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V.A.C. Ulta™ Learning Experience: A Digital Transformation in Customer Education

Executive Summary

The V.A.C. Ulta™ Learning Experience project transformed Solventum's customer education approach by creating a comprehensive digital training solution for wound care nurses using their advanced therapy system. As Senior Instructional Designer, I led the end-to-end development of an interactive, on-demand learning experience that addressed critical pain points around device setup and alarm troubleshooting. The solution featured adaptive learning paths, interactive device simulations, and realistic patient scenarios.

Despite challenges with outdated training materials, I successfully advocated for new resources and implemented accessibility innovations that set new standards for the company. The project received enthusiastic reception across all five global regions and was incorporated into Solventum's 2025 marketing activation plans, demonstrating how strategic digital learning can enhance customer experience while supporting business objectives.

Project Overview

In early 2024, as Solventum emerged from its split with 3M Healthcare, I joined the Customer Education team with a mission to transform how the company delivered product training.

My task: demonstrate the value of digital education as both a marketing strategy and a customer support initiative across Solventum's four business units.

The Challenge: Transition from traditional face-to-face training to scalable digital learning experiences while maintaining the high-quality education Solventum's customers expected.

My Role: Senior Instructional Designer and Project Owner

• Led end-to-end design process from needs analysis to localization
• Built stakeholder relationships across multiple teams
• Managed project timeline and deliverables
• Designed and developed learning experience

Team: Global Marketing Manager, two Clinical Application Specialists, and two Application Engineers

Timeline: February 2024 - December 2024 (11 months)

Problem Definition

Digital learning represented uncharted territory for Solventum's MedSurg division, their most profitable business unit. The V.A.C. Ulta™ system, a critical product in their portfolio, faced specific training challenges:

1. High clinical burden: The clinical team struggled to keep pace with face-to-face training demands
2. Nursing turnover: New staff required continuous retraining cycles
3. Geographical limitations: In-person training couldn't scale efficiently
4. Inconsistent training experience: Quality varied based on trainer availability and expertise

Through my research, I identified key user pain points:

• Device setup errors: Nurses frequently struggled with initial device configuration
• Alarm management: Difficulty troubleshooting and resolving alerts and alarms
• High cognitive load: Existing training required mental piecing together of complex procedures
• Confidence issues: Uncertainty when using advanced features led to underutilization

The business implications were significant:

• Reduced product adoption due to training bottlenecks
• Clinical staff time diverted from other value-adding activities
• Potential suboptimal product usage affecting patient outcomes
• Missed opportunity to leverage education as a marketing differentiator

Research & Discovery

I approached this challenge with a comprehensive needs analysis, focusing on understanding both the product and its users.

Documentation Analysis

In order to ensure consistency across customer resources, I reviewed the V.A.C. Ulta™ User Manual and Indications for Use.

I also referenced the official Claims Sheet to ensure that the learning experience was in compliance with legal and regulatory standards.

Live Training Observation

I attended a virtual training on the V.A.C. Ulta™ Therapy Unit to better understand the questions that customers were asking during vILT training, understand how live trainers were explaining the functions of the therapy unit, and note the common pain points that face-to-face trainers were addressing.

Stakeholder Interviews

I primarily conducted interviews with the core stakeholder team of clinical specialists, application engineers, and marketing leaders in both portfolio and campaign. I also consulted with team members who had designed digital learning for negative pressure wound therapy products before to understand potential project risks.

Key Insights

My research revealed critical information about the learning needs of wound care nurses using the V.A.C. Ulta system:

1. User profile: Primary users were wound care nurses with varying levels of technical comfort
2. Common challenges: Device setup and alarm resolution were the most frequent pain points
3. Frequent usage patterns: Initial configuration and troubleshooting represented the majority of user interactions
4. Critical mistakes: Improper canister installation and incorrect therapy settings posed the highest risks
5. Learning barriers: Limited time for training and high staff turnover

Design Process

Armed with a clear understanding of the audience and their needs, I developed a structured approach to creating the learning experience:

Iterative Development

I built the learning experience incrementally in Articulate Storyline, with regular feedback cycles:

• Conducted bi-weekly reviews with stakeholders
• Incorporated Clinical Application Specialist insights on content accuracy
• Refined based on Application Engineer technical input
• Adapted content based on Marketing's strategic priorities
• User-tested navigation and interaction patterns

Asset Challenge & Resolution

Example of inadequate instructional imagery (no image showing where the power connector is located on device).

One of the first significant challenges I encountered was the state of existing training materials:

• Outdated visuals: Device screen images were obsolete due to software updates
• Inadequate instructional imagery: Existing photos were too zoomed in for proper context
• Fragmented procedure documentation: Required users to mentally piece together complex processes

Screenshot of instructional video, providing views of the whole device during the set-up process to make it easier for learners to orient themselves.

To address these issues, I took decisive action:

• Advocated for new resources: Presented a compelling case to the Marketing Manager for updated materials
• Led video production: Storyboarded and virtually coordinated with an on-site team to film proper setup procedures
• Implemented project crashing techniques: Worked with management to allocate additional resources to update device screen images while maintaining the project timeline

Balancing Multiple Projects

I simultaneously led four customer education initiatives across Solventum’s business units. To successfully balance multiple projects at the same time, I focused on dedicated time blocks so I could exclusively focus on one project for an entire day at a time. I wanted to reduce context switching, which can greatly increase cognitive load and create project waste. I also worked in collaboration with my supervisor and stakeholders to identify which projects required higher-fidelity solutions, and prioritized my time strategically.

Instructional Design Approach

My design philosophy for the V.A.C. Ulta™ Learning Experience centered on evidence-based instructional design principles tailored to the unique needs of healthcare professionals. This approach balanced clinical accuracy with learning science to optimize engagement and knowledge transfer.

Patient-Centered Context

Moving beyond Solventum's traditionally technical training materials, I deliberately maintained a patient-centered context throughout:

Clinical Scenarios: Incorporated realistic patient cases that reflected common wound care situations

Conversational Tone: Shifted from the company's formal style to a more engaging approach while maintaining clinical credibility

Safety Focus: Consistently connected technical procedures to patient safety outcomes

Motivational Framework: Emphasized how mastery of the device directly improves patient care

Cognitive Load Management

I implemented several strategies to optimize cognitive load, particularly important for busy healthcare professionals:

Adaptive Learning Paths: Created multiple navigation options for users with different expertise levels:

• Linear, comprehensive path for new users
• Accelerated options for experienced users
• Optional advanced practice scenarios for skill refinement

Visual Clarity: Redesigned instructional imagery to reduce cognitive burden:

• Full-device orientation views before zooming to specific features
• Consistent visual hierarchy across all screens
• Clear distinction between essential and supplementary information

Scaffolded Practice: Gradually increased learner autonomy with the digitized device:

• Initial guided interactions with single-action focus
• Progressive removal of scaffolding as confidence increased
• Always-available hints to prevent frustration

Learning Science Application

I rigorously applied established instructional design principles throughout:

• Mayer's Multimedia Principles:
• Coherence: Eliminated extraneous content through careful SME collaboration
• Signaling: Implemented consistent visual hierarchy and navigation cues
• Segmenting: Created learner-controlled pacing with no auto-advancement
• Personalization: Used conversational language while maintaining clinical accuracy
• Knowledge Reinforcement:
• Spaced Practice: Distributed knowledge checks across the experience
• Interleaved Practice: Combined skills from previous sections in later activities
• Increasing Complexity: Graduated from simple to complex scenarios

Accessibility Innovation

I elevated Solventum's standards for inclusive design through:

• Team Upskilling: Trained team members on accessibility best practices
• Comprehensive Accessibility: Configured for users with visual or mobility impairments:
• Descriptive, context-sensitive alt text
• Optimized keyboard focus order
• Strategic differentiation between decorative and instructional imagery
• Screen reader compatibility
• Color contrast compliance

Evaluation Strategy

A critical element of this project was developing a comprehensive evaluation framework based on Kirkpatrick's model to measure the learning experience's effectiveness across multiple dimensions.

Level 1: Reaction

• Standardized Satisfaction Measurement: Integration with Solventum's standard learner satisfaction survey
• User Experience Feedback: Specific questions about navigation and content relevance
• Continuous Improvement Data: Open-ended questions to gather suggestions for enhancements

Level 2: Learning

• Comprehensive Scenario-Based Assessment: Evaluation covering all terminal learning objectives
• Decision-Making Evaluation: Scenarios requiring selection of appropriate therapy types
• Procedural Knowledge: Assessment of proper equipment setup sequence
• Technical Competence: Configuration of therapy settings on digitized device interface
• Troubleshooting Skills: Resolution of common alarms and alerts in simulated environment

Level 3: Behavior

The learning experience was designed to support thin SCORM packaging for hospital LMS integration, enabling deeper measurement:

• Adverse Event Analysis: Plan to collaborate with participating hospitals to leverage their existing data on adverse events in their wound therapy department and compare this data with completion of the digital learning experience.
• Confidence Assessment: Follow-up surveys 6 months after completing training with users to measure perceived competence after training

Level 4: Results

The evaluation framework extends to organizational impact metrics:

• Clinical Team Resource Allocation:
• Measurement of troubleshooting requests to clinical application specialists
• Time analysis of specialist support requirements pre- and post-implementation
• Business Impact Indicators:
• Customer retention comparison between hospitals with high vs. low completion rates
• Framework for correlation analysis between training engagement and continued product usage
• Hospital LMS integration as an indicator of organizational commitment

This multi-level evaluation approach ensures that the learning experience's impact can be measured not just in terms of user satisfaction, but in meaningful clinical and business outcomes that demonstrate return on investment.

Results:

The Ulta Learning Experience is slated to be released across EMEA, LATAM, and USCAN. Stakeholder feedback was overwhelmingly positive:

Julie-Wick Powell Project Owner, Global Marketing Manager

“Emily consistently demonstrated outstanding skills in stakeholder management, collaborating cross-functionally with clinical, regulatory, and customer-facing teams to ensure the training met both clinical and business objectives.

One of Emily's key strengths is project management. She successfully managed multiple aspects of the instructional design process, from initial consultation to project delivery. An example is how she communicated the project timeline and progress consistently, setting clear expectations about deliverables and deadlines. Her ability to manage time effectively while maintaining the quality of work was instrumental in meeting our goal on time.

Feedback on the interactive module Emily developed has been extremely positive. She delivered a solution to an unmet training need resulting in a module that will be utilized globally for customer education.”

Géssica Almeida De Carvalho

Project Owner, Global Portfolio Marketing Manager

“I had the pleasure of working with Emily on the Digital Learning Experience project, and she really impressed me with her leadership and skills. She did a great job connecting our business needs with clinical protocols, making the course modules both informative and easy to use for our customers. Emily was excellent at managing feedback from different teams and successfully incorporated regulatory language to improve user understanding. Her flexibility and collaboration ensured the project stayed on track, and her attention to detail helped us meet all our deadlines. I truly appreciate her professionalism and communication skills. Emily would be a fantastic addition to any team, and I look forward to the chance to work together again!”

Kelly Tyrrell

Clinical Application Specialist

“I worked with Emily on creating a learning experience that focused on training health care providers and clinicians to use our company’s Negative Pressure Wound Therapy system in various clinical situations. As the project manager, Emily ensured the project was completed on time and maximized opportunities to get stakeholder input throughout the project lifecycle, while honoring the limited bandwidth of the cross-functional project team.

The learning experience consisted of device simulation, realistic patient scenarios, and practice troubleshooting common alarms and alerts on the device. She was able to translate our ideas to create an impactful digital experience that will in turn touch the lives of patients through the hands of clinicians and other healthcare professionals. She has an impressive knowledge of learning science and clearly explained her design decisions in a way we could easily understand. Our team's goal in establishing this learning experience was to create a learning platform that allowed bedside clinicians to resolve alarms and alerts and perform proper device set up and boot-up sequences. Our company is often tasked with disseminating nursing staff education directly related to our Negative Pressure Wound Therapy system which can be challenging given high nursing turnover, numerous education requests by our valued customers and the time commitment of face-to-face training sessions; Emily helped us create multiple solutions in one platform by developing this immersive learning experience.

Emily is direct, professional, and engaging. She is eager and open to feedback, accepting all changes throughout the entire project viewing them as opportunities to deliver maximum results and value for our customers and Solventum. Emily provided concise project updates, ensuring all key stakeholders were aware of relevant changes and completion dates during the entire project.

Emily is beyond amazing to work with. She far exceeded my expectations for what digital learning could look like for Solventum.”