Design Table

This design table was used to develop learning activities for this session that are represented in the prototype.
Situated Learning
Characteristic
Relevant to job (target
audience already
working in the field)

Industry specific

Prior knowledge or
specific skill set

Learning Activity
Each of the activities in the Consulting 101 learning
environment are tailored to replicate real-world, client
project experience. In fact, the instructional problem is
based on an actual problem that was presented to The
Firm from an actual client. Documents and data have
been scrubbed for anything confidential, but information
about the problem is real. Learning takes place on a
team that represents the sort of team that the Analysts
would work with on the job. It would consist of a variety
of skills and personality types and the team would report
to a project manager and a managing partner.
The instructional problem is designed around the
consulting industry. The Analysts are asked to research
and analyze information about a client who is about to
implement a new time and attendance system. This is a
very common problem seen from clients throughout the
consulting business.
The Analysts are arranged on teams based on their skill
set, either in strategy or human capital. They are
expected to pull from their prior knowledge of those
areas to contribute to their team.

Teamwork/collaboration All of the work is done as a team. While different roles

may take on different tasks, there is far too much work
assigned in this learning environment for one person to
take all of it on. Analysts must distribute the load
amongst each other and then piece it all back together to
create their final work products and presentation.

Instructional
Strategy (Promote)
Authentic learning
activities

Learning Outcomes*

Authentic learning
activities

Analysts understand how the consulting

industry works; they types of clients
served and the types of problems
addressed or solved. (4)

Multiple
perspectives

Analysts learn how to apply the skills

they already have (from their education)
in a new setting. (1)

Self-directed
learning
Collaboration and
social negotiation.

Multiple
perspectives.

Analysts are exposed to the different

types of materials and information they
will see on a client project.
Analysts learn how to work on a crossfunctional, diversely skilled team.
They also will understand how to
communicate with project leadership. (4
and 5)

Analysts learn how to work on a team

with people of different backgrounds and
skillsets. (5)

Well defined (problem)

Requires analysis

Tangible product

Problem solving

Situation Specific

Timely because it
comes up as part of the
job
Role playing

While the learners engage in a bit of a scavenger hunt to

piece all of the information together, the problem they
must solve is relatively well-defined. The client, project
manager, and project partner are very clear about their
expectations. How to fulfill those expectations is what
the Analysts must discover on their own.

Self-directed
learning

Exploration

Because the problem is well defined, but the related data

is not, Analysts must conduct research into the available
materials and resources. For example, they are expected
to determine what employee survey information is
important and how that survey data should be included
in a change readiness assessment.

Hypothesis
generation
Self-directed
learning

Exploration

At the end of the session, the Analysts are expected to

produce a power point presentation that they will then
deliver to the client. This, as well as the other work
products assigned serves as a tangible product.
Problem solving is represented in two ways;
1. Analysts must solve the problem presented to
them by the client.
2. Analysts must solve the problem of meeting the
expectations of their project manager, partner,
and client with very little guidance.
The final learning activity, the client presentation, is
built around a real-world consulting situation of
presenting a developed solution to a client.
Every aspect of the learning session is based on what
would actually take place on a real client engagement.

Hypothesis
generation
Articulation
Reflection

Problem solving

Self-directed
learning

Authentic learning
activities

Authentic learning
activities

Analysts are assigned to teams of four on which they

must each assume a different role.

Role-playing
activities

Analysts will develop their analytical

skills through determining what tasks
they must complete and what
information they must analyze and
synthesize in order to solve the problem.
(1)
Analysts continue to develop their
analytical skills through piecing together
their understanding of what a final work
product should look like, the information
they have available to them, and their
prior knowledge of the subject matter.
(1)
Analysts will understand how to craft a
story around their client solution and
communicate with the client through a
deliverable. (2)
Analysts gain greater analytical skills
having to think through these problems
using only their prior knowledge and the
tools at their disposal (client data,
methodologies, etc.) (1)
Analysts understand how to build a
compelling presentation and deliver it to
a client. (3)
Analysts gain an understanding of what
its like to work on a client project; the
expectations, the challenge, the pace of
work, etc. (4)
Analysts learn what its like to work on a
client service team. They understand
how to negotiate the challenges
associated with working on a team while

The instructional problem covers each of the realms of

Multiple
knowledge required by the Analysts. There are
perspectives
considerations that must be made about strategy and
operational decisions, and human capital decisions.
*Learning outcomes are traced back to the list in the above Learning Outcomes section.
Multi-disciplinary

figuring out how to deliver work for their

client. (4 and 5)
The Analysts gain an understanding of
the diverse and complex consulting
environment. (4 and 5)