Appeal is subjective, so it’s going to be different according to your audience and content. We at ELM use an array of methods to boost our design practices and more importantly, to increase the learners’ perceived value of an experience, based on its aesthetics.
We tend to mix different approaches, like Methodology D.J.s. Too often, designers stick to the same guidelines when it comes to structuring a course. We like to step outside of our industry to find inspiration for designing the flow of our lessons.
For one learning experience design, we mashed up Robert Gagne’s Nine Levels of Learning with Aristotle’s Three Act Structure of Storytelling. This helped us find a creative solution around structuring the content in a way that produced a feeling of curiosity in the learner which in turn increased attention.
For another, we remixed portions of Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey and the ADKAR Model when designing a 6-week curriculum.. This allowed us to design an experience that was not only instructionally sound but tailored to the learner’s day-to-day routine. With this information, we were able to strategically map out how and when the different resources, reminders, challenges and motivational boosts were presented. Leaving the learner with that feeling of “Heroic” accomplishment needed to maintain behavioral change.

Trust me, by finding new methodologies outside of your academic training, you will experience jaw-dropping epiphanies!