The e-learning juggernaut is showing no signs of slowing. According to a report released by Docebo, the global market for self-paced online training solutions reached $35.6 billion in 2011. The report estimates that the market would register a five-year compound annual growth rate of 7.6%. This means that it should touch the $51.5 market billion by 2016. What makes e-learning immensely popular in the L&D world? Why are companies throughout the world climbing the online training bandwagon? How can organizations deliver better training through this format? Let us see. Hope you find this post interesting. How do you train your people? We’d love to know. Related Posts10 Reasons for High Dropout Rates in Online Learning Courses [Infographic]6 Phases of an Effective Instructional Design Process [Infographic]5 Tips to Make a Stupendous Online Course

Have you introduced a new software application in your organization?Are you wondering how to train your global workforce on it in the most optimal way? Doing so with classroom trainings can lead to a logistical and financial nightmare. How do you overcome these glitches and train your employees effectively so that they will be ready to use the tool without any further training interventions? Simulations E-learning provides the best answer to this issue through ‘Watch-Try-Do’ simulations. These simulations provide learners the opportunity to watch and become acquainted with the software tool - what to do, how to do, which options to select, how to proceed, etc. In the Try segment, learners are given a chance to actually work on the tool by going through the entire steps in a simulated environment, along with prompts to guide them. They thus gain hands-on experience on using the tool and will be able to perform, ‘Do’ in real-time. If your process involves a diverse set of users who are assigned different roles and have distinct functionalities (such as HR managers, managers, and employees in a Performance Management System), you can separate your e-learning course into different modules based on their roles. This will ensure that learners become familiar with their part of the process without being overwhelmed by the entire process. You can even start your e-learning course with a short video telling learners what the simulation is all about - how it will help them and in which aspects. Adobe Captivate Various e-learning authoring tools provide this ‘Watch-Try-Do’ functionality, but Adobe Captivate is one of the most effective, easy-to-use tools for software simulations. How to Start? Just run the tool in the background and start the software application. This is done in 2 steps. Step 1: Start Adobe Captivate andunder ‘Create New’select ‘Software Simulation’. Step 2: Select the option ‘Screen Area’ to indicate that the screen actions are to be captured. You can set the dimensions of the capture area using the ‘Custom Size’ option. Click ‘Record’ to start recording the screen captures. You can start performing the needed steps in the software to be captured. (Ensure that all other applications/pop-up windows are closed as they will be captured too if they appear during the execution.) How to Stop? Go through the entire process to be recorded. Once all the steps are done, pressing the ‘End’ button on the keyboard will stop the capturing process. Pressing the F12 key provides a preview of the slides. The Output Adobe Captivate captures every mouse-click as an individual slide and provides default highlight boxes, callouts, and message boxes.  Highlight boxes are used to highlight on-screen elements such as buttons, icons, text-fields, etc.  Callouts are used to provide appropriate instructions.(Example: ‘Click Next to continue’, ‘Enter the name in the highlighted area’, ‘Select the end date by clicking the calendar icon’, etc.) Message boxes are used to provide additional information to the learners. (Example: Your request will now be transferred to your HR manager. Check your Inbox for further notifications.) All these elements are editable which makes this tool a quick and efficient option. Unwanted screens can be deleted, the highlight boxes can be moved around, and their color, width, etc. can also be edited. Even the callouts and message boxes can be customized with relevant text, font colors, styles, background colors, etc. Example Screenshot These screen capturescan be used to construct the simulation, providing learners an accurate look-and-feel and the necessary steps in an easy-to-understand, real-time environment which makes learning more effective. They can also be converted into a video, if needed, which can be embedded into e-learning courses as a quick reference aid. Thus, Abode Captivate is a very effective, easy-to-use tool for software simulations. It saves development time and efforts and provides rapid scalability. It is very simple to operate and customize. Infact, the captures can be done easily by people who have an actual idea of the tool and not by the developers. Translations are very easy too.If you have the tool in multiple languages, screen captures can be done quickly by the experts, and only the text in the callouts and message boxes will need to be translated into the desired languages. Hope you have a fruitful experience training your global workforce on new software applications using Adobe Captivate. Related PostsHow to Combine Your Adobe Captivate Projects Into Single Course?What Kind of Training Programs Goes Well with Adobe Captivate 7?The Unique Benefits and Limitations of Adobe Captivate

Do you want to make your e-learning courses appealing? Then, you are at the right place. In this post, I will share how to use avatars in different ways to make your online courses engaging and help your learners focus better. 1. Use Avatars to guide learners through the Course Avatars are used for guided learning, as they hold the learner’s attention and make him engaged. We have used an ‘ant’ as an avatar in a course on supply chain management. The ant guides the learner throughout the course and makes him understand the basics of the supply chain management. 2. Use Avatars to ask icebreaker questions Using avatars to ask icebreaker questions makes the online course more interesting. Introducing the course with icebreakers helps you get your learners into the right mood and grab their attention quickly. You can pose a series of questions to your learners in the context of their learning need. We used avatars in one of our courses on performance management where we used icebreaker questions. 3. Use Avatars in the introductory slide You can effectively set the stage for learning by using avatars in the introductory screen. Avatars used in introductory screens need not be a vector image; it can be the image of a person. Depending on the content, we need to choose an avatar. For example, we used the image of a doctor as an avatar in a course on panic disorder, which went a long way in grabbing the attention of learners. 4. Use Avatars to explain topics Avatars can be used to present content when there is text on the screen (in a bulleted format) that is in sync with audio. Let’s look at an example from a course on building a positive workplace culture. Here, we introduced an avatar, which presents information on 5Ps that the learners need to know to create a positive workplace culture, in synch with audio. This makes them more engaged in the course. 5. Use Avatars to provide advice, helpful tips, and highlight important points Learners will be more engaged when avatars are used to provide advice and tips and highlight important points, and this will help them complete the course. Here is an example from our course on safety awareness where an avatar provides a few important tips to make the home a safer place. 6. Use Avatars to assess learners’ knowledge Using avatars in an assessment to give feedback will make the learner more engaged. Avatars can be used to assess learners’ knowledge and help them retain the learning longer. Here is an example from a technician training course, where we used an avatar whose expressions change based on the answer selected by the learner. 7. Use Avatars in scenarios Avatars play a key role in scenarios. In our course on a sales process, we used a conversation-based branching scenario. This type of scenario leads the learner to different pathways, depending on the answer he chooses. This conversation between two characters helps the learner retain the learning and apply it easily. 8. Use Avatars for storytelling Using avatars in stories makes the course lively. We designed a course for training HR managers, and this course was about the policies and processes they should know and follow while recruiting new employees. The course revolves around the story of Bob, the new HR manager who needs to tackle talent crunch and recruit new employees. An avatar guides Bob at each step of the recruitment process, helping him complete the process successfully. By the end of the course, the learners understand the process of recruitment. While creating an e-learning course, try to create an avatar which supports the content, to make the course interesting. How do you use avatars? Do share with us. Related Posts4 Effective Ways of Presenting Scenarios in E-learning Courses3 Interesting Avatars Which We Have Used in our E-learning Courses5 Tips to Make your E-learning a Success

Organizations spend considerable time and money in recruiting new talent. There are many phases in the recruitment process, starting from initial screening to final selection. Once new employees join a company, they need to be provided with induction training. Importance of Induction New hire orientation or induction training plays vital role in retaining the employees.It will introduce the employees to the organization and gives the first impression about the company. And, it is well-known that the first impression is the best impression. Induction training goes a long way in helping new hires become familiar with the organization’s culture and structure.It also gives them a clear idea of their perks and benefits and the policies and processes they need to follow. Induction training will also enable new recruits to match their career goals with organizational goals. Good induction training will make new employees feel that they are a part of the organization. At the same time, it provides the employees with skills and knowledge required to perform their job duties. How to Deliver Induction Training Induction training is an ongoing activity not a one time affair.It can be broken down into three phases. Pre-Induction Induction Post-Induction Pre-Induction: Pre-Induction is a creative idea to welcome and train employees before joining the organization. It is a best practice to send a welcome note along with a few online training resources which talk about the organization’s vision, mission, people and culture, to a new employee, after he accepts the offer. These help the employee to have basic and real information about the company. Pre-induction training will be effective if wedeliver it online. Pre-induction training enables all new hires to come to the organization with the same prior knowledge. Induction: Once an employee joins the organization, right from the day one, induction training will be provided. We need to conduct certain sessions in a classroomwhile the others can be held online. Using blended learning to impart induction training is very useful to enhance productivity quickly. For example,we can use a trainer to explain new hires about a company and introduce them to its key people. The trainer can also take them through the premises of the organization and help them interact with the team. We can use e-learning modules to train new recruits on company’s history and values. E-learning can also be used to explain a new employee’s job role and responsibilities and the policies and safety procedures that he needs to follow. Post-Induction: An evaluation needs to be conducted after the completion of the induction program.This will help the organization know whether the program is effective or not. Also, the induction process can be improved by analyzing the feedback from each employee.You can provide each employee with a hand book and other online training material to reinforce the learning. Induction training can be effectively delivered through a blended approach.A well-designed learning blend can motivate new hires very effectively and help them get used to their work in quick time. Please share your thoughts. Related PostsNew Employee Orientation Through E-learningSignificance of Orientation for New Employees!New Employee Orientation Training - Why Use eLearning?

It is common knowledge that effective training goes a long way in enhancing the performance of pharmaceutical sales representatives. Well-trained medical representatives can explain the features of their products to doctors and convince them to prescribe the drugs. But, how can pharmaceutical companies impart good training to their sales teams? What does it take to meet the learning needs of a medical representative, in an efficient and cost-effective manner? Well, you need to deliver information in the form of learning nuggets. Here is an info-graphic that lists the benefits of using bite-sized learning modules. Hope you find this post interesting. Do share your views. Related PostsInstructional Strategies to Train Medical Representatives Online5 Training Programs for Medical Representatives - An Infographic5 Types of Trainings Every Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Needs

How can you impart the best training to your personnel? What does it take to make sure that your people have the right knowledge and skills to deal with a highly complex, ever-changing business environment? Well, you need to use learning technology to impart workplace training. Revolutionary developments in technology have made corporate training highly flexible and enable the busy employee to access courses anytime, anywhere. Technology-enabled training programs are very cost-effective and reduce the time taken for delivering training considerably. Various studies have revealed that companies using learning technologies were able to cut workplace training costs by at least 50%, and delivery times have gone down by 60%. Therefore, it did not come as a surprise when Global Industry Analysts Inc. reported that the global market for e-learning solutions would reach $107 billion, registering a near 100% growth. Are you too planning to climb the learning technology bandwagon? Then, check out the highly informative webinar Harnessing E-learning to Deliver Effective Workplace Training. The webinar answers the following questions. How can learning technology be used to meet your training objectives? Why do you need to go in for technology-enabled learning solutions? What are the issues in implementing technology-enabled learning solutions and how can they be resolved? What does it take initiate e-learning in your organization effectively? Download the webinar now! Related PostsWhy Consider Moodle for LMS Hosting? - An InfographicHow to Create Section 508 E-learning Course Using FlashWhy E-learning Making its Mark in Corporate Sector?

Generally, in an e-learning course learners select all the correct answers then we assign the score for question. But we cannot assign the score for each correct answer. One of our client’s requirement was to create a multiple response question and assign the score points for each correct answer. If the question have two correct answers when the learner select only one correct answer learner will get points. We used the default features of Articulate Storyline to meet this requirement. Here are the steps. Step 1: Create a Multiple Response question as shown in the below screenshot. Note: Here, we have two correct answers i.e. Option1 and Option4. Step 2: Create a Numeric variable (Score) to calculate the score. Make sure that the initial value of the variable is 0. Refer to the screenshot below.   Step 3: Add a trigger to add 5 points to the variable Score when the learner selects a correct response and clicks the Submit button. Apply the same trigger to the other correct answer. Step 4: Publish the course and check the output. As you can see in the above screenshot, a score was assigned only to the correct option (Option1).  These are the steps to assign scores to one or some correct answers of an assessment question. Hope you find this post useful. Do share your thoughts. Related PostsRapid E-learning through Storyline Tool: 5 Infographics Sharing Key FeaturesHow to Combine Your Adobe Captivate Projects Into Single Course?Customizing MCQs Multiple Response Slide in Articulate Storyline

As a Project Manager working with Fortune 500 clients across various industries and cross functional teams for more than 8 years, I’ve helped my clients meet their business challenges by providing solutions that best suit their training objectives. I have observed that most of the training requirements we receive from our clients are basically technical in nature which require a specialized skillset or sound instructional strategies in eLearning. I’ve also learnt that our customers develop a few trainings on their own for general topics that do not require much technical expertise. This helps them strike a balance between their needs and training budgets. Let me share with you the secrets that will help reduce your eLearning costs: In-House Narrators: When you do not have the budget for a professional narration, search for internal employees who have professional voices and record the voiceover in-house. You may still need to the bear minimum cost of booking the recording studio to ensure quality audio recording with your internal team. Templates Library: Create a library of unique screen designs collected from various eLearning courses developed by your internal teams. This will facilitate rapid design and development and reusability. Take advantage of existing templates and create internal screens rapidly. Rapid Authoring Tools: These days, a number of rapid authoring tools that help eLearning professionals develop courses quickly are available in market. These tools help designers select the pre-built screens and incorporate them in their training modules. Some tools such as Articulate Storyline provide features to record and develop software simulations very quickly. Developing a "Watch, Try, Do" simulation helps the learner understand and apply the software in the simulated environment. Publish for Mobile Devices: According to the Forester report on mobile adoption "66% of employees now use two or more devices every day, including desktops, laptops, smartphones and tablets. A smaller, but notable 12% percent said they now use tablets at work. Very soon, people expect to perform all activities, through their mobile devices and this includes training as well. Organizations need to address the needs of their "mobile learners". Ensure you publish your courses in HTML 5 Format that can be accessed via mobile devices. I hope you find this blog helpful. Please do share your insights on how you reduce your training costs in the comments column provided below. Thank you for spending your valuable time in reading my blog. Please keep visiting our blogs to access more informative stuff on eLearning. Happy reading! Related Posts6 Aspects to Consider Before Starting an E-learning ProjectSmart Questions to Evaluate Product Knowledge of Medical Representatives5 Compelling Reasons Why Organizations Need E-learning

To be on the competitive edge, all sales representatives need to be updated constantly on new services and products available. With respect to pharmacokinetics, many new products are coming up for each disease. The pharmaceutical sales representative finds it hard to introduce his company’s products.. The physician is more familiar with the diseases and the required medicines than the medical representative. So, in order to be successful as a pharmaceutical sales person, one needs to possess knowledge equivalent to that of a doctor. For a medical representative to promote his company’s drugs effectively, he needs extensive training that provides reinforcement. So, how do you think this can be done? The answer - training can be imparted using technology, with one click. One of our esteemed clients has asked us to develop an online training program to train its sales representatives on drug awareness. The client wanted these courses to be developed using Articulate Storyline. Also, the client wanted us to develop 10-15 minute modules. They provided us with the courses which we further divided into micro learning modules. Introduced every module with ‘WIFM’ questions Instead of stating the learning objectives directly, we posed a series of questions to the learners about the content to make them think of the answers. We named this slide as ‘What’s In It For Me?’ Presented a ‘Can you recall’ question We introduced the course with a question, to test the learners’ previous knowledge and reinforce their learning. These can be either single/multiple select questions. We then provided the feedback based on their selection, to highlight how and where the current learning is applicable introducing the learner to a new topic. Used animations and appropriate images to explain the main points It is a well-known fact that the first impression on everything is derived from its appearance. When you design a course that is visually rich with info-graphics, animations, images, etc., your work of engaging the learners is half done. Good animations and appropriate images enable the learners to understand concepts much better. For example, in this course, we explained the respiratory system in the human body through animations and images. Presented ‘nice to know’ information as separate tabs ‘Nice to know’ information is something that is not much important to the learners, but may provide extra information on a topic. We presented examples, additional information, references, and important hints on the topic in the form of nice to know information to the learners. Provided a summary for each module At the end, we provided the recap for every module by listing the key points to reinforce learning. We listed all important points in alignment with the learning objectives. Thus, the learners get the complete essence of the course. Included quiz and clinical application We provided the learner with a quiz to help him check his understanding. Also, at the end, we created an activity wherein the doctor will ask questions regarding the usage of a particular drug, and then, the sales representative will list both the advantages and disadvantages of that drug. These were some strategies that were used to train pharmaceutical sales representatives to update their knowledge. Do share your views on the same. Related PostsTraining Medical Representatives - Benefits of Using Bite-Sized Modules [Infographic]5 Types of Training for Sales Representatives of Pharmaceutical Firms - An Infographic5 Types of Trainings Every Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Needs

Content chunking means breaking large content into small bite sized units that are easy to understand and manage. It is done when there is heavy content or too much content for a given topic. Content is chunked at course level and screen level. Course level defines how modules, lessons and topics are organized in a logical flow. Screen level chunking shows how lessons are divided into various screens with one key point in each screen without breaking its flow. There are many factors that need to be considered while chunking content at screen level - audio, visuals, content type, screen size etc. Let’s now take a look at how these factors influence the chunking pattern in this infographic. If you have more to add, please share your comments in the column Related PostsImportance of Content Chunking for Effective eLearning Development3 Tips to Use Audio Efficiently in E-learning - An InfographicInstructional and Visual Components in Food Safety Training Courses