Content versus Packaging

Many years ago when someone wanted to express their views they would stand on a box and speak to the assembled crowd. Every so often I feel the urge to get up on my soapbox and once again speak to what I believe is key in designing instruction. Regardless of whether that instruction is instructor led, via gaming, mobile, blended, or any other method of delivery. This is one of those times.

As I read the latest articles on instructional methodologies for improving learning, I keep seeing posts that talk about the selection of media. The comments are all about packaging the content. And not nearly enough, in my opinion, about developing quality content through good instructional development processes.

Most of the current publications addressing the development of learning products are about different delivery methods and uses of media, or combining media and classroom strategies. I keep wondering why learning designers are not talking about strategies for developing the content. I believe we need to keep reinforcing the methodology of starting with the end result, moving on to identify what the learner will need to be able do, and then what the learner will need to know, before determining which media would be appropriate.

There is no question in my mind that we now have many really good delivery tools. But they are not the key component to good instruction. I liken it to using the finest ingredients to create a dish using a poor recipe. The results can’t be predicted.

I believe we need to keep reinforcing the key steps in instructional design. If developers begin with the end in mind and then determine what the learners will need to be able to do at the conclusion of the learning event it will go a long way toward helping identify the media that will support effective learning.

There’s nothing wrong with adding interesting and engaging methodologies for delivering the content, but if the content is not good, it doesn’t matter how good the packaging is. When you receive a present or gift and you see how beautifully it is packaged, you’re likely to be impressed. You usually appreciate it for the moment but, in most cases, what is more interesting and more important (and more valuable!) is what’s inside the package. To me that’s the same as instructional development processes figuring out first and foremost what the content needs to be and then looking at the delivery media.

Of course practice in applying the concepts and skills is also critical to making learning happen. With all the new learning technologies available, developers can find many interesting ways to provide practice in performing the learning goals. But even here we need to expand our thinking about how to provide instruction and associated practice exercises.

It’s Time to Finally Kiss Traditional eLearning Goodbye

By Jenny Dearborn January 7, 2015
https://www.eremedia.com/tlnt/its-time-to-finally-kiss-traditional-elearning-goodbye/?utm_campaign=elearningindustry.com&utm_source=%2F&utm_medium=link

“Skip the dinosaur era thinking that every learning need can be solved by a self-paced click-through eLearning and get on the cooler AND more effective bandwagon of mobile, social, chunking and gamification.”

While good delivery methods contribute to the overall learner experience, developing good instruction is not dependent on the delivery method. That is not to say that the delivery methodology isn’t important, but it isn’t the major factor in developing good instruction. Good instructional development needs to first have the learning objectives and the end result identified prior to selecting the delivery methods. Once that is done it is time to consider the delivery methods.

If A Classroom Is How You Train, You’re Doing It Wrong
By Daisy Hernandez September 29, 2016
https://www.eremedia.com/tlnt/if-a-classroom-is-how-you-train-youre-doing-it-wrong/?utm_campaign=elearningindustry.com&utm_source=%2F&utm_medium=link

“… many companies fail to develop a structure that supports new learning technologies. When blended learning programs go wrong, they can reduce the engagement and retention levels they were seeking to improve. When professionals are considering this type of approach, there are a few nuances to consider.”

… Vary learning communities by size and scope, so learners can go as in-depth as needed and the information can be shared with external members.

… Foster continual reinforcement of content with virtual training rooms so learners can engage with each other and experts before, during, and after training via Q&As, comments, etc.

… provide access to additional channels, such as discussion boards, newsrooms, mobile access, etc., to cultivate learning communities.”

Thank you everyone for listening to me during this brief time on my soapbox.

What I did on my summer vacation

I have had an interesting week. My original plan was to be a tourist in my home state of Massachusetts with a friend from Omaha, NE. In fact we did visit and see many places of interest, but in addition we had some unplanned events take place.

Our first day saw us visiting the Museum of Modern Art in Boston. We very much enjoyed our visit. We decided to take public transportation because that is also a part of the Boston area experience. We got to the museum right when it opened and were ready to leave at about 3:30. It was drizzling at that time and heavy rain was forecasted. But we had our umbrellas and we believed we were prepared.

Well as it turned out we were prepared for the mid-afternoon drizzle. But, what we were not prepared for was a complete shut down of the subway line we were taking to get back to our car. We needed to get to two subway stops beyond where we were let off the trolley. We needed to walk through the Boston Common and the Public Garden. It was very hot, but it was a good walk as we saw Swan Boats, swans, and lots and lots of people enjoying the afternoon in the park.

But, we were very happy to finally arrive at the subway station. We eventually got to the car and were on our way back to my house where we planned to change for dinner with others in a nearby town. Everything was going fine but all of a sudden it started pouring and I mean torrential rain.

Sirens went off and flood warnings came through my turned-off car radio. The traffic was at a standstill. We decided to get off the highway and take the back roads to the restaurant. We were now far too late to stop to change our clothes. We eventually got there 4 hours after we left the museum. In the end we had a wonderful visit and dinner.

During the week we also visited the Constitution Museum. Even though the Constitution is currently in dry dock, we wanted to see the Museum. We once again decided to take public transportation. The directions we received on-line had us taking the subway, bus and walking for a few blocks, which we did going there. But, before heading out we were visiting with one of the women who works at the museum and she suggested we take the ferry. Which we did, it was a beautiful day, and best of all it put us close enough to Faneuil Hall to go there too.

We spent another fun day at the Lowell Federal Park. Again another beautiful day and we learned quite a bit about Lowell on the two-hour boat tour along the Merrimack River. We also learned quite a bit about the Lowell garment industry. All in all our time at the Lowell Federal Park was a very educational and enjoyable visit.

I hope you enjoy some of our photos.

Interviewing to Hire the Right Talent

While we are not fully sure where the economy is headed, all the signs say things will continue to get better and organizations are actively hiring. It appears that there is a dearth of qualified applicants in many fields and hiring managers are struggling to find the right people for their openings.

Hiring managers use many different strategies to select new hires. One of the most common strategies is to find applicants who present as having similar backgrounds and personalities to the interviewer, the manager, or to the culture and personality of the company and the team. Many managers believe that anyone can be taught the technical aspects of the job and therefore personality is the important factor to be considered in making hiring decisions. While making sure someone will blend into the organizational culture is certainly a key factor, it usually isn’t enough to ensure a good match for both the company and the individual looking for a position.

While many hiring managers or members of interview teams know how to conduct interviews that will result in a good match to their openings, some do not. Too often the interviewer doesn’t formally prepare for the interview. They read the resume and then will go into the interview session and wing it. Others will jot down some notes about aspects of the individual’s resume that they want to explore. This is a good start, but there is more preparation needed if the hiring team wants to improve the odds of a good hire.

I agree that it is important to hire people who will fit into the organization’s culture. I believe there are several factors that need to be considered when hiring new employees. An individual’s resume might list subject matter knowledge that is required for the position but it is also important to find out how the individual applies that knowledge. For example, if the position has strict standards that need to be followed and the interviewee has had good luck with improvising in similar situations, that person may not fit even though – on paper – it looks like they do.

It is my belief that hiring decisions need to take several factors into account. Also, each interviewer needs to prepare for the interview. People who will be interviewing candidates should all use the same template to note the responses to the prepared questions but also should have an area to make personal comments. Team members should share any issues they uncover with any of the interview questions as soon as possible so that all interviewers can make adjustments to the common questions. Each interviewer should prepare additional questions specific to their interests and should ask these questions of all the candidates that they interview. There are many good recommendations on-line for interview questions. Here is one example and many more are available:

https://www.thebalance.com/best-interview-questions-for-employers-to-ask-applicants-1918483

It is very important to take notes during the interview, don’t depend on your memory. Also, by taking notes during the interview it allows you to interview several applicants in succession. You can move onto the next applicant and not be concerned about remembering the specifics of each interview.

I strongly recommend against leading questions (e.g., I really like to do XYZ do you agree? Don’t you think that…) as this might indicate the desired answer to the interviewee. The interviewer should allow the applicant to speak without saying anything themselves. It is important to be attentive and to show attentiveness without encouraging or discouraging what the interviewee is saying.

Prior to conducting interviews create a list of specific competencies and knowledge areas that the individual hired will need to have. If several people will be conducting interviews it is a good idea to work as a team to create the list. However, it is best to get the hiring manager’s sign-off on the list of questions to be used.

I recommend the following information be gathered during each interview session:

• Interviewee name
• Area sought, for example: specific standards
• What applicant said to demonstrate evidence they have the requirement
• Comments

Also include summary thoughts

Adding new members to a team is very important to the success of an organization and it is important to take the time to prepare and to review results on your own and with all the people involved in the interviewing process and of course with the individual who will be making the hiring decision.

Still Looking for a Seat at the Table

There are all sorts of new trends in learning. For the most part they are good. Those that are not will be weeded out in time. I believe that the new and rediscovered training trends are making it easier for learners to learn what they need to know to be successful.

In looking at what is happening, trends in technical training, professional development, and other soft skills, there is a difference in how the training is offered. In general the technical offerings are trending toward on-line instruction while the career development offerings tend to be facilitated in a classroom setting.

Regardless of the type of learning event, managers want to see meaningful results – which generally means showing an impact to the bottom line. This has been an issue for learning professionals for many years. Some people throw up their hands and say there really isn’t a way to measure effectiveness. Others say if the bottom line improves then at least a portion of the credit should be given to the training department. Still others collect numbers for multiple measurable areas and attribute the aggregate positive numbers to learners having completed training related to the business factors.

But, in reality, we still are writing articles that either bemoan the fact that the training department doesn’t have a seat at the table or suggest ways for learning professionals to get that seat. In some companies the learning department is given a budget that they need to work within. At others it is up to the learning management to sell their products both internally and externally. But the question still remains. How can the training department demonstrate their contributions to the bottom line and how can they get a seat at the table?

While I don’t pretend to have the definitive answer to these questions, I do have some ideas to suggest. My first and foremost recommendation is that we need to be proactive. We can’t be order takers. We should find the answers and then work through whatever channels are appropriate to get right offerings in place at the right time. There are many ways for us to find information to identify the needed training. We can look at business plans for the organizations we support. We can identify those tactics and strategies that might be supported by training offerings.

In most business settings, top-level managers from different departments meet periodically. Perhaps the director of training can explore business directions that will need learning events with directors of other departments. Maybe representatives of the training department can meet informally with people from corporate marketing, engineering or other organizations that are mapping out plans for future products and services.

It is important to learn the trends and directions planned. Yes, we are all busy, including the people who might provide insights to corporate directions. But I believe asking for a few minutes during a coffee break, lunch or other period of time will go a long way toward helping the learning organization get a seat at the table.

It might also help to offer to the individual you meet with something small but of value to them. Maybe buy them lunch. Maybe if they meet with you several times, or give you valuable documents, or information, you might consider working with your management beforehand to design a certificate of appreciation for these individuals. Maybe get permission to have the document signed by an upper level training person, perhaps the V.P. of training. Most organizations will have a signature stamp. Get permission to create a template for a certificate of appreciation that includes the V.P.’s signature. Fill in the helpful individual’s name. This is usually a low cost and highly valued reward for assistance. Also writing a letter of appreciation to the individual’s manager, copying the individual is a good asset to have in your toolbox.

In addition to looking at getting information about new corporate products and service offerings it is also important to look at how to best deliver new learning.

https://www.optimisedlearning.com/single-post/2016/05/02/Problems-with-Corporate-Training
Problems with Corporate Training
May 3, 2016
Alexandra Matkin

“It is doubtful that a two hour powerpoint presentation is going to engage anybody, however that being said, it is also important to know that a fancy new gamified approach might not be appropriate for your business either.”

https://trainingmag.com/time-flip-training-its-head
TIME TO FLIP TRAINING ON ITS HEAD?
How companies can move away from a top-down training model.
Posted: June 28, 2017

“After talking to their employees, companies may recognize a consistent desire to ditch traditional training manuals and PowerPoint presentations. When employees have a question, they don’t want to flip through a printed manual or scroll through a PowerPoint presentation — especially if there is no guarantee the material is up to date.”

https://trainingmag.com/time-flip-training-its-head
TIME TO FLIP TRAINING ON ITS HEAD?
How companies can move away from a top-down training model.
Posted: June 28, 2017

“Companies need to take a closer look at their training programs and reevaluate the processes they have in place. Our recent survey of full-time employees at large companies found that two out of five employees have never seen their company training change or improve. This is alarming and unacceptable.”

Please respond to this blog and share ideas and comments for getting a seat at the table.