Creating & Using Learner Personas to Super‑Charge the ATLAS eLearning Program

Item2023‑24 reality2025 “What‑if” vision with personasUsers enrolled≈ 2 800 (57 % avg. module completion)Same head‑count, but completion ≥ 70 % for every pathwayAudience definitionRole lists + ad‑hoc SME insights5 evidence‑based learner personas guiding every design choicePathwaysRA, OA, Essentials, Combined, BYOSame 5 pathways plus persona‑specific micro‑routes & job‑aidsPain‑points heard late“Too basic for specialists”
“Too dense for busy GPs”Issues predicted & mitigated during storyboardingAnalytics useGeneral dashboardsSegmented by persona → targeted improvements

Challenge 1: Conflicting Clinical Perspectives

During review cycles, we encountered differing opinions among rheumatology specialists regarding specific treatment recommendations and clinical priorities.

Solution: I developed a consensus-building framework that:

• Documented areas of agreement and disagreement

• Facilitated evidence-based discussion among clinical experts

• Created a tiered content structure that presented core consensus information with additional perspectives as supplementary content

• Maintained transparency about areas where clinical practice varies

This approach satisfied the ARA's need for accuracy while acknowledging the reality of evolving clinical practice.

Challenge 2: Balancing Clinical Detail with Learner Engagement

The ARA review committee initially requested additional clinical detail that risked overwhelming our target audience of primary care practitioners.

Solution: I addressed this challenge by:

• Creating a layered content architecture that provided essential information upfront with optional deep dives

• Developing interactive case studies that contextualized complex information

• Producing visualization tools that made complex concepts accessible

• Demonstrating through user testing how this approach maintained engagement while providing comprehensive information

This solution satisfied the ARA's requirements for clinical depth while preserving the program's accessibility and engagement.

Challenge 3: Demonstration of Educational Effectiveness

The ARA required evidence that our educational approach would lead to meaningful learning outcomes and practice change.

Solution: I implemented a multi-faceted evaluation approach:

• Conducted formative assessment during development with representative users

• Implemented pre/post knowledge testing in pilot modules

• Designed practice-intention measurements

• Created a longitudinal evaluation plan for post-endorsement data collection

By providing preliminary effectiveness data and a robust evaluation framework, we demonstrated our commitment to measurable outcomes.

Securing ARA endorsement yielded significant benefits for the ATLAS program:

Credibility & Adoption

• Increased Enrollment: 37% increase in module registrations within 8 weeks of announcing endorsement

• Institutional Adoption: 12 major teaching hospitals incorporated ATLAS into their training programs

• International Recognition: Users from 45 countries accessed the endorsed content

Professional Integration

• Conference Presentation: Invited to present at the 2024 Australian Rheumatology Association Conference

• CPD Recognition: Modules approved for continuing professional development points

• Clinical Pathway Integration: Content referenced in clinical pathway documentation at multiple healthcare institutions

Project Recognition

• Quality Recognition: Endorsement acknowledged the exceptional quality of both clinical content and instructional design

• Funding Impact: Facilitated additional funding for program expansion

• Media Coverage: Generated positive coverage in healthcare professional publications

This endorsement process yielded valuable insights applicable to future projects:

1. Early engagement is crucial. Involving the endorsing body from the beginning aligns expectations and reduces late-stage revisions.

2. Documentation must be comprehensive yet accessible. Detailed mapping and evidence documentation should be well-organized and easily navigable.

3. Balancing clinical accuracy with educational effectiveness requires skilled negotiation. Finding solutions that satisfy both clinical experts and educational best practices requires creative problem-solving.

4. Transparent iterative development builds trust. Demonstrating how feedback is incorporated creates confidence in the development process.

5. Evidence of effectiveness must be planned from the outset. Evaluation frameworks should be established early and preliminary data collected whenever possible.

Securing ARA endorsement represented more than a stamp of approval—it was a comprehensive validation of both clinical content and instructional design quality. The strategic approach I implemented created a collaborative partnership rather than simply a review process, embedding quality from the beginning rather than assessing it at the end.

This case study demonstrates how professional endorsement can be achieved through careful planning, evidence-based documentation, and skillful stakeholder management. The systematic approach outlined here serves as a model for securing credibility for educational programs in healthcare and other highly specialized fields.

The ATLAS-ARA partnership exemplifies how instructional designers can bridge clinical expertise and educational best practices, creating programs that are both authoritative and engaging—ultimately improving healthcare outcomes through effective professional education.