From a 4-page SOP to a qualified operator
Turning a chemical-process procedure into an e-learning course, a workbench job aid, and a competency-based qualification.
Audience: new process operators
Role: sole designer
Tools: Articulate Rise 360, Word, Canva
Approach: ADDIE, blended, competency-based
The problem
C-41 film development is a fixed chemical process with tight tolerances. Developer must stay within ±0.2 °C, and development time increases as the chemistry is used. One mistake ruins a roll that can’t be reshot. The source SOP was accurate but dense: 4 pages, 22 steps, a capacity table, and a defect table. New operators who learn from it alone tend to miss the two steps that matter most.
It’s the same challenge manufacturing teams face: turning a controlled procedure with critical control points into training that takes people from knowing the steps to proven, hands-on proficiency.
What I built
E-learning course. A 6-lesson Articulate Rise course covering safety, film loading, critical control points, and waste, with knowledge checks, a graded quiz, and a downloadable job aid. Built with my own process photos and alt text throughout.
Workbench job aid. A one-page reference used during the process: setup checklist, developer times, stop conditions, the full sequence, troubleshooting, and waste handling.
Qualification checklist. 27 observable behaviors scored during a live run. 11 critical items must all pass, along with an oral knowledge check, across two consecutive runs.
Design brief. Audience analysis, seven measurable objectives, the blended learning path, assessment strategy, and how effectiveness is measured.
Source SOP (Rev B). A 4-page controlled procedure written from my own workflow, with 22 steps, two critical control points, a capacity table, defect diagnosis, and revision history. It’s the source for every other piece.
How I designed it
Training moves through four stages: Learn (e-learning), Apply (a troubleshooting scenario), Practice (a loading drill with the job aid), and Qualify (an observed live run). Every piece traces back to the SOP’s two critical control points, developer temperature and time, which are flagged everywhere they appear and must be 100% correct to qualify.
Design decisions
Kept the e-learning to what operators need before touching chemistry; the detail stays in the SOP and job aid.
Used photos of my real equipment, chemistry, and negatives.
* Described color defects in words as well as images, for accessibility.
Drilled film loading with a practice roll, because it happens in total darkness.
How I’d measure it
Reaction: post-course confidence and clarity survey.
Learning: knowledge-check and quiz scores.
Behavior: first-attempt qualification pass rate.
Results: rolls accepted vs. held in the Process Log over each operator’s first 10 runs.
What's next: a branching troubleshooting scenario, then modules on scanning and color correction, and inspection and archiving.
Built in Articulate Rise 360 (trial) · Word · Canva
