Back to Life...Back to Reality
Back to the daily grind, back in the swing of things, and sorely missing the whimsical air of the conference, I've finally eeked out a bit of time to reflect on my DevLearn 2010 experience. From a very high level, I'll simply say this: Wow. From the second I arrived, to the moment I left, I had more "Aha" moments than I thought possible. Some feasible, some completely outlandish, but all inspirational. In my time I've spent reflecting on the experience, I've summed up my high-power, hevy-duty takeaways in three words...and those three words are: INFORMAL, SOCIAL, and PULL.
No Shirt, No Tie, No Problem - INFORMAL
Omar Nielsen is not only a good friend, but an inspiration to me in this industry where I find it easy to be jaded and judgmental of others. In a field where we do our own thing, I find him to have an amount of knowledge on training, in general, that I am admittedly jealous of. I like the guy and believe him to be a genius in our field.
*whew* I feel better getting that off my chest. Anyway...
Mr Nielsen was responsible for one of my three takeaway concepts: Keeping learning Informal. Just what does that mean, though? How do you informalize something...anything? You start simple. Plain and simple. Already, I'm finding areas in my organization where the formality of 'must-do' training (not only must do in content, but must-do in method) place pseudo-strangleholds on new and existing users. And last I checked, your times tables become a hell of a lot more difficult when someone has you in a rear naked choke.
This concept, the informal, resonated strongly with me, too, because of the industry I'm in (healthcare). For a long, long time I've held that games have NO place here. None whatsoever...
...but maybe I'm wrong. (Yes, I said it) Maybe, just maybe, if we could lighten things up, make them a bit more competitive (doctors might just be that), maybe we could decrease the formality and increase the retention. All of these are maybes at this point, true...but they're being thought about. And that's a step.
'We' Are Smarter Than 'Me' - SOCIAL
The Annual Gathering back in 09 got me thinking about this, but DevLearn really implanted it deep in my brain and I've been unable to shake myself of it yet. We have Sharepoint, we use Sharepoint...but we're not really USING Sharepoint to the degree that we could. My colleague and I both realize this and, upon my return, really started a mental shakedown of how we've been using it and how we should be using it. Needless to say, we've found some disconnects...
The biggest step forward that I've arrived at in my mind is using it as a 'Facebook-driven' methodology to get users of our EMR closer and in more contact than ever before. We (the programmers, trainers close to the content) know the EMR in a certain fashion...and it's not always the most practical way for purposes of effective usage. They (the end-users...the ones in it every day and night) know it in a similar, but different light. And that bears attention. And by putting these users in contact with each other, a lot could be achieved. More than I care to get into here, but trust me...all you social learning evangelists who have been knocking on my door all these years? YES...I GET IT NOW.
If I Want It, I'll Get It Myself - PULL
Ahh, pull. Such a simple word, but admittedly, before this conference, I never thought of it in relation to Training and Development. Now, however, I will never think of it the same. What an amazing way to spin such a simple word into such a meaningful one, and what a change it's already brought to how I go about business on a daily basis...
One example of it in action, already I might add, is adding a paper-based reference to required courses. Now, the end-user is not required to view this document, but it's there. And guess what? People not only love said document, but are asking for more. It's almost like telling a 3 year old they need a bath...of COURSE theyr'e going to tell you differently. But, if the 3 year old says they WANT a bath, then not only is it the greatest idea ever, but then next time you need to remind them it's time to take one, they're more likely to go along with it. There's unlimited amounts of WIN associated with "The Power of Pull" (<-- see that?), and I'm just beginning to scratch the surface. More to come on that, to be sure...
And That, As They Say, Is That
Not much else to say on the topic. Brent put together a phenomenal event, the speakers and sessions were, in general, awesome, and I will be attending/presenting again, to be sure. These are the kind of things that I wish, with my schedule, I could attend more of, but I am eternally grateful for the few I'm able to attend. The contacts, colleagues, and cohorts I meet at every one get better and better.
So, as the title says, that's that. If you have any questions, comments, concerns, and so on, let me know! I'd love to hear from you and am willing to provide any advice/information I feel that I can. Best of luck to you all, and we'll see you next year!
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
Good Times, Good Times
Hey DevLearn peoples...I'm packing it in. A short amount of hours from now, I'll be on a plane heading home. What a great conference! I know I learned a lot and I hope you all did, too! Don't hesitate to drop me a line if you have any questions or concerns, or, for that matter, even just want to talk shop! It was a pleasure meeting you all, and I'm sure our paths will cross again sooner than later!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
"Scalpel, Forceps, Captivate..." (ME!)
I'm presenting. I cannot blog at the same time. For this, I apologize. Back in a few!
Keynote - "The New Know" (Thornton May)
The man is a god, in the truest sense. If you weren't here for this, be sad. Click here to know more about him. Nothing else I could type would be anywhere near effective in relating the awesomeness. That is all.
Push Your Virtual Training to the Edge: Enhance the Experience with Sharepoint (C. Skifstad/R. Russell)
Let's Play a Game...
Sets the session up with a Role Play – We are all Designers and Developers for the ABC Corporation. Leaders have come to us with a request. They are starting to make places to hold their annual planning conference for 400 employees. Without compromising any aspect, how do we build something that addresses these objectives?
Wireframe
It’s a solution that seems to be helpful when storyboards won’t cut it (too linear). Allows more for the ‘what-ifs’, as opposed to the more ‘Point A/Point B’ storyboard. There’s a lot of software that offers Wireframe capacity (including Micorosoft Publisher). Basically, a Wireframe is nothing more than a very high level, rough design that allows for the plotting of elements visually.
30 Days Later...and beyond
Speaker goes from Wireframe to real-world Sharepoint site which looks pretty slick. End-users receive a welcome letter via email with a URL to the Sharepoint site. Comes complete with a ‘teaser video’ (Note: a la pre-release demo vid, this would be a good way to engage the learners before we engage the learners…shirt before the shirt, if you will).
“If it’s not mandatory, you still want them to be there…”
What I'm Noticing...
I think we use it well enough for what we need to do in and among our own team, but we could do so much more. From Flash to Captivate, the navigation and feel alone could engage learners more instantly and, what's more, more informally. Engage, engage, engage...the word of the day.
Note: These folks are using Sharepoint straight out of the box and an older version...even more reassuring. Speakers admitted that this model they are showing was a bit 'pumped up' for presentation's sake. Still doesn't deter me from getting more goodness into our SP usage...
Make The Shift From Live to Virtual
- Encourage users to explore, check out other learners' profiles, and so forth.
- Practice navigating the site and allow your learners to do so, as well. Give them rehearsal time to get in their and get their virtual hands virtually dirty.
- Be prepared for the Event. Make sure all relevant documents were downloaded and made available so there's no "I didn't get the memo" moment.
- Group leaders, segmented chats (breakout groups), and conference calls can further simulate the virtual experience.
- The breakout groups and monitored feedback is, essentially, a way to take attendance without taking attendance.
- Encourage learners to think outside the box and futuristically. Develop your training accordingly.
In Closing
Not a whole lot that surprised or amazed me, just simply based off of my usage already. With that said, there were some cosmetic/aesthetic elements that caught my eye and it truly felt immersive, even for having just been housed in Sharepoint. I am encouraged by seeing this and would like to push the envelope a bit more upon returning home...
Sets the session up with a Role Play – We are all Designers and Developers for the ABC Corporation. Leaders have come to us with a request. They are starting to make places to hold their annual planning conference for 400 employees. Without compromising any aspect, how do we build something that addresses these objectives?
Wireframe
It’s a solution that seems to be helpful when storyboards won’t cut it (too linear). Allows more for the ‘what-ifs’, as opposed to the more ‘Point A/Point B’ storyboard. There’s a lot of software that offers Wireframe capacity (including Micorosoft Publisher). Basically, a Wireframe is nothing more than a very high level, rough design that allows for the plotting of elements visually.
30 Days Later...and beyond
Speaker goes from Wireframe to real-world Sharepoint site which looks pretty slick. End-users receive a welcome letter via email with a URL to the Sharepoint site. Comes complete with a ‘teaser video’ (Note: a la pre-release demo vid, this would be a good way to engage the learners before we engage the learners…shirt before the shirt, if you will).
“If it’s not mandatory, you still want them to be there…”
What I'm Noticing...
I think we use it well enough for what we need to do in and among our own team, but we could do so much more. From Flash to Captivate, the navigation and feel alone could engage learners more instantly and, what's more, more informally. Engage, engage, engage...the word of the day.
Note: These folks are using Sharepoint straight out of the box and an older version...even more reassuring. Speakers admitted that this model they are showing was a bit 'pumped up' for presentation's sake. Still doesn't deter me from getting more goodness into our SP usage...
Make The Shift From Live to Virtual
- Encourage users to explore, check out other learners' profiles, and so forth.
- Practice navigating the site and allow your learners to do so, as well. Give them rehearsal time to get in their and get their virtual hands virtually dirty.
- Be prepared for the Event. Make sure all relevant documents were downloaded and made available so there's no "I didn't get the memo" moment.
- Group leaders, segmented chats (breakout groups), and conference calls can further simulate the virtual experience.
- The breakout groups and monitored feedback is, essentially, a way to take attendance without taking attendance.
- Encourage learners to think outside the box and futuristically. Develop your training accordingly.
In Closing
Not a whole lot that surprised or amazed me, just simply based off of my usage already. With that said, there were some cosmetic/aesthetic elements that caught my eye and it truly felt immersive, even for having just been housed in Sharepoint. I am encouraged by seeing this and would like to push the envelope a bit more upon returning home...
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
"Blending the In/Formal" (Omar Nielsen)
First thing's first - And I knew this would happen...we're sitting in a circle now, not those stuffy rows like all the other presentations. Sadly, Omar...I will be keeping my rows tomorrow ;-)
Let's get serious, though - this action alone, of taking the rows away, already engages learners/audience members more than traditional, stuffy classroom experience. Everyone begins to learn before they realize it and, what's more, experience base bonds with experience base, and comeraderie is attained, as well. All joking/personal allegiance aside, Omar has this stuff on lockdown, and I know I'm going to walk away with a headful on how I can de-formalize some of the ongoing education of EMR/EHR users.
"Do you think the takeaways that you take from here will be the takeaways that you take from here?"
"Informal learning is a natural process and is different for each learner...it is done when it's least expected."
Those are the kind of questions/statements that make's Omar's stuff so heavy, but light. It's a simple question, but there's a lot to it. While the instructor/presenter will give us something, it's up to us ultimately how we take it away (not just what we take away). Already, I'm looking at my organization with a bit of a stern glance...why AREN'T we doing some things? Why AREN'T we doing more with informal/collaborative learning? Ahh, questions...
The "Long Tail of Learning" can be reinforced with things like webinars, teleconferences, virtual collaborations, and other on-the-job-practice activities (peer coaching, etc.). And students might not want to socialize after class via a social network, because they don't have the time for it. Solution - Shorten the class. The Collaborative effort is so much more significant than the continued bludgeoning of content (<-- my term, not Omar's), as it allows them to align with their peers. (Kind of like how we send providers back to their departments...)
Omar's Recipe for Increased Retention and Learning "ROI"
- 1 part Learning Event
- 2 parts On-Demand Content
- 3 parts Emotionally Charged Direction
- 5 parts Online collaboration/async knowledge sharing
- 5 parts Peer Coaching (learning through others)
- 3 parts Facilitator
- 1 part Online Collaboration Moderator
- 2 parts Follow-Up Event
Google/Yahoo Case Study Presentation
Emerging Leaders Program dissected over span of three weeks. Too many details to follow and type, but suffice it to say Peer Accountability and Continuous Asynchronous learning activities between peers weighed in very heavily as to items of 'importance'.
Yahoo also has something called Manager Central - what you do at all stages of management, basically. Key to this model is that the content is different every time a cohort jumps in. It's beyond constantly changing. The ILT looks at the blog and builds instruction off of it (as I understand it)...they rely on the network to answer the questions, rather than the instructor themself. To me, it almost seems like a "Wiki Course", if there ever was to be such a thing...moderator playing a VERY important part here, for sure.
Another Exercise (and why I'm bummed)
I realized that, in this room, I was in the top 5% of the "haves" as far as social/collaborative is concerned. We have all the tools, and YET, because of generational resistance, we're forced to use them on a very small scale (i.e. - not getting our true value out of it). This is the greatest frustration, and my solution that I suggested seemed to be right in line with Mr Nielsen's suggestion: Find a champion. If you want to use social learning, find the highest rank that knows what it is and likes it, and warm WAY up to them. Then, once they're pleased with how it works, they can spread to other high levels. Seems basic, but when you become emotionally vested in a topic/concept, makes it difficult to remain rational and hand over control of your fight to someone else.
As Omar puts it, "Adoption is emotional, and emotion drives adoption."
In Closing...
Omar goes on to present on where Genentech is at and where it's going. With him in the helm, at least of the informal learning aspect of things, there's nothing but good to come. I'm sure friendship might cloud my take on this session, but as objectively as I can say it - This session was phenomenal, and I'm certain the majority (if not all) of my fellow attendees would concur.
Let's get serious, though - this action alone, of taking the rows away, already engages learners/audience members more than traditional, stuffy classroom experience. Everyone begins to learn before they realize it and, what's more, experience base bonds with experience base, and comeraderie is attained, as well. All joking/personal allegiance aside, Omar has this stuff on lockdown, and I know I'm going to walk away with a headful on how I can de-formalize some of the ongoing education of EMR/EHR users.
"Do you think the takeaways that you take from here will be the takeaways that you take from here?"
"Informal learning is a natural process and is different for each learner...it is done when it's least expected."
"If you present content that is attainable to an audience, you're going to increase adoption of the content and instill enthusiasm for the content."
"Software training doesn't feel like it's emotionally charged...but why the heck not? Why can't it be socialized?"
Those are the kind of questions/statements that make's Omar's stuff so heavy, but light. It's a simple question, but there's a lot to it. While the instructor/presenter will give us something, it's up to us ultimately how we take it away (not just what we take away). Already, I'm looking at my organization with a bit of a stern glance...why AREN'T we doing some things? Why AREN'T we doing more with informal/collaborative learning? Ahh, questions...
The "Long Tail of Learning" can be reinforced with things like webinars, teleconferences, virtual collaborations, and other on-the-job-practice activities (peer coaching, etc.). And students might not want to socialize after class via a social network, because they don't have the time for it. Solution - Shorten the class. The Collaborative effort is so much more significant than the continued bludgeoning of content (<-- my term, not Omar's), as it allows them to align with their peers. (Kind of like how we send providers back to their departments...)
Omar's Recipe for Increased Retention and Learning "ROI"
- 1 part Learning Event
- 2 parts On-Demand Content
- 3 parts Emotionally Charged Direction
- 5 parts Online collaboration/async knowledge sharing
- 5 parts Peer Coaching (learning through others)
- 3 parts Facilitator
- 1 part Online Collaboration Moderator
- 2 parts Follow-Up Event
Google/Yahoo Case Study Presentation
Emerging Leaders Program dissected over span of three weeks. Too many details to follow and type, but suffice it to say Peer Accountability and Continuous Asynchronous learning activities between peers weighed in very heavily as to items of 'importance'.
Yahoo also has something called Manager Central - what you do at all stages of management, basically. Key to this model is that the content is different every time a cohort jumps in. It's beyond constantly changing. The ILT looks at the blog and builds instruction off of it (as I understand it)...they rely on the network to answer the questions, rather than the instructor themself. To me, it almost seems like a "Wiki Course", if there ever was to be such a thing...moderator playing a VERY important part here, for sure.
Another Exercise (and why I'm bummed)
I realized that, in this room, I was in the top 5% of the "haves" as far as social/collaborative is concerned. We have all the tools, and YET, because of generational resistance, we're forced to use them on a very small scale (i.e. - not getting our true value out of it). This is the greatest frustration, and my solution that I suggested seemed to be right in line with Mr Nielsen's suggestion: Find a champion. If you want to use social learning, find the highest rank that knows what it is and likes it, and warm WAY up to them. Then, once they're pleased with how it works, they can spread to other high levels. Seems basic, but when you become emotionally vested in a topic/concept, makes it difficult to remain rational and hand over control of your fight to someone else.
As Omar puts it, "Adoption is emotional, and emotion drives adoption."
In Closing...
Omar goes on to present on where Genentech is at and where it's going. With him in the helm, at least of the informal learning aspect of things, there's nothing but good to come. I'm sure friendship might cloud my take on this session, but as objectively as I can say it - This session was phenomenal, and I'm certain the majority (if not all) of my fellow attendees would concur.
"Total Engagement" (Byron Reeves)
Again, due to lack of outlets, I'm going to sit this one out...if you're looking for a bit more of an abridged play-by-play, check me out on Twitter (@rosler).
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