We often get asked the question "Why did you decide to make a comic book?" Depending on the day, we typically respond with a "because of they're cool, duh!" But aside from being really awesome in general, there were 4 reasons why we decided to use a comic book to train and educate employees on how to respond to sexual harassment in the workplace.
1. Learners can recall words VERBATIM.
Have you ever dealt with a situation and you're at a complete loss for words, and you later think of the most perfect comeback? Yea, us too. Part of the appeal for the comic book format was the fact that the reader would be able to recall information verbatim. So the next time you're at a loss for your own words you may just recall the words one of the define the line characters used.
2. The reader can learn at their own pace.
If you're anything like our co-founders, watching and paying attention to videos can be, well, difficult. We all have a million things going on at any given time, and with videos playing at a specific speed, it's easy to miss things, and in many cases, we miss the most important parts. In contrast, the comic book format allows the learner to go back and re-read if it's needed and allows the learner to read at their own pace. You can even read a portion of the comic book, put it down, and then come back to it later.
3. Different learning styles all rolled into one training.
We all have different ways of learning and retaining information. The Define the Line comic book was created with different learners in mind. Within the comic book are images and words, and activity sheets to help the reader understand the material in the way that fits their needs. Can we say #winning.
4. Emotional connections with characters.
As we researched the different approaches to training employees, the effects of holding something physical and reading from it are truly magical. Think unicorn level magic (whoa!). This was truly the icing on the cake, the cherry on top, the holy-moly comic books are AWESOME moment for us. When holding something in our hands, like a comic boo, we're able to create strong emotional connections with characters. When it comes to stories related to inappropriate behavior, it was very important that we choose a format that would connect with the learner.
We could go on and on about how comic books are great at training and educating and why we're so excited to use this type of medium. We are so excited that Define the Line gives the reader the opportunity to learn at their own pace, to create emotional connections with the characters, and the ability to reflect on not only what is inappropriate behavior, but what to do when it happens.
P.s. We often get asked, why Define the Line is not a digital comic book, and the answer is simple - all of the reasons listed above.
Your nerdy HR friends,
Nikki & Tina
Ready to spark change and define the line? Check out the 4 page sampler.
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