Crack the case: investigation-based scenario

Going Beyond Recall Quiz – 4

Read time : 6 minutes

In this new article of our “Going Beyond Recall Quiz” series, we’ll look deeper into the million-dollar question (or euro, pound, whatever you want, really, as long as you apply the proper exchange rate): why don’t people often behave according to what they have been trained for?

Introduction

Note: Introduction, also known as me rambling about how things are done. Feel free to skip this part and jump to the concrete stuff, no hard feelings.

That’s a complicated question—entire books have been written about it. To put it simply, the key difference between training and real-world application is this: training often focuses on teaching rules and guidelines, while the real challenge in practice lies in navigating the gray areas. It’s not just about knowing the rules but figuring out which ones apply in messy, unpredictable real-world contexts that are far removed from the controlled clarity of a classroom or e-learning environment.

That’s easy for you to say in this article, training is about this sort of theory, then experience takes over, you’d say as you bounce from your chair – possibly wielding a pitchfork. You’re right, but let’s see if there’s something that can be done about it and help learners not only understand a rule but also determine when it applies.

Using a case study and focusing on the analysis part

Most decision-making exercises are presenting a situation as a short story and offering a few choices for the learner, including in our One-question scenario article where we focused on crafting a story that takes into account the typical pitfalls causing wrong decisions to be made.

Now, what if the amount of information to be gathered by the learner exceeds what you could put in a short, unique story? Or better yet, what if the actual process of actively looking for the important information and ignoring the fluff would be a critical part of the skill?

Think about a medical diagnostic, or about an anti-money laundering procedure for a banking institution. Yes, you could list out all the patient’s characteristics and symptoms in a single text and ask for the best course of action, in a one-question scenario. And that’d already be arguably much better than a superficial quiz question. But how often do you have all this information readily available for you in a real-life situation?

Building the case structure

Crafting an investigation-based scenario is fairly similar to a traditional one, with a key difference: it’s all about the information, where it is and what needs to be done to gather it.

Scenario maker note: Structurally these scenarios tend to be fairly circular, with many paths coming back to a “menu” scene from where the learner chooses what to investigate next.

Initially, only provide the information that would normally be available for the learner right off the bat, as the patient or the case is shown for the first time.

Then, instead of asking your subject matter expert what the learner should do to close the case or handle the patient, focus on offering ways for the learner to gather the necessary information, from asking certain questions to looking up the history in certain IT systems. There are generally multiple sources to be used to complete the puzzle.

Finally, once the information has been gathered, the scenario needs to boil down to a decision on how to handle the case.

Example

Let’s look at a simple anti-money laundering scenario built as an investigation.

Initial scene

You’re a compliance officer at NorthBank. An account flagged by the monitoring system has triggered an alert for suspicious activity. The account holder has made a series of high-value transfers to multiple offshore accounts. Your task is to determine whether this activity warrants filing a Suspicious Activity Report (SAR).”

Account holder: Michael H.
Alert: Unusual frequency and volume of international transfers.
Recent transaction log: <Partial details visible>

Learner’s options

1. Review the full transaction history

Key information: The account’s transaction log shows several transfers of $9,900—just below the $10,000 reporting threshold—to different offshore accounts.

Fluff: However, the logs also reveal unrelated small purchases, like groceries and subscription services, creating noise in the data.

2. Verify the account holder’s identity

Key information: The account holder has provided standard identification documents, but further checks reveal the ID is linked to a dormant business entity registered five years ago.

Fluff: The application includes details about a prior address unrelated to any current documents.

3. Cross-check the flagged transfers against known high-risk countries.

Key information: Transfers flagged as suspicious were made to accounts in jurisdictions labeled as tax havens. While some transactions are to family members—potentially innocent—others link to shell companies with vague descriptions.

Fluff: Minor transfers to charities and travel expenses.

4. Interview the account manager about the client’s typical behavior.

While this can unravel some additional information, it is not part of the normal anti-money laundering procedure as per NorthBank’s guidelines to conduct such an interview before the SAR is filled.

5. Make a decision regarding the Suspicious Activity Report

The learner believes that enough information has been gathered to make a decision, and proceeds to either a simple decision screen, or potentially the next chapter of the scenario (e.g. how to fill the SAR)

So…

Investigation-based scenarios transform training into an exploratory process where learners act as investigators, piecing together evidence and asking questions to solve problems.

A major benefit of this approach is its intrinsic engagement. Learners enjoy the process of exploring and solving, akin to a crime investigation. Additionally, investigation-based scenarios develop analytical skills by requiring learners to separate critical details from irrelevant “fluff.” This prioritization mirrors essential real-world tasks.

Such scenarios also reinforce adherence to guidelines. Learners must follow proper investigative steps, and penalties can be applied for irrelevant or inefficient actions. This ensures not only understanding of rules but also their practical application.

This method is particularly suitable for compliance training, such as anti-money laundering procedures, healthcare diagnostics, or customer service. In these fields, uncovering information systematically is key, and this approach provides a realistic and effective way to practice those skills.

Getting started with SceneHero

Such a scenario format, using navigation between scenes to let the learner explore and gather key information, is rather unwieldy to create using typical authoring tools.

SceneHero offers an easy and intuitive way to create and deploy such projects, with its simple no-code, graphical interface.