The Danger of Describe If you’ve worked with me recently and turned in performance or learning objectives starting with “Describe…” you’ve most definitely gotten feedback from me questioning your choice. If you work with me sometime soon, you’ll know this is one of my pet peeves and be prepared for the questions! Yes, I do […]
Read MoreCategory: Instructional Design
Natural Learning — Exploring and Discovering; Connecting and Doing
Eight Components to Cultivate a Robust Learning Experience It’s gardening season where I live, one of my favorite times of the year. Waiting for perennials to come up, watching for buds and leaves to appear, moving plants to more favorable locations in the yard, deciding what vegetables to plant where, all bring me joy. I’m […]
Read MoreFour-in-One!
Tips to design Role-Specific Systems Training Picture this — you’re meeting with a business services client who wants to develop a custom-learning course to walk learners through the functionality of a time sheet system. You think to yourself, sure, we can do that! But then the client adds that this training must cover the requirements […]
Read MoreThe Learning Experience Evolution
From Relationship Managers to Business Consultants Many Moons Ago… …we began working with a great team at Amway on transitioning its global sales account managers from administrative/relationship-building roles to strategic, business consultants or trusted advisors. This revolutionary change in position and perspective prompted the global sales learning and development team to also radically evolve its […]
Read MoreWhy Is It Important to Know What Learners are Thinking and Feeling?
Using Empathy to Create Impactful Learning At the end of 2020, a colleague and I were recapping the year’s experiences and the abrupt shift that had to occur in learning for many companies. In particular, we’d both noticed how often the word “empathy” had come up in client conversations, and in industry articles, blogs, and […]
Read MoreAudience… Objectives… Chunk It Up!
Three Simple Steps to Create a Blended Learning Solution I think we’d all agree that 2020 forced a lot of change to training solutions in a very quick and reactionary manner. Did anyone not convert hundreds of instructor-led training (ILT) to virtual ILT on the fly? It’s now more important than ever to create and […]
Read MoreDeveloping Leaders From a Distance
Leadership Workshops Evolve From the Classroom It’s interesting how change is sometimes thrust upon us. Innovation flourishes when disruption forces us to abandon the status quo and approach leader development without the quintessential leadership workshop. It had been widely accepted that leader skills require full-contact engagement. After all, leaders interact with people constantly. So, it […]
Read MoreSystems Training Is Not One-Size Fits All
Best Practices For Developing Systems-Based Training Innovative Learning Group has developed custom training for many systems, from talent management and customer relationship management to banking and financial systems. After managing many of these projects, I’ve learned that systems training is definitely not one-size fits all. However, along the way I’ve discovered three best practices that […]
Read MoreAre We In This Virtually Forever?
Five Actions to Take to Advance Your Learning Future Now that we are many months into this pandemic, I think we’ve come to realize that many of our normal routines have changed forever — at home and at work. For learning professionals, those whose work weeks were largely filled with maintaining and delivering live instructor-led […]
Read MoreDon’t Expect the Same Experience, Because It’s Not. And That’s Okay!
Create — Instead of Convert — Virtual Instructor-led training In the past few months, we’ve all found ourselves connecting more in a virtual space than in person. Before this, I wouldn’t have taken an online exercise class or used a telemedicine service. Why would I when I live in an urban area with so many […]
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