• CASE STUDY
Project overview
Giving constructive feedback can be difficult for new managers, especially when they’re trying to address a performance concern without making the conversation feel personal or unclear. I created this self-paced learning experience to help newly promoted managers build confidence through a realistic workplace scenario, modeled examples, and opportunities to practice making decisions as the conversation develops.
.png)
Giving Constructive Feedback
Newly promoted managers may understand that they need to address performance concerns, but knowing what to say in the moment can be much harder.
In this fictional workplace scenario, existing manager resources explained what managers should do, but provided limited guidance on how to communicate corrective feedback effectively. Feedback could become vague, overly softened, or unintentionally personal, leaving employees unclear about the concern or what needed to change.
I focused the learning experience on that communication gap: helping new managers give clear, constructive feedback while still making space to understand the employee’s perspective.
• THE CHALLENGE
Closing the Communication Gap
• DESIGN APPROACH
Key Design Decisions
02 — KEEPING THE SCOPE FOCUSED
Designing around the performance need
I prioritized the communication skills managers needed in the moment and left topics such as formal discipline, documentation, and annual performance reviews outside the immediate performance need.
01 — LEARNING THROUGH PRACTICE
Creating opportunities to apply the skill
I designed the experience so learners could see effective feedback modeled, practice applying the approach, and make decisions within a realistic workplace conversation.
• The Learning Experience
From Concept to Application
I structured the experience so learners first understand what makes feedback effective, then see the approach modeled, and finally practice applying it in a realistic manager-employee conversation.
02 — MODEL THE APPROACH
Showing the framework in context
I used a realistic performance example to show how vague feedback can be transformed into a clear, actionable message.
Interactive markers break the improved feedback into its component parts, allowing learners to connect each part of the message back to the framework they just learned.
03 — PRACTICE THE DECISION
Moving from knowledge to judgment
I extended the practice beyond delivering feedback by introducing new information from the employee and asking learners to decide how they would continue the conversation.
The branching scenario provides targeted feedback for each choice, reinforcing the need to balance the employee’s perspective with accountability and the needs of the team.
01 — BUILD THE FRAMEWORK
Making feedback actionable
I introduced a simple three-question framework to help learners focus on observable behavior, explain its impact, and set a clear expectation for what needs to happen next.
Rather than asking learners to memorize a script, the framework gives them a structure they can apply across different feedback conversations.
• TESTING & ITERATION
Testing with a Fresh Learner
Before finalizing the course, I asked a learner who had not been involved in the design process to complete the experience independently. This gave me a fresh perspective on the learner experience and helped me identify opportunities to improve clarity, flow, and usability.
01 — TEST
Fresh learner perspective
A learner completed the course independently without prior exposure to the content or design.
02 — OBSERVE
Approximately 9 minutes
The test helped me evaluate pacing, clarity, interaction behavior, and how easily the learner could move through the experience.
03 — REFINE
Revise based on evidence
I used the learner's experience alongside my own QA review to make targeted changes before considering the course complete.
The summary felt repetitive
Reworked the section to focus on why the framework matters.
Scenario feedback created role confusion
Redesigned the interaction so Jordan's dialogue and instructional feedback were clearly separated.
The distinction between “vague” and “overly softened” was unclear
Separated the concepts to clarify the different communication problems.
LEARNER FEEDBACK
DESIGN RESPONSE
What Changed After Testing
LEARNER FEEDBACK
DESIGN RESPONSE
LEARNER FEEDBACK
DESIGN RESPONSE
Outcome
The final course provides new managers with a focused, practice-based experience for navigating corrective feedback conversations. By moving from a simple framework to modeled examples and a branching scenario, the experience gives learners opportunities to build understanding before applying it in context.
Reflection
Designing and testing this course reinforced the importance of keeping learning focused on the performance need. It also reminded me that small design choices—how concepts are grouped, how feedback is presented, and how interactions are structured—can have a meaningful impact on learner clarity and confidence.
• OUTCOME & REFLECTION
From Practice to Application