Saving Lives with Learning Design
Note: This blog post is a summary of the presentation made at the NZATD Digital Showcase in September 2024

We recently completed a project with Te Whatu Ora (previously ADHB) that reminded us how powerful well-designed learning can be—especially when it involves critical health protocols. Here’s the story of how we helped bring a set of life-saving courses back to life through effective learning design.
The Problem: An Outdated and Fragmented Programme
Our client had a suite of courses aimed at preparing hospital staff to recognise early warning signs of patient deterioration—critical information to prevent the need for resuscitation. Unfortunately, the courses had become disjointed, with broken links, confusing user experiences (UX), and outdated content. This led to staff frustration and the decision to remove the courses from the compulsory list.
Our task was clear: overhaul the suite and ensure staff could easily access and complete the vital training.
Investigating the Current State
Our first step was to analyse what was already in place. The programme had a mish-mash of content formats, including Totara-native exercises, Storyline modules, and even H5P modules that were poorly implemented. Some links were broken, others overlapped, and the formatting varied widely. It was, quite simply, a bit of a mess.
We mapped out all these inconsistencies in a detailed audit, providing us with a clearer idea of what needed to change.
Recommending a Consistent Format
Next, we recommended a future format. While there were multiple technologies in use (Totara, Storyline, and H5P), we suggested using Storyline as the standard. Storyline allowed us to create standardised templates and provided the flexibility to handle more complex technical needs.
This decision proved invaluable as we navigated some tricky technical challenges later on. Even the main clinical SME became so invested that he obtained a license and taught himself Storyline—a first for us!
Streamlining the Architecture
One major challenge was to re-architect the programme. Staff from different roles needed different pathways, and we had to ensure that learners would not see duplicated content if they switched roles. We recommended a structure where modules were easily updateable and could be tracked accurately for both certification and re-certification purposes. This setup also helped address frustrations related to module completion tracking.
Designing Templates and Rebranding
Once the structure was established, we focused on the design. We created a series of branded templates that followed the client’s brand guidelines. One key complaint from staff was the lack of clarity around how long each module would take, so we added progress bars and clear navigation elements.
However, midway through the project, Te Whatu Ora underwent a rebranding, which meant we had to redesign all the modules to reflect their new visual identity. Despite this, we delivered a consistent and updated look across the board.

Overcoming Technical Challenges
As we began re-developing the modules, both from the older eLearning and from paper-based assessments, we encountered several technical hurdles. For example, certain assessment questions—like diagnosing cardiac rhythms—were complex. One ECG quiz had 27 potential rhythm options, and we needed to find a way to present these choices on each question slide.
Our solution? A sliding tab feature that allowed users to refer back to a key for possible answers, without cluttering the main screen. This, paired with clickable zoom features for ECG images, saved space and provided a better user experience.

We also found a couple ways to allow for a large document (Vital Signs Chart) to be presented to learners. One way was to have a ‘zoom’ feature, where the learner could hover their mouse over a quadrant, and see a zoomed in version of that quadrant elsewhere on the screen.

Implementation and Early Results
After development, the team worked with Te Whatu Ora’s LMS administrator to implement the modules and ensure the certification architecture was functioning properly. Over 6,350 staff (more than 50% of the workforce) have now accessed the courses, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. The client team are now working on reviewing assessment results to understand gaps and plug them.
What We Learned
This project taught us a few valuable lessons:
Tools and Flexibility: Storyline and Totara are powerful tools, but they need to be used wisely. Our space-saving techniques and creative workarounds paid off, even with some compromises along the way.
Version Control: With so many moving parts, maintaining strict version control was crucial. We also had to train our client to follow versioning protocols, especially since they were using the eLearning development tools to make changes too.
The Importance of ROI: Finally, we learned that the real ROI of this project wasn’t purely financial. While saving staff time and improving efficiency were key, and definitely had financial payoffs, the true value lay in helping prevent patient deterioration and, ultimately, saving lives.
If you’d like to see a copy of some of the space-saving techniques we designed in Storyline, click the button to give us your details, and we’ll email you a download link.