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Character Building

This week’s E-Learning Heroes Challenge is Using Anthropomorphic Characters in E-Learning.   This challenge dropped shortly after my chat with Sandhya Lakhanpal for an upcoming Redefine Instruction podcast on storytelling.  During our discussion I highlighted the value of using non-human characters in e-learning courses, and shared an example of this approach. Quite by coincidence, David Anderson was https://replicaautomaticwatches.com/ also interested in how designers are using ‘unconventional characters to drive the narrative’. Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human characteristics, emotions and behaviours to animals or other non-human things, including objects, plants, and supernatural beings. A character is anthropomorphic if they are not human, but behave like a human. Movies and computer games are full of great examples of anthropomorphic characters.  Inspired by HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey and GLaDOS from Portal 2, I used MS Paint 3D to create a robotic security guard to guide the learner through my course. L-EV8 is less homicidal than his forebears, but he shares their sarcastic sense of humour.  He will offer the learner a pre-test in the elevator before tw rolex datejust mens 36mm 126234wrj automatic silver tone they attempt to enter the vault in the basement.  If L-EV8 suggests you revisit the course material, you should probably take his advice!

Voicing Concerns

The Voice Principle of Multimedia Learning states that ‘people learn better when the words are spoken in a standard-accented human voice, rather than in a machine voice or foreign-accented human voice.‘

Whilst most anthropomorphic characters tend to have a human voice, there is certainly a place for non-human voices when it fits the character and setting.  I think the slightly robotic delivery of Storyline’s Text-To-Speech generator really suits L-EV8, don’t you?

Getting Animated

With more time and resources I would have liked to have added a pulsing effect to L-EV8’s ‘eye’ when he speaks, or given him a waveform ‘mouth’.  Nonetheless, his emotionless ‘face’ adds to his slightly sinister demeanour.

Once the learner reaches the basement, L-EV8 follows on a hydraulic gimbal.  This gave me the opportunity to animate L-EV8 to add more character and emotion.  Get one or more question wrong in the pre-test and L-EV8 will shake his ‘head’ from side to side and mutter ‘Oh dear’.  I achieved this effect through timed state changes.

Serving the story

Representation in e-learning design is very important, but it’s so easy to unwittingly get it wrong.  Placing your learner in the story and using a first person perspective can help to avoid some of the pitfalls of avatar and character design.  Using non-human characters can minimise any unconscious bias on the part of both the designer and the learner.

Non-human characters can also become part of the user interface and respond to the learner’s actions.  Although this is true for human characters as well, there is something to be said for the exaggerated way a non-human character can act or react to a situation.  For instance, L-EV8’s ‘eye’ turns red when the learner provides an incorrect answer. 

Can you crack the vault?

Click here to play Spy Story

Can you crack the vault?

Elevating your design

Hopefully, the combination of this first person perspective and the faceless, slightly sinister protagonist creates drama, intrigue and a degree of tension that encourages the learner to try again when they fail.

Let me know what you think in the comments.

As always, I am happy to answer any questions you have about this demo and provide advice on how to apply a similar approach to your own designs.

Engage, Post and Share!

2 thoughts on “Character Building”

  2. Jon
    Reply

    Here’s a demo I made after being placed at risk of redundancy. But I’m not on the scrapheap yet!


    Like the example above, this demo also features an anthropomorphic character.

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