2016 has been emotional - negative and positive. Surprising amounts of change, challenge and stress have made me feel like I am pushing rocks uphill while dancing joyfully.   In 2016, I have experienced both incredible joy and angst at work, illustrated by these significant changes: Lou RussellRussell Martin & Associates is now a subsidiary of Moser Consulting, a prestigious national IT consulting company.  I am now their Director of Learning which allows our team to do what we've always done and more.  Of course, I will also retain my title of Queen. ​     Brittney Helt     Sad/happily, Brittney Helt is moving to San Diego to follow her transferred            husband.  She is looking for a new position, so feel free to shout out to her at        bhelt@russellmartin.com or her personal email address bbhelt@gmail.com.  Keely McGrath​Keely will move with me, keeping her role as project manager, as well as growing marketing and public relations at Moser Consulting. Core ExperiencesOur three core experiences (below) have been enhanced to drive more performance in your teams. Did you know all three are available online and/or face to face? Send Keely an email at pm@russellmartin.com for more information about each experience, attending or bringing these powerful workshops in-house for your team to jump start 2017.  ​Realistic Project ManagementThe Power of You; EQStrategic Leadership As you and I jump into January, it's time to think about these three words:Refresh: Intentionally reboot focus, priorities and energyResolve: Clean up processes and organization strategiesRevive: Grow performance to where you want it to be - think big. You'll also learn tips from Allison Melangton, Rock Star Indy leader, in Revive.Are you ready? Let's Go!

Cars as we know them are becoming a thing of the past, and we can soon expect autonomous driving to significantly alter the industry.

Once a year I attend a truly exquisite dinner at the Caltech Athenaeum Faculty Club featuring the Escoffier Dinner. This is the closest that I ever get to experience Babette’s feast.The French chef and culinary writer Auguste Escoffier popularized and updated traditional French cooking methods. The restaurateur also invented the five mother sauces - Béchamel, Velouté, Espagnole, Sauce Tomat, and Hollandaise from which all of today’s sauces and their combinations originated.The five mother sauces are analogous to the five core success strategies in the elements of Micro-Learning. They make learning enjoyable so that it stays in our memories as flavorful and artistic experiences. Simply put, implementing Micro-Learning is like finding the right sauce to spice up a dish.Strategy #1: Nanos, Quiet, Seamless and Yet ImpactfulMicro-Learning lessons are tiny and seemingly hidden from plain sight, yet at the same time, they are all around us. We experience them even though we don't always sense their presence. For example, when you watch a powerful short video, like the iPad and Dad video or the Apartment Manager, you are moved by the experience. We hardly even notice it's a lesson. In much the same way, we don't consciously think about our interactions with smart devices like smartphones and the internet fridge. I explained this in " How Micro-Learning Boosts 'At the Moment Performance' ".In the practical world, Micro-Learning objects are like nano objects that bind together a fabric. In learning, they are tiny connectors and lubricants that make learning fluid.Strategy #2: Insertions into Workflow with Surgical PrecisionLike the mother sauces, the core success strategies add spark or curiosity and entice the learner’s palate, promising new discoveries.In implementing Micro-Learning, we target specific results by identifying precise learning insertion points with the skill of a surgeon. Think of how doctors today use tools and scopes to guide their actions in performing non-invasive operations.When using Micro-Learning, insert them into troublesome areas such as constantly changing work processes, often-referenced documents, rapidly-evolving policies, very new knowledge, unknown processes and highly-critical operations. In short, insert Micro-Learning in the workflow.Strategy #3: "It" Finds You—Store "Memories" and "Footprints" and Add ValueThe Internet of Things (IoT) is evolving rapidly in many facets of our lives. You can control your refrigerator, thermostat and alarm from your smartphone.The Roomba vacuum cleaner is self-directing: It will go back to its docking station when the battery is about to run out of power so it can recharge itself. The list is long: automated lighting, smart pills, connected baby monitors, electronic toll collection systems, natural disaster early warning systems and many more.If you lose your car keys, the keys will find you by beeping when you are 10 feet away. "It" finds you; you don't find it.Train your learners, so each time they use the information, they store favorites and make recommendations. This simple act, done persistently and consistently, SEEDS and WATERS the process so knowledge FINDS them -  the worker, learner. Learning systems can track and store favorites and recommendations. Then, when new knowledge is available, that knowledge can locate the learner much like the way your keys find you. This is called the "Store Value" of learning systems.Strategy #4: Embed Learning through Experience SharingSharing insights from experiences on how to fix and change things are invaluable learning opportunities. Experiences are "fossilized" or "cemented" knowledge stored in our memories and emotional experiences. Micro-Learning facilitates sharing by allowing learners to forward, link and annotate tiny learning objects. This action intensifies memory creation and helps learners learn from each other.Strategy #5: Speeds Up ActionsThe end result of Micro-Learning is fixing, changing and creating new solutions faster and at lower costs.This is also the goal of "democratizing content," focusing on context as a strategy for content creation and distribution. In essence, we can improve the speed of Micro-Learning Implementation success.Spaced - space learning opportunities to allow quickly applicationsAccordion effect - chain micro-learning snippets as a course but keep the snippets accessible as separate components separately accessibleUninterrupted - never interrupt learners with "finish this slide before you continue" (these are killers, by the way)Self-driven - train learners to drive their own learning; give them freedom to jump around, fumble through and immerse themselves in their learning Barrierless - unshackle barriers; don't allow content to be tied down to curriculums or programsBorderless - make Micro-Learning lessons part of the steps but don’t force learners to study step-by-stepUnbounded learning behaviors and skills become a reality and benefits will be realized when the 5 Success Strategies are in place in your Micro-Learning Implementation.ConclusionBecause the 5 Success Strategies of Micro-Learning make learning fun, memorable and encourage knowledge sharing, they can motivate learners to achieve superior performance.ReferencesWikipedia. Babette’s FeastWikipedia. Auguste EscoffierGallary, Christine. Do You Know Your French Mother Sauces?. Oct. 20, 2014 Kobie, Nicole. What is the internet of things? The Guardian. May 6, 2015Roomba Schupp, H. T. et al. Newly-formed emotional memories guide selective attention processes: Evidence from event-related potentials. Sci. Rep. 6, 28091; doi: 10.1038/srep28091 (2016)Tip #31 - Small Bites Learning - Fast, Cheap, Flexible and Learners Love Them!Tip #36 - Why Experience Results in Superior LearningTip #52 - Are Your Learners as Intelligent as They Can Be?Tip #58 - Learning in 30 Seconds-Learning ala The Matrix StyleTip #94 - How to Design Unobtrusive Test QuestionsTip #99 - Changing Behavior by Advancing Experience and StoriesTip #114 - How Micro-Learning Boosts "At the Moment Performance"Ray Jimenez, PhDVignettes Learning"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"Ray Jimenez, PhD Vignettes Learning Learn more about story and experience-based eLearning

Once a year I attend a truly exquisite dinner at the Caltech Athenaeum Faculty Club featuring the Escoffier Dinner. This is the closest that I ever get to experience Babette’s feast.The French chef and culinary writer Auguste Escoffier popularized and updated traditional French cooking methods. The restaurateur also invented the five mother sauces - Béchamel, Velouté, Espagnole, Sauce Tomat, and Hollandaise from which all of today’s sauces and their combinations originated.The five mother sauces are analogous to the five core success strategies in the elements of Micro-Learning. They make learning enjoyable so that it stays in our memories as flavorful and artistic experiences. Simply put, implementing Micro-Learning is like finding the right sauce to spice up a dish.Strategy #1: Nanos, Quiet, Seamless and Yet ImpactfulMicro-Learning lessons are tiny and seemingly hidden from plain sight, yet at the same time, they are all around us. We experience them even though we don't always sense their presence. For example, when you watch a powerful short video, like the iPad and Dad video or the Apartment Manager, you are moved by the experience. We hardly even notice it's a lesson. In much the same way, we don't consciously think about our interactions with smart devices like smartphones and the internet fridge. I explained this in " How Micro-Learning Boosts 'At the Moment Performance' ".In the practical world, Micro-Learning objects are like nano objects that bind together a fabric. In learning, they are tiny connectors and lubricants that make learning fluid.Strategy #2: Insertions into Workflow with Surgical PrecisionLike the mother sauces, the core success strategies add spark or curiosity and entice the learner’s palate, promising new discoveries.In implementing Micro-Learning, we target specific results by identifying precise learning insertion points with the skill of a surgeon. Think of how doctors today use tools and scopes to guide their actions in performing non-invasive operations.When using Micro-Learning, insert them into troublesome areas such as constantly changing work processes, often-referenced documents, rapidly-evolving policies, very new knowledge, unknown processes and highly-critical operations. In short, insert Micro-Learning in the workflow.Strategy #3: "It" Finds You—Store "Memories" and "Footprints" and Add ValueThe Internet of Things (IoT) is evolving rapidly in many facets of our lives. You can control your refrigerator, thermostat and alarm from your smartphone.The Roomba vacuum cleaner is self-directing: It will go back to its docking station when the battery is about to run out of power so it can recharge itself. The list is long: automated lighting, smart pills, connected baby monitors, electronic toll collection systems, natural disaster early warning systems and many more.If you lose your car keys, the keys will find you by beeping when you are 10 feet away. "It" finds you; you don't find it.Train your learners, so each time they use the information, they store favorites and make recommendations. This simple act, done persistently and consistently, SEEDS and WATERS the process so knowledge FINDS them -  the worker, learner. Learning systems can track and store favorites and recommendations. Then, when new knowledge is available, that knowledge can locate the learner much like the way your keys find you. This is called the "Store Value" of learning systems.Strategy #4: Embed Learning through Experience SharingSharing insights from experiences on how to fix and change things are invaluable learning opportunities. Experiences are "fossilized" or "cemented" knowledge stored in our memories and emotional experiences. Micro-Learning facilitates sharing by allowing learners to forward, link and annotate tiny learning objects. This action intensifies memory creation and helps learners learn from each other.Strategy #5: Speeds Up ActionsThe end result of Micro-Learning is fixing, changing and creating new solutions faster and at lower costs.This is also the goal of "democratizing content," focusing on context as a strategy for content creation and distribution. In essence, we can improve the speed of Micro-Learning Implementation success.Spaced - space learning opportunities to allow quickly applicationsAccordion effect - chain micro-learning snippets as a course but keep the snippets accessible as separate components separately accessibleUninterrupted - never interrupt learners with "finish this slide before you continue" (these are killers, by the way)Self-driven - train learners to drive their own learning; give them freedom to jump around, fumble through and immerse themselves in their learning Barrierless - unshackle barriers; don't allow content to be tied down to curriculums or programsBorderless - make Micro-Learning lessons part of the steps but don’t force learners to study step-by-stepUnbounded learning behaviors and skills become a reality and benefits will be realized when the 5 Success Strategies are in place in your Micro-Learning Implementation.ConclusionBecause the 5 Success Strategies of Micro-Learning make learning fun, memorable and encourage knowledge sharing, they can motivate learners to achieve superior performance.ReferencesWikipedia. Babette’s FeastWikipedia. Auguste EscoffierGallary, Christine. Do You Know Your French Mother Sauces?. Oct. 20, 2014 Kobie, Nicole. What is the internet of things? The Guardian. May 6, 2015Roomba Schupp, H. T. et al. Newly-formed emotional memories guide selective attention processes: Evidence from event-related potentials. Sci. Rep. 6, 28091; doi: 10.1038/srep28091 (2016)Tip #31 - Small Bites Learning - Fast, Cheap, Flexible and Learners Love Them!Tip #36 - Why Experience Results in Superior LearningTip #52 - Are Your Learners as Intelligent as They Can Be?Tip #58 - Learning in 30 Seconds-Learning ala The Matrix StyleTip #94 - How to Design Unobtrusive Test QuestionsTip #99 - Changing Behavior by Advancing Experience and StoriesTip #114 - How Micro-Learning Boosts "At the Moment Performance"Ray Jimenez, PhDVignettes Learning"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"Ray Jimenez, PhD Vignettes Learning Learn more about story and experience-based eLearning

We look to the year ahead for the emerging leadership topics that deserve attention in 2017.

Are your employees constantly racing the clock? Do their "to-do" lists look more like novels? In this article, we’ll share 10 tips to create online training courses for your busy employees, so that they always have time to train. How To Create Online Training For Busy Employees One of the most significant challenges of online training is actually finding the time to develop skills and talents. Heavy workloads and personal obligations make it difficult for employees to hone their professional abilities. Fortunately, there are ways to make your online training more convenient and accessible. Here are 10 tips to develop online training courses for time-crunched employees: Stress The Benefits Early On Busy employees don’t have a minute to waste. Therefore, you have to tell them exactly what they’ll take away from their online training. Be clear about the benefits it will bring and stress the real-world applications. For example, how the online training course is going to help to improve their sales or customer service ratings. Employees are more likely to participate if it’s worth their while, even if they are pressed for time. In short, you need to make online training a priority for them. Create An Online Training Calendar This truly is the key to making it easy for your employees to stay organized. Integrate an online training calendar that features important deadlines and reminders. You can even send out automatic notifications to keep them up-to-date. For example, a friendly reminder about the webinar next Monday. This provides a general overview of the weeks and months ahead, so that employees can stay on top of their online training. Offer A Flexible Online Training Schedule Employees should be able to fit online training into their schedule instead of trying to shuffle around other obligations. Create a "just-in-time" online repository where they can find informative resources and online training activities. Develop a clickable online course map that allows them to pick-and-choose relevant modules. This enables your employees to get training when and where it’s most convenient for them. For example, during the morning commute or while they’re waiting for a client to arrive. Keep Online Training Activities Bite-Sized Bite-size online training activities and modules are ideal for busy employees. They have the power to get the information they need at a moment’s notice. You might consider a microlearning online library that features categorized online resources. For example, a section devoted to IT or compliance training. Microlearning resources are usually targeted at specific goals or performance gaps. As such, employees can focus on personal areas for improvement without having to sit through a lengthy online training course. De-Clutter Your Online Training Course Design Bear in mind that busy employees are more likely to be stressed, exhausted, or frustrated. They have a lot to accomplish in a small amount of time. For this reason, you should keep your online training course design simple and straightforward. Only include the essentials and remove extraneous images and graphics. This allows your employees to focus on what’s important and eliminates unnecessary distractions. Make It Multiplatform-Friendly Employees may not have time to sit down at the computer to access your online training materials. As such, you need to offer them multiplatform-friendly online training content they can use anytime, anywhere. This includes their smartphones and tablets. Busy employees should be able to develop their skills and knowledge on-the-go. You can use responsive design online tools to create mobile learning courses. These online platforms allow you to develop a master layout based on certain breakpoints. Thus, your online training course automatically adjusts to fit the screen size and orientation of the device. Prioritize Your Online Training Content You have a lot of information to cover. But do your employees really need to know everything now? Or are there certain topics or skills that are more urgent than others? Create a list of your top training priorities and then build your online training course around it. Start with the essentials and then create supplemental online training materials for the rest. As an example, create a 5-minute online training module that highlights each step. Then incorporate links to branching scenarios, simulations, and online video demos. Employees get the information they require from the module right away. When they have some free time they’re able to access the interactive online training activities to improve comprehension. Immerse Your Employees To Improve Mental Focus Employees already have a lot on their minds. As a result, they may be unable to concentrate on the task at hand. Incorporate attention-grabbing online training content to improve their mental focus and engagement. Branching scenarios, simulations, and serious games are all great options. These online training activities give employees real world experience and immerse them in realistic environments. This means that they can test out different approaches and apply what they’ve learned. Develop A Course Completion Timeline Tell employees what they need to learn and by when, but allow them to set their own pace. For example, they must finish the health and safety compliance online training course within the next three weeks, at which time they will receive an online assessment. This also empowers employees and allows them to take control over their online training experience. They don’t have to keep up with their peers and they can access the online training materials whenever their schedule allows. Offer A Test-Out Option Certain employees may already have the knowledge and skills they need. Perhaps they took the online training course in the past or have more life experience. Whatever the case, you should always give them the chance to test-out of online training courses. However, there are some exceptions to this. For example, regulatory compliance courses that employees must complete annually in order to renew their certification cannot be tested-out of. Don’t let crowded calendars stand in the way of professional growth. These 10 tips can help you develop online training content that is ideally suited for busy employees. As such, you have the power to improve workplace efficiency and corporate eLearning ROI. Not to mention, increase employee engagement and productivity. The post 10 Tips To Create Online Training For Busy Employees appeared first on TalentLMS Blog.

Are your online tutorials looking a bit drab? Do your task walkthroughs need a little more pizazz? In this article, we’ll share 8 tips to jazz up your online tutorials in eLearning, regardless of your eLearning budget. How To Jazz Up Your Online Tutorials In eLearning Online tutorials simplify complex tasks and topics. Online learners have the opportunity to watch every step of the process in action. They can also view illustrations that break the information into easily digestible components. However, you must be able to engage and inspire online learners to enhance the benefits. Here are 8 tips to take your online tutorials to the next level: 1. Know Your Mission Every journey needs a destination. You must be able to focus your efforts on a specific objective and desired outcome while creating the online tutorial. In other words, you have to find your main mission. Are you trying to reinforce a learning behavior? Do your online learners need to hone a specific skill? Are they looking for ways to overcome a common challenge? A clear learning objective is the backbone of your online tutorial. Every element falls into place around it, including the images, audio, and built-in activities. 2. Include Interactive Elements Since we’re on the subject of eLearning activities, now is probably a good time to address the elephant in the room. Online tutorials can be boring. This is particularly true when you fall into the "information dump" trap. It’s true, you need to convey the main takeaways. However, you must also make your online tutorial interactive and engaging so that online learners actually absorb the information. Include links to supplemental eLearning activities and online self-assessments. Integrate clickable hot spots that lead to serious games and online simulations. The goal is to turn your static online tutorial into a dynamic, tactile eLearning experience. Turn your static online tutorial into a dynamic, tactile eLearning experience.Click To Tweet 3. Frame It With A Story Nobody can resist a well-written story with an interesting plot. Add a real-world challenge that online learners face on a regular basis, and you have a winning combination. Storytelling is a natural fit for online tutorials. Instead of just instructing online learners on how to perform the task, frame it with a memorable story arc and setting. Begin by presenting the problem, then give them the tools to surmount the obstacle. In the end you provide them with a resolution that they can use in their real lives. Develop a script beforehand and possibly even an eLearning storyboard to map out each scene. This ensures that your story flows effectively and covers all the main plot points. Not to mention, includes the key takeaways of the online lesson. 4. Use Emotionally-Compelling eLearning Characters Whether you’re telling a story or simply exploring every step in a task, eLearning characters are sure to liven up your online tutorial. The secret is creating eLearning characters that are relatable and present, but not distracting. In other words, the eLearning character should support the subject matter instead of stealing the spotlight. eLearning characters are sure to liven up your online tutorial.Click To Tweet Research your audience to learn as much as you can about their background. Then choose eLearning characters that they might encounter in their everyday lives. For example, a disgruntled customer who needs some great service and a sympathetic ear. 5. Set The Mood With Music Music is an absolute must for online tutorials. In fact, a simple background track has the power to make your online tutorial immersive, emotional, and engaging. You can also opt for an audio voiceover, sound effects, and other audio elements. Whichever route you take, it’s important that audio falls in line with your tone and message. For example, hard rock music may not be the best choice for a stressful compliance online tutorial. Instead, you might opt for classical or ambient music that calms the nerves and enhances mental focus. The trick is getting your online learner in the right frame of mind so that they concentrate on the task. 6. Keep It Conversational And Motivational Online learners must be able to relate to the online tutorial. They should feel like every element is intended for them and their learning goals. As such, try to avoid industry-specific jargon and complex vocabulary. Unless, of course, your audience is already well-versed on the topic and experienced in the field. You should also keep your script, images, and music motivational. Above all else, ensure that every aspect of your online tutorial seems natural and has an organic flow. Include transition screens to ease them into the next section, and offer helpful tips along the way to enrich the eLearning experience. 7. Include Screen Captures And Eye-Catching Images Software online tutorials and task demos always benefit from visuals. For example, screen shots that tell online learners how to navigate the eLearning platform. Clearly illustrate how to perform every step in the process and how to remedy the problem at-hand. If possible, include eye-catching images to improve knowledge retention and recall. Just make sure that they tie into the subject matter and support the learning objectives. For instance, a photo of each phase of the return process that customer service associates can use for reference. 8. Make It Short Nothing is more engaging than bite-size online training that gets to the point and provides valuable information. As such, you should make your online tutorial brief and to-the-point. Give your online learners all the data they need to get the job done or solve the problem in an easily digestible format. For example, opt for bullet lists instead of large text blocks. Include an infographic that highlights all the key stats. They can always pause the online tutorial video in order to examine other online materials. Or watch the online tutorial time and again to refresh their memory. Conclusion Online tutorials are a versatile tool that you can use for any training topic. The trick is knowing which information to include and how to grab your online learners’ attention. These 8 tips can help you jazz up your eLearning design and boost active participation among your audience. Online tutorials and demos fall under the highly effective "moment of need" training category. Read about 8 Best Practices For Just-In-Time Online Training to discover the how to create just-in-time online training for your organization. The post 8 Tips To Jazz Up Your Online Tutorials In eLearning appeared first on TalentLMS Blog.

At work, how many times in a day does someone ask you "How do you do this"? I bet several times. You answer it in the shortest possible way and go back to what you’re doing.Now, how many times in an average day do you check something online? So many times that we lose count. It's like breathing; it's become a part of you.Essentially, we are performing something at every moment.For the sake of our discussion here, let's define "at the moment performance" as acting instantaneously in response to a situation that needs to be fixed or changed.  It happens within seconds or minutes or hours. The action is immediate and occurs quickly. It's a natural thing to do. Everyone in one way or the other,  do "at the moment performance" everyday.We can say with confidence that the goal of leaders, managers, and learning professionals is to help workers achieve optimal "at the moment performance."  Then as learning professionals we converge at the moment of performance.I think the two hurdles to shifting our minds to "at the moment performance" are momentum for traditional practices and active inertia. Donald Sull describes active inertia as "an organization’s tendency to follow established patterns of behavior—even in response to dramatic environmental shifts." He further explains that "market leaders simply accelerate all their tried-and-true activities. In trying to dig themselves out of a hole, they just deepen it." We are a function of our past. Before we plan to make changes in the future and when we achieve these changes, we hang on to the momentum for traditional practices.Specifically, in the past, our momentum in learning and training is "teaching something." Teaching was based on rigid curriculums, testing, design, multimedia, presentations, retention, tracking, traditional learning styles and many more. What was at one time solutions to problems are today barriers that hinder us from focusing on "at the moment performance." Tests to prove knowledge retention delay performance of an action and "curriculums and certifications often focus on the eventualities (aimed at the future) when skills and knowledge are needed."I propose that much of what we currently know and do are old solutions that do not support today's "at the moment performance."An example of old teaching practices that can hamper learning is "rote learning". A learner has to memorize information by repetition. Ben Orlin calls memorization "a frontage road: … It’s a detour around all the action, a way of knowing without learning, of answering without understanding."How do we break the momentum for traditional practices and focus on "at the moment performance"?We Are the Big Experiment in "At the Moment Performance"We, as learning professionals, are the experiment in "at the moment performance." It is an experiment we do each time we move from one momentum stream to a newer momentum stream.Are we recalibrating our goals and focus, seeing the trends or watching people learn? Are we thinking of a snapshot or novel? Can we focus on a moment of need and moment of performance?Illustration:Someone sends you an email requesting your help. What is your instant reaction?[   ] Write an explanation and email it back.[   ] Find a link and send it to the person.[   ] Tell the person to use keywords and search online.Your answer provides insight into your habits and your frame of mind.Look at the illustration below. (I used an oversimplified example to stress the smallness of actions.) The requester sends an email and the response was a link.What is the nature of the conversation?Link to Youtube.This exchange of emails probably happened in 1-2 minutes.I (Ray in the email) made the request by doing a screen capture of the problem. It was faster for me to use Monosnap, a tool that allows me to instantly capture screens, annotate them and get a URL. The image explained the context of my need.Ed, my team member, responded only with a link to a YouTube video. Ed had no other words.To further dissect this illustration, let's compare what we do today with what we would have done in the past.A few things are happening in this small illustration.The need is specificMy problem is small and my need is specific to that problem only. I may not know all other aspects of the FTP software, but at the moment, the help for my specific problem is all I needed.Doing workI was in the process of uploading a file to the FTP, so I was actually doing work, performing a task. I stopped since I recognized a gap in my skill and knowledge. I could not perform.Asked EdEd was the techie in the team. So I asked Ed.Screen captured my requestInstead of a long explanation, I just captured my screen and stated my need. With the image, Ed instantly knew it was about the FTP software, and I described my need. No other words were needed.Ed responded with a YouTube videoEd sent me a link. No explanations. No "Hi or hello". Ed was probably busy, or taking his lunch or using his smartphone. So he saved his keystrokes and only provided what was needed.In Micro-Learning, "At the Moment Performance" Covers Doing, Using Tools, Experiences, Defining NeedsAlthough this may sound like splitting hairs, bear with me for a moment as I discuss what was going on in the previous illustration.The new learners of today are seekers - they know how to look for and find answersThe new generation of learners comprises those who boldly ask questions. Inquiry is "a seeking for truth, information, or knowledge -- seeking information by questioning." The new learners built the habits of freely asking others when in need or searching for the answers themselves. Sources of answers may come from one’s own experience, from others (like Ed) or from a documentation (the YouTube) video. The purpose is very clear—get the job done. The seekers look for  instant answers. They may find more sources of answers for more complex problems, but more often than not they seek immediate solutions and fixes to the issues they face.In what ways are you a seeker? In what ways are your learners seekers? Do they know how to define their needs, format their requests, look for answers to support "at the moment performance"?The ability to define needs, format requests and look for instant answers are key elements of Micro-Learning. (see more on Instant Learning).In Micro-Learning, we help workers and learners fix or change something instantly. We help them find the answers they seek so they can continue "performing at the moment."How is this approach different from teaching them in a classroom or in an elearning or coaching situation?If we change our definition of learners from a captive audience to individual seekers, then we will need to design our learning in a different way.Tools that enable "at the moment performance"To make the request easily answered and save time for both the requester and responder, the seeker uses tools (e.g., screen captures) to convey the message.How many times have you used Google Docs because it is faster to exchange ideas and comment at the same time? There are many tools that support quick conversations and instant collaboration that speed up our tasks. Some examples are: Google Docs ,Tilda, Dropbox, Facebook, Slack, Snagit, Maptitude, Adobe Acrobat XI, Google Sketchup and Wordle.These tools are enablers. They are also continuous learning tools. They make it possible for "at the moment performance" to happen faster, easier and cheaper. These tools empower the learners to expand their capacities to help others and learn faster and continuously. Micro-Learning helps learners and workers perform faster with the aid of tools.As a learning professional, what tools do you consider part of what your learners should learn?I propose that in every training you design, you include tools that enable you to do "at the moment performance" and continuous learning.Do we change behaviors and tools at the moment of performance?  I wrestle with this question:Tools are provided "to generate performance and learning at the moment of need" (Gerry, 1991 cited by Stephen Desrosiers and Stephen Harmon). Tools do not dictate our actions. "At the moment performance" is an immediate decision to act in a concrete situation. Tools are provided to assist us in fixing or changing the situation.Imagine the popularity of Fitbit. It is a device that measures personal metrics including the number of steps taken, heart rate and sleep quality.The goal is for 2,000 steps a day, for example. Your body tells FitBit to count. Then Fitbit regularly alerts you how and when you need to do more steps. While we want to think that we accomplish 2,000 steps due to our own will power, we also know that FitBit has a role in this."At the moment performance" is made possible as we keep allowing workers and learners to use these tools. In the case of Ed, do we allow workers to access YouTube references or do we still bar them from accessing such resources from our corporate firewalls? Inside our firewalls, do we encourage workers to share their experiences by allowing them to use tools like video sharing, drawing, collaboration, instant messaging and many others?Changing behaviors and helping learners build high levels of confidence with their tools are at the heart of Micro-Learning.ConclusionMicro-Learning is learning by doing. It enables learners to understand what needs to be done in a concrete situation and to act instantaneously. Put another way, Micro-Learning propels "at the moment performance."ReferencesSull, Donald. Why companies go bad. Harvard Business Review. July-August, 1999Are you an Agnostic or Principled Learning Professional?Orlin, Ben. When memorization gets in the way of learning. The Atlantic. Sept. 9, 2013Wikipedia. File Transfer ProtocolEducational Broadcasting Corporation. Inquiry-based LearningDesrosiers, Stephen and Harmon, Stephen. Performance support systems for education and training: could this be the next generation?Tip #38 - Making Learning Styles Come Alive in Interactive StoriesTip #84 - Remove the Sting of Compliance Courses: Make Them Short, Succinct, Easy to LearnTip #92 - The SMEs' Fault - They Think That All Content Is ImportantTip #94 - How to Design Unobtrusive Test QuestionsTip #101 - Incorporating Play Into Learning DesignTip #105 - Breaking 10 Training Rules Using Micro-LearningTip #108 - How to Create 5-Slide Micro-Learning - Tiny, Succinct, FastRay Jimenez, PhDVignettes Learning"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"Ray Jimenez, PhD Vignettes Learning Learn more about story and experience-based eLearning

At work, how many times in a day does someone ask you "How do you do this"? I bet several times. You answer it in the shortest possible way and go back to what you’re doing.Now, how many times in an average day do you check something online? So many times that we lose count. It's like breathing; it's become a part of you.Essentially, we are performing something at every moment.For the sake of our discussion here, let's define "at the moment performance" as acting instantaneously in response to a situation that needs to be fixed or changed.  It happens within seconds or minutes or hours. The action is immediate and occurs quickly. It's a natural thing to do. Everyone in one way or the other,  do "at the moment performance" everyday.We can say with confidence that the goal of leaders, managers, and learning professionals is to help workers achieve optimal "at the moment performance."  Then as learning professionals we converge at the moment of performance.I think the two hurdles to shifting our minds to "at the moment performance" are momentum for traditional practices and active inertia. Donald Sull describes active inertia as "an organization’s tendency to follow established patterns of behavior—even in response to dramatic environmental shifts." He further explains that "market leaders simply accelerate all their tried-and-true activities. In trying to dig themselves out of a hole, they just deepen it." We are a function of our past. Before we plan to make changes in the future and when we achieve these changes, we hang on to the momentum for traditional practices.Specifically, in the past, our momentum in learning and training is "teaching something." Teaching was based on rigid curriculums, testing, design, multimedia, presentations, retention, tracking, traditional learning styles and many more. What was at one time solutions to problems are today barriers that hinder us from focusing on "at the moment performance." Tests to prove knowledge retention delay performance of an action and "curriculums and certifications often focus on the eventualities (aimed at the future) when skills and knowledge are needed."I propose that much of what we currently know and do are old solutions that do not support today's "at the moment performance."An example of old teaching practices that can hamper learning is "rote learning". A learner has to memorize information by repetition. Ben Orlin calls memorization "a frontage road: … It’s a detour around all the action, a way of knowing without learning, of answering without understanding."How do we break the momentum for traditional practices and focus on "at the moment performance"?We Are the Big Experiment in "At the Moment Performance"We, as learning professionals, are the experiment in "at the moment performance." It is an experiment we do each time we move from one momentum stream to a newer momentum stream.Are we recalibrating our goals and focus, seeing the trends or watching people learn? Are we thinking of a snapshot or novel? Can we focus on a moment of need and moment of performance?Illustration:Someone sends you an email requesting your help. What is your instant reaction?[   ] Write an explanation and email it back.[   ] Find a link and send it to the person.[   ] Tell the person to use keywords and search online.Your answer provides insight into your habits and your frame of mind.Look at the illustration below. (I used an oversimplified example to stress the smallness of actions.) The requester sends an email and the response was a link.What is the nature of the conversation?Link to Youtube.This exchange of emails probably happened in 1-2 minutes.I (Ray in the email) made the request by doing a screen capture of the problem. It was faster for me to use Monosnap, a tool that allows me to instantly capture screens, annotate them and get a URL. The image explained the context of my need.Ed, my team member, responded only with a link to a YouTube video. Ed had no other words.To further dissect this illustration, let's compare what we do today with what we would have done in the past.A few things are happening in this small illustration.The need is specificMy problem is small and my need is specific to that problem only. I may not know all other aspects of the FTP software, but at the moment, the help for my specific problem is all I needed.Doing workI was in the process of uploading a file to the FTP, so I was actually doing work, performing a task. I stopped since I recognized a gap in my skill and knowledge. I could not perform.Asked EdEd was the techie in the team. So I asked Ed.Screen captured my requestInstead of a long explanation, I just captured my screen and stated my need. With the image, Ed instantly knew it was about the FTP software, and I described my need. No other words were needed.Ed responded with a YouTube videoEd sent me a link. No explanations. No "Hi or hello". Ed was probably busy, or taking his lunch or using his smartphone. So he saved his keystrokes and only provided what was needed.In Micro-Learning, "At the Moment Performance" Covers Doing, Using Tools, Experiences, Defining NeedsAlthough this may sound like splitting hairs, bear with me for a moment as I discuss what was going on in the previous illustration.The new learners of today are seekers - they know how to look for and find answersThe new generation of learners comprises those who boldly ask questions. Inquiry is "a seeking for truth, information, or knowledge -- seeking information by questioning." The new learners built the habits of freely asking others when in need or searching for the answers themselves. Sources of answers may come from one’s own experience, from others (like Ed) or from a documentation (the YouTube) video. The purpose is very clear—get the job done. The seekers look for  instant answers. They may find more sources of answers for more complex problems, but more often than not they seek immediate solutions and fixes to the issues they face.In what ways are you a seeker? In what ways are your learners seekers? Do they know how to define their needs, format their requests, look for answers to support "at the moment performance"?The ability to define needs, format requests and look for instant answers are key elements of Micro-Learning. (see more on Instant Learning).In Micro-Learning, we help workers and learners fix or change something instantly. We help them find the answers they seek so they can continue "performing at the moment."How is this approach different from teaching them in a classroom or in an elearning or coaching situation?If we change our definition of learners from a captive audience to individual seekers, then we will need to design our learning in a different way.Tools that enable "at the moment performance"To make the request easily answered and save time for both the requester and responder, the seeker uses tools (e.g., screen captures) to convey the message.How many times have you used Google Docs because it is faster to exchange ideas and comment at the same time? There are many tools that support quick conversations and instant collaboration that speed up our tasks. Some examples are: Google Docs ,Tilda, Dropbox, Facebook, Slack, Snagit, Maptitude, Adobe Acrobat XI, Google Sketchup and Wordle.These tools are enablers. They are also continuous learning tools. They make it possible for "at the moment performance" to happen faster, easier and cheaper. These tools empower the learners to expand their capacities to help others and learn faster and continuously. Micro-Learning helps learners and workers perform faster with the aid of tools.As a learning professional, what tools do you consider part of what your learners should learn?I propose that in every training you design, you include tools that enable you to do "at the moment performance" and continuous learning.Do we change behaviors and tools at the moment of performance?  I wrestle with this question:Tools are provided "to generate performance and learning at the moment of need" (Gerry, 1991 cited by Stephen Desrosiers and Stephen Harmon). Tools do not dictate our actions. "At the moment performance" is an immediate decision to act in a concrete situation. Tools are provided to assist us in fixing or changing the situation.Imagine the popularity of Fitbit. It is a device that measures personal metrics including the number of steps taken, heart rate and sleep quality.The goal is for 2,000 steps a day, for example. Your body tells FitBit to count. Then Fitbit regularly alerts you how and when you need to do more steps. While we want to think that we accomplish 2,000 steps due to our own will power, we also know that FitBit has a role in this."At the moment performance" is made possible as we keep allowing workers and learners to use these tools. In the case of Ed, do we allow workers to access YouTube references or do we still bar them from accessing such resources from our corporate firewalls? Inside our firewalls, do we encourage workers to share their experiences by allowing them to use tools like video sharing, drawing, collaboration, instant messaging and many others?Changing behaviors and helping learners build high levels of confidence with their tools are at the heart of Micro-Learning.ConclusionMicro-Learning is learning by doing. It enables learners to understand what needs to be done in a concrete situation and to act instantaneously. Put another way, Micro-Learning propels "at the moment performance."ReferencesSull, Donald. Why companies go bad. Harvard Business Review. July-August, 1999Are you an Agnostic or Principled Learning Professional?Orlin, Ben. When memorization gets in the way of learning. The Atlantic. Sept. 9, 2013Wikipedia. File Transfer ProtocolEducational Broadcasting Corporation. Inquiry-based LearningDesrosiers, Stephen and Harmon, Stephen. Performance support systems for education and training: could this be the next generation?Tip #38 - Making Learning Styles Come Alive in Interactive StoriesTip #84 - Remove the Sting of Compliance Courses: Make Them Short, Succinct, Easy to LearnTip #92 - The SMEs' Fault - They Think That All Content Is ImportantTip #94 - How to Design Unobtrusive Test QuestionsTip #101 - Incorporating Play Into Learning DesignTip #105 - Breaking 10 Training Rules Using Micro-LearningTip #108 - How to Create 5-Slide Micro-Learning - Tiny, Succinct, FastRay Jimenez, PhDVignettes Learning"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"Ray Jimenez, PhD Vignettes Learning Learn more about story and experience-based eLearning

From zombies to high potentials, DDI brings you the most popular leadership blogs of 2016.