Abbreviated & Annotated Creative/Technical Portfolio

Kurt A. Melander, M.S.Ed., M.Ed. Instructional Technology Consultant

CEO/Owner, Excalibur Creative Services

July 2015

Foreword

Thank you for taking the time to review this technical/creative portfolio of some of the work I have accomplished for customers or clients throughout the last 15 or so years; although I have more than 27 years experience in the Training Development field, both as an enlisted US Air Force Non-Commissioned Officer and Department of Defense Contractor.

I have also included sample work performed as an independent contractor for various companies, as well as work done through my own fledgling company, Excalibur Creative Services. I hope from both my resume’ and this small example of my work, you too will see that I have a rather unique combination of technical acumen and creative talents I can bring to bear in the accomplishment of virtually any training project. I hope you feel that I may be a good fit for whatever training development or learning technology effort you may be considering or undertaking at the present time.

I am currently looking for a full-time “virtual” or all telecommuting position as an employee or Independent Contractor (former preferred), some infrequent travel is acceptable, but have spent many years in the USAF “on the road” and prefer not to have that a significant element of any position accepted. I am classified as a disabled Veteran with a combined VA rating of 70%; the amount of walking and daily commute in my current position is my primary reason for attempting to find a more suitable virtual one. Thank you again for taking the time from your busy schedule to review but a portion of my previous work and capabilities.

Kurt A. Melander, M.S.Ed., M.Ed.

Instructional Technology Consultant CEO/Owner, Excalibur Creative Services

Computer-based and Web-based Training Products & LMS Administration

Various CBT/WBT Authoring Tools used over the years: Allen Interactions Quest Asymetrix Multimedia Toolbook Macromedia Authorware Adobe Dreamweaver Adobe Flash (Also Flash & XML) Adobe Captivate 6/8 Adobe Presenter Articulate Presenter/Studio Articulate Storyline 2

I have participated in or managed all phases of the ADDIE and other Instructional Design system models, as well as being a Certified Occupational Instructor with a USAF Master Instructor rating. An accomplished artist as well as network System Administrator and database/Learning Management System (LMS) Administrator, I am able to cover virtually every aspect of creating and supporting a training system.

1998

2011

Have modified numerous vendor deliverables (below) to better interact with the unique processes and SCORM runtime of the client’s LMS.

Below is a course UI created while doing volunteer work for a local Goodwill training center to help them start up their e-learning program.

Below Captivate 6 software “view & do” simulation example is one of four lessons created in two weeks to support immediate “just in time” training need on new processes.

Computer-based and Web-based Training Products & LMS Administration

Various industry standard Creative Tools used over the years:

Adobe: Corel: PhotoShop DRAW (Versions 3 through X7) Illustrator DESIGNER Flash Pro TRACE Fireworks Photo-Paint Dreamweaver Technical Illustration Suite (X6/X7) Premiere Pro After Effects And MANY others… Audition InDesign Also, as a previous radio personality Acrobat I have done multiple Voice Overs & course narrations as well.

Below are examples of various interfaces/Courses that I have either created or modified and a very small example of the projects I’ve been directly involved with over many years. Many of these projects have utilized animated characters/mentors, game-based learning (GBL) principles, 3D immersive simulations or what is now termed serious games. I am a strong advocate for the use of GBL and humor (where appropriate) to help further engage the student and improve retention and future performance.

Above is an example of a complete User Interface (UI) and course graphics project I completed as well as creating all the instructional design and lesson sequencing/assessment.

(2013) 

Another example of a complete User Interface (UI) and course graphics project I completed as well as all the instructional design and lesson sequencing/assessment.

(2011) 

“Serious Games” (SG) & Immersive Learning Simulations (ILS) While there is research both extolling the virtues of serious games for training and those stating they have minimal impact; I have seen the former to be true, particularly with our younger, pre-millennial adults entering both the work force and military service. I have been a staunch advocate of any technology such as Games-Based Learning (GBL) that will increase engagement, interaction and higher order reasoning and reflecting skills, something that serious games do well if properly designed.

Below are some 3D immersive experiences created in an authoring tool called Thinking Worlds, created by Caspian Learning in the UK. While no longer being sold, they still honor active licenses; I’m one of few developers well versed in this tool holding multiple active licenses. However, since its demise, I have focused my attention on learning other tools and platforms to support creating these experiences such as Unity 5 and Unreal Engine 4 (UE4).

Although not a programmer, Both Unity and UE4 have visual programming capabilities either built in or available through extensions—of which I have many. I am also becoming versed in the other various aspects of this creative skillset such as 3D modeling, texturing, lighting and animation.

Department of Commerce

Purchase Card Training—Independent Contractor (2014/2015)

United States Air Force

War Readiness Materiel Manager Training — Employee, modified & enhanced original Vendor’s deliverables (2011)

Character Development for ILS/SG, GBL & Other Creative Supporting Learning Technologies

Checklists and Worksheets and Forms.. Oh MY!...

From digital 2D/3D Character creation, modification & development of Flash games and animations, to simple, practical review or assessment forms, the entire creative and management processes that support today’s e-learning development can be immense. Having driven policy, processes and procedures as well as contributing to production I have created numerous items not necessarily considered e-learning content, but certainly important or considered learning activities in their own right. Items such as Interactive Electronic Technical Manuals (IETMs) using 3D CAD models and animations, Process worksheets for Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to more effectively convey their thoughts/ideas, style guides, palettes and forms, all support the overall process in one form or another.

Numerous Flash-based games modified to support client e-learning requirements

3D Characters able to be created in a variety of applications to support client requirements for serious games or scenario-based training.

Style Guides, Templates as well as procedures and policies written as

required.

Create 3D PDFs for IETMs and mobile use as well as online

lessons.

Process worksheets for Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to visually map out a safety walk-around.

2D Characters modified and color palettes created to support client’s e-learning requirements

Static & Dynamic Database-driven Web Design

2002

1997—1998

Those were the days… sort of...

Luckily, designers must evolve with the web technologies as they progress. Gone are the days of "puffy" graphics and a never ending use of fake 3D effects to try to bring a sense of depth to the flat 2D internet of the time. With the now ubiquitous 3D virtual game-like visuals available through today’s technology, I find it interesting we have, from a graphic design standpoint, gone full circle back to simpler, flat, representational images and iconography for we have become so overloaded with 3D imagery. Todays sites must be responsive, accessible by anyone using any device, easily maintainable by the client and easy to change the look and feel of the basic site to keep the site vibrant and lively, yet still maintain the required corporate image or presentation. On the next page, you'll see how I have changed my design/development approach to meet these new requirements, particularly adept at creating sites that support learning services and support. 

Even before the earlier web explosion, many of these sites were some of the first to integrate true streaming media, e-commerce with connections to vendors like CafePress, and digital song purchase & download.

This USAF site incorporated Java Applet 3D model viewer as shown for the F-15 to the left. Voted one of the best USAF websites at the time.

Static & Dynamic Database-driven Web Design

Current

Dynamic, responsive web design using bootstrap, JQuery and other mobile-centric technologies. This site utilized the open source Joomla Content Management System (CMS), with custom designed templates to meet client requirements. Site includes various free or commercial extensions which add numerous additional capabilities, yet easy enough to be managed by the client on a routine day-to-day basis for managing and updating content and resources.

This site is combined within the same domain with the open source MOODLE Learning Management System (LMS) to provide a complete one stop user training support website including, sign-ups/registration, payment gateways, and support of streaming media and collaborative webinars.

Front End with user registration, newsletter sign up, registration and

contact forms written to database and interactive scheduling/calendar function

includes PayPal and shopping cart integration which the customer can enable

when ready.

Website Back End with CMS Administration which can control/modify virtually every aspect of the appearance and functionality of the website. This site includes complete integration between the CMS and Moodle LMS through extensions linking the user sessions and data together. I have worked with Wordpress, Joomla and Drupal CMS, incorporating an LMS into many of them for a custom training solution.

Web-based Training Support Application Development

Confident in many Rapid Application Development (RAD) Applications such as:

PHPMAker, PHPReportMaker, ASPMaker, App-Gini and CodeCharge Studio 4

Created web-based, database driven training support applications to manage courseware, project management, and Helpdesk functions. This included secured logins, permissions management, password management and other standard features of business web applications today, in multiple programming languages and database platforms. While not a programmer, I have a solid understanding of the concepts and can readily read and manipulate or modify many scripts/languages. Being able to create and modify these applications in-house saved both time and costs associated with an “off the Shelf” solution that usually is only a partial solution.

Web Application—ADL Course Log

Web Application—HELPTrax (Helpdesk ticketing/management)

Desktop Publishing - Training Related Content From simple forms, to printing service ready publications for large company-wide training initiatives, there are a number of products supporting training & performance improvement beyond course development. Below is just a small sampling of projects that I have created over the last few years in which I did all the desktop publishing and graphic design using a variety of industry-standard applications from Adobe InDesign & Acrobat Pro, Serif PagePlus X8, and Microsoft Publisher to Microsoft Word.

Printer-ready Workbooks and Study Guides

Newsletters

Tri-folds

Custom Certificates with mail merge capability to fill in names

Multimedia DVDs & Business Card CD-ROM Training Products I have created numerous auto run programs and multimedia presentations for everything from read-ahead materials for blended/hybrid training programs on CD-ROM or DVD to marketing presentations on business card CD-ROMs for conferences and corporate leadership. These have been some of my most popular creative works, and being able to create these and duplicate them in-house has brought significant cost savings to both the companies I’ve worked for and clients I have created them for as an independent contractor.

The authoring tool I am most proficient with at the moment is Indigo Rose Autoplay Media Studio 8.5 in which the lower 2011 projects were both created in. ALL graphics and programming/scripting was done solely by me.

Unity Technologies –San Francisco, CA. - Independent Contractor 2011

Caspian Learning LLC. United Kingdom (UK) - Independent Contractor 2011

Northrop Grumman Corp. & USAF Customer –Tyndall AFB, FL. - Employee 2008—2010

Custom Bitmap & Vector Art, Logos, Emblems & Shields

Drafts Final

Original Image Provided Original Redrawn & colored

Emblem Redesigned (still in use in Afghanistan)

Official Emblem First rendition of “Metallic Treatment” Emblem

Final rendition of “Metallic Treatment” Emblem

From my own business logo, to Squadron emblem designs, I have done custom illustrations of equipment and environments to graphics for animation and infographics such as the PADDIE infographic on the right. I continue to keep my skillset up and use Corel DRAW and Adobe Illustrator for creating vector artwork whenever possible, as well as very proficient in Adobe Photoshop for bitmap images.

Web

Business

Informational

Air Force Cartoons Created while still in active duty service as a Senior NCO in the U.S. Air Force, these were done on my own time and not as part of my official duties as an Education & Training Craftsman. Posted on the official United States Air Force website art gallery for many years, these cartoons have been enjoyed and reprinted in publications and newsletters of combat Air Forces from Australia, New Zealand and NATO, to morale activities throughout the US Air Force for a variety of events. Cartooning is only one of the artistic skills I have won awards for; I have won handcrafts and art shows through my skills in Glass Engraving and Wood Carving as well. Two of many hobbies I enjoy. From an instructional design standpoint I believe humor, when used effectively, can be an extremely powerful tool for improving retention of the materials; but just as important, the positive experience for the trainee, which may make them more receptive to new learning events in the future.

Example “colorized” version requested for Aircraft

Maintenance Unit (AMU) morale fund Coffee Mugs