Designing scenarios in Articulate 360 is one of the fastest ways to create meaningful, behaviour-changing eLearning experiences. Whether your scenario takes place in Rise, Storyline or a fully animated sequence, the real power comes from choosing the right level of immersion to match the behaviour you’re trying to influence.
If you’re new to scenario design, or you want to refine your writing before you build, you can start with our step-by-step guide on how to write workplace scenarios using the 4C model. Read it here: How to Write Powerful Workplace Scenarios for eLearning.
Once your scenario is written, this article shows you how to bring it to life in Articulate 360 using three clear levels of immersion from simple guided conversations through to deep interaction and fully animated experiences.
The Three Levels of Immersion in Articulate 360
Instead of thinking about “which tool to use,” a much better question is: “How immersive does this scenario need to be?”
Once you answer that, the right Articulate approach becomes obvious. Here are the three levels.
| Level | Format | Immersion Style | Ideal For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Guided Conversations | Articulate Rise | Light immersion | Compliance, onboarding, service, simple decisions |
| 2. Deep Interaction | Articulate Storyline | Enhanced immersion | Leadership, conflict, coaching, nuanced behaviours |
| 3. Fully Animated Scenarios | Animated video + Storyline/Rise | High immersion | Safety, risk, emotional topics, major behaviour change |
Level 1 – Guided Conversations in Articulate Rise (Light Immersion)
Fast. Clean. Behaviour-focused. Multi-step decisions.
Rise is exceptional for guided, conversational scenarios that take learners through realistic dialogue and decision points without overwhelming them.
These scenarios feel natural and fast perfect for modern learners who prefer short, punchy, mobile-friendly interactions.
Where Level 1 shines
- Multi-step dialogue using the Scenario Block
- Realistic conversations between staff and customers/colleagues
- Clear branching choices
- Subtle consequences
- Fast development and quick turnaround
- Works flawlessly on mobile devices
- Excellent for repeating scenarios across a larger program
Great for topics like
- Customer interactions
- Everyday safety decisions
- Code of conduct
- Conflict de-escalation
- Moments that reinforce values
- Onboarding and induction examples
If your goal is to help learners think through a situation, reflect on choices and see immediate outcomes, Level 1 is more than enough.
Level 2 – Deep Interaction in Articulate Storyline (Enhanced Immersion)
More visual. More expressive. More emotional depth.
Sometimes a scenario needs more than conversation. It needs behavioural nuance: body language, expression changes, hesitation, tone, pacing – elements that shift how learners perceive a moment. That’s where Articulate Storyline comes in.
Using Storyline’s branching, layers, triggers, motion paths and expressive illustrated characters, you can build scenarios that feel richer and more intense.
Where Level 2 shines
- Multi-step branching with conditional pathways
- Custom illustrated characters and environments
- Emotional nuance through subtle animation
- Environmental cues (sound, lighting, timing)
- Showing cause/effect with visual depth
- Complex decision strings
- Richer consequences that unfold across scenes
- Great for topics like
- Difficult conversations
- Leadership and coaching
- Ethical decision-making
- Cultural safety
- Psychological safety and wellbeing
- Performance discussions
- Responding to conflict
Level 2 provides enhanced immersion without requiring full animation, the perfect balance between depth and practicality.
Level 3 – Fully Animated Scenario Videos (High Immersion)
Cinematic. Emotional. High-stakes. Memorable.
For high-risk or deeply human situations, nothing beats a fully animated scenario. These deliver a film-like experience that draws learners into the moment emotionally and cognitively.
Using animated sequences combined with Storyline or Rise for interactive decision points, this level gives you the richest, most realistic scenario possible.
Where Level 3 shines:
- Safety-critical scenarios
- Emergency response
- Handling conflict or aggression
- Sensitive wellbeing topics
- Major leadership challenges
- Incidents with significant consequences
- High-risk compliance areas
What Level 3 includes:
- Fully animated characters
- Custom backgrounds and environments
- Voiceover narration
- Sound design and pacing
- Integrated decision points
- Multiple endings or branching paths
- Highly realistic storytelling
This is the highest level of immersion, ideal when the behaviour being practised can materially impact safety, culture, reputation or customer outcomes.
How to Choose Your Level of Immersion
Choosing the right level of immersion comes down to understanding what your scenario needs to achieve. Not every moment requires deep visuals or full animation – sometimes a simple guided conversation is all that’s needed, and other times the behaviour is complex enough to justify a richer, more cinematic experience.
The table below helps you quickly assess the core factors that shape immersion: emotional realism, decision complexity, risk level, visual storytelling and how long the scenario will remain in use. Use it as a quick reference when deciding which level of scenario will have the biggest impact for your learners.
| Decision Question | Level 1 — Guided Conversations | Level 2 — Deep Interaction | Level 3 — Fully Animated Scenarios |
|---|---|---|---|
| How important is emotional realism? | Low emotional depth needed | Moderate emotional nuance | High emotional realism required |
| How many decision points are needed? | 1–3 simple decisions | Several decisions, branching moments | Many decisions or woven into animated scenes |
| What is the risk if learners get this wrong? | Low risk | Medium risk | High risk or safety-critical |
| How important is visual storytelling? | Minimal – conversational focus | Important – expressions, scenes, timing | Critical – animation drives meaning |
| What’s the expected lifespan of the scenario? | Short-term | Medium-term | Long-term, reused for years |
| What are your timelines and budget? | Fast turnaround, low investment | Medium timelines, moderate investment | Longer timelines, highest investment |
Final Thoughts
Articulate 360 gives you a powerful ecosystem for scenario design from quick guided conversations to emotionally rich Storyline interactions to full animated video experiences.
The key is choosing the right level of immersion for the behaviour you’re shaping. Whether you’re working with simple guided decisions or high-stakes scenarios with emotional depth, the tools in Articulate 360 allow you to design experiences your learners will genuinely remember and act on.
If you’d like to learn how to build scenarios at all three levels, our Certified Articulate Training programs walk you through Rise and Storyline step-by-step including scenario blocks, branching logic, character design, layering, animation and more. Because writing the scenario is just the beginning. Building it with confidence is where the real magic happens.
