Design Directions

The team created three design directions that we used to guide our prototyping process.

Incorporation of an Instructor

Our team recognized the value the instructor had in in-person trainings. We noted through our research that therapists generally enjoy a more personal approach to training and wanted our system to replicate the instructor's ability to answer questions, provide anecdotes, and serve as a post-training mentor.

Simulation of Role Play

We identified Role Play as a very important part of in-person training. Participants in our research phase stressed the importance of role playing in acquiring psychotherapy techniques. As a result, we focused on integrating the role play experience into our online training in various ways.

Activity Mapping

Many therapists mentioned that thorough case studies are an integral part in understanding SFT. Case studies provide insight into the families involved, and help make the concepts concrete. However, some felt that the cases provided in the existing training regimen provided an overly simplified picture. We concluded that more complex and vivid examples make for a better training.