I’m your learner, and I’m bored. I didn’t read the last three pages of text about lab safety procedures. As soon as the "Next" button appeared, I clicked it. By the way, did you really think I only needed one second to read each paragraph? You probably should have programmed the "Next" button to take longer to appear than just three seconds. I’m a fast reader, but I’m not that fast. Oh and when the inevitable quiz pops up at the end—I’m guessing on everything. This course has nothing to do with MY job. Sound familiar? Stop throwing pages of text at your learners and try using a scenario in your next training course. A scenario can be as basic or as complex as you want it to be—depending on the information you need to cover. Here are a few tips for getting started with eLearning scenarios: 1. Map out your scenario. Here’s a screenshot of an interesting flowchart that explores the Greek financial crisis. (Note: this is from 2012, but it’s interesting to see which of Lombard Street Research’s predictions came true and compare these scenarios to how the Greek economy actually turned out.) The interactive chart starts with just two branches, but each one explores the various scenarios that could play out depending on the two possible outcomes of the vote. While this particular flowchart’s graphics don’t make for very exciting eLearning, you can use it as an example of how to map out your scenario. This action leads to these two options, which each have these two possibilities… and so on. That way, when you start building out the actual simulation in Lectora® eLearning authoring software, you already have an outline to reference. 2. Use real-life examples. In my intro to this blog, I put myself in the shoes of a bored, disinterested learner and claimed your course was irrelevant to my job. To avoid this situation, ensure that your scenario is something that could happen in real life and that you are using images and characters that reasonably represent your learner’s workplace. In research performed by psychologist Wendy Joung, firefighters were shown "best practices training" without negative consequences and a case study-based training where errors occurred and produced real-life negative consequences. The firefighters learned more, had higher retention, and were more satisfied with the "negative consequences" training. Remember—they’re performing their job in real life with real consequences and their training should reflect that! Now, sometimes you want to keep a course very image neutral—if the course will be delivered globally to a diverse group of learners, for example. Or if you are creating a police training course and you want to avoid any appearance of profiling or discrimination, you might want to replace all your human characters with cartoon animals—Ranger Rick style. (Image Source: National Wildlife Federation) After all, who could be offended by a cute little raccoon wearing a hat? In general, however, a realistic course is the most engaging. If you’re not familiar with the subject matter your course covers, find a subject matter expert (SME) who is. He or she can help you craft a scenario that feels real to your audience. Check out this blog for tips on working with subject matter experts: Getting to Know Your Subject Matter Experts. 3. Challenge your learners. Have you ever taken a multiple choice test where it was very obvious which answer was right and which was just an absurd option the teacher put in because he was bored? Don’t insult your learners’ intelligence like that. Make each possible path in your scenario seem like it could be correct. Bill Gates said, "It’s fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure." Don’t worry if your learners go down the wrong path in your scenario—they’re still learning! If you use Lectora® Inspire 12, you have access to tons of great scenario templates in the eLearning Brothers Template Library. Even if those don’t fit your needs, Lectora makes it easy to create branching scenarios from scratch with actions and variables. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination! Download a free trial of Lectora Inspire and see for yourself how easy it is to create interactive scenarios for your training program. Don’t forget to subscribe to the Everything eLearning Blog too, for weekly tips, free downloads, and resources to help you on your eLearning journey. The post Your eLearning is Boring—Add a Scenario appeared first on .

I read an interesting article recently (linked below), which declared that Generation Y hates mLearning and doesn’t want to use it. Some of the reasons quoted included "Why should I use a mobile phone for learning when I can use my computer? Why should I learn from a small, hard to navigate screen when I can use a big monitor and a mouse?" and "The whole mLearning experience is not captivating." As a member of Generation Y, I found the article a bit surprising, and it got me thinking about different generations and how they learn. It also made me think that perhaps the surveyed employees just hadn’t been exposed to good mLearning! Most organizations—including us here at Trivantis—have a mix of generations represented among their staff. That’s why, for this Thursday’s Trending Topic, I gathered together articles that cover eLearning for all generations. Happy learners learn better, and you want to make sure you’re providing appealing learning types to all your team members! • Why Gen Y Doesn’t Want To Use mLearning? • Designing Online Training for Generation Y • Repurpose Formal eLearning for the Millennial Learner • Applying K-12 Education Tips to Adult Learning • All About Andragogy: Adult Learning Theory • How to Focus Attention in Adult Learning and E-learning • How and Why: Motivating Adult Learners • Modern Learners Speak Out. Listen to What They Have to Say! Have you experienced pushback from your Generation Y employees on an mLearning initiative? Or did they love it? Share your experiences in the comments or tweet us @Lectora! Don’t forget to subscribe to the Everything eLearning Blog for more trending topics, industry news, and product updates from Trivantis! The post Thursday’s Trending Topic: eLearning for All Generations appeared first on .

What’s the most important factor in developing a highly-productive workforce? Is it training? To some extent yes - but training alone doesn’t increase performance or productivity. Then is it providing the right work environment? Sure, that’s a part of it. What about compensation? Or the management team? Or the effectiveness of employee development efforts? While each of these things plays a role in workforce productivity, there is one factor that contributes more than any other single effort - and that is performance support. Advancing the job performance of today’s workforce isn’t as simple as offering skills training alone. Even the best-designed training program will fall short if your employees aren’t supported in the application of what they’ve learned. A well-planned performance support program will help your workforce to put what they’ve learned in training into practice, at the time they need to do it. What is performance support? Performance support is a term that has evolved over time as new technologies and tools have become available. While in the past it might have referred to companies providing an extensive in-house library, today performance support means much more. Supporting a modern workforce in the performance of their jobs means offering the type of instant access to information that wasn’t even possible just a few years ago. This type of on-demand support means providing instant access to training and reference materials on mobile platforms, or creating a searchable database of instructional videos. In this way it can be seen as a supplement to other training efforts. While training provides the foundational knowledge an employee needs to help him perform his job, performance support provides the contextual details that allow him to be as productive as possible. How to get the most out of performance support Employee's fresh off of their most recent training often wait weeks or longer to put that new knowledge to the test. And frequently an employee will forget most of what he learns in training soon after leaving the classroom. Without a performance support mechanism in place he must rely on memory, notes and tips scribbled in his workbook, or frantic phone calls to a subject matter expert. Instead, with a properly designed performance support mechanism in place the employee can review the highlights of his training on his mobile device before putting it to use. He can also review a recorded video of an expert performing the procedure. Once on sight, he can access a support portal that tells him the exact specs and confirms what he believes is the problem. Now that’s on-demand support. The problem with not offering performance support Plenty of organizations have built extensive learning and development programs that offer a wide variety of training courses to their workforce. They’ve also likely created robust content management and learning management systems to help in this effort. The investment in employee L&D programs such as these is substantial, and should be commended - however, even this effort falls short if it doesn’t include a performance support component. It’s like sending the Apollo astronauts into space without the benefit of the support crew back in Houston. (Uh, guys..... we have a problem.) Advancing the job performance of today’s workforce isn’t as simple as offering training, no matter how well-designed it is. The training component is only a part of the picture. Remember, the knowledge acquired by an employee in his training stays with the employee, while a performance support system is available to any employee who needs it. With all of the time, effort and investment of capital needed to build an employee training program, it simply makes sense to include a performance support component as well. And modern technology has made the ability to provide this support easier than it’s ever been. Through mobile devices and 24/7 access, our modern workforce has the equivalent of NASA’s entire Apollo space effort in the palm of their hands. The team of Performance Support experts here at Designing Digitally, Inc. is experienced at creating programs that can help your workforce be as productive as possible. Let us know what we can do for you in building a next-generation performance support program that will make the most of your training investment and efforts.

A gradual shift has taken place within the corporate landscape over the past few years. The mobile devices we carry for personal use, from smartphones to tablets to personal laptops, have increasingly found a place in the work environment. And while the policy expounded by security experts in the past may have been "not on my network," today a different policy has taken hold. With at least one study showing as many as 90% of employees using their personal devices for work purposes, businesses are starting to take notice. And since most employees are paying for their own devices and data plans, any business benefit comes at no extra expense to the organization. This shift toward not just accepting but embracing personal smartphones and other devices has led to a policy of BYOD or Bring Your Own Device. If carrying a smartphone or tablet makes employees more productive and efficient at no extra cost to the business, that’s an obvious advantage to any organization. How BYOD affects online training So if employees are willing to use their personal devices for work purposes, what other benefits might we expect from this shift toward a BYOD policy? The prevalence - and in fact ubiquity - of smart devices in the workplace has meant a shift toward the use of these devices in the delivery of training. It’s fair to say that mobile learning is one of the most interesting and promising areas of training development we’ve seen in a long time. The opportunity to provide training on demand at any time and from anywhere is a unique and exciting prospect. By allowing employees to learn and study where they want and when they want, we’re giving control of their learning environment to them. In addition, we’re delivering the training on a device they are familiar with and are comfortable using. Security and compatibility Of course there are challenges to delivering mobile learning to a variety of devices, platforms, screen sizes and operating systems. In addition to design and development difficulties there are security issues, software support issues, privacy issues, and the list goes on. If you are considering introducing mobile learning into your BYOD environment, here are some things you should keep in mind. What types of training are best for a BYOD environment? No one is suggesting that all training will be converted to mobile devices, or that m-learning is likely to take the place of more advanced online training. However, some training lends itself quite well to these devices and the fact that they’re always with us. Some of the best uses of mobile device-delivered training include: Right-size your lesson. Use responsive e-learning design elements with dynamic layouts to develop training that can be seen even on small screens. Not every employee will have a tablet or large-screen smartphone, so images and text should dynamically adjust to the screen size. Consider implementing strict security policies. According to some studies, 40% of smartphones are not password protected. That means if a device falls into the wrong hands, your companies training scenarios and potentially sensitive information can be exposed. Device support. With all of the various devices and platforms, support and compatibility can be a major issue. M-learning should be developed with a consideration toward video player versions, mobile-friendly viewers, Flash compatibility and HTML 5 support. Lesson optimization. Another consideration when developing training that will be experienced on a mobile device is the size and duration of the lesson itself. It’s best to develop m-learning lessons that are easily consumed in small chunks of time - generally between 10 and 15 minutes. What types of training are best for a BYOD environment? No one is suggesting that all training will be converted to mobile devices, or that m-learning is likely to take the place of more advanced online training. However, some training lends itself quite well to these devices and the fact that they’re always with us. Some of the best uses of mobile device-delivered training include: Just-in-time training delivery On-sight installation or repair training Video training for precision techniques Sales training for remote or distant sales staff Foundational skills training in preparation for more detailed process training Step-by-step procedural training on specific operations Here at Designing Digitally, Inc., we have experts that can help to take your BYOD efforts to the next level. Developing training for mobile devices is a challenge, but one that we have successfully achieved for many of our clients. Let us know how we can help you to extend your training beyond the classroom and directly to your workforce on their own devices. Please contact us here for more information.

As more employees are using their personal devices for business purposes, companies are scrambling to make the most of this shifting paradigm. One way that businesses have found to take advantage of the increase in smartphone and tablet use in the workplace is to tailor their eLearning delivery to accommodate these handheld devices. With employees never out of arm’s reach of their devices, now they’re never very far from access to training. However, this presents a whole new set of challenges for eLearning developers. While in the past it may have been an easy assumption that workers would view training materials on a large-format computer screen, that’s no longer the case. Now eLearning is being viewed on a variety of devices with vastly differing screen sizes. So what are we to do? That’s where responsive eLearning design comes in. What is responsive eLearning design? In 2015, for the first time ever, tablet sales are projected to outpace sales of desktop PCs and laptops combined. And of course smartphones already outsell PCs and laptops by a factor of 6 to 1. Along with this huge shift toward smaller and more portable devices has been a shift toward smaller screens, which is where responsive eLearning design comes in. Responsive design essentially means that the content presented on a device will adjust to fit the screen size it detects. To be clear, responsive webpage design is not a new concept. Savvy developers have been designing websites that scale to fit screens for many years now. It’s just that eLearning developers haven’t always had the same mindset. However, that is changing rapidly. Variations and adaptations of responsive eLearning design are also something to consider. For example, an eLearning course that is heavy in text or presents multiple complex concepts may not be a good candidate for scaling down to fit a smartphone screen. However, the high-level summaries, guides and expert tip presentations can be made available as a mobile version of the course. Understanding your use cases is an important part of responsive eLearning design. Importance of responsive design in your training By now the importance of designing eLearning courseware that adjusts to fit any screen size should be obvious. For companies that have an open device policy, responsive design actually encourages BYOD, which can ultimately save money and increase training participation. It also allows for greater flexibility and greater control over their training by your workforce. Other reasons to consider responsive design include: With a familiar device, learners are able to focus on the content rather than the distraction of navigating a new platform. Mobile devices like smartphones and connected tablets allow for the inclusion of social interaction features embedded within eLearning materials. Responsive design gives users the ability to begin their training on one device, and transition to a different device to complete it. Think; start at work, finish at home. What if you don’t use responsive elements? If you’re still not convinced that designing for multiple screen sizes is worth the effort, let’s take a look at what can happen if you don’t. We already know that nearly every worker in a corporate setting has a smartphone they carry almost all of the time. In addition, many carry personal tablet devices. If they are forced to use a company-provided computer or laptop to participate in training, this may actually feel archaic or outdated. You may wind up with employees who are frustrated at the experience of training, which can lead to lower participation rates. You may even find that training goals go unmet. The benefits of building responsive design into eLearning courses are obvious and many. And while the extra time needed to create these courses can’t be argued, it is well worth the effort. Here at Designing Digitally, Inc., our team of designers and developers will work with you to create mLearning courses that incorporate the latest in responsive design. This will ensure your employees have the best learning experience possible and are able to have more control over their training. Let us know how we can help you to design eLearning for the future of your organization.

So you’ve successfully rolled out another online training module to your workforce. Nice job! How was the training received? And even more important - was it successful in increasing their understanding about the new product line? What, you don’t know? The design, development and delivery of an online training program is a costly undertaking. Without a careful examination of the results it delivers, this investment may not be as effective as you need it to be. Or worse, it may be a wasted effort entirely. The vast majority of instructional designers and training developers are excellent at what they do. However, the real test of any online training program is how effective it is in educating your target audience. One way of doing this would be to measure safety or performance results before and after the training. If safety violations decrease or performance is measurably improved, this can likely be attributed to the training. Why use focus groups? Taking the time to gather audience feedback will help improve the effectiveness of any training; and this is especially true of online training lessons. With traditional training and even in-house e-learning, user response can be observed and measured in real time. However, it is difficult to quantify user response to online training since the majority of these learners are remote, and seldom provide voluntary feedback. That’s why focus groups are so important in telling us whether we’ve got our online training right before rolling it out to our workforce. A carefully selected focus group comprised of the target demographic of employees with different levels of skill and knowledge can be a valuable tool for measuring training effectiveness. However, make sure they are the audience that directly needs the training to ensure you get accurate feedback on their needs and desires for that information. By observing the focus group as they undertake the training, we can gauge their interest and engagement. But by far the most valuable information we can gain from them is their honest feedback on the effectiveness of the training material itself. The importance of focus group feedback If we as training designers are open to it, the feedback we get from a focus group testing out our online training materials can help us to improve the effectiveness of the course. It can show us things that we, through our emotional investment in the material, might otherwise miss. And by selecting a group of employees with a diverse skillset, but still within the audience targeted, it can show us where we might be making assumptions that are invalid or incorrect. Finally, feedback from a focus group can allow us to see the course from a different perspective - one that training designers often miss because we are too close to the material. All of this valuable feedback can allow us to fine-tune - or even to drastically alter - our online training materials to better serve the learners. And after all, isn’t that the only reason for training to exist? How to structure a focus group and what to look for A focus group differs from pure beta-testing of a training course in that you’re trying to obtain feedback regarding the overall experience rather than just the tested results. With the stakes so high, it’s crucial to structure your focus group correctly in order to achieve the maximum positive impact. The design and structure of the group should follow a basic format that includes considerations such as: Involve employees of varying skill levels and subject matter awareness, but still within your target audience Brainstorm and ask questions regarding what type of learning approach they prefer Monitor and observe the online training course participation Include both individual and group discussion input Ask questions that are open-ended, promote discussion and foster open communication Diligently record all feedback, and consider allowing others to review Analyze the results and look for patterns and consensus Carefully formulate your conclusions, next steps and development plan The questions and discussion topics that you pose to your focus group should also be well-planned, and designed to answer the important questions about the course. Things you will want to illicit from the participants include: What behavior are we attempting to influence? Were the training objectives met? What was your overall experience with the online training material? What did you like about the course? What would you change? Was the length of the course sufficient? Was it relevant to your job role? Would you recommend the course to your work peers? By structuring the focus group carefully and asking the right questions, you can determine whether the online training you’ve designed should be rolled out to your entire workforce. The data you gather can help you to optimize the course, and maximize its effectiveness. Here at Designing Digitally, Inc., we can help you to design and structure a focus group to determine the effectiveness of any online training course. Our experts can also help to create more effective online training for your workforce. Let us know how we can help you by requesting more information here. We look forward to helping you maximize the effectiveness of your online training efforts. For more information on how we can work with you to do a needs analysis that includes focus group consulting, please contact us today!

The question of how, exactly, to value e-learning often comes up, and for good reason. For many people, return on investment (ROI) analysis is the answer. ROI is an important indicator for how effective a training program is, but we must keep in mind a handful of other important elements as well. While ROI should definitely be taken into consideration, there are flaws with using this is as the sole determining factor of what an individual or team has taken away from an e-learning program. When first popularized, e-learning modules were analyzed by measuring assessment results, instead of taking into consideration the majority of learning in this format occurs informally and in unstructured ways. Because of this, it is necessary to change our tune, take a step back, and assess the value of learning in e-learning using different methods than ROI numbers. Learning-measurement Models The first step with this is to look at the various learning-measurement models and how they have changed over the years. Initially, learning measurement looked at knowledge retention in conjunction with attendance and how satisfied learners were with the program. The problem with this is it leaves out several essential factors. In simply looking at statistics outlining how well one can recall the information from the course and whether or not they enjoyed it, we are missing out on the bigger picture. Online learning promotes out of context learning, meaning it is a platform for more abstract learning. Whether you have your e-learning program set up using intranet or allow users to access the module remotely - anytime, anywhere - you are encouraging a unique learning environment and opportunity for your business. In basing the assessment of how effective an e-learning program was on one ‘event’ or on how well a particular group responded, we are leaving out the important informal factors (such as attitude, behavior changes, impact on colleagues, skills gained, and work outputs) that are what actually shows us the value of an e-learning module. What Can We Get From E-Learning? Through analytics and changing the way we measure learning in the online environment, we are moving towards improved performance and the acquisition of knowledge on a larger scale. By implementing workshops, group assignments, and other interactive strategies in an online format, we are paving the way for more engaged and motivated employees. While seeing numbers and ROI on paper may seem like a more effective way to evaluate a training module, they do not offer a true representation. Smartphones, tablets, and laptops have created a need for us to adjust the way we think about learning in general. E-learning has the ability to reach a previously unengaged audience, making it an effective vehicle for rapid change and widespread knowledge. What Do We Need to Be Successful in E-Learning? In order for companies to find success with implementing e-learning strategies, we need to learn how to better assess the impact of activities on knowledge, both short-term and long-term. Those who do not simply look at the numbers, but instead recognize the importance of behavior and make an effort to observe reactions to the specific training modules are far more likely to find success with this format of learning. In understanding the power of learning and how this can directly affect overall employee performance and in turn the success of an organization, you will be helping your business and those who work for you, both short-term and long-term. Instead of evaluating the training program itself, we should be evaluating how well a particular organization uses training to get results. The bottom line is, today’s learning world is far different than it used to be and we need to recognize that learning happens everywhere. The learner of today is no longer reliant on the corporate training machine, but instead a seeker of knowledge on their own terms. This means our learning-measurement models need to also look at observable behaviors in addition to assessing an individual’s actual skill. Innovation, sharpness, creativity, and initiative are important characteristics executives are looking for, albeit more difficult to fit into the old school learning-measurement models.

If your company or organization is considering the move to e-learning, welcome to the 21st century. We mean that sincerely - the future of employee training will be based in some measure on e-learning techniques and concepts. Many successful organizations have already adopted some or most of their workforce learning and development programs to e-learning, whether by converting their traditional training to electronic format, or creating a new e-learning curriculum. In any case, the decision to implement e-learning is both a wise organizational move, and a challenge to accomplish. It is important to understand the implications, and to plan the transition from traditional training to e-learning in a calculated and measured way. To that end, we’ve put together this e-learning rollout checklist for companies that are considering an e-learning program. This checklist should be seen as a guide, not as a recipe. The training needs of every organization are different, with varying requirements and challenges. Partnering with an experienced team of professionals is often the best way to ensure long-term success. How to assess your e-learning needs: In order to successfully convert or implement an e-learning program within your organization, it’s a wise move to assess the training needs of your organization. Understanding where your workforce needs to be in terms of training is the first step to developing a successful e-learning program. Here are some questions to ask of your L&D team, and of your employees themselves. What is the driver for converting to or implementing an e-learning program? Is there any of our training that does not lend itself to e-learning? Do we have the expertise in-house or should we outsource? Is the infrastructure in place to support an e-learning program? How much of our training should be e-learning? What is our current training budget and how much can be allocated to e-learning? What types of e-learning design should we consider? How will we gauge the success of an e-learning program? The answers to these and other company-specific questions should be considered carefully before taking the next steps of moving forward with an e-learning rollout. If your decision is to partner with a team of e-learning design experts like Designing Digitally, Inc., then we can help you in this assessment process. What you need to know when rolling out an e-learning program: Once you’ve assessed the e-learning needs of your organization and are ready to move forward, there are some other things you should keep in mind. Here are some of the major considerations of designing e-learning for your workforce: Courses should be based on clearly defined goals and objectives. With any training program, it is important to define the learning objectives. It is especially critical with e-learning, as this is a self-directed and self-paced learning experience. Help the learner to succeed. E-learning modules should be concise and to the point. Shorter and more focused e-learning modules are more easily consumed when the learner has the time to devote to them. The more concise your lesson, the more likely a learner is to finish it. E-learning must be developed in a common format. In order to properly track and understand the effectiveness of an e-learning program, courses must be developed in one of the trackable formats like SCORM, AICC, Tin Can, xAPI etc. The right course design is crucial to any e-learning effort. It should be built with the learner in mind, and use the latest techniques for online training success. Interactivity Relevance Attractive visual elements Timely feedback Game-based features Branching scenarios A robust learning management system is crucial. Managing and tracking the delivery of e-learning courses is as important as how they’re developed. Integrating a comprehensive LMS will help to ensure greater utilization and success. Should include measurable results. Any e-learning program should contain assessments that measure the results of the lessons. Keep in mind that the results often say as much about the e-learning lesson as they do about the learner. If e-learning is something that your organization is considering, partnering with the right design team can make all the difference. To learn how Designing Digitally, Inc. can help ensure your e-learning project is a success, contact us to discuss your needs. Our design experts can help to assess where you are, and where you need to be with your e-learning initiatives. Don’t get left behind when it comes to the latest training advances - we’re here to help take your training to the next level.

With custom E-Learning design, we help companies and government agencies create the right environments for employees to expand their skills and learn critical tasks they need to do their jobs safely. Proper planning helps to ensure that an interactive experience will engage a learner so he can comprehend, retain and use the knowledge that he will need to help a business or agency reach or exceed its goals. Traditional learning approaches can go only so far to hold the interest of learners and measure their progress. Custom E-Learning design projects focus on the best ways to accommodate learners who can effectively absorb the information at their own pace. Specific knowledge reviews can be built in so the employee can demonstrate that he or she understands the material before beginning the next section. Internal teams can design E-Learning modules, but they may have limited time or perspectives based on what they’ve done before and who they’ve had the opportunity to with in the past. Designing Digitally, Inc. offers a complete team of instructional designers and developers who excel at custom E-Learning design. It’s not just their core talents that make a difference for clients. Projects succeed because they understand and honor a proven process. If you skip a step or rush through something, a project can easily fall short of learning goals. Learners can easily lose interest or not grasp what they’re supposed to learn if the course is hampered by shortcomings, including not being relevant or creative. Custom E-Learning design can only be successful if everyone follows the process, which also depends on his or her insights and perspectives. Key elements include: Needs analysis High-level questions & knowledge extraction Learning analysis and planning Content acquisition LMS assessment Wireframes ​Interface Interactions Content screens Welcome and congrats Storyboarding​ Audio scripting Voiceover talent selection Interface & UI design 2D & 3D art asset development Video recording Programming Core functionality Animations and Interactive knowledge checks and assessments Quality assurance Detailed usability testing Detailed technology testing Detailed user experience testing Implementation & evaluation Along the way, our clients are involved as well because we value what they add to each custom E-Learning design project - from goal setting and content to a review of our approach. The collaboration also gives us the best opportunity to structure modules that clearly reflect learners’ work environments (imagery and text must be appropriate based on their roles within a company or government agency). Shaping the right E-Learning course can be daunting enough for employers. Custom E-Learning design can make all of the difference when the planning design and programming are in the right hands. All of Designing Digitally Inc.’s projects are tailored around the needs of each client. Buying something off the shelf doesn’t make much sense. In the best-case scenario, that product will likely address only one issue without covering the deeper problems a business faces. Our process succeeds because it includes a needs analysis that factors in the target audience, skills gaps, existing training materials and assessing current technology (including what devices learners will use and authoring tools that are required). We help define modules and module topics, aligning them with specific learning objectives and project themes (including the tone and the type of interactions that reflect real-world choices). It’s hard to get to the point unless we dig deep into the problems and challenges companies strive to minimize or solve. Whether by phone or face-to-face, we connect with managers and their employees to uncover training gaps and imperfections. The effectiveness of E-Learning design can fall short with internal teams or even with other firms that tout their expertise. Shortcomings with skills and experience become clear if a project is in the hands of few people. Designing Digitally Inc. prefers to support clients with our deep bench of experts who can play to their strengths. We always assign a project coordinator an instructional designer, and a team of specialists, including programmers, graphic designers and audio professionals to each custom E-learning project.

With hundreds of serious game developers out there and thousands of design options, it may seem like quite a challenge to pick the best solution for your business. Fortunately, the staff at Designing Digitally, Inc. has come up with a blueprint for our clients to receive the best possible educational experiences every time by using cutting-edge technology and good old fashioned customer service to learn your exact needs. This overview will teach you a little more about serious games, the development process, and what it takes to make your new educational software a huge success. Definition of Serious Games A serious game is exactly as the phrase implies- a gaming title that’s created with a serious reason for playing. It is designed with the intention of entertaining the user while providing an educational experience, and this concept works extremely well because the student is having fun while developing critical skills that will be used in the workforce. Generally, companies will have serious games developed to solve a specific problem; which can vary from training new staff members to educating their consumers on a new product or service. Additionally, serious games do not fall into a distinct gaming category because they can be implemented in dozens of styles and play styles. What makes game-based training different from other types of learning experiences? By immersing the user into a learning environment that is both educational and enjoyable, students are able to absorb large amounts of information within a very short time span when compared to traditional teaching methods. The "fun factor" also makes this form of learning much more likely to capture the user’s complete attention. Main Considerations in Development Unfortunately, there is not a ‘one size fits all" type of solution for businesses looking to have a serious game developed. Reason being, each and every company will have unique challenges and requirements. That’s why serious game development always starts with a thorough analysis of: The overall learning objectives to be implemented The various educational levels of potential users The delivery platform(s) that will be used The other types of software/hardware needs The potential length of the training involved Length of training and frequency The corporate culture and the "feel" of the business The levels of persuasion needed to engage users The long-term expansion requirements In other words, each serious game needs to be custom-tailored to fit all of a business’s potential needs, both immediately and long term. That can only happen by analyzing each and every requirement before the design phases, since that will ultimately influence how objectives can be developed and implemented. Marketing your Serious Game It may seem a bit strange to hear a serious game developed for your company has to be properly marketed, but that’s exactly the case in many work environments. While some employees will be naturally curious or simply eager to learn, the vast majority will require some minor incentives to initially participate with your new software. As long as you’re promoting it as a challenging new way to have fun and become more proficient on the job, it will eventually take on its own momentum from the various gamification elements involved. You cannot have the Field of Dreams mentality, if you build it, they will come. Employees need incentive to participate. Marketing your serious game internally is a huge step in project success. At Designing Digitally, Inc., we take a whole lot of pride in developing high quality serious games. It is certainly a two-way street, however, because it is the insights from our clients and our research team that makes each endeavor so successful. To find out more about serious gaming or to receive a custom quote of what our design team can do for you, please call us at 866-316-9126 or email us at your earliest convenience.