Sean Ward, M.Ed.,
Lutz,USA
Summary
Sr. Instructional Designer and Developer with over 10 years’ experience designing and developing award-winning eLearning, Virtual Instructor-led Training (vILT), and a variety of learner resources: Masters in education (M.Ed.) specializing in Adult Education and Technology, and a bachelor’s in arts (B.A.) in Technical Writing and Business Communications. Expertise includes conducting learner analysis (gap analysis), architecting the learner experience with interactions, graphics, audio, video, authoring detailed storyboards including company style and branding, gamification, working with LMS admin to implement (SCORM, AICC) files and learner evaluation strategies, and use metrics to quantify learner outcomes and project success. Successfully designed and develop over 200 eLearning, ILT and vILT, blended learning projects with emphasis on both rapid eLearning course development and larger, 30+ hour learner seat-time projects. Certified in virtual collaboration, project management, eLearning authoring and development tools, and have multiple STC awards for interactive learning projects. Extensive experience throughout the full project lifecycle of instructional design, including authoring training resources in software management environments such as Agile, ADDIE, SAM, and Waterfall using tools such as Jira, Confluence, Wrike, Clarizen, and others.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Sr. Instructional Designer/Developer
Intuitive Surgical
06.2024 - 01.2026
- Awarded the company SPOT award for outstanding contributions to their training goals in 2024 – 2025 years for the Supplier Training Program BRIDGE, and Buyer training AMPLIFY programs.
- Supporting content design and technology deployment of employee training as Intuitive Surgical migrates their ERP to SAP while integrating iValua, Coupa, Agile, Neptune, Smartsheet, and Tableau tools and systems to support our Buyers and specialized training for our Suppliers.
- Creating web-based learning, instructor-led training, blended instructional solutions, virtual classroom sessions, and learning materials for both Buyers and Suppliers learning paths on Percipio LMS.
- Developing quality-driven training with Articulate Storyline 360, Rise, Synthesia and Camtasia creating and editing video interface and concept training with Camtasia, Nivia-backed AI video platform Synthesia, supported with a variety of other graphic tools and strategies for publishing and certifications.
- Intuitive Surgical (the maker of the DaVinci robotic surgery system)
Sr. Instructional Designer/Developer
WestRock
12.2023 - 06.2024
- As an Instructional Designer with Mindlance, designing and developing eLearning and other training resources for WestRock, the leader is fiber-based packaging solutions and the second largest packaging company in the world. Achievements in this role include:
- Currently developing eLearning courses to train staff on the WorkForce Suite (WFS), designed to optimize their workforce, protect against compliance risks and improve employee engagement.
- Authoring and developing WFS knowledge and certification courses including interactive modules, video creation/editing, job aids, quick reference guides, and other learner resources.
- Building a WFS training library of eLearning courses available to learners through the Cornerstone LMS who want to become WestRock certified on WFS.
- Authoring the Train the Trainer courseware supported by vILT and ILT videos and PowerPoint courseware integrated into an eLearning suite of courses available for training internal staff.
- Developing a simulation-based 3-Module Skills Assessment used to qualify learners in WFS including interface skills questions, knowledge checks, and graded module feedback and scoring.
- Collaborating with training facilitators to update existing courseware and quick reference guides, interactive .pdf documents, infographics, and other learner resources for WestRock staff.
Sr. Instructional Designer/Developer
Intuitive Surgical
03.2023 - 12.2023
- As an Instructional Designer with Rang Technologies, responsible for design and development of eLearning for Intuitive Surgical, the leading designer, manufacturer, and marketer of minimally invasive robotic surgical systems such as the da Vinci and Ion systems. As an ISD on the Global Talent Management (GTM) team, currently developing eLearning courses in Articulate Storyline, Rise, including video creation/editing, job aids, infographics, and other learner resources. Highlights in this role include:
- Developing a comprehensive five-course series using Articulate Rise for Intuitive’s Business Knowledge | Products journey, accessible on Percipio (LMS). Each course, consisting of six to nine lessons, provides interactions and details into Intuitive’s product portfolio. Topics covered include “The Value of da Vinci,” “Da Vinci Consumables,” “The Ion System,” “Digital, Learning, and Services Products,” “Multi-port and Single Port Systems.”
- Developing the Clinical Applications and Patient Stories Rise course for another IBK Journey available on Percipio. This course is tailored to emphasize the surgical options offered by the da Vinci suite of products, complemented by personal patient testimonials highlighting the impactful benefits of these advanced surgical solutions.
- Collaborate with SMEs to update existing courseware and quick reference guides, interactive .pdf documents, infographics, and other learner resources for internal staff, new hires, and executive leadership training courseware.
Sr. Instructional Designer/Developer
Healthfirst & Cordis
05.2022 - 02.2023
- As an Instructional Designer with Insight Global, initially responsible for design and development of eLearning and vILT curriculum for Healthfirst, New York’s largest not-for-profit health insurer. After successfully completing multiple projects, migrated to developing eLearning and vILT courseware for Cordis, an independent, customer-focused provider of interventional cardiovascular technologies in the healthcare industry.
- Use Storyline 360, Rise, PowerPoint, audio/video tools to design and develop eLearning courses providing training for online and company app exploration/navigation using the Salesforce platform.
- Design and develop eLearning, vILT courseware, and Salesforce software simulations for company Member Portal, Knowledge Center, Welcome Kits and ID Cards training courses.
- Using rapid development strategies, design eLearning from legacy PowerPoint content for a variety of physician-taught vascular interventions using peripheral access.
- Develop content, medical graphics, best-in-class videos, integrated audio and software simulations for multiple physician and medical audience courses on vascular treatments.
- Using rapid eLearning development strategies, design eLearning from legacy PowerPoint content for a variety of physician-taught vascular interventions using peripheral access.
- Develop content, medical graphics, best-in-class videos, integrated audio and software simulations for multiple physician and medical audience courses on vascular treatments.
Sr. Instructional Designer/Developer
ADP
01.2022 - 05.2022
- As an Instructional Designer with Matlen Silver, design and develop training courses using Articulate 360 and Adobe Suite of products for ADP, a comprehensive global provider of cloud-based human capital management solutions and named to FORTUNE Magazine’s “World’s Most Admired Companies” list for 16 consecutive years.
- Design eLearning courses and efficient and easy-to-use Instructor-Led Training (ILT) courseware based on a new ADP software interface (ADP Workforce Now).
- Use Storyline 360 to design and develop eLearning courses exploring Setting Up the Basics of ADP Benefits products in ADP Workforce Now for clients.
- Use Captivate 2019 and Storyline to design and develop software simulations for clients who need to Calculate Their Preview Payroll in ADP Workforce Now.
- Develop online modules in Rise supporting clients who have typical troubleshooting issues and need to resolve problems in the Essential Time and Attendance ADP tool.
- Develop eight modules introducing the MyADP tool for clients including developing in Rise and integrating simulations in Storyline and including knowledge check assessments.
Sr. Instructional Designer/Developer
National Vision
12.2020 - 01.2022
- As an Instructional Designer with TrainingPros, design and develop training modules for National Vision, one of the largest optical retail companies in the USA.
- Design an interactive training interface for company Point of Sale (POS) Software Delivery System (SDS) training including three unique styles of modules (Model, Do, Repeat).
- The Model, Do, Repeat strategy includes step-by-step training features totaling 42 unique training courses for use in over 1,200 stores in North America.
- Design the interactive SDS interface used in retail locations including topics menu, navigation, correct/incorrect prompts, and assessments including timed responses from learners while taking modules on their NVI Training Portal (LMS).
- Develop modules introducing learners to how to successfully use the SDS software based on unique learner objectives developed from software simulations using avatars, calls to action, navigation, and learner input through text fields/numeric fields.
- Develop interactive modules designed to test learner understanding of objectives and confirm the learner can accurately enter data into the SDS system correctly.
Advanced Distributed Learning Specialist (ADL)
SNAP, Inc.
06.2019 - 12.2020
- As an Advanced Distributed Learning Specialist (ADL) with SNAP, Inc., a professional services provider that empowers government and private industry clients, create large, 30+ hour learner seat-time, educational training programs supporting the U.S. Coast Guard Force Readiness Command on their Emergency Search and Rescue Training Project (eSAR).
- Design and develop two eLearning courses: SAR Management and Coordination and SAR Coordination and Execution. Each course provides blended learning instruction on the USCG’s emergency search and rescue operations.
- ESAR project design includes creating course pre-analysis and design documents, prototypes, storyboards, developing content in Storyline 360 including knowledge checks, pre-tests and course assessments.
- As an ADL on the MIPSALII project, design and develop the Engineering Systems eLearning and additional educational resources for this USCG project.
- MIPSAL-II project includes design and pre-design documentation, storyboards, functional prototypes, and detailed inspection steps and procedures for Maritime Inspections in accordance with USCG professional requirements and standards.
Instructional Designer/Developer
LinkedIn
10.2018 - 06.2019
- As an Instructional Designer with Skaled, a modern sales-consulting firm, responsible for design and development of eLearning for LMS and LTS projects supporting LinkedIn’s Sales Readiness Teams.
- ELearning deliverables are based on nine best-in-class sales competencies including deliverables using Articulate 360, Vyond videos, and additional training resources such as hands-on activities, lesson summaries, job-aids, audio narration, and knowledge checks.
- Instructional Designer/Developer supporting two project design teams developing eLearning courses for LinkedIn’s LMS and LTS sales leadership projects.
- Design and develop best-in-class sales training materials for LinkedIn’s global Enterprise and Online Sales Organizations.
- Set LinkedIn’s managers up for success by introducing them to the competencies and foundations of sales coaching in new training materials.
eLearning Designer/Developer
Change Healthcare
08.2017 - 10.2018
- As an eLearning Designer/Developer with Beacon Hill, tasked with rebranding training for Change Healthcare, one of the largest independent healthcare technology companies in the U.S., responsible for converting 260+ training courses from four recently acquired companies.
- Migrate courseware into re-branded functionality designed to meet new corporate branding, guidelines, and business goals.
- Update and re-develop existing courseware in Adobe Captivate 2017 and convert content into training resources that meet Change Healthcare business and style guidelines.
- Apply new color palettes, fonts and styles, master slide content and graphics library resources.
- Design new artifact timing, learner interactions, objects, and executable advanced actions.
- Rebuild dependency menus, scenario branching and updating knowledge checks and assessments.
Sr. Instructional Designer/Developer
The National Gallery of Art
06.2017 - 08.2017
- As an Instructional Designer with TrainingAssociates, create instructor-led courseware for the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., using their proprietary software, Sirma’s Conservation Space.
- Manage the project bidding process, present learning strategies, budgets, and analyze current and future training needs.
- Perform on-site learner analysis at NGA to determine cognitive abilities of learners, previous training success/failures, and how all departments are using CS software.
- Author detailed training plan including business goals, learning characteristics of learner, performance gaps, learner analysis, terminal and enabling objectives, and course outlines.
- Collaborate with all levels of management at both NGA and Sirma to develop training content for classes.
- Develop course outlines, learning objectives, and create ILT courseware (Facilitator Guide & Student Guide).
- Surveyed attendees responded with a 92.2% satisfaction rate with completed training.
Sr. Instructional Designer/Developer
Alstom
02.2017 - 06.2017
- As an Instructional Designer on a project for the Toronto Transportation Commission, performed roles of a Sr. Instructional Designer/Technical Writer for TTC, a French multinational company operating worldwide in rail transport markets. Project goals provided the Toronto Transportation Commission (TTC) with Instructor-Led Training (ILT) materials for up to 10 courses, (3 – 5-day sessions) training on level 1 and level 2 maintenance to TTC engineers and technical transportation staff.
- Research technical operations and maintenance manuals for specific equipment content including overviews, operations, functional descriptions, and preventive/corrective maintenance.
- Create user storyboards in PowerPoint based on training content to include systematic processes for assessing and performing maintenance on specific equipment.
- Author user assessments, practical application hands-on procedures to demonstrate corrective maintenance knowledge, facilitator guides and student guides for classroom instruction.
- Publish final course content in the form of facilitator presentations including agendas, exercises, practical hands-on corrective maintenance, preventive maintenance, and test assessments.
Sr. Instructional Designer/Technical Writer/Trainer
Sitel
02.2016 - 02.2017
- As an Instructional Designer for Sitel, performed roles of a Sr. Instructional Designer/Technical Writer/Trainer. Author, develop, and facilitate web-based and instructor-led training for Sitel’s BOOST project supporting SAP HR (SuccessFactors), Financial (ByDesign), Analytics (Reporting), Business Planning & Consolidation (BPC), and HANA Enterprise Data Mart ERP applications.
- Author, design, and travel worldwide to facilitate customized training on SAP cloud-based ERP applications.
- Gather business requirements, author process documents, and create training process workflow solutions for Hybris, Concur, and Obase systems.
- Perform gap analysis; create WBT and ILT course outlines, glossary, storyboards, audio scripts, scenario-based assessments, exercises, and scenario-based training videos and voiceover.
- Design and develop WBTs in Storyline II and administer learning plans and courseware to Sitel University (LMS).
- Author ILT classroom curriculum including content, facilitator guides, student guides, quick reference cards, exercises, scenario-based training videos and voiceover.
- Facilitate virtual training and classroom training sessions in North America and Sofia, Bulgaria locations.
Instructional Designer/Developer
BNSF Railways
05.2015 - 02.2016
- Develop eLearning courseware certified to meet stringent compliance, regulatory, and safety testing and application standards for BNSF and the FRA (Federal Railroad Administration):
- Responsible for determining learning gaps (analysis), authoring design documents and storyboards, developing courseware (Articulate Storyline) for level 1, 2 & 3 interactions.
- Develop questions/quizzes, publishing to internal LMS, creating learning assessments and making updates to legacy courseware.
Instructional Designer/Developer
Verizon Wireless
12.2014 - 05.2015
- Instructional Designer on contingency worker project; author and develop five WBT modules for contingency workers new to their roles at Verizon:
- Design curriculum around technical telecommunication data including DSo, DS1, DS3, SONET, REACT, and DTI testing procedures for over 3,000 learners over a four-month rollout.
- Create 24 single-task videos using Camtasia Studio to reinforce learning objectives for each module.
- Use Adobe Captivate 8 to create learning interactions such as drag and drops, matching, etc.
- Create graphics, animations, interactions, knowledge assessment questions for all five modules.
Instructional Designer/Developer
TEKsystems
03.2014 - 11.2014
- Instructional Designer in the Global Services group, author and manage delivery of a variety of training programs and courses supporting the professional development of our 5,000+ internal employees:
- Use ADDIE methods for development and delivery, author training materials for international employees, proposal center, human resources compliance, and management skills training.
- Perform in-depth audience analysis and needs assessment, collaborated with SME’s, and created course curriculum and detailed storyboards identifying multimedia, interactivity, branching, video, and graphics scenarios for course delivery (blended/online/eLearning).
- Author additional education materials (Participant Guides, Facilitator Guides, Job-Aids, and Action Plans).
Education
M.Ed. - Adult Education and Technology
University of South Florida
Tampa08.2006
B.A. - English/Technical Writing and Communications
University of South Florida
TampaSkills
- Curriculum Authoring - Articulate Storyline 360, Rise, Adobe Captivate 2019, TechSmith Camtasia 13, Vyond (previously GoAnimate)
- Multimedia – Adobe Creative Cloud Suite, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat X Pro, Flash, Fireworks, Dreamweaver, Snagit, Synthesia
- Audio Tools - Sound Booth, Sound Forge XP/11, Audacity, WellSaid
- Collaboration – Slack, Adobe Connect, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, Basecamp, Citrix VDI, Chatter, Yammer, WebEx, Zoom Premium, Smartsheet software
- Agile Project Management/Development – Jira Software, Jira Service, Confluence, Trello (Atlassian), Wrike, Clarizen
- LMS Administration - SAP Netweaver Portal, Cornerstone, Blackboard, Lectora, Inquisiq EX, Elluminate, Net Dimensions, NVI Portal, SAP Litmos, Percipio, SAP SuccessFactors
- Miscellaneous - xAPI, Javascript, CSS, HTML5, OpenEMPI, Postman, ChatGPT, AI Articulate
Certification
- Recently completed several AI Certifications focused on enhancing ISD role using today's AI tools and technology.
- Multiple Society of Technical Communicators (STC) awards for eLearning Courseware
- Certified Adobe Connect Presenter (Virtual Classroom)
- Certifications in Intro to Project Management, Project Management Basics, Project Management for Administrators, Quality Project Management from SkillSuccess.
- Published eBook and App Author: F-1 Student Visa Package (Amazon.com/iTunes)
Timeline
Sr. Instructional Designer/Developer
Intuitive Surgical
06.2024 - 01.2026
Sr. Instructional Designer/Developer
WestRock
12.2023 - 06.2024
Sr. Instructional Designer/Developer
Intuitive Surgical
03.2023 - 12.2023
Sr. Instructional Designer/Developer
Healthfirst & Cordis
05.2022 - 02.2023
Sr. Instructional Designer/Developer
ADP
01.2022 - 05.2022
Sr. Instructional Designer/Developer
National Vision
12.2020 - 01.2022
Advanced Distributed Learning Specialist (ADL)
SNAP, Inc.
06.2019 - 12.2020
Instructional Designer/Developer
LinkedIn
10.2018 - 06.2019
eLearning Designer/Developer
Change Healthcare
08.2017 - 10.2018
Sr. Instructional Designer/Developer
The National Gallery of Art
06.2017 - 08.2017
Sr. Instructional Designer/Developer
Alstom
02.2017 - 06.2017
Sr. Instructional Designer/Technical Writer/Trainer
Sitel
02.2016 - 02.2017
Instructional Designer/Developer
BNSF Railways
05.2015 - 02.2016
Instructional Designer/Developer
Verizon Wireless
12.2014 - 05.2015
Instructional Designer/Developer
TEKsystems
03.2014 - 11.2014
M.Ed. - Adult Education and Technology
University of South Florida
B.A. - English/Technical Writing and Communications
University of South Florida
Recent Client Projects
Please visit my portfolio site at http://www.seanmward.com for current projects.