In our first article, 25 Years of Reimagining Training: Journey of Innovation, we shared how the story of Scandlearn began. Now, in this second part, I’ll reveal how we got started with our unique learning concept. This is a tale of creativity, challenges, and breakthroughs—so follow along as we dive deeper into the story.
Around 2013, we had moved into a new office. One day, Walter, who often communicated with our clients, came back from a conversation with a client and shared a simple yet profound sentiment: "Why couldn’t training be more inspiring, interesting, and fun?" The question struck me immediately—"Why not?"
How could we make complex topics easier to understand in a way that resonated with learners?
At the time, we weren’t sure how to achieve that. But the idea stuck with me. It nagged at me, and I realised we needed to figure out how to make training engaging and enjoyable—especially in a field as serious as aviation. How could we make complex topics easier to understand in a way that resonated with learners?
I reflected on my own struggles in school. Traditional classroom settings didn’t work for me, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t learn. I just needed a different method. For example, I hated geography and history lessons, but I loved playing a game called Backpacker. That game taught me about countries, cultures, and history in a way I still remember vividly today. Why?
This led me to question the role of format in learning:
These questions sparked a deep dive into research on how the brain processes information, how visuals are perceived, and how different media formats influence learning retention.
My research expanded into pedagogy, neuroscience, education theories, and history. Humans have been teaching and learning for thousands of years, but let’s not dive into a history lesson on the education system or debate whether its framework is good or bad for today’s digital age. What’s clear is that technology is transforming everything. In the digital era, traditional schooling methods are no longer enough. Information is abundant, attention spans are shorter, and lifestyles are faster-paced. Learning must evolve to keep up.
That’s why I felt we needed something different: an approach that speaks to us directly, catches our attention immediately, and resonates with the way we live today. It had to be engaging, usable, and reflective—designed not just to inform but to make us think deeply about what we’ve learned.
This system is grounded in a theory that I’ll share later in our story, so stay tuned.
One pivotal meeting with Johan, Bertil, and Walter pushed me further in this direction. We brainstormed scenarios that crew members might encounter and explored how to make those relatable, relevant, and intriguing. The goal was to shift the mindset from “needing to train” to wanting to train.
We started small, experimenting with visual concepts. The question was: "What could we create that was scalable, impactful, and unique to Scandlearn?"
As I searched for inspiration, I thought about the media that had influenced me—movies, TV shows, commercials, games, and even stories from my grandfather. It all came down to one thing: storytelling. Stories make information stick. They connect us emotionally and help us remember.
But storytelling in aviation training? That required a bold approach. We had to be creative while maintaining respect for the industry’s serious nature.
Producing live-action videos with actors wasn’t feasible due to costs, so we turned to animation—a medium that offered flexibility, scalability, and boundless creative possibilities. Inspired by successful storytelling campaigns, like those from ICA (a Swedish grocery store renowned for its highly effective commercials blending storytelling with its staff), I realized we needed a similar approach for Scandlearn. Recurring characters could create relatable narratives that resonate deeply with learners, making the training experience both engaging and memorable.
Designing the Scandlearn Crew felt a lot like writing a screenplay. In movies, characters aren’t just placeholders; they’re crafted with depth and nuance to evoke emotion, foster connection, and drive the story forward. Similarly, we approached the creation of our characters with the same level of care. Their personalities, backstories, and dynamics weren’t just about making them relatable—they were tools to enhance learning by grounding training scenarios in realism and empathy.
Each character was designed with purpose, reflecting the kind of real-world relationships and situations that learners might encounter. This helped us weave authenticity into every interaction, making the training not only more engaging but also more impactful.
Their interactions became a foundation for building relatable and engaging training scenarios. Like characters in a screenplay, the Scandlearn Crew had to be consistent and memorable. We wanted learners to not only recognize them but also care about them.
Finding the right animation style took years. It needed to be efficient, timeless, and appropriate for a serious industry. It couldn’t feel “clownish” but still had to captivate and engage. Drawing inspiration from games, movies, and TV shows, we developed a style that combined compliance with creativity.
Before introducing the Scandlearn Crew in 2016, we overhauled our existing courses. Back then, our courses relied on static images and text—what I call “tick-box training.” We replaced thousands of assets with a secondary animation style inspired by South Park. While not perfect, it allowed us to work quickly and set the stage for our next leap forward.
By 2016, with a skilled design team onboard, we introduced advanced graphics, including CGI and 3D animation. This combination gave us the freedom to create any scenario instructors could imagine. At a tradeshow that year, we unveiled our new style. I was nervous about how it would be received, but the feedback was overwhelmingly positive—people were intrigued and excited.
Not everyone was convinced. Aviation is a serious industry, and safety is paramount. I needed to back my ideas with research and evidence to show why this approach worked. Diving back into books and studies, I explored validated theories and found the answers I needed.
The theory that solidified our approach is something I’ll share in an upcoming article. But for now, know this: our mission to make aviation training engaging, relatable, and effective has always been backed by science, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.
Our journey to transform aviation training is far from over. In the next article, I’ll reveal the scientific foundation behind our concept and how it continues to evolve. Stay tuned for more insights into how Scandlearn is reimagining and reshaping aviation training for the digital age.