructions.

• The manual should have an introduction for customers.
• The manual lacks contact details/a telephone number for customer service.

GRAPHICS

• The front-page graphic of the fountain does not resemble the finished product. The black sun is unnecessary.
• The table does not distinguish clearly between nozzles and the connection to pipe B7.  
• Inconsistent graphics. Some accessories are drawn as three dimensional, but others (A, B4, B5, C) are drawn as two dimensional.
• In Installation Step 5: “Put H into G”, the lettering is so small, it is difficult to distinguish between ‘H’ and ‘G’ (Fig 3).
• The attachment of the anti-collision poles and fasteners to the bottom of the solar panel pump was poorly described, and the pictures are not clear. I found the process confusing to understand.
• The figure drawn between figure 3 and figure 4, is blurred, and does not have a title
• There should be a disclaimer indicating that accessories are not drawn to scale.

THE REDESIGN

• I used Microsoft word for the redesign and Microsoft paint for some of the picture editing.
• The first task I did was to add an introduction and a table of contents.
• Next, I simplified the instructions and improved the original graphics.

Project 2

OVERVIEW: CREATING A WEBSITE

This is my second foray into developing a website. This new website was developed using HTML, CSS and JavaScript for the site’s interface design. I intend to use this website to display my creative writing. I also attached my CV to this website.

REFLECTION

This artifact was chosen not because it is my best work, but to showcase my digital skills, especially my attempts to learn and develop a website using HTML, CSS and JavaScript. Although I watched a lot of YouTube videos on Web design, for this project, I followed step by step instructions from a YouTube video titled “Free Course: Beginner Web Design using HTML5, CSS3 & Visual Studio Code” presented by New Zealand native and Ireland resident, Dan Scott. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5QFHp1oAws&t=209s

I spent more than 10 hours watching this video without getting bored, and ended up making a website. I made a lot of mistakes while designing it using different html and CSS prompts. I frequently questioned my own choice of outline text, colour, layout and graphics. I deliberately went for a dark tone, to contrast the bright colourful tone of my blog, sagaeuropa.com. In HTML and CSS, I learnt the importance of being detail oriented, and most importantly, being calm and patient with oneself. The patience it takes to code has helped me become more thorough as a technical writer and instructional designer. 

THINGS I LEARNED FROM DESIGNING THIS ARTIFACT

• How HTML and CSS work together to create content
• The functions of head vs body vs html tags
• What code editor to use for a project.
• How to use div tags
• What is a CSS Class
• How to use nested div tags.
• Colour coordination and contrast.
• Effective spacing on interface elements

Project 3

OVERVIEW: AUDACITY

This was my very first podcast and my very first time using ‘Audacity’ software. Creating a podcast was a requirment for one of my courses. I decided to make a podcast on a topic that I have tremendous experience in: cold calling.

REFLECTION

I’d never used Audacity before, although I had heard of it, but was eager to commence with this project. I spent time writing and rehearing a script. Would my voice be better if it sounded upbeat, or calm and mellow? I wanted to sound ‘right’. I watched numerous YouTube videos on how to create a podcast with Audacity, and listened to a few podcasts, that made me realize tone isn’t as important as content.    

Creating this podcast would have been much easier if I had an experienced guide beside me. I was amazed at how many features the software had. It was challenging. One of the disadvantages of distance education, especially for someone living in a remote area, is the inability to collaborate with peers and subject matter experts effectively.

I didn’t have a microphone and had hoped it wouldn’t be neccesary, so I spoke into my laptop, and the result was rather shaky or grainy voice recording. I didn’t realise that I could connect my phone to my laptop and use that as a substitute microphone. I later found copyright-free audio but struggled to cut and join the music with my recorded voice. I had to learn a lot, within a short time.

After this project, I spent more time tweaking my Audacity settings and watching how-to videos, and was able to create a second Audacity recording of myself telling a children’s story. Thankfully, my second Audacity venture was more successful than my first.

But I’m proud of my first attempts at podcasting. I look forward to learning more ‘bells and whistles’ in Audacity and using them in my eLearning projects.

I hope to produce top quality podcasts in future.

REFERENCES

Schiffman, S. (2014) Cold Calling Techniques (That Really Work!) Seventh edition. Simon & Schuster.

Sobczak, A. (2020) Smart Calling. Eliminate the Fear, Failure and Rejection from Cold Calling. Third edition. Wiley.

Project 4

OVERVIEW: E. LEARNING STORYBOARD

This is a storyboard of an online tutorial that I am still in the process of completing. It covers the topic of cold calling. The target audience is salespeople who need help with cold calling. The writing style is friendly and persuasive, and the tutorial gives clear concise structure and directives on how to be a successful cold caller.

The writing style is expository. It delivers factual information to the learner in a simple, clear, logical and concise way (Markel and Selber 2018; Pringle and O’Keefe 2009). This style is common in sales and marketing content, and is persuasive.

REFLECTION

This artifact was chosen as a class assignment. My storyboard is intended to motivate struggling cold callers and can be used worldwide.  

Many salespeople find cold calling difficult. In 2022, the US sales employee turnover rate was 35% compared to 13% for other professions (Source: HubSpot). Many sales agents leave before their second year of employment, without meeting their sales targets. Such low retention impacts company recruiting and increases training costs. But why do agents underperform?

Data from Keller Research Centre and from interviews, surveys and observation, indicate newly-trained sales employees struggle to convert cold calls into sales because of lack of confidence (attitude) and skills. Such salespeople felt depressed after numerous phone rejections. A few eventually avoid making cold calls altogether. Although many employers offer extra coaching, mentorship and encouragement, salespeople who accept help are often stigmatized and viewed as deficient.

Data suggest there is a need for an online eLearning course to fill employee knowledge gaps. This will not replace face-to-face training, but will complement it. This proposed 100% online eLearning course will be accessible to sales employees anywhere and anytime they log into their online account.

This storyboard design includes text and interactive elements such as navigation controls, simulations, and knowledge checks, and makes provisions for video that will help salespeople review and rehearse cold calling practices with the aim of closing gaps in knowledge. (Morrison et al., 2019).

It translates learning visually and through effective use of typography, colour and layout (Lohr, 2007) It also makes provision for accessibility. Researching and creating this storyboard taught me how to use interactive tools such as buttons, sliders, dials, disappearing and appearing graphics, pop-up windows, accordion blocks, tab interactions and flash cards, to make learning more fun.  

REFERENCES

Lee, B., Owens, D (2004) Multimedia Based Instructional Design; Second edition. Pfeiffer.

Lohr, L.L. (2007) Creating graphics for learning and performance: lessons in visual literacy. 2nd edn. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Prentice Hall.

Meyer, A., Rose, D.H. (David H., and Gordon, D. (2014) Universal Design for Learning: Theory and Practice, Wakefield, MA: CAST Professional Publishing

Morrison, G.R., Ross, S.M., Kalman, H.K. and Kemp, J.E. (2019) Designing effective instruction. 8th edn. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Redish, Janice. (2012) Letting Go of the Words, Second edition. ed, Amsterdam; Morgan Kaufmann.

Rose, D.H. (2002) Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age: Universal Design for Learning, Alexandria, Va: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Narino. A (2018). Available at:

https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-cold-calling

(Accessed: 12 March, 2025)

Rep Ai (2023)

https://rep.ai/blog/cold-calling-statistics

(Accessed 04 March 2025)

https://www.baylor.edu/business/kellercenter.

(Accessed 08 March 2025)

W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) (2018) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. W3C at: https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/   (Accessed: 02 April 2025).