Interactive Module

Colour Skills for Marketers

Many marketing and communication professionals make visual decisions without formal training in colour theory. I developed this eLearning module to help non-designers use colour more strategically—turning instinctive design into strategic brand expression that supports business goals.

1. Project Overview
  • Goal
    Develop an introductory module that helps apply colour theory to real-world brand and campaign design.
  • Format
    Self-paced eLearning module focused on visual literacy and applied colour strategy.
  • Audience
    Marketing and communications professionals, particularly those without formal design training.
  • Tools
    Articulate Storyline 360, Figma, Photoshop, Canva, ChatGPT
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2. Why This Project?
Many marketers, particularly in smaller companies, create visuals without a foundation in design or colour theory. As a result, bad design can erode brand credibility and impact business outcomes. This project bridges that gap while showcasing my skills in instructional design and Articulate Storyline.

3. Needs Analysis
Knowledge Gap
Professionals responsible for marketing visuals—often without design training—rely on personal taste or guesswork in design decisions.
Business Impact
Inconsistent use of colour in marketing materials can weaken brand identity, reduce customer trust, and lower campaign ROI.
Training Solution
Build colour confidence by teaching key concepts and providing practical strategies.
Learning Objectives
By the end of the full course, learners will be able to:
  • Explain how foundational colour theory supports effective marketing decisions
  • Associate psychological and cultural perceptions with specific colours
  • Build effective colour palettes aligned with brand identity
  • Apply colour choices strategically for specific target behaviours
4. Instructional Design Strategy
I used Understanding by Design (UbD) to align learning objectives, assessments, and content.
Assessment Approach

Since colour decisions are often subjective, I prioritized formative practice over right/wrong scoring. I refined feedback wording to reinforce this mindset. In a client project, I’d test how learners respond to exploration-focused assessments.

Designing for Motivation
Colour decision-making is a slow skill to master, and learners may feel uncertain at first. To keep them motivated, I created:
  • Exploration-focused feedback
  • Clear, encouraging guidance
  • Opportunities to revisit choices
Engagement Features
To move beyond passive content, I embedded active learning throughout the module. Interactive features help reinforce key ideas while giving learners hands-on practice in context.
  • Drag-and-drop exercises
  • Click-to-reveal features
  • Sorting activities
  • Sliders and hot spots

5. Development Highlights

I created 37 slides with 200 visual assets for three themed sections—each with foundational theory, real-world cases, and hands-on practice.

Content Creation
Working without a subject-matter expert, I conducted extensive research to build content for three themed sections. Each section includes foundational concepts, real-world examples, and interactive practice.
Interaction Development
Building out the interactions took substantial testing and iteration. I made several changes to the prototype to make sure interactions were truly beneficial to active learning.
Click-to-Reveal and Hotspots
After clicking the four colour swatches, learners explore a world map to see how each colour is perceived in different countries.
Slider with Colour Associations
As learners move the slider, they explore how different colours are typically perceived in Japan.
Sorting Exercise
Sorting ad versions based on their colour palette impact
Multiple Choice
Choosing appropriate colour palettes based on persona descriptions

The module is SCORM-compliant and designed for easy updates. Future iterations could include localization options and expanded accessibility support.

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6. Evaluation and Iteration

As a self-initiated project, this module hasn’t yet been rolled out. I anticipate that if implemented, it could reduce visual design errors in marketing materials by 25% and improve team confidence in brand-aligned colour use.

On a personal level, I’ve already seen strong outcomes. I deepened my Storyline expertise, experimented with new interactive formats, and tackled the unique challenge of designing a visually driven course.
7. Project Reflection

Working solo stretched my skills across design, content, and development. Without a subject-matter expert, I relied on peer feedback and iterative testing to refine interactions and visuals.


In a client project, I would conduct user testing and gather early feedback through storyboard walkthroughs and prototype reviews.

8. Questions?
I’ll be happy to answer your questions about this project.

I invite you to explore other projects I've worked on or contact me to discuss your next eLearning initiative.
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Contact Elena
Photos: Balazs Ketyi, Mika Baumeister