From PDF to Play: Start a Business Course (Storyline + Rise 360)
What began as a static, 2 page issued “Start a Business” guide was rebuilt into an interactive, reality-based learning experience. My goal was to transform a bullet point list with no real guidance into something that made learners take action and complete tasks before an in person Chamber meeting.
⛰️ Challenge
The original material was a 2-page PDF meant for small-business workshops. It listed steps to start a business but didn’t guide learners where to go or help them complete the tasks they’d face — things like choosing a structure, registering, or getting licensed.
My objective: make it a usable online pre-class module for a chamber-of-commerce program, helping learners arrive to the live workshop with a foundation already built.
💭 Design Approach
I started with Action Mapping to clarify what learners actually needed to do before attending the in-person workshop and the Chambers training goal. The three key actions to master ahead of time were: naming their business, choosing a structure, and completing registration.
Each section was designed around a do → feedback → reflection loop that made the learning feel like progress, not homework.
Business Name: Learners walk through a short story with another business owner, practicing how they’d brainstorm and vet a name themselves using creative, legal, and branding filters.
Business Structure: A quick match game introduces the different types of structures and helps learners identify which fits their situation best.
Registration & Licensing: Learners follow guided tutorial videos with built-in stop points so they can complete their real registration and licensing steps for Washington State before class.
Before entering the class they now have a licensed business and are ready for the next phase.
🏗️ The Build
I used Articulate Storyline for mini-challenges and interactive elements (matching game, realistic decision process, and guided video).
Embedded them in Rise 360 for a seamless, mobile-friendly flow.
Applied consistent visual theming (forest greens, small-town storefronts) to reflect Washington’s local-business feel using Canva, FreePik, & Leonardo.Ai
Videos were made and edited with Filmora
🌟 Results & Takeaways
This project shows how a static bulleted list can be transformed into a real-world, decision-based learning experience. The redesigned module prepares learners to name, structure, and register their business before class — turning information into action and saving instructors valuable in-person time.
It highlights my ability to translate complex content into engaging experiences, apply Action Mapping to focus on performance outcomes, and prototype using Storyline and Rise 360 to create learning that feels authentic, practical, and human.