Learning Game: Apology Ace

Through an interactive learning game, practice delivering a sincere and effective apology to resolve customer issues.

Authoring Tool: Genially, Canva

Overview: Apologizing is an essential skill for providing customer service in any industry. There will inevitably be a conflict or issue to resolve, and many negative interactions with customers can be de-escalated by starting with a sincere and effective apology. Through this game, learners go over the components of an apology, then respond to scenario-based prompts by putting parts of an apology in the correct order.

Purpose: This game-based learning activity is part of a customer service module designed for the onboarding training at a restaurant. It aims to review the parts of an apology and then assess the learner’s comprehension of the concept.

Process: The first step in designing this learning game was selecting a platform/software to build it on. I chose Genially because it’s a popular choice for game-based learning and allows the designer to build interactive components such as multiple choice assessments, sorting exercises, and polls. My next step was to sketch out the parts that should go into the game: a review of the concept, clear directions for how to play, and then the game itself. From there, I wrote out the text that would go on each slide, including the scenarios that learners would be responding to and then the apologies broken down into parts. Once the text was finished, I made a list of assets and designed these on Canva. 

Although this was my first time designing with Genially, I found the platform to be straightforward and easy to navigate. I uploaded my graphics and used Genially’s built-in tools for adding text and interactions.

I designed this game with mobile resolutions in mind. Smartphones are part of daily life, and optimizing for mobile use can remove barriers to learning; for example, a new employee at this restaurant may have a few minutes before or after work to review or work on their onboarding course through their phone, which is already on hand. The game can also be a great tool for reinforcement, like an interactive job aid, if the employee wishes to review later on.

PLAY THE GAME

Related Resources: Infographic – Parts of an Apology