This article describes what awareness campaigns are in SMARTFENSE, what components they include, and when it is appropriate to use each one. The goal is to help you choose the right format based on the topic, audience, and expected outcome.
What are awareness campaigns?
Awareness campaigns are those that deliver teachable content to the user to generate learning and promote the adoption of safe habits. Unlike simulations, which measure actual behavior against a controlled attack, awareness campaigns focus on transmitting knowledge and reinforcing safe behaviors through different formats.
Available components
SMARTFENSE includes four awareness components. Each addresses topics from a different format, allowing them to be combined into a comprehensive strategy.
Interactive Modules
Teachable content that combines interaction methods, multimedia content, and Game-Based Learning. They allow the user to smoothly assimilate cybersecurity training topics. They may include an associated Exam at the end, which adds an evaluation stage to the training journey.
Recommended when you need complete training with interaction, evaluation, and optionally, certification.
How to create an Interactive Modules campaign.
Videos
Audio-visual pieces that combine interaction methods, multimedia content, and Game-Based Learning, with a final validation question. They allow users to assimilate topics in an entertaining and brief way.
Recommended when you need to reinforce a specific message quickly or reach broad audiences with limited available time.
How to create a Videos campaign.
Video Games
Awareness tools based on Game-Based Learning (GBL) that teach safe habits through challenges and immediate feedback. Each video game records all user actions from start to finish, allowing evaluation of their behavior in real cybersecurity situations.
Recommended when seeking high user motivation, competitive dynamics, or reinforcing specific topics such as passwords, URLs, or phishing.
How to create a Video Games campaign.
Newsletters
Email messages used to raise awareness in a pleasant and direct way, with a final reading validation question and corresponding feedback. They aim to generate behavior change through persuasive presentation of information.
Recommended to keep awareness alive between longer campaigns, communicate current topics, or reinforce previous campaigns.
How to create a Newsletters campaign.
💡 Best practices
- Combine different components throughout the year to address each topic from multiple formats and reinforce learning.
- Use the Recurring assignment and relative duration mode along with Smart groups to incorporate awareness campaigns into the onboarding processes of new employees.
- Configure a Test campaign when launching a new component or topic, to validate the flow without affecting reports or audit.
- Verify reminder settings in Settings > Notifications > Reminders before launching the campaign to improve completion rates.
- Combine awareness campaigns with Simulations to measure the impact of teachable content on the user's real behavior.