The Badge Was Issued, but the Goal Wasn't Achieved.

When users completed hands-on labs on the Isovalent Labs platform, the badge was issued, but they often expected it in the wrong place. The platform sent a webhook to Credly upon completion, which then emailed the learner with a link to claim the badge. However, the asynchronous nature of the webhook sometimes arrived too late for the UI to catch, causing learners to miss the claim link on the final screen.

Some learners attempted to complete the lab again multiple times, hoping the badge would appear. The issue lay in learners' understanding of the next steps after completing a lab. To address this, one slide was added before the final exam, explaining that successful learners would receive a Credly email with their badge. This reduced complaints and unnecessary lab repetitions.

Issuing a badge is only the beginning of the credential's journey; it must reach the learner, be claimed, and then used or shared. Ignoring this downstream process can lead to ineffective badges that remain only as database records. While the platform cannot control whether a learner claims or shares a badge, understanding the context and mental processes behind these actions can improve the learner's experience.

Examining the flow, timing, deliverability, sender recognition, number of claim steps, and clarity of the claim link can make the credential more meaningful, credible, and easy to present, ultimately increasing the likelihood of its use and sharing.