MassCyberCenter’s eLearning Innovations
Making Cybersecurity Training Accessible for Every Municipality
The MassCyberCenter at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative is a state-supported initiative dedicated to strengthening cybersecurity across the Commonwealth. Through resources, guidance, and training programs, MassCyberCenter helps municipalities, public agencies, and critical infrastructure organizations build the knowledge and practices needed to stay secure in an increasingly complex digital landscape.
Overview
eResponders partnered with the MassCyberCenter to develop a suite of interactive eLearning courses designed to bring baseline cybersecurity training to municipal workers across Massachusetts. The goal was to translate complex, high-stakes content into an engaging, accessible digital learning experience — one that would reach employees at every level of local government and equip them with the practical knowledge to recognize and respond to cyber threats.
The Need and Challenges
Cybersecurity training for municipal workers presents a unique challenge: the audience is broad, the content is technical, and the stakes are high. MassCyberCenter had identified and developed rich resources around four essential areas of baseline cybersecurity knowledge that all municipal employees needed to understand — but getting that information to stick required more than a slide deck or a policy document. The training needed to feel relevant, engaging, and actionable for people who may not think of themselves as tech-savvy. At the same time, accessibility and reach were non-negotiable: the courses needed to work for learners across abilities and be available in both English and Spanish.
Our Solution
- Instructional Design & Storytelling
- Collaborated with cybersecurity SMEs to script and storyboard each course, applying adult learning theory and game-based design to make complex content approachable
- Designed interactive Articulate 360 courses covering four core topic areas: Trained and Cyber-Secure Employees, Improved Threat Sharing, Cyber Incident Response Planning, and Secure Technology Environment and Best Practices
- Developed a multi-round review process with the MassCyberCenter team to ensure accuracy, alignment, and quality at every stage
- Building the Massboro Universe
-
The creative heart of this project was the development of a fully original fictional world. eResponders created Massboro — a coastal Massachusetts municipality brought to life through custom illustration and graphic novel-style animation. The story opens with Massboro falling victim to a devastating ransomware attack carried out by Leviathan, a malware monster made of code that rises from the water and wraps itself around the city, encrypting files and bringing municipal services to a halt. This narrative framing wasn’t just decorative — it was instructional. Every course module was woven into the story of Massboro’s response and recovery, with municipal workers cast as the heroes learning to defend their city. Custom character design, original environmental art, and cinematic animation brought the stakes to life in a way that abstract content simply couldn’t.
- Multimedia Production & Expert Interviews
- Produced video components featuring real cybersecurity experts interviewed in a format that mixed live footage with animated visuals, presented through the fictional lens of Massboro News, an in-universe broadcast that served as the narrative anchor for the SME content
- Incorporated gamification elements — including timed knowledge challenges and scenario-based interactions — to increase engagement and motivate learners to demonstrate what they know
- Created supplemental PDF resources for both learners and managers, reinforcing recommended actions and providing guidance on evaluating departmental risk
- Accessibility & Delivery
- Built all courses to meet ADA accessibility standards, with accommodations for hearing, vision, and mobility limitations
- Provided Spanish translation across all video, audio, and text content
- Delivered courses optimized for both desktop and mobile access, hosted on a dedicated platform for broad reach
The Outcome
A cybersecurity training program that municipal workers actually want to engage with — because it tells a story they can see themselves in.
Five courses delivered, each pairing an interactive eLearning experience with expert video content and practical take-home resources — all anchored in the world of Massboro. The program gave MassCyberCenter a scalable, accessible, and genuinely original training solution capable of reaching municipal employees across the Commonwealth. By grounding technical content in narrative and character, eResponders turned what could have been a compliance exercise into an experience learners remember.
Reach out to learn how we can help you
Partner with eResponders to unlock your mission's potential and create impactful educational experiences that engage your audience. Our collaborative approach ensures your message is communicated effectively and inclusively.
Let's embark on this journey together and make a difference!