We hope you enjoyed the start to our season of savings last week! If you missed it, you're in luck, there's another week of savings! Welcome to Week 2 (and our final week) where you can save big bucks each day on our products and services!   This week's theme is about the importance of strategic leadership featuring our new Strategic Leadership workshop and the start of our upcoming IT Bootcamp series with CIO Network located right here in our home, Indianapolis, IN!  Day 8 Deal is...  Bring our new 2-day Strategic Leadership workshop to your companyand receive our Train the Trainer (Day 3) FREE(Offer will appear in invoice. No code necessary) Here's how it works. We'll come and facilitate two days of awesome learning and growth within your organization through our strategic leadership learning experience. Then we'll stick around an extra day to teach you (or your small team) how to facilitate the same course after we leave. For more information about our "Strategic Leadership" workshop, visit our website or email info@russellmartin.com. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter, like our Facebook page and follow our website blog for more daily deals! 

It's officially Day 7 of our Season of Savings! Each day we will post one irresistible deal right here on our blog, on our Twitter and our Facebook. Each deal will only be valid that day, so act fast because it will be gone before you know it! This week's theme revolves around emotional intelligence and our "Power of You" workshop! We only have 6 days left of our season of savings, so be sure to follow each day closely for your chance to save! ​Day 7 Deal is.... FREE Stress Kitty with the purchase of aTriMetrix EQ Assessment(Stress Kitty shipped upon completion of purchase, no code necessary) TriMetrix EQ AssessmentLeveraging the power of three sciences, TTI TriMetrix EQ measures your ability to sense, understand and effectively apply the power and acumen of emotions to facilitate high levels of collaboration and productivity.

During a recent lunch with one of my Lean Learning certification candidates, we discussed a key Lean concept that had really caught her attention. It’s called ‘one-piece flow’ and it means to satisfy individual customer demand immediately or, put more simply, ‘produce to order’. The word ‘piece’ comes from manufacturing and refers to a product. Products are commonly made in quantities of ten, a hundred, a thousand or more pieces. The thinking goes (incorrectly btw) that it’s most efficient to produce in a batch. Similarly, training is commonly delivered in a batch, which could be a classroom, a lecture hall or webinar. The thinking goes (again incorrectly) that it’s most efficient to teach only to a full or nearly full venue. In truth, satisfying knowledge demand immediately is best. Why Would You Wait? One day, your car breaks down and you call a garage to get it fixed. They ask ‘What kind of car?’ and you tell them. They say "I fix those in batches of 10. You’re number 6, so I need 4 more to start working, which should be in 3 to 5 weeks. Can I put you on the list?’ WHAT?!! That’s crazy. You’d hang up and call another garage immediately. Now, consider this situation. One day, you call Training and say "I need to learn how to set expectations and give feedback to my employees." and they reply "Great. We’re teaching that course when we get a full class of 20, which should be in about 2 to 3 months. Do you want to sign up?". Same situation as above, but, rather than crazy, it’s the norm today. Batching Causes Delay Restricting training to batches means important knowledge doesn’t get delivered until the venue is filled up, for example 20 in a class or 120 in a webinar. The result is people who need to know have to wait weeks or months. In the meantime, they struggle to do their jobs and make mistakes that cost money, infuriate colleagues and customers, and harm patients. Sadly, these effects and results rarely get factored into training decisions, which seem to favor trainer convenience and minimizing overhead costs per trainee. Satisfy Knowledge Demand Immediately One-piece flow in training means to teach individuals just what they need to know exactly when they need it. No more, no less. And immediately; no waiting. It’s what I call ‘one-learner flow’ and the result is that people don’t struggle and make costly mistakes due to lack of knowledge. Sure you might wind up teaching the same topic numerous times, but so what? The key to establishing flow is identifying and then simplifying or eliminating steps that slow down the process and encourage batching. Batching is a symptom of inefficiency and complexity. How would designing training for ‘one-learner flow’ change what you do and how you do it? What formats and tools would be most appropriate? What would have to go? Most important, how would your learners react to your newfound responsiveness? Let’s Ride! Todd Hudson, Head Maverick The post One-Learner Flow appeared first on Maverick Institute.

Force field analysis is a fantastic change management tool. It also beautifully encapsulates the difference between Lean and traditional improvement approaches. A force field analysis diagram looks like this: Force field analysis is useful whenever you want to improve performance or change behavior, for example yield, cycle time, infection rate, recovery time, sales, morale, responsiveness. All change efforts are subject to driving forces and restraining forces. Driving forces push the current system to change for the better and restraining forces resist these efforts. Force field analysis engages teams of people affected by a specific change to list, discuss and assess the relative strengths of these two sets of forces. More Brute Force Traditional improvement efforts rely heavily, if not exclusively, on applying driving forces. In fact, the bigger the desired improvement, the more forces are brought to bear. Typical driving forces are: Mission and vision statements Goals and quotas Contests and incentives New policies and procedures Performance management The assumption is that the current system is capable of delivering more results if people are driven harder by rewards and fear. This is the complete opposite of Lean. While focusing on driving forces can yield results in the short term, it runs out of gas quickly. Pushed to an extreme, it has disastrous consequences. Think Volkswagen and Wells Fargo. Employees there met goals by doing illegal and unethical activities that severely damaged the company’s brand and cost millions, even billions, in fines and penalties. Remove Restraining Forces Lean assumes that people want to improve and succeed and are held back by system forces beyond their control. Typical restraining forces are: Insufficient resources Unclear requirements Traditions and assumptions Competing goals and incentives Ignorance and misunderstanding Out-dated policies and procedures Inefficient organizational structure Obsolete technology and methods Lean thinking and tools focus on identifying and eliminating these restraining forces. For example, value stream mapping uncovers inefficient organizational structure and outdated procedures standard work clarifies requirements and improves communication customer focus uncovers erroneous assumptions and competing goals and incentives visual management and gemba walks reduce ignorance and misunderstandings Big, Hairy Goals The real benefit of throwing out big, hairy goals, for example ‘Reduce errors by 80% in 2017’, is to identify the restraining forces that make it "Impossible!" Big, hairy goals should provoke people to say things like ‘That’s crazy! We’d have to completely change X, Y and Z.’ AHA! Constraints identified. Then, it’s management’s job to make changes to X, Y and Z possible. Setting a big, hairy goal and just hoping people accomplish it can be demotivating or, as we saw at Volkswagen and Wells Fargo, disastrous. Learning and Training Aren’t Enough While training and learning remove certain restraining forces, they’re insufficient to accomplish real change. Knowledge is a small component of any improvement effort. Knowing a better way to do something doesn’t mean someone can actually do it in their workplace. This is why so many change efforts based on ground-up training die a horrible, slow death. These efforts cast training as a driving force and as the old saying goes ‘You can’t push with a rope.’ What are you trying to improve today? How are you identifying and removing restraining forces? Are you solely relying on driving forces, in particular training, to make it happen? Let’s Ride Todd Hudson, Head Maverick The post Lean Frees Improvement appeared first on Maverick Institute.

Today marks Day 6 of our Season of Savings! Each day we will post one irresistible deal right here on our blog, on our Twitter and our Facebook. Each deal will only be valid that day, so act fast because it will be gone before you know it! This week's theme revolves around emotional intelligence and our "Power of You" workshop! ​Day 6 Deal is.... 25% off public "Power of You" workshopUSE CODE: 12DealsDay6 For more information about "The Power of You" workshop, please visit the RMA store website. 

Fun is a tricky little three-letter word. If we were to think of the workplace as a cross-word puzzle it would be challenging to consider where fun fits into the big picture. There is no "F" in "productivity", no "U" in "effort", and there is certainly no "N" in "results". There simply is no time, nor place, for fun and its varying distracting, immature, and counterproductive derivatives, such as humour, levity, and boisterousness. Games are silly relics of a youthful song which is both out of date and out of synch with the demanding and ferocious reality of the work culture. Or, you know, maybe not? The science of fun Our brains require stimulation. They seek out novelty. Research has shown that along with basic survival needs, and the need for emotional security, our brains not just desire but require stimulation in the form of novel, delightful, and pleasantly surprising experiences. These recharge and excite our mind, and result in a number of measurable and beneficial biological side-effects - from healthier function of our blood vessels to producing certain antibodies that strengthen our immune system. In short, the research is in and it seems to conclude that fun is good for the mind and body. But why on Earth would we want this positive, life-extending emotion entering the tightly constrained confides of the work place? Because there are more ways to motivate people than just the carrot and the stick. Fun is a motivator Yes, employees can be incited into increased productivity with extrinsic motivational factors of the metaphorical "carrot" (pay rises, bonuses, fringe benefits, etc.) or the "stick" (threats, reprimanding, fear) however I would suggest that there is the third path, one that results in intrinsic motivation: the path of creating a working environment that your employees want to work in. Where their brains feel safe, emotionally validated, and intellectually stimulated - and injecting elements of fun into your company will help bring about this increasingly positive state of mind. Let us clarify that fun does not mean lack of seriousness or respect. A fun company is not a company where slacking off or constantly goofing around are the only objectives. Fun in the workplace is more so about the feeling of, so-called, levity. Making your people feel "lighter" as opposed to the "heavier" feelings of sombre, stone-faced, restrained professionalism. Fun is contagious Particularly in the creative or communication-based industries, it is very important to allow time for the mind to breathe. Time when the mind is allowed to open and expand to novel stimuli and sensations results in decreased stress levels, and increased gusto for work. It is not a coincidence that some of the largest and most successful companies worldwide encourage fun in their company culture. The results of these actions trickle down into the company’s products and are indeed picked up upon by the end user. Users are more intuitive than we may give them credit, and they have the ability to notice when a product has been infused with care, zest, and even love, by their product design and development teams. Does this mean instead of increasing advertising budgets we should be buying a foosball table and installing a break room with bean-bags and hot cocoa? Not per se, though it certainly is a gesture that will be appreciated in bouts of 15 minutes at a time. Fun in the workplace, or the room for fun in the workplace to exist and breath, filters down from the top and is visible in smaller "micro-interactions" within the company. The many forms of fun Fun has many forms within a company. Fun has many forms within a company.Click To Tweet It can be in that ridiculous pink squishy ball that gets thrown around from person to person during a brainstorming session. It can be in "Pizza Tuesdays" where people come together from across completely different departments to eat a slice of pepperoni pie and then leave feeling a little more comfortable with their colleagues - realising that there are people, with feelings and thoughts, at the other end of that scathing email they were planning to write. Fun can be in installing the /giphy extension on Slack and not considering it "goofing off" or a lack of professionalism if your team expresses their sentiments about a project or an idea with reaction gifs. One of my favourite moments are design team "Fun Fridays", where the last 20 minutes of the working week have been cordoned off for moments of levity: draw a picture of a cat in sixty seconds and compare it with the rest of the team. Share that absolutely gorgeous logo you saw online with the rest of the team and tell them why you got so excited. Fold a paper airplane and see which one can fly the farthest. Play one, or two quick rounds of stand-up, communication based games, like "Werewolves" or "Mafia". Conclusion 20 minutes of fun a week. 20 minutes shaved off of the forty-hour work week, in the hope that the remaining 39 hours and 40 minutes will feel like an environment that your employees will want to be a part of, will want to give their very best, and will want to pour a little piece of their heart into. Those 20 minutes a week may turn out to be the best investment you make this year.   About the author: After travelling the world over for years as an English Language Teaching consultant, George specialised in designing UI/UX solutions for businesses for mobile and desktop devices. He is excited to bring his background in both education and design with him to Epignosis. The post All work and no play: Fun and games in the work culture appeared first on TalentLMS Blog.

It is safe to assume that instructional designers have come a long way, and the proof is the unavoidable awareness about them. More and more organizations are seeking the professional services and consultations of these unsung heroes. Accreditation bodies are no longer showing mercy to training institutes and higher education organizations who have laurelled the ropes of an instructional designer, but do not possess a formal schooling of an ID. 2017 is definitely the year of the Instructional Designer and in this article, we bring to you the top trends instructional designers should be actively engaged in to develop. The greater demand for these experts comes with the enormous popularity of the training technology tools and trends. Learners and trainees have spoken. They have expressed their preferences and the need for superior quality media for learning - more than ever. Learners and trainees require deeper levels of engagement and interaction with the learning material. They are motivated to learn and perform better when learning is delivered through their preferred media and formats. Knowledgeable educators no longer contain their knowledge within the confines of stand-alone PowerPoints. They are constantly in search of media that will convey their message. Instructional designers are quickly bridging the gap between learners and knowledge providers. Here are the top trends of 2017 that need the immediate attention of instructional designers: 1. Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) We believe AR is the way to go, much more so than VR. Despite the common sprouting up of VR devices and apps, we still believe Augmented Reality would take over the training and educational scene. The reason being simple, the AR learning environment is more embedded in reality that the VR learning environment. Also, developing and designing AR instructional programs is a lot cheaper than VR learning programs. Instructional designers can safely expect rising requests from trainers and learners to create instruction within Augmented Reality elements. AR is synonymous to authentic, experiential and transformative learning experiences that have proven track records of improving cognitive achievement. The convenience of using mobile devices, especially the smartphone, will drive this medium as one of the top ID trends of 2017. 2. Digital Textbooks More and more training institutes are moving towards 100% online and asynchronous learning materials. Also, the demand for having offline availability of such learning materials is rising exponentially. Being able to access the learning material through mobile devices is also a top priority. Catering to such preferences has improved learning achievement, performance and lowered drop-out rates. Instructional designers will be showcasing learning materials in attractive digital textbooks that will interact directly with their learners. 3. Learning Analytics Always in the grey area, learning analytics have come a long way. They have been scrutinized for invading the privacy of learners, but not anymore. With their prevalent and successful use in the eBusiness world, analytics have effectively contributed to the buzzword "business intelligence". Consumers are increasingly aware of cookies placed on their browsers and inhabiting their personal boundaries. This has led to a more relaxed attitude towards learner analytics. Learning management systems are now gauged to improve LA reports. The goal is to analyze current learning materials and refurbish them to suit the learner in multiple ways. Learner analytics are paving a richer pathway towards learner-based teaching. 4. Microlearning This trend may sound familiar, but has not been used to its full extent in the past couple of years. Microlearning is exactly what it sounds like: bite-sized learning. Learning that can be swallowed easily,as opposed to overwhelming volumes of content that require learner antacids! Instructional designers will actively manage shorter learning modules that span a little over 90 to 120 seconds! Shorter videos, shorter presentations and shorter drill-and practice exercises will end abruptly in shorter quizzes that will provide immediate feedback and guidance on how to proceed with the learning program. 5. Game-based learning Okay, this may seem like something you already know, but again, this need has not been fulfilled successfully in the past. Game-based learning requires tactful instructional design techniques. These come with practice and mistakes. But, with the help of the mistakes of previous years, instructional designers can deliver better games for learning. These include realistic story-telling strategies, relatable protagonists posed as avatars, meaningful feedback that scaffolds learning, stronger connections between objectives and the game environment. Learners have marked their game-based learning preferences due to their better motivation and engagement capabilities. 6. Natural User Interfaces Presenting the learning material in a way that is the most convenient to the learner is in high demand. Learning management systems and instructional authoring systems are now reconfiguring their products to publish better learning interfaces. Instructional designers are commonly seen testing the learning program outputs and editing the content to facilitate the interface real estate. It’s all about the user experience and instructional designers are increasingly on to this trend. The top instructional design trends for 2017 might seem like they’re already quite familiar, but as their implementation becomes increasingly frequent, their prevalence only becomes more apparent. So, start embracing these as soon as possible and remain ahead of the curve! The post The 6 Top Trends for Instructional Designers for 2017 appeared first on TalentLMS Blog.

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Today marks Day 5 of our Season of Savings! Each day we will post one irresistible deal right here on our blog, on our Twitter and our Facebook. Each deal will only be valid that day, so act fast because it will be gone before you know it! This week's theme revolves around emotional intelligence and our "Power of You" workshop! ​Day 5 Deal is.... Bring the Power of You workshop to your company and we will cover the cost of Lou's travel!(Upon completion of purchase, you will not be invoiced for Lou's travel)- No code necessary. For more information about the Power of You workshop, please visit the RMA store website. 

Today marks Day 4 of our Season of Savings! Each day we will post one irresistible deal right here on our blog, on our Twitter and our Facebook. Each deal will only be valid that day, so act fast because it will be gone before you know it! This week's theme revolves around emotional intelligence and our "Power of You" workshop! ​Day 4 Deal is.... 50% off public "Power of You" workshopUSE CODE: 12DealsDay4 For more information about the "Power of You" workshop, please visit the RMA store website.

Impacts of Task Analysis and Needs Analysis in Micro-LearningWhat is Task Analysis?Task Analysis is one of the oldest foundations in the training practice. It means several things to many professionals. Essentially, it is the process of analyzing how a task is accomplished. The analysis covers all factors that are necessary to perform a job such as physical and cognitive skills, duration and frequency. Some of the original proponents of traditional task analysis or behavioral task analysis were Munsterberg (1909), Gilbreth (1909), Taylor (1911), Conrad (1951) and Crossman (1956).Associated concepts accompanying Task Analysis are:Chaining: Burrhus Frederic Skinner is credited for the term "chaining." He theorized that when a given response produces or alters some of the variables that control another response, a "chain" is formed (The B.F. Skinner Foundation, 2014). A complex task is broken down into small units. Each step or link strengthens the next step and response. Chaining leads to mastery of the task.Training Needs Analysis or TNA is the process of identifying training needs in an organization for the purpose of improving employee job performance.Task Analysis has contributed to successful solutions in complex training as demonstrated in military, healthcare, heavy industries training, complex simulation, and recently in designing products such as the UX design (Interaction Design Foundation, 2016) and software (Bass et al. (1995) that enhances day-to-day experiences.The Remnants of Task Analysis Gone Wild?Tasks evolved as part of training and learning science because of the need to identify the activities that learners needed to be trained on. In complex situations it demands extensive new knowledge acquisition. In these cases "front-end analysis" is a must.With Task Analysis comes some practices that have gone wild or out of control. The following are anecdotes that we often hear and observe:"Learners must learn the step by step process.""Learners don’t know what they don’t know.""Training must be based on needs analysis."In today’s high-speed environment and connected workers and learners, does task analysis accelerate or impede learning on the go or learning on need, a way or method we call micro-learning?Consider These Reflections"Learners must learn the step by step process."—The Barista—Self-Correcting, Learning and DoingSee a video of a Barista.In the practical world, when problem solving is the mode of work on the job, learning step by step—although it sounds safe and soothes the comfort level of trainers and designers—does not necessarily happen or is unreal. Admittedly, there are steps that are so closely linked they must be learned and applied in sequence or simultaneously. Technologies in embedded tips, solutions, guides and references enable the learners and workers to find the steps and knowledge, almost instantly without having drilled down in formal or previous training. The error-correcting process of tools makes it possible for a learner to fix the problem and correct the actions before submitting the final action (Quinn, 2009). Learners are doing and learning at the same time.Micro-learning and micro-actions, on the other hand, facilitate the trial and error and simultaneous learning and doing method."Learners don’t know what they don’t know."—Untidy Learning and ExperiencesTask analysis helps create a very clean, clear and well-defined training structure and plan. In the real world, most learning activities are untidy, disorganized, random, disorderly and do not follow a plan. When trainers say "Learners don’t know what they don’t know" they are missing a key ingredient in worker performance—that learners and workers have experience—whether low or high—and they bring these experiences into their work. The workers may not perform a well-defined task based on the "ideal" work condition, but they perform (Pink, 2011).There are so many invaluable implicit knowledge on the job, which no amount of formal and structural task analysis can capture.A Micro-Learning plan helps capture the informal knowledge that forever would be lost without allowing untidy experiences and learning to be captured.See a video on recursive learning. (link to tip on recursive learning a study telling story how he is learning)"Training must be based on needs analysis"—Wishful ThinkingAfter working with hundreds of clients and thousands of learning professionals in my workshops, I have the distinct impression that we see an increasing number of learning programs that fail the test if they are subjected to the classical training needs analysis process. One of the key reasons is that a significant amount of content is not task-based but rather more informational. Additionally, the volume of knowledge and rapid change provides less incentives to follow a formal training needs analysis process. We should not feel guilty if we fall into this trap. It is good to reflect that perhaps the formal needs analysis is being replaced by such methods as a dynamic collection of rated content, instant insights from learners while at work and growing a need for micro-learning—making content smaller—so workers can use it quickly to match a need. I think this has some relationship to what Michael Allen describes in his book "Leaving ADDIE for SAM." This is what we would call instant application of learning. We now see learners grabbing a tiny lesson to quickly solve a problem. This is, to my mind, a response to a need of learning, which skips formal learning needs analysis.ConclusionMicro-learning is veering from traditional task analysis, which emphasizes formal and hierarchical learning (institutionalized setting), and toward a less formal setting. Although micro-learning breaks down complex tasks into segments or units, there is no need to learn these units in sequential order. In this sense, it can be concluded that in today's learning environment, Micro-Learning encourages that learners jump, skip, learn and apply what they can at the point of need.ReferencesThe B. F. Skinner Foundation. B.F. Skinner Science and Human Behavior. 2014Interaction Design Foundation. Task Analysis a UX Designer’s Best FriendBass, Andrew et al. A software toolkit for hierarchical task analysis. Applied Ergonomics, 26(2), April 1995, pp. 147-151Clark Quinn. Ignoring Informal. 14 October 2009Daniel Pink. Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. April 5, 2011Bunson, Stan. Front-end analysis: blueprint for success (part I). June 11, 2011Krüger, Nicole. Micro-E-learning in information literacy. 31 May, 2012Reinemeyer, Erika . Edward Lee Thorndike (1874-1949). May 1999Tip #29 - Trial and Error: Beng, Beng Bingo LearningTip #35 - Instant Learning Impacts Performance: One Idea, One Action Learning EventsTip #108 - How to Create 5-Slide Micro-Learning - Tiny, Succinct, FastTip #109 - 12 Metaphor Story Questions to Engage LearnersRay Jimenez, PhDVignettes Learning"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"Ray Jimenez, PhD Vignettes Learning Learn more about story and experience-based eLearning

Blogging professional share an array of insights that should help deepen your thinking about what it takes to grow effective leaders.

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Can you believe we are already in the midst of the holiday season?! Neither can we! To celebrate the ending of 2016, Russell Martin and Associates will be offering "Season's Savings" starting TODAY!  Here's the deal (no pun intended): Starting December 1st and ending December 16th, we will be offering 12 deals that will be difficult to resist. Each deal will only be valid that specific day, so if you like the deal act fast because it won't be available the next day! Below is a glimpse at the first two deals.  Today's Deal: 50% off Managing Projects Use code 12DealsDay1 at check out.Purchase Now

Can you believe we are already in the midst of the holiday season?! Neither can we! To celebrate the ending of 2016, Russell Martin and Associates will be offering "Season's Savings" starting December 1st!  Here's the deal (no pun intended): Starting December 1st and ending December 16th, we will be offering 12 deals that will be difficult to resist. Each deal will only be valid that specific day, so if you like the deal act fast because it won't be available the next day! Check out DAY 2 deal below.  50% off TriMetrix EQ Assessment Use code 12DealsDay2 at check out.Purchase Now TriMetrix EQ AssessmentLeveraging the power of three sciences, TTI TriMetrix EQ measures your ability to sense, understand and effectively apply the power and acumen of emotions to facilitate high levels of collaboration and productivity.

Why did Susan Boyle become an overnight sensation?According to Jonah Berger and Katherine L. Milkman in their paper What Makes Online Content Viral?, "Virality is partially driven by physiological arousal." The authors explain how evoking certain emotions in people increases the chance of a message getting shared. "If something makes you angry as opposed to sad, for example, you’re more likely to share it with your family and friends because you’re fired up," Berger says.Awe-inspiring content strongly influences emotions and increases action-related behaviors. Boyle's impressive and remarkable story captivated the hearts of her listeners and gave them hope. People realized that new doors can open at any point of life. Many were inspired to follow her footsteps.Thanks to YouTube, Boyle became an instant international celebrity. Inspired by what she accomplished, millions of viewers exchanged insights about their feelings, their opinions and their own hopes. People from all over the world learned about each other. Boyle's story affirmed what Academy Award-winning producer Brian Grazer said: "The power of YouTube has made it the most valuable storytelling outlet our planet has ever seen."Boyle proved that stories can drive social learning.The challenge then becomes: How do we leverage social sharing behavior and formal learning content and instructions? Here are some ideas to help you get started on arriving at an answer.Tip 1: Use language that encourages experience sharing.Stories arouse emotions and enrich the mind. Consider these two approaches of giving information.The first approach: "Constant exposure to loud noise is harmful."The second approach: "Do you know that Roy lost his hearing due to too much exposure to noise?"The first approach states a fact; the second invites the listener to engage in a conversation and thus has a stronger impact than the first because it evokes an emotional response and a desire to know more.When we get so emotionally involved with a story, we begin to identify ourselves with some of the characters. Because we are social beings, we are always in a relationship. Sharing what we feel, what we think and what we do just follows spontaneously. Emotions are as contagious as viruses.To make experience sharing smoother, use language that encourages it. Examples include:What has worked or not worked?What are the frustrations?What are the joys and dreams realized?Tip 2: Encourage sharing of factual content.Social learning, unlike formal instruction which is highly factual, is contextual and emotional, thus elaborates on a the wider scope of the story.  It melds facts with emotions and context, and weaves stories and factual content into seamless lessons. This is facilitated by stories, which act as emotional drivers and help create context for learners.Present factual lessons using an emotional context that learners can immediately relate to. Introduce facts by highlighting its impacts on living situations.Consider the following scenarios and how you can seamlessly incorporate facts into their emotional context:What would a broken spare tire do to the health and safety of a worker?How would listening help establish rapport?Tip 3: Allow learners to share their interpretations of factual content.When people share stories, they begin to ask questions. Have you experienced something like that? Did you ever feel the same way? How did you resolve it? Did it work? They share factual content that are meaningful to them.Encourage learners to share their experience about a specific problem or situation. Guide them by asking questions like "Have you seen or experienced this in your life or situation?" or "What would you do to resolve this?"ConclusionStories enhance successful social learning because they add meaning to factual content. They encourage learners to share their own stories. Hence, stories are preferred methods in social learning projects.ReferencesJonah Berger, Katherine L. Milkman (2012) What Makes Online Content Viral? Journal of Marketing Research: April 2012, Vol. 49, No. 2, pp. 192-205Bozarth, Jane. Social Media for Trainers: Techniques for Enhancing and Extending Learning. Pfeiffer, 2010David Brooks. The Social Animal: A Story of How Success Happens. Short Books: April 1, 2011David Brooks. The Social Animal. March 2011Brian Grazer. Susan Wojcicki. Time: April 16, 2015Association for Psychological Science. Why Do We Share Stories, News, and Information With Others?. June 28, 2011Tip #20 - Weaving Stories and Factual Content for Seamless LessonsTip #54 - Social Learning Ought to be Story-Sharing: "Friends You Haven't Met Yet"Tip #109 - 12 Metaphor Story Questions to Engage LearnersRay Jimenez, PhDVignettes Learning"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"Ray Jimenez, PhD Vignettes Learning Learn more about story and experience-based eLearning

To lead a cultural transformation to Agile, leaders require a very specific mindset.

Why did Susan Boyle become an overnight sensation?According to Jonah Berger and Katherine L. Milkman in their paper What Makes Online Content Viral?, "Virality is partially driven by physiological arousal." The authors explain how evoking certain emotions in people increases the chance of a message getting shared. "If something makes you angry as opposed to sad, for example, you’re more likely to share it with your family and friends because you’re fired up," Berger says.Awe-inspiring content strongly influences emotions and increases action-related behaviors. Boyle's impressive and remarkable story captivated the hearts of her listeners and gave them hope. People realized that new doors can open at any point of life. Many were inspired to follow her footsteps.Thanks to YouTube, Boyle became an instant international celebrity. Inspired by what she accomplished, millions of viewers exchanged insights about their feelings, their opinions and their own hopes. People from all over the world learned about each other. Boyle's story affirmed what Academy Award-winning producer Brian Grazer said: "The power of YouTube has made it the most valuable storytelling outlet our planet has ever seen."Boyle proved that stories can drive social learning.The challenge then becomes: How do we leverage social sharing behavior and formal learning content and instructions? Here are some ideas to help you get started on arriving at an answer.Tip 1: Use language that encourages experience sharing.Stories arouse emotions and enrich the mind. Consider these two approaches of giving information.The first approach: "Constant exposure to loud noise is harmful."The second approach: "Do you know that Roy lost his hearing due to too much exposure to noise?"The first approach states a fact; the second invites the listener to engage in a conversation and thus has a stronger impact than the first because it evokes an emotional response and a desire to know more.When we get so emotionally involved with a story, we begin to identify ourselves with some of the characters. Because we are social beings, we are always in a relationship. Sharing what we feel, what we think and what we do just follows spontaneously. Emotions are as contagious as viruses.To make experience sharing smoother, use language that encourages it. Examples include:What has worked or not worked?What are the frustrations?What are the joys and dreams realized?Tip 2: Encourage sharing of factual content.Social learning, unlike formal instruction which is highly factual, is contextual and emotional, thus elaborates on a the wider scope of the story.  It melds facts with emotions and context, and weaves stories and factual content into seamless lessons. This is facilitated by stories, which act as emotional drivers and help create context for learners.Present factual lessons using an emotional context that learners can immediately relate to. Introduce facts by highlighting its impacts on living situations.Consider the following scenarios and how you can seamlessly incorporate facts into their emotional context:What would a broken spare tire do to the health and safety of a worker?How would listening help establish rapport?Tip 3: Allow learners to share their interpretations of factual content.When people share stories, they begin to ask questions. Have you experienced something like that? Did you ever feel the same way? How did you resolve it? Did it work? They share factual content that are meaningful to them.Encourage learners to share their experience about a specific problem or situation. Guide them by asking questions like "Have you seen or experienced this in your life or situation?" or "What would you do to resolve this?"ConclusionStories enhance successful social learning because they add meaning to factual content. They encourage learners to share their own stories. Hence, stories are preferred methods in social learning projects.ReferencesJonah Berger, Katherine L. Milkman (2012) What Makes Online Content Viral? Journal of Marketing Research: April 2012, Vol. 49, No. 2, pp. 192-205Bozarth, Jane. Social Media for Trainers: Techniques for Enhancing and Extending Learning. Pfeiffer, 2010David Brooks. The Social Animal: A Story of How Success Happens. Short Books: April 1, 2011David Brooks. The Social Animal. March 2011Brian Grazer. Susan Wojcicki. Time: April 16, 2015Association for Psychological Science. Why Do We Share Stories, News, and Information With Others?. June 28, 2011Tip #20 - Weaving Stories and Factual Content for Seamless LessonsTip #54 - Social Learning Ought to be Story-Sharing: "Friends You Haven't Met Yet"Tip #109 - 12 Metaphor Story Questions to Engage LearnersRay Jimenez, PhDVignettes Learning"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"Ray Jimenez, PhD Vignettes Learning Learn more about story and experience-based eLearning

A few tips to launch or improve any product. You have a vision. You have an idea. You start building a product. You have an engineering team and a design team. You can’t make them work together as well as you had initially imagined. Development suffers. Crises break out. You suffer. Your clients suffer. You suffer even more. You blame the team. You blame your partners. You start to regret the whole thing. You lose sleep. Product, energy, money… will it all go down in flames? It doesn’t sound like a pleasant situation now, does it? Here are a few thoughts on how to break out of this cycle of torment and finally breathe! In my humble opinion, it’s never too late to: 1. Establish design principles Every product has to be meaningful and serve some purpose, otherwise people won’t use it. It’s a simple concept. It’s common sense, really. Design principles can help any team stay focused on that purpose. Also, they enable quick decision-making both in everyday life and in cases of crisis, and they help you maintain a clear vision of where you want to go. For example here, at TalentLMS, we aim for efficiency, clarity and usability. Our goal as a team is to remember these principles in every meeting and implement them in every action. Find your own principles, communicate them to your team and let them guide your way to awesomeness. 2. Create and communicate a roadmap Ah yes, the roadmap. In the minds of developers and designers everywhere, the roadmap is almost synonymous with the dreaded "deadline".  In reality, the product roadmap is a very useful tool that aims to describe the growth process of your product and to align the team, including the stakeholders. An effective roadmap though, is not an easy thing to create, since product development usually goes hand in hand with unexpected changes, setbacks and all kinds of panic attacks (Agile, anyone?). What do you do then? You use your product thinking superpowers, you get everyone on board, you define the product, you aim for the right features, you fearlessly tackle problems and you review often. Please, let me repeat: you review often. 3. Talk about engineering constraints I’m a designer. I’ll try to be objective though, for the sake of a civil and ladylike blog post. So, engineers have this knack of imposing constraints, usually in the form of the infamous 2-letter word: "No". If they’re on a good day they may even use a whole sentence: "This can’t be done". Oh, the despair! Oh, the murderous rage! What do you do? Since finding an engineer that appreciates solid product design is more difficult than climbing the Himalayas, on your hands, facing backwards, you have to sell them your idea and actually convince them that it’s worth it to at least consider the effort. You employ all your logic, all your patience, all your suave, and when, as a new Ulysses, you overcome that legendary boss battle, then you will find some common ground to talk and see what the real constraints are. Mind you, that a better idea would be to avoid this battle altogether and find an experienced designer that would be your go-to kamikazi person at this stage. Therefore, if you want your product to see the light of day, you get your team together and let them play. 4. Get to know your team Effective teams are precious. They are the proof that miracles do happen. Find good people that know what they’re doing or are willing to learn, share your vision with them, be excited enough to get them excited as well and, most importantly, be honest with them and let them bond with you and with each other. If your team members are on the same page with you, there are very few things out there that could stop you. Effective teams are precious.Click To Tweet How will you perform this magic? With communication. I wish we were all telepathic. Life would be easier, I suppose, things would move along faster, but guess what: We’re not there yet. So, invest the time. Start talking. Be interested. Ask questions. Message. Email. Leave post-it notes on their desks. Gesture. Sing if necessary (on second thought, please don’t). You shouldn’t micromanage though - the Dark Side is to be avoided at all costs. Show some trust. Get to know your people, find out what their strengths and weaknesses are, and as a good strategist place them in the appropriate positions and give them the freedom to do their thing. 5. Follow the process! Hundreds of articles and dozens of books have been written about the Process. Personally, I’m close to writing an ode. It’s a tricky thing (the process, not the ode) and especially in a fast paced environment, it is the first thing that gets overlooked. Experienced teams of engineers and designers know that the product development process can get very messy and some parts of the product could get kind of unpredictable. Often we don’t really know what will work, if it will work, until our product gets a shape and becomes tangible. We’ve all been there. So the least you can do, is try to remain as close as possible to the following pattern: Spec, Wireframe, Feedback, Prototype, Feedback, Visual Design, Feedback, Development, Testing. Add the necessary loops and pay attention to a small sneaky repetition: Feedback. 6. Accept feedback (aka the art of forgetting your Ego) One of the most difficult things a person can do on this lifetime, is to let go of their Ego. There, I’ve shared with you the secret to a good life and I will accept your admiration and congratulations later. For now, let’s admit that becoming selfless is close to impossible, and let’s agree that this kind of liberation deserves an effort. What does any of this have to do with product development? Well, I suppose that with limited Ego, you can accept critique - you will actually look forward to it - and you will be able to effectively act on it. You can give feedback to someone else without having to sugarcoat anything and, more importantly, without sounding like an, ahem, let’s say, bad person. You can empathize with your users and understand their pain-points and their needs. You will want to find solutions to all kinds of problems. You will be a knight in shining armor when the situation calls for it! Conclusion What I’ve been trying to say for the past bunch of lines is that if you love your work, it will love you back. If you look forward to the launch and the improvement of whatever you’re building, people will respond. The result will be an awesome product and you will have completed the effort to make somebody’s life a little better. Oh dear god, no! It’s getting sentimental. I’m outta here.   About the author: Sofia studied multimedia computing and has been designing digital things for 18 years, notoriously hiding easter eggs in source files. Very curious about cognitive processes, she joined Epignosis as a UX designer, to build and enhance great learning experiences. The post It’s never too late to show your product some love appeared first on TalentLMS Blog.

Do your online learners require quick demos, tutorials, and task walkthroughs? Bite-sized videos make eLearning memorable and engage distracted online learners. In this article, we’ll share 8 tips to produce microlearning videos for your eLearning course. How To Produce Microlearning Videos For eLearning eLearning videos grab learners’ attention and make the subject matter more digestible. However, you can make them even more effective by throwing microlearning into the mix. Bite-sized eLearning videos simplify complex concepts and visually engage your audience. They also improve your online training ROI, thanks to the fact that you can give online learners all the information they need in a fraction of the time. Here are 8 tips to create microlearning videos that make eLearning more convenient and easily accessible. 1. Narrow Your Scope Microlearning is intended to be quick, convenient, and topic-centered. Your microlearning video should explore one key idea or task so that online learners get the help they need. Keep in mind that microlearning videos are common "moment of need" resources. Online learners are looking for specific information to solve a problem or tackle a task. As such, the scope should be narrow and focused. You always have the option to create additional microlearning videos for related concepts. For example, an involved process becomes 3 separate microlearning videos, each covering a different aspect of the task. The first explores the skills, the second features the steps, and the last offers tips. 2. Script It Out You may be tempted to hit the record button and just see what comes to mind. After all, you already know the subject matter inside and out. However, resist the urge and write a script so that you stay on-topic. You may even consider a storyboard that maps out every scene, visual, and audio element. Remember, you don’t have a lot of time to cover the core ideas and concepts. The beauty of microlearning is that it’s concise. But that presents a unique challenge. A script and storyboard ensure that you include the main takeaways in a way that’s easy to understand. The beauty of microlearning is that it’s concise.Click To Tweet Lastly, a script makes it easier to add subtitles or closed captions to your eLearning course for online learners with special needs. 3. Include Compelling Visuals Visuals serve two very important purposes. Firstly, they simplify ideas by providing a visual illustration. However, they also grab your online learner’s attention, which is crucial when there are distractions everywhere that can pull them out of the eLearning experience. As a result, you must choose visuals that are intriguing, compelling, and possibly even controversial, within limits. Highlight trends and stats with graphs and pie charts. Evoke emotion with relatable images. Map out the key steps in a task with diagrams and workplace photos. 4. Provide Additional eLearning Resource Links There’s only room for the main ideas, but that doesn’t mean you have to leave it at that. You can still provide your online learners with additional information by using embedded links. Curious online learners can explore sub-topics or improve their comprehension. You also have the opportunity to test their knowledge and facilitate practical application of what they have learned. For example, links that direct them to interactive branching scenarios or serious games. Make sure to clearly label your links so that online learners can quickly access the online resources. 5. Focus On What Matters Most Microlearning videos don’t necessarily need to be cinematic masterpieces. You shouldn’t try to cover a lot of ground or dazzle your audience with amazing cinematography. The key is to focus on what truly matters. What insights do your online learners need to get the job done or achieve their goals? Avoid extraneous eLearning content that distracts them from the primary purpose of the microlearning video. For example, the images you’ve chosen may be eye-catching, but do they help your online learners achieve the desired outcome? Or are they just there for the sake of aesthetic appeal? 6. Don’t Forget The Online Demos Visual walkthroughs are one of the perks of microlearning videos. You have the ability to highlight every step so that online learners can mimic the process. Instead of just reading about it, they can see it in action. This is also ideal for product knowledge online training. Employees are able to view the product from every angle. Sales people can also discover the benefits and features in order to share them with your consumers. Once again, make certain that you only provide them with need-to-know info. Online learners aren’t concerned about every detail or sub-topic. They are looking for quick, just-in-time knowledge so that they can finish the task. 7. Rely On The Right Tools There are a myriad of eLearning authoring tools that allow you to create microlearning videos quickly, even if you’re on a tight eLearning budget. The trick is finding a platform that meets your needs and aligns with your skill sets. You should also consider the nature of your subject matter and theme. Many tools now have built-in asset libraries. This includes eLearning templates, graphics, and audio elements to make the task easier. So, do your research and take advantage of free trials. Explore their online multimedia libraries to ensure that have what you require. In addition, ask about their support services and formatting options. Ideally, the tool of your choice should be mobile-friendly. 8. Host An Online Viewing Party An online viewing party gives you the opportunity to gather valuable eLearning feedback from your audience. Invite a select group of online learners and screen the microlearning video during a live event. They can share their thoughts, recommend changes, and discuss the topics with their peers. Provide a survey at the end to collect measurable data. Then use your findings to get your microlearning video ready for launch. Make sure to have a list of questions ready for the event so that can identify areas for improvement. For example, are the visuals on-point? Is there enough interactivity? Microlearning videos provide online learners with the knowledge and skill development they require to achieve their objectives. Use these 8 tips to produce a top notch microlearning video that is engaging, entertaining, and highly effective. Can you separate microlearning facts from fiction? Read the article 6 Microlearning Myths eLearning Professionals Should Bust to discover what’s true and what’s a fib. The post 8 Tips To Produce Microlearning Videos For eLearning appeared first on TalentLMS Blog.

Using the tools mentioned throughout this LearningFlash for BASE, SCOPE and MAGIC, you can predict the future of your team engagement and productivity:​ Without a shared BASE, your team will be frustrated with rework and lack of direction soon becoming disengaged.Without a shared SCOPE, your team will duplicate each other's efforts while dropping important work.Without a shared MAGIC, your team will default to status quo without a sense of purpose or opportunity to innovate.  ​Using BASE, SCOPE and MAGIC to intentionally create a strong engaged team will create:Alignment with internal team members and outside stakeholders.Willingness to challenge, confront and grow together.A model to identify gaps and hire effectively. A maturity to tackle tough problems and drive strategy. Let me know how it goes.  How better to start a new year?  Need help?  You know who to call…317-475-9311. 

Habits are like chains. According to Warren Buffett: I have been discussing the implementation of micro-learning projects with clients and colleagues. It should be obvious to me, but I failed to recognize that many professionals including designers, learning and training specialists, "are chained" to certain habits.  Almost No Link Between "Now" Habits and New Habits  There are overlapping worlds that chain us into habits.  Our current habits  drive us to build our strengths and contributions. On the other hand, the new habits encourage us to continue to learn newer ways. The stress and failure come when there is almost no link between the  current/existing habits and the new ones we are starting to adapt.Micro-Actions Versus Micro-ContentOne of the exercises I ask clients to do in micro-learning implementation is to recognize the difference between Micro-Actions and Micro-Content. The concept revolves around the situation of a worker carrying out tasks at work. In the process, the worker applies Micro-Actions: Often, the worker wants to fix, change or find a new solution and uses experience and/or seeks out answers from others or documentation. The worker applies the answers and learns something along the way."I have this screw that does not seem to fit onto the equipment. I tried several ways and I could not make it work. So, I checked the documentation and confirmed this screw is the correct one. I tried again with another twist and still continued to fail. So, I checked my colleague. He said the same thing. It is particularly difficult to use this screw. Finally, I called the supplier wanting to know if the screw is the correct one and expressed my frustration. The supplier said, screw no. xx2, is the same as xx3. But it has to be heated slightly before it can fit exactly. Based on this I learned that there are temperatures that affect the use of some screws and to factor this in the next time."The worker in the above situation applied Micro-Actions. This happens in an instant. The focus is on solving problems and fixing things immediately. When I presented this situation to the designers and trainers, their solutions were not just surprising, they threw me off. I was expecting them to provide a quick solution or an instant direction to the workers. Instead, they provided lengthy details and elaborate content like these answers: Complete checklistHow-to proceduresMore product informationQuality control stepsI failed to recognize that designers and trainers are "chained" to the correctness and completeness of content. They were not able to focus on the worker's problems and the micro-actions needed.Unchained from Content to ActionsTo help in unchaining "now" habits to new habits required in Micro-Learning, I summarized the very simple steps of Micro-Actions. Micro-ActionsWorkers want to fix, change and find new solutionsThey use their experience, ask others and check documentation and resourcesThey apply ideas to fix the issueThey learn how to fix similar future problemsMicro-Actions RequirementsLow effortFastEasyQuick to apply "The ZAP Micro-Learning Principles is one key idea learned during the Micro-Learning for Disruptive Results  - An Action-Driven Online WorkshopFocus on Work Conditions of the Worker and LearnerIt became clear to the designers and trainers and my clients that in Micro-Learning, the focus is the worker and learner while in action at work. Other lessons learned: The completeness and thoroughness of the content does not support Micro-Actions.Complete and elaborate content slows down or worse, are ignored and not accessed by workers when implementing Micro-Actions. They become nuisances, not productive tools.Designers and trainers need to "unchain" themselves from thinking of content instead of solutions for workers on the job.ConclusionAlthough it seemed simple, I realized Micro-Learning challenges us all to think differently. Focus on Micro-Actions, not Micro-Content.ReferencesHow to Create 5-Slide Micro-Learning - Tiny, Succinct, Fast Capture Financial Impacts of Micro-Learning - Download the 22-Page Case StudyBreaking 10 Training Rules Using Micro-LearningHow to Add Depth to Micro-IdeasRay Jimenez, PhDVignettes Learning"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"Ray Jimenez, PhD Vignettes Learning Learn more about story and experience-based eLearning

Habits are like chains. According to Warren Buffett: I have been discussing the implementation of micro-learning projects with clients and colleagues. It should be obvious to me, but I failed to recognize that many professionals including designers, learning and training specialists, "are chained" to certain habits.  Almost No Link Between "Now" Habits and New Habits  There are overlapping worlds that chain us into habits.  Our current habits  drive us to build our strengths and contributions. On the other hand, the new habits encourage us to continue to learn newer ways. The stress and failure come when there is almost no link between the  current/existing habits and the new ones we are starting to adapt. Micro-Actions Versus Micro-ContentOne of the exercises I ask clients to do in micro-learning implementation is to recognize the difference between Micro-Actions and Micro-Content. The concept revolves around the situation of a worker carrying out tasks at work. In the process, the worker applies Micro-Actions: Often, the worker wants to fix, change or find a new solution and uses experience and/or seeks out answers from others or documentation. The worker applies the answers and learns something along the way."I have this screw that does not seem to fit onto the equipment. I tried several ways and I could not make it work. So, I checked the documentation and confirmed this screw is the correct one. I tried again with another twist and still continued to fail. So, I checked my colleague. He said the same thing. It is particularly difficult to use this screw. Finally, I called the supplier wanting to know if the screw is the correct one and expressed my frustration. The supplier said, screw no. xx2, is the same as xx3. But it has to be heated slightly before it can fit exactly. Based on this I learned that there are temperatures that affect the use of some screws and to factor this in the next time."The worker in the above situation applied Micro-Actions. This happens in an instant. The focus is on solving problems and fixing things immediately. When I presented this situation to the designers and trainers, their solutions were not just surprising, they threw me off. I was expecting them to provide a quick solution or an instant direction to the workers. Instead, they provided lengthy details and elaborate content like these answers: Complete checklistHow-to proceduresMore product informationQuality control stepsI failed to recognize that designers and trainers are "chained" to the correctness and completeness of content. They were not able to focus on the worker's problems and the micro-actions needed. Unchained from Content to ActionsTo help in unchaining "now" habits to new habits required in Micro-Learning, I summarized the very simple steps of Micro-Actions. Micro-ActionsWorkers want to fix, change and find new solutionsThey use their experience, ask others and check documentation and resourcesThey apply ideas to fix the issueThey learn how to fix similar future problemsMicro-Actions RequirementsLow effortFastEasyQuick to apply "The ZAP Micro-Learning Principles is one key idea learned during the Micro-Learning for Disruptive Results  - An Action-Driven Online WorkshopFocus on Work Conditions of the Worker and Learner It became clear to the designers and trainers and my clients that in Micro-Learning, the focus is the worker and learner while in action at work. Other lessons learned: The completeness and thoroughness of the content does not support Micro-Actions.Complete and elaborate content slows down or worse, are ignored and not accessed by workers when implementing Micro-Actions. They become nuisances, not productive tools.Designers and trainers need to "unchain" themselves from thinking of content instead of solutions for workers on the job.Conclusion Although it seemed simple, I realized Micro-Learning challenges us all to think differently. Focus on Micro-Actions, not Micro-Content.Ray Jimenez, PhDVignettes Learning"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"Ray Jimenez, PhD Vignettes Learning Learn more about story and experience-based eLearning

Multinational organizations have two major leadership strategy balances to get right: Global vs. Local, and Design vs. Implementation.