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How We Work

When V/Line approached me, they faced a common corporate hurdle: a Code of Conduct module that was dry, text-heavy, and widely disliked by staff. The mandate was to transform this essential compliance piece into something fresh, engaging, and visually driven. Taking inspiration from the minimalist, friendly aesthetic of the Headspace app, I developed “How We Work”, a vibrant, character-led learning experience that reimagined the V/Line brand through a modern lens.

About this project

  • V/Line
  • 2023
  • 3 Months
  • eLearning
  • Public Sector

Services

  • eLearning Design
  • eLearning Development
  • Evolve Custom Theme
  • Instructional Design
  • Project Management

Objectives and Goals

  • Engagement Overhaul: Replace a “box-ticking” exercise with a learning experience staff actually enjoyed completing.

  • Modern Aesthetic: Pivot away from traditional corporate styling toward a friendly, “Headspace-inspired” visual language.

  • Content Transformation: Rewrite and “chunk” dense legalistic content into digestible, actionable insights.

  • Marketable Learning: Create a suite of assets to promote the course internally, ensuring it feels like a major organisational event rather than a chore.

My Role and Responsibilities

I served as the Lead End-to-End eLearning Designer and Developer, handling everything from strategy and branding to final development.

  • Strategic Consulting: Provided a comprehensive learning strategy and instructional design approach.

  • Branding & UI Design: Designed a new visual identity in Figma, including the “hero” purple colour palette and a custom-styled train character.

  • Content Engineering: Rewrote the entire curriculum from scratch, including storyboards and video scripts.

  • Multimedia Production: Created all custom images and SVGs in Figma, then animated them in Vyond.

  • E-Learning Development: Built the final responsive module using Evolve.

  • Project Management: Managed all stakeholders and timelines using Trello.

Process and Approach

  • Visual Strategy: I started with high-fidelity mockups in Figma to demonstrate how I would translate the client’s “gold standard” vision into a functional interface.

  • Storyboarding & Scripting: I focused on “chunking” the content. Each section began with a scripted video to set the tone and humanise the compliance rules.

  • Bespoke Asset Creation: I designed a “cute” train character and a suite of supporting icons. By exporting these SVGs from Figma into Vyond, I was able to create high-quality, branded animations that maintained the “Headspace” feel throughout.

  • Agile Management: Using Trello, I kept the V/Line SMEs updated in real time, enabling a transparent, collaborative feedback loop.

Key Features or Solutions

  • The “Hero” Train Character: A custom-designed brand mascot used throughout the module to guide learners and provide a friendly face to policy.

  • Video-First Section Headers: Every major topic was introduced via a custom animation, breaking the flow and maintaining high engagement.

  • Interactive Evaluation: Instead of a standard quiz, I built a custom Typeform evaluation to capture authentic user sentiment and feedback.

  • Marketing Collateral: Beyond the module, I created branded wallpapers and marketing assets to help V/Line launch the course internally with a “fresh” feel.

Challenges and How They Were Overcome

  • Challenge: Dealing with “dry” and heavy legacy content.

  • Solution: I rewrote the content from the ground up. By stripping away unnecessary jargon and focusing on visual storytelling, I transformed the module from a chore into an experience.

  • Challenge: Meeting the high visual expectations of a “Headspace” aesthetic.

  • Solution: I utilised a minimalist colour palette and soft-edged illustrations. Animating these in Vyond gave the course a “premium” feel that distinguished it from standard e-learning.

Results and Impact

The “How We Work” module was a resounding success, setting a new benchmark for V/Line’s internal training.

  • The New “Gold Standard”: The client officially designated this project as their benchmark for all future content development.

  • User & SME Praise: Feedback from Subject Matter Experts and learners was overwhelmingly positive, noting the clarity and freshness of the approach.

  • Data-Driven Success: The Typeform evaluation provided V/Line with clear metrics on user satisfaction, confirming a significant shift in staff perceptions of Code of Conduct training.

Visuals and Media

  • The “Show” Gallery: A collection of animated scenes and illustrations that brought the Code of Conduct to life.

My work for

V/Line

Here are some image to see some examples of the work I developed for
V/Line

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Cath Ellis Learning Design Logo
I acknowledge the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the Country on which I live and work.
I honour their enduring connection to land, waters, skies, and community, and pay my deepest respects to Elders past and present, and extend that respect to emerging leaders.
I recognise that sovereignty was never ceded. This always was, and always will be, Aboriginal land.

About Cath Ellis

Cath Ellis is an eLearning Designer and Developer based out of Melbourne, crafting engaging and effective learning experiences.
ABN: 32 316 313 079
A Queer-Owned Business

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Cath Ellis
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