In true ako spirit, this is the learning that happens behind the design, behind the learning. Behind the Builds is part reflection, part experimentation, and all about growing through the creative process.
I’d been experimenting with Storyline’s custom dials and wondered if they could do more than rotate gauges. Could they “tune” between ideas—and even moods?
This build was part of Articulate’s Custom Dial Challenge, designed to push creativity with navigation mechanics. I wanted to reimagine how learners could hear generational diversity—literally tuning between perspectives while keeping things light and musical.
Act 1 – The Spark
The concept came from retro nostalgia: radios, static, and mixtapes. Leadership content can feel abstract, but music connects instantly. So, I mapped each generation to a genre that captured its rhythm and values.
Disclaimer: Due to time constraints, the content for each generation was generated via ChatGPT. No research to determine the accuracy of the content was completed. Music was supplied via Freepik assets.
Act 2 – The Build
I used a Freepik boombox graphic, rebuilt in Storyline, and turned the main knob into a custom dial. Each range triggered a new layer, swapping visuals, stopping the old track, and starting the new one.
Balancing transitions was key—layer resets took multiple passes to feel like real “tuning.”
Act 3 – The Insight
When the interaction finally flowed smoothly, it clicked: this wasn’t just about style, it was about empathy. The dial became a metaphor for adjusting leadership to different frequencies and people.
“Design is like DJing: when you get the transitions right, people stay in the groove.”