Case Study: Level Lockdown Procedures

Performance Support Job Aid

Context & Business Need

School staff must be able to respond immediately and correctly during safety incidents. In high-stress situations, lengthy manuals or training modules are ineffective. The organization needed a clear, visual, at-a-glance job aid that staff could quickly reference to distinguish between different lockdown levels and follow the correct procedures without hesitation.

The goal was to reduce confusion, ensure consistent responses across classrooms, and support rapid decision-making under pressure.

Audience & Constraints

Primary Audience

• Teachers
  
  

• Support staff
  
  

• School administrators
  
  

Key Constraints

• High-stress, time-critical situations
  
  

• Limited cognitive bandwidth during emergencies
  
  

• Need for instant clarity with no interpretation required
  
  

• Must be usable without technology or LMS access
  
  

This job aid had to function as performance support, not training content.

My Role & Contribution

I designed this job aid as the lead instructional designer, responsible for:

• Analyzing emergency procedures and identifying critical decision points
  
  

• Translating policy language into plain-language, action-oriented steps
  
  

• Structuring information to support rapid visual scanning
  
  

• Ensuring consistency across lockdown levels
  
  

• Designing for clarity, accessibility, and immediate usability

Instructional / Performance Strategy

This job aid was intentionally designed using performance support principles, not instructional sequencing.

Key design decisions included:

• Level-based organization (Levels 1, 2, and 3) to eliminate ambiguity
  
  

• Consistent structure across levels so staff can quickly compare actions
  
  

• Command-style language to reduce hesitation (“Close and lock all doors,” “Remain silent”)
  
  

• Minimal text with high visual hierarchy to support fast recognition
  
  

• Clear differentiation between:
  
  

  • External threats
    
    

  • Potential internal threats
    
    

  • Immediate internal threats
    
    

The design supports recognition over recall, which is critical during emergencies.

Process Artifacts

Design process included:

• Task analysis of lockdown procedures
  
  

• Identification of must-do vs. nice-to-know actions
  
  

• Information mapping to ensure logical flow
  
  

• Iterative layout refinement for readability and scanning
  
  

• Alignment with existing emergency protocols
  
  

This ensured the job aid reinforced official procedures while remaining usable in real-world conditions.

Tools Used

• Canva – layout, typography, visual hierarchy
  
  

• Plain-language editing techniques
  
  

• Visual communication and information design principles

Results & Impact

This job aid:

• Provides immediate procedural clarity during emergencies
  
  

• Reduces cognitive load by eliminating unnecessary detail
  
  

• Supports consistent staff responses across classrooms and roles
  
  

• Serves as an effective just-in-time reference when training cannot be accessed
  
  

It complements formal safety training by acting as a critical moment-of-need resource.

Evaluation & Use

Effectiveness can be evaluated through:

• Safety drill observations
  
  

• Staff feedback on clarity and usability
  
  

• Reduction in procedural errors during drills
  
  

• Administrative review during annual safety audits

Reflections & Iterations

Future enhancements could include:

• Color-coding by lockdown level for even faster recognition
  
  

• Versions optimized for wall posters vs. desk references
  
  

• Scenario-based microlearning tied to each lockdown level
  
  

• Multilingual versions for broader accessibility