Learning and Development / Instructional Design
Sample project overview for a short, self-directed process explainer module that walks adult learners through how Scotch whisky is made, step by step.
Whisky production is often described in dense, expert-level language that assumes background knowledge of distilling, chemistry, and regulations. For adult learners and non-traditional students, this can make it hard to see the big picture: how barley becomes Scotch, which stages matter most, and what the law actually requires.
This project explores how to turn that complex process into a clear, accessible explainer that respects real constraints on attention, access, and prior knowledge. The module focuses on the core production stages and regulatory basics, using plain language and simple visuals.
Accessibility decisions include avoiding drag-and-drop interactions, keeping colour and contrast WCAG-aware, and ensuring all controls and graphics have clear labels or captions.
This project can be laid out on a single html page, or in using a course layout similar to those commonly used in Articulate Rise 360.
| Section | Title | Purpose | Primary content / visual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The making of Scotch whisky | Introduce topic and relevance. | Title, one-sentence overview, and quick process preview with an original line-art hero graphic. |
| 2 | What makes Scotch Scotch? | Establish legal and production basics. | Scotland, ingredients, and maturation basics presented in plain language, supported by a simple icon row or definition card. |
| 3 | Process overview | Give the full sequence before detail. | High-level flow from grain to cask, shown in a horizontal or stacked process diagram. |
| 4 | Malting | Explain barley preparation. | Steeping, germination, and kilning, supported by a barley/kiln icon or mini diagram. |
| 5 | Mashing | Explain sugar extraction. | Grist, mash tun, and wort, supported by a mash tun icon or vessel diagram. |
| 6 | Fermentation | Show alcohol creation. | Yeast, washbacks, and wash, supported by a simple washback diagram. |
| 7 | Distillation | Explain spirit concentration. | Pot stills for malt whisky, supported by a simplified still diagram. |
| 8 | Maturation | Explain oak casks and aging. | Oak casks, time, and flavour development, supported by a barrel/cask icon or maturation graphic. |
| 9 | Categories | Compare major Scotch types. | Single malt, single grain, and blends, shown via a comparison table or cards. |
This section presents a sample maturation-screen and label-reading scenario to demonstrate how the Scotch whisky process explainer could be built with clear, accessible content and licensing-safe visuals.
From clear spirit to mature Scotch
After distillation, clear “new make spirit” is filled into oak casks in Scotland and left to mature for at least three years before it can legally be called Scotch whisky.
During this time, the spirit slowly interacts with the oak and the surrounding air. Harsh notes are softened, flavours and colour from the wood are added, and the whisky’s character gradually develops.
A small portion of the liquid evaporates each year (often called the “angel’s share”), and many whiskies are matured well beyond the three-year minimum for greater depth and complexity.
From storage to transformation
When new make spirit first goes into an oak cask, it is clear, intense, and still closely tied to the distillation process. Over the years, the cask and the air around it steadily change the spirit’s flavour, aroma, and colour.
These changes are often grouped into three linked effects:
Scenario: Understanding age statements
You see a bottle labelled “Blended Scotch Whisky – aged 12 years” with a note on the back that the blend includes whiskies matured for 8, 12, and 18 years.
Based on what you know about maturation rules for Scotch, answer the following:
Design notes: In the interactive version of this screen, learners could answer Part 1 using radio buttons that focus on the rule that Scotch must be matured in oak casks in Scotland for at least three years and that the age statement reflects the youngest whisky in the bottle. Part 2 then asks them to apply that rule to a specific blend, recognizing that any component younger than 12 years would make the “aged 12 years” claim incorrect and that the correct age statement would be based on the youngest whisky in the blend.
These examples show how the process explainer could be designed to check understanding of Scotch regulations and core process stages using keyboard- and screen-reader-friendly interactions.
Which of the following best describes the basic legal definition of Scotch whisky?
Design note: Single-select radio buttons with an explicit legend make the item screen-reader and keyboard friendly while checking recall of core regulatory elements (location, ingredients, and minimum maturation time).
True or false: Whisky distilled in Scotland but matured in oak casks outside Scotland can still be labelled as Scotch whisky.
Design note: This item surfaces a common misconception about Scotch regulations and uses a simple true/false radio pair with clear labelling for accessibility.
Match each stage in the Scotch production process to the description that fits it. For each stage, type the letter (A–G) of the matching response in the box.
Design note: Learners enter one letter (A–G) for each stage. Five responses correctly match the core production stages, while two responses are plausible but incorrect options that check deeper understanding of where blending and serving fit into the overall process.
