Generations on the Airwaves: Custom Dials in Storyline

This week’s Articulate eLearning Challenge was all about custom dials in Storyline and how they can be used as circular navigation menus.

I love challenges like this because they push me to experiment with Storyline’s interactive features in new ways. For this one, I decided to build a retro boombox where learners can tune in to different stations, each representing a different generation in the workplace.

As you turn the dial, you hear a short snippet of music that reflects that generation’s vibe while learning about their values and how to adapt your leadership style to work best with them.

It’s a playful, music-driven way to explore leadership strategies, and it was a lot of fun to build!

 

Link to Review: https://360.articulate.com/review/content/89b2a582-7d87-41b7-a266-2963c6aa2bae/review 

Project Concept

The idea started with a simple thought:

“What if leadership tips were like different radio stations you could tune into?”

Here’s how each station came to life:

• Baby Boomers – Classic Rock
• Focus on stability and respect for tenure.
• Gen X – 80s Synth & Alternative
• Value autonomy and work-life balance.
• Millennials – Pop & Early 2000s Beats
• Thrive on collaboration, coaching, and purpose.
• Gen Z – Modern EDM & TikTok Energy
• Crave micro-feedback and authenticity.

This concept let me match audio and design with meaningful workplace content, turning a simple dial interaction into something that felt dynamic and fun.

 

How I Built It

Graphics

The retro boombox graphic came from Freepik.

Custom Dial

• I built the dial directly in Storyline using simple shapes.
• After building the visuals, I converted it into a custom dial object.
• Each dial position (0–24, 25–49, 50–74, 75–100) represents a generation “station.”

Triggers & Layers

• As the dial moves:
  • The displayed station changes.
  • A new layer loads with content for that generation.
  • The previous audio stops and a new track begins.
• This setup creates a seamless “tuning” experience.

Music

• Short audio clips matched to each generation’s style, sourced from royalty-free tracks.
• Helps learners connect emotionally to each group’s vibe.

 

Lessons Learned

• Custom dials aren’t just for volume knobs or temperature gauges—they can drive navigation and storytelling.
• Pairing visuals with audio feedback makes the interaction far more engaging.
• Using layers kept everything clean and easy to manage, even with multiple generations and audio tracks.

 

Disclaimer

All content for this demo was generated using ChatGPT and has not been checked for accuracy. This project is purely for demonstration purposes and should not be used for real leadership training without further review.