As more companies are discovering the benefits of incorporating online training into their employee learning and development programs, one thing is becoming increasingly clear - not all online training is created equally. The primary purpose and goal of any educational instruction is learning. Therefore, the effectiveness of the instruction must be the first measure by which online training is judged. It’s not enough for the training to look good; it must meet its primary objective of effectively delivering the intended material. Comparison studies have shown online learning to be at least as effective as face-to-face instruction when measured by test results, long-term retention and task performance1. But when looking at the effectiveness of online training, is it enough to claim "no significant difference" between this and classroom instruction? If this is the measure of success for online or distance learning, then the possibility exists for some really poor training. In the vast majority of studies on the subject, the biggest determining factor when comparing online vs. face-to-face instruction was the quality of the lesson material being delivered, regardless of the format. Just as with face-to-face instruction, online training must be designed and delivered to meet the highest standards of learning, using best practices and clearly proven methodologies. What Determines Effective Online Training? Online training can be an efficient and cost-effective way to advance the productivity and job skills of a company’s workforce. However, some online training gives the clear sense the designer was more interested in how the lesson looks than in how well it teaches. It isn’t enough for online training to be slick and well-produced; it should follow some basic principles and elements that contribute to effective online training. Online training principles: It should have clearly defined goals and objectives It should be relevant to the learner It should be engaging and interactive It should challenge the learner and reward accomplishment It should be concise It should provide appropriate feedback It should focus on learning first, aesthetics second By adhering to these basic principles, an online training developer can then look toward incorporating the design elements that will make the course visually appealing. That’s not to say an aesthetically pleasing course isn’t important, just that it should never take precedence over the learning objective. Online training elements: Consistent (and high-quality) look and feel Easy to navigate Aesthetically appealing and well-designed Include visible signs of progress through the lesson May incorporate a blend of media such as graphics, audio and video Include assessments and knowledge checks Make it fun! The Real Goal of Online Training In case the message to this point isn’t clear, the real goal of online training is not to create the best looking course out there, but to ensure the successful transfer of knowledge. It just so happens that this knowledge transfer can be made more effective using a well-designed, creatively developed and visually appealing training course. It is the elements that are possible within digital courseware design that makes this media such a potentially powerful tool for learning. Studies show that people who are taught using a combination of text, audio and graphic images score up to 40% higher on tests of the material, compared with those who were taught using text alone2. This makes online training a particularly enticing method for delivering training. By incorporating the best learning principles alongside the best design techniques, online training can not only reach a broad audience, but can do it more effectively. Here at Designing Digitally, Inc., we specialize in creating custom online training programs focused on today’s learners. Our distance learning experts are skilled at developing training courses that educate, engage and entertain - while always incorporating the best learning principles. We understand the power of well-designed online training in building the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed. Let us know how we can help your organization to deliver cost-effective online training to your workforce.     [1] Learning Style and Effectiveness of Online and Face-to-Face Instruction, C. Neuhauser, The American Journal of Distance Education, 2002.  Learning Effectiveness Online:  What the Research Tells Us, K. Swan, Elements of Quality Online Education, 2013.  [2] University of Wisconsin, Madison - Content Delivery in the Online Environment, 2013

The generation of employees entering the workforce today is the most technologically savvy that has ever existed. They have never known a world without the Internet, mobile devices and ubiquitous connectivity. Whether you call them Millennials or Generation Y, this new cadre of workers is always online and always connected. Handheld devices like tablets, smartphones and hybrids are never far from their reach. This is why mobile learning presents such an opportunity for companies to extend employee training beyond the classroom. Mobile learning, or m-learning, is generally defined as extending the reach of educational or training programs through the use of connected mobile devices. Most definitions of m-learning also include the caveat that delivering training in this method is usually in support of a larger and more formal training curriculum. But however we choose to define it, m-learning is at the forefront of a new and powerful way to enhance the training companies provide to their employees. We’ve identified 5 reasons why m-learning holds so much promise for the future of training delivery, and should be on the radar of training directors, managers and developers. The reasons below aren’t intended as a comprehensive list, and the applications for m-learning continue to evolve as new technologies and methodologies are introduced. What we hope to show, however, is the potentially transformative nature of this exciting way to deliver training. Learning anytime, anywhere. This is the obvious advantage to m-learning, with ubiquitous connectivity and devices that never leave our sides. Employees are now able to learn at their own pace, where they want and when it is convenient for them. It also allows them to take advantage of time that may otherwise be unproductive. Mobile learning enhances the training process. When used in conjunction with other forms of training, m-learning adds value to the entire program. Training developers are beginning to understand that delivering information in a variety of formats and contexts helps learners to more readily grasp certain concepts. M-learning offers the opportunity for job performance support, and allows learners to access information anywhere and anytime they need it. As such, m-learning is proving itself to be a valuable part of a company’s overall learning strategy. Consistency in training a dispersed and mobile workforce. With workers residing and working in distant locations, m-learning can provide a mechanism for delivering consistent training in a cost-effective way. Used in conjunction with experience API (xAPI) tools, it can become part of a robust tracking and reporting system for employee training management. M-learning is particularly well-suited to "chunking" of lessons. Delivering lessons in bite-sized chunks permits learners to focus on a specific concept or idea. This can allow for more targeted training which can then be reinforced in a formal setting. The effect of delivering chunks of information is that learners have less to focus on at a single sitting and are theoretically able to retain more. M-learning supports the idea of training as a process. Training managers have long sought to move away from viewing training as an event, and toward creating a culture of learning as an ongoing process. The inclusion of m-learning into a company’s training strategy reinforces the message that learning is ongoing, always available and an opportunity for every employee to advance their career. The Opportunities Inherent with M-Learning The ubiquitous nature of mobile devices both within and outside the workplace makes them a perfect platform for the delivery of learning on the go. A smartphone today is more powerful and capable than most desktop computers of ten years ago, not to mention being more flexible and portable. Today’s employees are comfortable, and even happy, to interact with their personal digital devices in a mobile learning context, as this has become trusted and relevant way for them to gather and consume information. Designing Digitally, Inc. offers custom mobile learning and development solutions for organizations of all sizes. We’re here to help support companies in the ongoing transition toward M-Learning integration in support of training initiatives. Our experts will show you how adopting a mobile learning strategy has its own unique advantages for today’s workers. Far from being simply another way to deliver training, our M-Learning initiatives offer solutions that meet the needs of the twenty-first century workforce. Let us know how we can help your organization, give us a call! 866.316.9126.

In the ongoing quest for improved workforce training, organizations often find they don’t know where to turn for the best advice. Is it better to outsource or to train in-house? What are the newest tools and techniques for delivering training? The traditional instructor-led, classroom training model has typically been thought of as the standard for delivering high quality training to learners. However, studies have shown the effectiveness of training has less to do with face-to-face instruction than it does with the design of the course material1. One thing is certain; companies want more value from their training programs, i.e. better results for less capital outlay. This often means replacing or reimagining the traditional classroom-based training model for new and more creative ways to deliver critical job skill updates. This is where blended learning can benefit both the organization and its employees. When properly designed and implemented, blended learning solutions can improve the engagement level of learners, leading to improved retention and better overall success rates. What is Blended Learning? Take one part classroom training, one part e-learning, a dash of self-study, and add a pinch of on-the-job training. Now shake vigorously. Blended learning, right? Actually, that’s not quite it. Blended learning is a term that’s often used to describe training programs that substitute at least some part of the traditional or classroom training curriculum with online learning. This can mean using computerized training methods such as e-learning, training simulations, game-based training or any combination of these, in support of the learning objectives. Often blended learning is thought of as a compromise between delivering classroom-only training, or online training. In fact, the best blended learning strategies use the unique attributes of each method to deliver an optimized learning solution based on the skill or lesson being taught. Instead of contrasting the virtues of instructor-led and e-learning techniques, blended learning combines them into a holistic approach to effective knowledge delivery. Benefits of Blended Learning The use of blended learning allows for a greater flexibility in presenting a mix of training delivery styles and options. This means a training course may be preceded by a self-paced assessment of skills, knowledge or aptitude, and the results of this assessment can lead to a more tailored training on an individualized basis. The result of this approach is less time spent in bringing learners up to the same level in order to teach a necessary skill or concept. For example, let’s say we have a group of customer service representatives who will be supporting a new product or service. Some of the reps have many years with the company and can quickly adapt existing knowledge to the new concept. Others will require some background training in order to learn the new ideas. By incorporating an e-learning assessment and commensurate training module prior to any face-to-face instruction, learners can be brought to nearly the same level of practical knowledge. This is an obvious time- and cost-saving implementation of blended learning. The combination of traditional training methods with new e-learning techniques can lead to better training value and more effective training delivery. It can also have the effect of engaging learners by providing more stimulating delivery mechanisms such as gamification, serious games, simulations and mobile learning. Maximizing the Results of Blended Learning A blended learning program is only as effective as each of the components within it. Simply taking a classroom lecture and modifying it for electronic delivery isn’t the same as developing a computer-based lesson in support of face-to-face instruction. In order for a transition toward blended learning to be effective, it must incorporate the best practices of E-Learning, gamification, immediate feedback and the freedom to fail. That’s where the proficiency of industry experts like those found here at Designing Digitally, Inc. can help. By leveraging our experience at creating the newest generation of E-Learning and Gamification training, companies can reap the benefits of cost-savings, increased retention, and employee engagement that blended learning promises. When implemented properly, blended learning can achieve the goals of teaching, supporting and sustaining the skills that workers need in order to be more productive in their jobs. To see how our expertise can help improve your company’s training delivery program, click here to request a free quote. We’ll design a customized solution that will have your workforce eager to learn and excited about the prospect of attending training.   1 U.S. Department of Education - Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies - 2010.

Online learning is the future of education, and it is happening right now all around us. E-learning, m-learning, distance education; all of these technologies are providing access to information and skills that were previously available only to a select few. Now, industry leaders, workforce development managers and educators of all types are discovering the vast promise that e-learning holds for the future of training delivery, and education in general. Here are some notable quotes by leaders in the field of workforce development, training and technology describing their views on the future of online learning:  "The students of the future will demand the learning support that is appropriate for their situation or context. Nothing more, nothing less. And they want it at the moment the need arises. Not sooner, not later. Mobile devices will be a key technology to providing that learning support." Dr. Marcus Specht, Professor of Advanced Learning Technologies, Open University of Netherlands. "Online learning is rapidly becoming one of the most cost-effective ways to educate the world’s rapidly expanding workforce." Jack Messman, former CEO at Novell, Cambridge Technology Partners, Union Pacific Resources, Somerset House Corp. "You can’t teach people everything they need to know. The best you can do is position them where they can find what they need to know when they need to know it." Seymour Papert, MIT mathematician, educator, computer scientist. "In times where small instructor-led classrooms tend to be the exception, electronic learning solutions can offer more collaboration and interaction with experts and peers, as well as a higher success rate than the live alternative." Keith Bachman, Corporate e-Learning Executive, W.R. Hambrecht and Assoc. "Gamification aims to inspire deeper, more engaged relationships and to change behavior, but it needs to be implemented thoughtfully. Most attempts at gamification currently miss the mark, but successful and sustainable gamification can convert customers into fans, turn work into fun, or make learning a joy. The potential is enormous." Brian Burke, Gartner Group VP of Research and author of Gamify - How Gamification Motivates People to do Extraordinary Things "Instructional designers need to run, not walk, away from classroom-based thinking and get to the point of providing short, quick business-focused learning points that are easily accessible when and where our learners need them. This means leveraging new technologies to deliver non-traditional instruction." Karl M. Kapp, Professor of Instructional Technology, Bloomsburg University. "If you want to teach people a new way of thinking, don’t bother trying to teach them. Instead, give them a tool, the use of which will lead to new ways of thinking." R. Buckminster Fuller, author, inventor, architect, futurist. "Training developers need to integrate technology seamlessly into the curriculum instead of viewing it as an add-on, an after-thought, or an event." Heidi Hayes Jacobs, Executive Director of the Curriculum Mapping Institute, author, educator. "There can be infinite uses of the computer and of new technology [in training], but if the instructors themselves are not able to bring it to the learners and make it work, then it fails." U.S. Senator Nancy Kassebaum And finally, a quote about training in general, delivered by one of the most successful and inspirational motivators of the 20th century. "The only thing worse than training your employees and having them leave, is not training them and having them stay." Zig Ziglar, motivational speaker, trainer and author of more than two dozen motivational books. How to Bring Online Learning to Your Workforce Designing Digitally, Inc. is a leader in the development of Online Learning, Distance Learning and Mobile Learning technologies. We create customized learning solutions to meet the needs of today’s employees and the organizations they work for. Our E-Learning solutions are designed to educate, engage and entertain workers, while achieving the training and educational goals of your organization. We work with corporations, government agencies, educational facilities and any organization with training needs. Let us know what we can do to help advance your learning and development initiatives by requesting a free quote today.

In an effort to meet the growing demand for education and job skills training, companies, organizations and governments around the world are turning to innovative technologies and training techniques. The expanding use of distance learning initiatives, serious games and computerized simulations has brought a new learning experience and life-changing opportunity to millions of individuals. As the success of e-learning solutions becomes evident, more organizations are adopting these solutions for their learners. The result is a growing understanding of how to successfully implement these new learning solutions. Here are a few success stories of companies and institutions that have incorporated one form or another of e-learning, gamification, serious games and-or 3D simulations into their learning strategy. E-Learning: In some of the world’s poorest countries, the difference between scratching out a meager existence and having a hopeful future is availability and access to education. The Sri Lanka Government recognized this as a national problem and created the Open University of Sri Lanka in response. The OUSL has the distinction of being the only school in the nation’s university system that offers degrees from graduate through PhD level, entirely via distance learning. More than 18,000 students enroll in OUSL’s e-learning program annually. Serious Games: Marriott Hotels International successfully implemented a game-based strategy for attracting people who may be interested in a career in the hospitality industry. The company launched a game called "My Marriott Hotel" and promoted it through Facebook. In this game, players learn to manage a virtual hotel restaurant kitchen including ordering provisions, staffing, meeting quality standards, etc. Players from more than 100 countries have signed up to play the game, and more importantly, 30% of participants in the game click on the option that takes them to Marriott’s job application website. General Electric is one of the largest suppliers of diagnostic imaging equipment used in hospitals and clinics around the world. In an effort to raise awareness about the importance of hospital efficiency, GE created a game called "Patient Shuffle" that allows players to virtually manage the patient flow in a large hospital environment. Aside from being addicting, Patient Shuffle also raises awareness of how complex a hospital can be, and gives average folks a better appreciation for the role that doctors and nurses play in our healthcare system. Training Simulations: Geological exploration and modeling is a particularly interesting area for development of 3D simulations and scenarios. Using digital images that can be rotated and viewed from any angle allows for safer and less expensive training to take place in otherwise hazardous conditions. Merla, Inc. is a manufacturer of valves, actuators and high-pressure fittings designed for the oil and gas exploration industry. Using a 3D simulation program, Merla was able to train their clients on how to assemble these fittings in a virtual setting before attempting them in the field. The simulation programs could even be downloaded and viewed in the filed just prior to installation. The result was fewer damaged components, a safer work environment, and bragging rights to an industry-leading technology. The use of 3D simulations for training emergency response personnel has been a common practice in some countries for years. When the Italian government did a study of the effectiveness of emergency responders in that country however, it was not pleased with what it discovered. Italian firefighters were found to be lagging far behind other European countries in both readiness and effectiveness1. A possible cause for this was the almost complete absence of any serious games or 3D simulations within Italian firefighter training programs. In 2009 a system was put in place that used 3D simulations to teach basic technique, tactics and strategy to incoming firefighters. Comparisons made in 2013 showed a vast improvement in firefighter readiness in Italy. Learn What E-Learning, Serious Games and 3D Simulations Can Do For Your Company Here at Designing Digitally, Inc., we specialize in the creation and development of game-based learning systems that help to train today’s workforce. Our customized online learning solutions help to deliver a faster and more consistent training experience for employees and learners. Let us know what we can do for your organization by clicking here to request your free quote. 1Towards a knowledge intensive serious game for training emergency response services - Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (ISCRAM)

As the new year has begun and we are moving toward Q2, it seems like a good time to broach a subject that is often the skeleton in the closet when it comes to training games - at least for those trying to sell training games products to clients. "ROI." "Return on Investment." "ROI = (Gain - Cost) / Cost." You get the idea, you know what ROI is. More importantly, you know how much it figures into the business decisions your company, educational institution, firm, manufacturing facility, business or agency makes about funding expenditures. Especially with the misunderstandings still out and about in the marketplace when it comes to serious games - "What, we’re going to pay our employees to play video games on the clock!?" - demonstrating the value gained from serious games far outweighs the costs of serious game production can go a long way towards getting the sign-off from the C-Suite for the investment in this fascinating milieu of training and educational tools. But there’s been a lot of discussion, and not a great deal of consensus, on how to measure such things as motivational enhancement, brand empowerment, and skills augmentation via serious games. There are plenty of anecdotal stories, testimonials and claims from human resource pros and sales managers, yet these don’t always translate into concrete statistics and measurable figures. Sometimes they do, and we’ve reported on those occasions with much gusto. Yet sometimes they don’t. So, we’re going to present content on ROI and gamification from time to time - more from an epistemological perspective (how to look for results) than from a statistical perspective (what those results are in a numerical format). ROI and Serious Games We found an article from Gigaom.com from several years back that references research done by noteworthy Forrester Research. What we found interesting from a predictive ROI perspective is that the article points to more of the ‘hidden’ ROI inherent in serious games. As the piece by Wagner James Au explains it, "Forrester cites the ‘green revolution,’ which is pushing major corporations like IBM and SAP to experiment with virtual world technology as a way of saving on energy and operational costs, as well as the pervasive popularity of technology, especially among the Net-savvy Generation Y: ‘This comfort with virtualized workspaces has opened the door for the use of video games to help reduce long-term expenses in other cost centers, like training, learning, and team building,’ the report reads. (Forrester’s authors distinguish persistent virtual worlds like Second Life from serious games, which are developed for specific goals in a limited time frame.) Because of this, Forrester argues, companies, government agencies and others will increasingly turn to serious games, with traditional game developers, software giants like Microsoft, and other players vying for their dollars." So ROI for training games according to this research is about energy savings and operational costs saving at facilities, as well as the popularity of the digital format for younger workers - which can translate into better comprehension and participation for training and learning. These aren’t necessarily P&L figures an accountant will zero-in upon, yet they are valuable business advancements for those thinking about Big Picture developments. Read the entire article from Gigaom.com here. How do you measure the increased efficiencies of your employees, or the value of clientele who enjoy your serious games, or the extra time they spend on your websites engaged with gamification while ads pass by their eyes and search engines record that extra engagement time on the website? These also, to be fair, should be considered as aspects of the ROI for gamification, shouldn’t they? Are these even metrics that your business considers? Smart companies consider them. As a gamification insider explained to Toni Bowers, award-winning blogger and Managing Editor at TechRepublic, "Gamification, used properly, ties directly into a company's key business objectives to drive high-value customer and employee behavior. These techniques can be used to help improve efficiency of your sales teams, increase the LTV of customers, or increase overall engagement within a media property for increased advertising revenue… Our customers have experienced a 20 percent to more than 200 percent increase in these key behaviors, across very diverse experiences and audiences." The Social Side of Games There’s also the social aspect of gamification to consider - the enthusiasm for learning and training that comes through competition with others and oneself as well as the promotion of that competition. (After all, what game would be complete without some competition?) Although the social aspect of serious games may be the hardest to measure, it can’t be denied that morale and company atmosphere and socialization are important aspects of an enduring company. These too are aspects - albeit nebulous - of ROI. As Juliette Denny writes in an article on eLearningIndustry.com, "In a previous article I spoke about the 70:20:10 problem and how it relates to return on investment. The reason that L&D plans sometimes fail to report a good ROI is that they focus on the wrong parts of knowledge - or at least, the smallest proportion of knowledge. As the ratio explains, only 10% of what we know is gained through formal training - yet L&D departments often funnel 100% of their resources into it! Clearly the sums won’t add up. Luckily, gamification helps to access the remaining 90% which occurs through observation of others (20%) and learning on the job (70%). It does this by tying rewards into social interactions. What Ms. Denny is saying is that gamification can serve the same function that bonuses and raises can achieve - motivating workers and students to do better, but for fun and competition - not monetary reward. You can read her entire article on gamification and ROI here. Clearly, or as clearly as we can explain it here, there’s a great deal more to measuring the ROI for gamification initiatives than just metrics on product sales, grade scores or decreases in work absences. The modern company or learning institution is a multi-textured and multi-faceted zone of individual interactions united for communal purposes. Understanding those many nuances are essential for determining the true ROI brought about by serious games and their effects upon individuals and corporations of many kinds. We hope you’ve enjoyed this food for thought about the true measure of ROI when it comes to the benefits of serious games and gamification in the modern learning or workplace. We’d love to answer any questions you might have about our serious games development process. You can contact us here, or take some time to explore some of the serious games we’ve made for past customers on our Serious Games Portfolio page.

A learning management system (LMS) is a software application that allows businesses to manage their E-learning programs. It allows numerous administrative tasks such as tracking users and their productivity, generating reports, and administering training programs. This system also has the ability to organize content and scale the training in a variety of ways. With a large selection of learning management systems on the market and new options arriving at a steady pace, it can feel like an overwhelming task to decide on the best solution. This quick guide will explain the major features/benefits to consider and how they can be implemented. What is the Major Differences between Learning Management Systems? There are a number of factors to consider when deciding on a learning management platform. Some are open source and can be modified to a wide variety of needs, while commercial LMS systems are more robust in features and come with a full support staff. The programming languages used within the LMS is yet another consideration, since not all of them are fully compatible with Tin Can API (see below) or iOS systems. Also, since there is a large range of learning management systems to choose from with varying levels of quality, compatibility and price points, it is essential to consider long-term objectives before making a purchase. Should I Choose a Hosted or Local Solution? Another important decision is how to host the LMS; should it be located on-site or in the cloud? Both options have their own benefits and limitations. A local solution allows your company to customize many of the features on-site, but it may be limited in terms of how much it can scale with future growth. A hosted solution, on the other hand, does not require hardware upgrades and expensive bandwidth, and most cloud-based LMS systems can grow exponentially as needed. At the same time, however, there are additional costs/limitations to consider with hosted solutions. The monthly hosting costs could be substantial for large corporations, plus it limits the company’s control over data security. In some instances, the company would not own the actual data either, so it is not always the default best option. Is SCORM or Tin Can API Sufficient for our Needs? Most Learning Management Systems are designed to be SCORM compliant, which is now accepted as one of the three major industry standards for E-Learning software. It stands for "Sharable Content Object Reference Model", and it allows numerous types of learning software written to be compatible with each LMS on the market. This allows your content to be transferred to future LMS systems as well, which is certainly a big plus. Then again, SCORM will not always fit a company’s needs. It limits tracking capabilities, plus it is very bandwidth reliant and a complicated format. We can always design custom a LMS solution to bypass these deficiencies, however, so it is definitely worth discussing sooner rather than later. A newer specification worth considering is Tin Can API, which is also referred to at the Experience API. This database works outside of SCORM and offers much stronger tracking abilities. One of the other major benefits of Tin Can API is that it can effectively track user activities outside of the LMS itself, which allows for classroom and online activities to become more integrated with the learning process. Which LMS is the Best for Me? When choosing an LMS for your organization, start by taking a thorough need analysis of your company. This should include strategic goals, technical requirements, security concerns and what you’re looking to do with the software. Defining these needs will help narrow down the possible choices in today’s LMS marketplace, or it may show that having a custom learning management system built would be a better solution. As we said earlier, there is a lot to consider when selecting an LMS for your learning needs. At Designing Digitally, Inc., we are always glad to help you navigate through these types of difficult decisions to ensure your organization has the perfect E-Learning solution in place and the tracking and analytics to support your goals. If you ever have any questions, please feel free to contact us directly at 866-316-9126.

What an exciting week folks! After a week in Orlando for the Learning Solutions Conference and Expo the Designing Digitally team is back in office and back on the grind. Before we dive in, thanks to everyone who stopped by our booth! It was great to get to meet so many new people. Not only did we get a chance to talk to new and interesting people and increase brand awareness, we had a blast doing it! Thursday we had a March Madness shootout where we gave away a Kindle Fire HD6, Google Chromecast and an Amazon and Subway gift card! So much fun! We drew four names and had them do a shoot out to see who could make the most baskets in 20 seconds. Thanks to everyone who entered and congrats to our winner, Amy!   read more

At one point in our lives, we have all sat through one of those drawn-out, mind-numbingly boring PowerPoint presentations that put half of the audience to sleep. In these situations, there is usually very little excitement in the room because the interactions are very limited. While the intentions are there, it simply does not stimulate us enough to be able to absorb all the information efficiently. In fact, most of these types of learning experience are so easily forgettable that they’re being phased out of corporate culture completely. After all, the main reason to give a training session is to inspire those in attendance to take some type of action afterwards based on their newly reinforced knowledge. For that to happen, the learners have to feel engaged, inspired and connected to the message being delivered. In other words, the presentation has to be a learning experience that actually matters; no matter what the objective. That’s why so many organizations are now embracing blended learning and web based training. Create Scenarios to Relate to the Audience Web-based training has a completely different feel because it is designed to create numerous levels of direct interaction and engagement. From the very beginning, users are drawn in with smart, engaging instructions that are custom-designed for the audience. Even when they dive right into the content without instruction, there are many concepts in play to draw the audience in and capture their attention. For instance, interactive knowledge checks, animated assessments and immediate feedback. By making users feel like they are a direct part of the learning process, studies have shown that this can boost learning potential up to 28 times higher than in conventional learning methods. That’s because people have vastly different learning potentials that traditional education can’t always cater to. Some forms of instruction do have higher success rates than others, but web based training can eliminate this problem by combining some of the most popular learning models into a fun, interactive learning opportunity. Get the Learners Directly Involved Think about teaching a teenager how to drive a motor vehicle. No matter how often they are told to ease off the brakes and gently press the gas pedal in a classroom setting, it takes those first few attempts actually behind the wheel for them to really grasp the concept. While most people can understand why getting learners physically involved can have such a huge impact on learning, this concept is often disregarded when it comes to presentations. When we create genuine learning experiences for our clients, the presentation feel is completely stripped away. Regarding the example above, we would create an ultra-realistic simulation that places that student behind the wheel, instructs them from a peer perspective and actually allows them to gain hands-on experience in the safety of the simulation. This learning model thrives in almost every industry because the student receives plenty of feedback while being directly involved throughout the process. Employing E-Learning Solutions At Designing Digitally, Inc., we create custom Serious Games, Training Simulations and E-Learning solutions that will engage your audience, get them motivated and allow them to experience your concepts firsthand. To request a free quote or to find out more about creating genuine learning experiences for your company, please feel free to call us at 866-316-9126 or get in touch through our contact form. We are always happy to help.

There has been a lot of talk about how the emergence of performance support on mobile devices will transform how employees learn and access information on the job. This is simplifying the way users access information and how they learn from it, That’s because mobile performance support is built to be more accessible and much easier for the average employee to understand. Within the next few years, training tools like textbooks, training charts and employee information sheets could all become a thing of the past. What is Performance Support? Performance support is a type of learning tool that can help employees achieve a higher level of proficiency within the workplace at the moment of need. This can also apply to traditional learning methods such as employee handbooks, seminars or other training methods. Performance support on a mobile device takes all of these concepts a step further, however, by allowing this training material to be more easily accessed literally anywhere, at any time. Today, some businesses have refined performance support to also include communication abilities, so employees can ask questions or add relevant information in real time. There are also numerous engagement metrics involved so companies can monitor their training software in real time and make updates/changes whenever necessary. Performance Support & Mobile Devices By making content compatible across Android, iOS, Windows and several other popular operating systems, employees can access vast amounts of information while on the go, when they need it. From allowing a cook to get instructions on a new recipe to helping a sales rep educate a client at a business luncheon, the training applications are almost endless. While performance support should be broken down into much smaller bits of information for smartphone and tablet usage, it also gives developers a chance to create a much more customized learning experience as well. Through responsive design, developers can ensure a smooth, functional experience for users that presents the information in a quick, accessible way. Also, numerous gamification aspects are now being tied into mobile support to create incentives to complete the learning experience, and learning management systems allow for ever more precise feedback about the end-user’s learning preferences. The Future of Performance Support The Bring Your Own Device revolution that has swept across the nation has all but guaranteed that mobile performance support will play a strong part in the future of corporate learning. The ability to educate the workforce on a global scale, and give feedback in real-time, simply offers too many benefits over traditional performance support methods. Thousands of corporations have already adopted these practices into their training regimens and there is no limit on future growth. As long as it continues to save money, educate and increase productivity, mobile performance support is here to stay. At Designing Digitally, Inc., our mobile learning development team has a stellar track record of producing next generation Serious Games, training simulations and numerous other E-learning solutions. If your business is ready to join the 21st century with game-changing performance support, contact us for additional information.