Story tension

Why is Story Tension Important?

Tension is crucial for keeping your learners focused and engaged. When you build believable tension, they become emotionally committed to your story and learning goal. But how do you get your learners to the edge of their seats? By putting something at stake. The stakes you set in your scenario keep them playing repeatedly.

Techniques for Adding Tension to Your Training Scenario

Consider tension as the thread that runs through the main story, the supporting obstacles, and the learner’s growth toward your learning goal. Here are some effective strategies for increasing the tension in your scenario:

1. The Ticking Clock

One of the most effective techniques for creating tension is the race against the clock. This classic storytelling trick is used in most thrillers and creates a sense of urgency and stress. The perfect combination of stakes and a time limit generates a bit of adrenaline. Your learners will be thrust into making decisions and discovering new situations, whether it is an actual clock created with our timer feature or an impending deadline.

2. Rising Stakes

Gradually increasing the stakes throughout the scenario keeps learners engaged. As the story progresses, introduce new layers of challenges and risks. This could mean escalating consequences for mistakes, more complex problems to solve, or additional responsibilities placed on the learner. By raising the stakes, you maintain high engagement and investment in the outcome.

3. Conflicts

Presenting learners with moral or ethical conflicts adds depth to the tension. These situations involve the learner choosing between two equally challenging options, each with significant consequences. Conflicts force learners to consider their values and the broader impact of their decisions, making the learning experience more profound and thought-provoking.

4. Unexpected Twists

Surprise elements or unexpected twists can inject fresh tension into your scenario. When learners think they understand the situation, introducing a sudden change can challenge their assumptions and force them to adapt quickly. This keeps the experience dynamic and prevents learners from becoming complacent.

Examples of Tension in Training Scenarios

To illustrate these techniques, let’s explore a few scenarios:

1. Healthcare Training:
   • Ticking Clock: Patients’ conditions deteriorate rapidly, requiring immediate action.
   • Uncertainty: Limited information about the patient’s symptoms.
   • Conflict: Choosing which patient to prioritize for limited resources.
2. Customer Service Training:
   • Ticking Clock: The customer threatens to leave a bad review online within the next 10 minutes.
   • Rising Stakes: Increasing customer complaints leading to potential job loss.
   • Unexpected Twist: Discovering the complaint is based on a misunderstanding.
3. Cybersecurity Training:
   • Ticking Clock: The need to secure the system before critical data is compromised.
   • Uncertainty: Incomplete information and unresponsive team members.
   • Conflict: Deciding whether to shut down the system, affect operations, or try to fix the breach live.

Conclusion

Story tension is an invaluable tool for immersive learning. You can create scenarios that keep learners engaged and emotionally invested by incorporating techniques such as ticking clocks, uncertainty, rising stakes, conflicts, and unexpected twists. These strategies enhance the learning experience and ensure that learners retain and apply the skills and knowledge they gain.