According to the ATD 2014 State of the Industry Report, training continues to be on top of the list of priorities for organizations. The number of training hours per employee has increased from 30.3 hours in 2012 to 31.5 hours the following year. Average training spend per employee has increased to $1,208 [1]. The Pharmaceutical Industry is permeated with regulations and CIAs that necessitate all employees to be trained rigorously within framed timelines and to be assessed on the same. This is a huge demand set on Pharma organizations given the size of their workforces, the number of departments involved, the geographic dispersion of these workforces and the fact that most employees (sales reps, marketing reps) are mobile and not available for training. This multi-billion-dollar Industry spends an average of $1,392 per employee who undergoes approximately 24 hours of training. More than half of the training investment within a pharma organization is spent on training that is designed, developed and taught with the aid of human/non-human resources from within the organization. While some of these costs cannot be avoided, an LMS (Learning Management System) for the Pharmaceutical Industry makes it possible for organizations to do away with most of these resources, bringing down the training costs per employee drastically and saving on valuable time, while successfully adhering to the guidelines set by regulatory bodies - worldwide. Target a geographically dispersed at one go: An LMS for Pharmaceuticals is a platform that has the been designed to uniformly disperse courses to a target employee group, even if it is geographically dispersed - allowing pharma organizations to do away with external trainers and training agencies, classroom infrastructure and resources. A blended approach wherein organizations make use of both LMS as well as classroom training would still be a more feasible approach than a purely classroom-based training program that requires huge investments for infrastructure and resources to conduct classroom training, travel and trainer costs. Increased time for productivity: Classroom training programs could last anywhere from a day to a week, leading to a loss in productivity time. Unable to attend these classroom training sessions, many employees drop out of these programs. An LMS for the Pharmaceutical Industry allows employees to learn anytime and anywhere, leading to a higher course completion rate. The best bit - productivity is not hampered. Decreased classroom time: Very often classroom training is extended because of a variety of reasons such as extended interactive sessions with attendees and the inability to grasp matter which then requires further explanations that lead to unanticipated delays. When this happens, a course that is scheduled for say 2 days could get extended up to a week, leading to loss of time and productivity, and increased infrastructure/resource costs. A blended learning approach wherein employees are encouraged to take up a short course on the LMS before attending a classroom session gives them a uniform understanding of the subject matter. This further allows instructors to concentrate on the areas employees need assistance, thereby bringing down the cost and the number of classroom training days/hours. Immediate assessments through courses: Assessments are another time-consuming but mandatory requirement for pharma organizations; an LMS allows employees to automatically take up an assessment that is designed into a course, on completion of the course, without having to wait for tests and assessments to be conducted at a later date. Easy tracking: With an LMS for the Pharmaceutical Industry, administrators can seamlessly track the number of training hours, the number of courses taken up successfully, and the completion rate of individual employees as well as the entire workforce. Added features: Instant push notifications: The LMS for the Pharmaceutical Industry can also push notifications regarding new courses, training details, etc., to users at one go. Surveys and Polls: These can be conducted as regularly as required to get a first-hand opinion from learners regarding the effectiveness of a particular course. This way, ineffective courses can be removed or made more effective immediately. Easy uploading of courses: It is also possible to upload as many or as few courses into the LMS. These courses can be made be customized through a customized course service provider or bought off the shelf. New content can also be added or deleted effortlessly to existing online course material that is dispersed to employees through the LMS. This works especially well for the pharma industry that needs its employees to be constantly abreast with the latest drugs, procedures, diseases, apart from the latest compliance regulations that they need to adhere to. Greater recollection of information: Online training for pharma employees has the further advantage of greater recollection of knowledge learnt and maximum long-term retention and performance. The Indian Pharmaceutical Industry: According to the Ambient Insight Comprehensive Report titled "The Worldwide Market for Self-paced eLearning Products and Services: 2010-2015 Forecast and Analysis," India has the highest growth rate for self-paced learning at 55% [2]. According to the consulting firm McKinsey & Company, India’s pharmaceutical sector will touch 55 billion USD by 2020 [3]. Due to the fierce competition within the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry, organizations are constantly battling to stay at the forefront. A great product line, quality products, extensive research and development, a very active sales force and compliancy with the industry’s standards and regulations are the main areas that need constant attention in the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry. Sadly, the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry has been slow to adopt eLearning. Companies still prefer to hold on to the age-old method of developing content within their organizations. Those who would like to make the move, lack subject matter experts who can develop engaging content for LMSs and therefore resist change. The Advantage of an LMS in the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry For any training to be successful, it has to be structured well. This is especially true in the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry context where it is necessary to build sustainable competencies. Considering the vastness of the organizations, the extent to which its workforce - especially its sales representatives are spread - the various types of geographies (cities, small districts and villages), and the various working conditions - it is important that uniform training reaches all these individuals at the time of need and makes use of tools and methodologies that will enhance learning and retention - all of which is possible through an LMS. Compliance with ever-changing regulations is a crucial necessity for the Pharmaceutical Industry - especially so for the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry that must not only comply with internal regulations but with export markets as well. With an LMS, keeping abreast with the latest regulations becomes easy as it is delivered on time through this platform. An LMS also allows organizations to track an employee’s learning and progress, as well as the efficiency of a learning program. Employees can keep track of their learning programs and upcoming training. Assessments can be taken up immediately after a course and feedback on the same received without any delay. An LMS takes into consideration the fact that no two employees’ learning needs are alike - nor is the pace at which they learn. Classroom training is often a failure because these two important aspects of learning are not taken into consideration. With an LMS, the busy pharmaceutical employee can learn at his own pace, whenever and wherever he needs to leading to effective learning. Studies show that effective learning through an LMS leads to longer retention - with training knowledge retained even after a year. Poor training will lead to poor retention, with employees unable to recollect most of what they learnt even just a few weeks after training. This can be a disaster especially for the sales force. Accidents that are inadvertently followed up by expensive lawsuits and the inability to respond in a timely manner during threats and emergencies are all a result of on-the-job training where proper precautions are not implemented. An LMS promotes learning in a safe environment. While the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry takes to LMSs very slowly, there is a bright side. The Industry is growing; organizations are awakening to the humongous advantages that eLearning holds; today’s youth are tech savvy and are open to new ways of learning; computer penetration even to the farthest corners of the country has increased; internet connectivity and speed have improved tremendously making technology enabled learning conducive to the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry scenario. The bottom line is that organizations save time and money with an LMS. It is a fact that time is money. The more time employees have on the job - the greater the returns for the organization. When it comes to pharmaceutical organizational training, the less time spent on training, the more money saved. Less time spent on classroom training leads to more productivity and decreased costs for these organizations. While online training for pharma employees means more knowledge gained in a shorter period of time, with increased productivity, the LMS for the Pharmaceutical Industry is the cutting-edge technology that the industry is in dire need of, to take its organizations to flourishing heights. Reference: 1. 2014 State of the Industry Report: Spending on Employee Training Remains a Priority 2. Ambient Insight Comprehensive Report 3. Pharma Industry

Sports coaches use cross training as a tool to motivate and improve the performance of athletes. They find switching disciplines for a period gives a sportsperson a break, so that they return to regular training reinvigorated. Elite army units use cross training to ensure that each member of a team can do any of the jobs required in the team, thus ensuring that fighting effectiveness is maintained even if some of the unit is incapacitated. In industries, cross training refers to a situation where an employee swaps jobs with another employee for a certain period, and both are trained to competency in their new positions. The ideal situation is where every member of a team is capable of doing any other job in that team. The benefits of cross training for a section or department include: Increased staff morale Increased productivity Lower churn rate Increased security Strong and weak links identified Better induction process Increased Staff Morale: Giving your employee a new skill gives them a new perspective within the team. A new task interests them, particularly if they are involved in a consultation process. They help the colleague in their job and vice versa and bonds are established. Perhaps also there is a ‘plum job’ in a section, but is not so plum when someone else tries it and they return with a new appreciation of their old job. Increased Productivity: How many times is there a bottleneck in a team, with one member working furiously, and others waiting for work? It’s not always the same member either. A cross trained team can cope with surges in work much better. With cross training, individuals in a team are trained to become a proper team - working and looking out for each other. Holidays and sickness have less of an impact on a fully trained team. Lower Churn Rate: Take a section of a workforce, where everyone shares the workload. There is nobody snowed under in work, and nobody sitting bored; no times when one employee works late while the rest skip off home. It will be a happy section and a productive section that people will like working in. Increased Security: There are two aspects at play here. Sometimes an employee makes a niche where they handle something in a particular way, maybe with a program only they can use, leading to the ‘Black Box syndrome’. If this employee falls sick, leaves, or is disgruntled, a whole department (or a company) can be forced to come grinding to a halt. There are also sensitive departments, usually accounting, where as a policy, responsibilities should be divided and staff moved around to avoid temptation. Strong and Weak Links Identified: There will be occasions when an employee blossoms in a new responsibility, but there will also be instances when an employee fails to perform no matter where they are put. A long-term goal of cross training would be to identify performing and non-performing individuals. Better Induction Process: If (as recommended below) the retraining is carried out with the help of an eLearning system, there will be a clear and consistent methodology used for training new employees, whatever role they take up in the organization. Cross training will not bring visible benefits overnight; it is not something that will rescue an ailing company. What it is, is a long-term plan for a company to increase its productivity by efficiently using its time and human resources. It needs to be continued as a feature of company life and not abandoned for short term reasons. If handled intelligently, it will bring large benefits to the employer in terms of increased flexibility and productivity, and to the employee in terms of job satisfaction. Additional reading: http://management.about.com/cs/people/a/crosstrain.htm http://www.sans.edu/research/management-laboratory/article/granier-mgt421 http://www.forbes.com/sites/chriscancialosi/2014/09/15/cross-training-your-best-defense-against-indispensable-employees/

Lisa ThumannDirector of Professional LearningEdTechTeamIt's been a great start to 2016. As part of being one of the very few official Google PD Partners, EdTechTeam is responsible for reporting our events that feature Google for Education as well as the hours for all the Google Certified Trainers that work with us.We're excited to look at what we accomplished together in January and wanted to share it with you here!We hosted 32 events in four countries in January. The events ranged from our eight Summits featuring Google in Education in places like Bangkok and Las Vegas to our Certification Bootcamps and in-district customized professional development such as in Mississippi, New Jersey, Oklahoma  and Canberra, Australia. We reported a combined 552 hours of professional development on behalf of 78 different Google Certified Trainers. We are honored to work with so many fabulous trainers and organizations. Thank you for allowing us to share our knowledge and expertise with so many educators and students. Look what's in store for February and contact us about coming to you. 

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We go to a lot of eLearning conferences at LearnUpon. Between our account management, tech, operations and marketing teams, we attend up to 30 a year. Every once in a while we like to stand back and ask: are eLearning conferences actually worth it? When you tally up ticket costs, flights, hotels and time away from the office, a conference starts to look like a serious investment. With Learning Technologies 2016 just winding down, we asked the top learning and training professionals we’re closest to (our customers!) to share their best advice. Here’s the how, when and where of getting maximum value from eLearning conferences this year. eLearning conferences are worth it if: You know what you want to accomplish. There are many reasons to attend an eLearning conference. At LearnUpon, we usually go to exhibit and demo the latest features of our LMS to prospective customers. Sometimes our goal is to learn and keep our skills up-to-date with the latest innovations in eLearning. We also value the opportunity conferences give us to connect with customers and partners we don’t get to see often enough in person. But trying to accomplish all of these things at one conference is daunting. That’s one reason why most of our customers attend at least two eLearning conferences every year. Which conference you choose will also be influenced by your goals, with each event offering different strengths. Some conferences, like Learning Solutions, are great for catching thought leaders in person. Others, like DevLearn, are best for testing new tools and technologies. Start by deciding what you want conferences to deliver this year. This focus will make it easier to whittle your selection to the handful that fit your goals. Richard Smith from Maybo recommends: Conferences can be costly to attend, both in time and money invested. To really get value, it’s important to do your research beforehand. Identify what you want to get out of it and stay focused on your objectives when you’re there. It’s easy to turn up with no idea who’s exhibiting or speaking and casually wander around hoping you’ll learn through osmosis! Instead, take an hour to look through the exhibitor list and identify five providers you may benefit from speaking to and learning about. Do the same with the seminar schedule. While I identify sessions that address subjects that are very relevant to me in advance, I often learn more at panels on subjects I’ve little or no prior knowledge of. If you’ve time, walk past every exhibitor. Often the newest, most innovative companies will have a small budget and a modest stand tucked far away from the thoroughfare. Try to speak to as many exhibitors as possible, even for 60 seconds to hear their headline sales proposition. Many won’t be relevant but you won’t know unless you engage with them. You’re selective about which conferences you attend. There are a huge number of eLearning conferences out there, held in far-flung locations, and with tickets pitched at very different price points. Instead of considering each conference individually, stand back once a year and be strategic about your selection. Examine your calendar for the next 6-12 months and compare the conferences you’d like to attend against competing commitments. The quality and content of eLearning conferences also varies widely, with specialist tracks focusing on everything from Instructional Design to organizational leadership. If you’re relatively new to the conference circuit, compile a shortlist based on criteria like reputation, scale, cost, and convenience. If it’s too early for session information to be available, research sponsors and panels from previous years. Pick a conference with an established reputation to begin with. If attendees have paid to return year-on-year, the organizers are probably doing something right. A new conference is a riskier proposition. Tom Brooksher from Zipline Performance recommends: eLearning conferences are worth it if you don’t overdo them. Take time to make a plan and set up key meetings in advance. People you really want to meet will be there. Networking is one of the top three reasons our customers attend conferences. Whether your intention is to meet prospects or partners, the relationships you make and build by attending similar conferences regularly will add value throughout your career. The types of people you aim to meet will be aligned with your goals. If your main aim is to enhance your professional knowledge, you’ll spend less time talking to vendors. But if you have unanswered questions about tools or services, you’ll need to leave sufficient time to thoroughly explore the expo. Most of our customers advise against leaving meetings to chance. Reach out to those you want to meet in advance and let them know when and where you’ll try to find them. While it’s good to explore new conferences, returning to the same event annually helps to cement bonds with the network you’ve already worked to establish. Kajal Kavia from CMS recommends: I attend eLearning conferences for a few reasons: to identify new approaches, technologies or partners that can help us to evolve our eLearning business. I also like to attend sessions. They often include real-life case studies that can be useful to compare against our own eLearning experiences. And the quality of a presentation can indicate an organization’s potential to contribute as a partner. I also go to network with like-minded professionals in the industry and share ideas and best practice I can apply when I get back to the office. There’s huge value in being exposed to the senior professionals conferences attract - the influencers and decision makers within a business who can be difficult to meet elsewhere.   The ROI compares well with other channels. If there are alternative ways to accomplish the same goal, consider whether attending a conference is the most cost-efficient and convenient option. Focusing on ROI will help you to justify costs, particularly if tickets are expensive or you must travel a significant distance to attend. If you’re an exhibitor, conferences will fall within your marketing budget and can be evaluated against other acquisition tactics. ROI for professional development purposes may depend on who pays and the return they expect. That doesn’t mean that free or cheaper conferences are automatically the best choice, even if your projected ROI is relatively low. Attendees are generally willing to pay for the calibre of expertise and technology they’re exposed to. Understanding the role eLearning conferences are expected to play within your organization will help define a reasonable investment. Lisa Davis from Denver Water recommends: My reasons for selecting a specific conference vary but I usually go to learn a new approach to training or test new software tricks. I’ll also go if feel I can’t miss a presentation by an industry leader or a recent winner of an award that I admire. It’s close and convenient. The further you need to travel to attend a conference, the greater the expense, and the longer you’ll be away from your daily tasks and duties. Once you’ve shortlisted 3-5 conferences that offer the best return on your goals, look closely at logistics. If all other factors are relatively equal, the closer a conference is located, the easier it may be to justify investment. Dr. Seán McCarthy from Hyperion recommends: I only attend a conference if keynote talks focus on something that’s relevant now. I don’t think eLearning conferences that focus on theory or give a platform to presenters who are simply selling a product or service are worth the time and money invested.   How to get the most from eLearning conferences: Plan your conference calendar once a year. Be clear about what you want to accomplish at each conference. Define an ROI. Return to one specific conference regularly. Arrange your calendar so you can concentrate on the conference and leave distractions at the office. Contact the 5 attendees you most want to meet 1-2 weeks before the conference starts. Attend at least one session that’s outside your specialism. Follow-up with your top contacts by email or on social media within 24 hours. Check in with your network regularly.   Conclusion: The experience of our customers indicates that, while eLearning conferences are expensive, they’re worth the investment when they’re approached strategically. Attendees are actively searching for inspiration for new products, services and partnership opportunities. If you have something to add, you have every reason to be there, and much to gain. As someone once said: while you can put a price on flights, hotels and tickets, the contacts and inspiration you return with really can be priceless.   Meet LearnUpon at a conference near you   Want to read more? Sign up to get our latest posts! The post Are eLearning conferences worth it? appeared first on LearnUpon.

Content from the nowcomms.com: the B2B marketing company for tech busineses in education, sports, security & ID. See the full story here Learning Technologies Exit Poll 2016 To our squad of relentless pollsters who just kept on questioning; To the event organisers who simmered down the gents on security when they wanted to frog march us off the premises; And to the hundreds of enlightened LT16 visitors who stopped to tell us all about their visit, We thank you. The LT exit poll V.2016 is here If you’re new to our Exit Poll, here’s the skinny: Armed with no more than a clipboard, a cup of coffee and a ‘can do’ attitude, our top team of talented pollsters is let loose on the streets of West Kensington with orders to seek out LT16 attendees. Several hours and hundreds of questions later, we crunch the numbers through the night to deliver the first major study of what’s hot according to the L&D professionals who visited the event. Now, less than 24 hours after the doors closed on Learning Technologies 2016: for your delight and entertainment, we present this year’s headline highlights from our Learning Technologies 2016 exit poll. We asked: "When you planned your Learning Technologies 2016 visit, which company was on top of your must see list before visiting the show today?" LT16uk visitors said: 1 2 3 4 5 You can’t fatten a pig on market day, which is why winning in the "must see" category is all about prep work. Getting the pre-show marketing right is essential for success. Usually we see a pretty tight leader pack in the "must see" category with little distance between the top five players. This year Cornerstone wins by a country mile, achieving nearly twice as many mentions as runner up Mind Click. Kallidus and Sponge are two first timers in this all important category and their success bumps companies like Brightwave, Leo and Fuse off the must see hot-list. "Close but not quite" status goes to Successfactors and Gomo, both of which hover at Sponge’s coat-tails. We asked: "In terms of visual impact, which company really looked fresh and stood out for you at the show today?" LT16uk visitors said: 1 2 3 4 5 Fuse just sails into the top spot here . The shocking pink player received more votes in this category than Kallidus and Kineo combined.  Worth a mention is Leo, Purple Media, Sponge and first time exhibitor Page Tiger, all of which hovered just outside the top 5 to give Brightwave some tough competition this year.   We asked: "Without looking at any of the literature you’ve come away with today, can you name one of the event’s official sponsors?" The top five responses were: 1 2 3 4 5 We asked: "In terms of engagement, which company do you think you had the most profitable conversation with?" The top five most popular answers from our respondents were: 1 2 3 4 5 In this exceptionally close run category, highlighting the top 5 alone doesn’t do justice to companies like GoodPractice, junction 18, Kokm, Aquafadas and Agylia, all of which made our top 10 . Factor in the obvious point that the more footsoldiers you have on the ground the more engaging conversations you’re likely to have, and you’ve got an elite top 10 club that every member should be proud to be in.   We asked: "Did you download the official Learning Technologies app?" Yes 42% No 58%   Freebies, teasers and giveaways: We asked: "As you walked around LT16, which companies had freebies or giveaways that stood out or looked interesting to you?" The top responses were: 1 2 3 4 5 Candies, pens, stress balls, USB sticks…whatever. Splashing the cash on anything the search term "branded promotional items" brings up = money wasted. These freebies are gladly taken, but show visitors just don’t remember where they came from. What we’re really looking for in this category is promotional stuff that actually connects prospects to a brand. This year Olive Learning has raised the bar. The content learning company’s interactive brochure, complete with real video screen and a playlist of useful downloadable content was the most memorable freebie that passed the brand awareness test. If it’s edible, it has to be Grade A gourmet before anyone stops to notice, which is why the Kallidus Juice bar and CrossKnowledge’s coffee stall take up second and third spot on the great giveaways list. Sweet stuff that did stimulate enough brand recognition to make the top five this year include Glad‘s Krispy Kreme donuts and Atticmedia’s luminous lollies. Notable outsiders include Toolkit for Managers‘ Popcorn and Agylia’s (the new name for CM Group’ Luminosity) "Win a fitbit" competition.   We asked; "Without looking please name one company’s case study, brochure material or other information that you can remember putting in your show bag?"  The top five most popular answers from our respondents were: 1 2 3 4 5 Worth a mention, just outside the top 5: Obsidian Black, Hurix, Xerox, Docebo We asked; "Of all the literature you’ve come away with today, what do you think you’ll be reading on the Tube home?" The top five most popular answers from our respondents were: 1 2 3 4 5 Also worth a mention were, GoodPractice, Fosway and Towards Maturity. One to watch! We asked; "During your show visit, did you see any new business or businesses previously unknown to you that looked interesting?" The top five most popular answers from our respondents were: 1 2 3 4 5 Unusual to have a global brand heading up this new players’ hotlist, but Zerox’s decision to spotlight its vast portfolio of learning and training services at Learning Technologies this year certainly made an impact. PageTiger’s bold branding and clear proposition gets the nod from LT16 visitors and takes spot number two ahead of some stiff competition. We asked: "When you studied the free seminar series, which presentations held most appeal for you?" The top five most popular answers from our respondents were: Gamification: your secret weapon against zombie learners, with Growth Engineering’s Juliette Denny Social media - pay to play or fade away, with Mike McGrail, Marketing Director at Administrate How do you fit a giraffe in a fridge? with Gavin Oattes from Tree of Knowledge Gamification - how to excite and engage your learners in 2016, with Mike Byrne from Netex Preparing to fill the leadership bubble (Leadership bench strength), withTom Roth, CEO at Wilson Learning Worldwide More: Why do we do all this researchy stuff? Now Communications is a digital content marketing company focused on the L&D sector. We help companies develop profile, nurture leads and convert prospects into customers. The more we know the better equipped we are to help and advise sales & marketing people working in eLearning, L&D and HR, so we routinely ask this industry’s professionals to share their thoughts and insights with us. As a result we’re able to advise clients better when they ask us to help them connect with customers and nurture leads. More researchy stuff LearningLive Special Report CIPD L&D Show Special Report See the full story Learning Technologies Exit Poll 2016

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results), which are one of the main tools used to manage performance at companies like Intel, Google, and other tech giants. Just in case you haven’t heard of them, I’ll provide a short explanation of what these are. Objectives and Key Results 101 OKRs (also related to the S.M.A.R.T system) are a system where every employee in the organization determines several objectives (usually between 3 to 5) for the upcoming quarter. These should always be measurable and quantifiable, so we’re not talking about "making our product better". Instead, it should be something like "Grow our product user base by 11%". The objectives should always be ones that push the envelope just a bit, so that fulfilling 60%-70% can be expected. If someone is fulfilling their objectives at a rate of 100% quarter over quarter, they must not be setting ambitious enough goals. OKRs are set at the beginning of every quarter and reviewed and graded at the end of every quarter. Interestingly, OKRs are also completely transparent, so that every employee in the organization can see what every other employee is working on and setting as a priority. OKRs are a system that aligns corporate goals with actual performance. Gamification is to the workforce what OKR’s are to knowledge workers OKRs are there for knowledge workers - product managers, developers, communications managers, operations people etc. OKRs simplifyy goal setting, communication and tracking completion. They are also part of a culture that fosters transparency, since everyone can see everyone else’s OKRs. In essence, OKRs require employees to ask themselves what their tasks should be, they ask them to prioritize those tasks, and after a period of time they create a system where employees go over the goals they set and reflect on their performance. Gamification has the same results for rank and file employees - the workforce.  Looking at gamification, it is easy to see how the different game mechanics offer a similar experience. Gamification allows managers to easily communicate what the next tasks and goals should be for every employee; it also sets expectations for learning and for performance. Gamification lets see how they are doing in comparison to their fellow colleagues, and in what fields they are performing better or worse than those colleagues. Gamification mechanics offer constant, real-time feedback so that employees always know where they stand and can improve as soon as they realize that there is an area where they are under-performing under par. In many ways, gamification is like OKRs, but on a much shorter timeframe and at a much lower cost in time and attention. The performance KPIs are pre-set (they can be changed, of course) Research has shown that using OKR’s can increase productivity (in this case, sales per hour) by up to 8.5%, similarly, different use cases have shown that gamification can create dramatic changes in a companies’ engagement, productivity, and even revenue. The bottom line seems to be that the simple acts of setting goals, prioritizing, defining what they key measurement metrics are going to be and then making sure to actually measure and follow up on all those goals and metrics, makes a huge difference in productivity at the workplace. Mixing that with game mechanics can do wonders for engagement.

I came across a checklist I made several years ago about critical components of Instructional Design. While instructional strategies evolve with the instructional technologies, the principles of good design remain constant. Instructional design is both a creative and pragmatic endeavor that requires a repertoire of process models, cognitive theories, learning science, and instructional strategies. While the instructional designer adapts to each project’s unique requirements, this set of universal checkpoints can assist along the way in creating exceptional learning experiences: Structuring Content Focus squarely on the problem to be solved. Write measurable and actionable performance objectives. Prioritize and structure content. Filter "must know" or "must do" from "important to know" or "important to do." Sideline content that is "nice to know." Identify common mistakes and misconceptions that may interfere with performance. Uncovering misconceptions advances real understanding. Design instructional experiences that include relevant examples, explanations, analogies, and stories to keep learners engaged and content interesting. Include humor and drama as appropriate. Choose instructional strategies germane to content. Provide practice opportunities and interactivities. Learning by doing builds understanding more effectively than learning by watching, listening, or reading. Provide meaningful feedback to instructional activities. Feedback is a teaching moment, not a confirmation of right or wrong. Create assessments clearly tied to the content and expected outcomes. Include knowledge checks during instruction. Accommodating Learner Audience Understand your audience - identify learners’ interests and motivation. The instruction must be able to answer, "What’s in it for me?" to learners in the first few minutes of instruction. Provide learners with strategies for retention and ideas about how to transfer new knowledge and skills to their jobs. Conduct usability tests, and ensure training materials align to learners’ needs. Include job aids or other resources as material take-aways to help learners apply new knowledge. Plan for how learning will be followed up on the job and reinforced later through updates, refreshers, or advanced training. Working with the Design Team Include the entire team in the creative concept, design, and planning of the project. Identify project constraints together (time, money, special circumstances, etc.). Design with sustainability in mind - ensure content can be updated or translated. Work closely with writers and multimedia artists during development and production of instructional assets to ensure instructional integrity. Prepare and provide knowledge transfer to end-client or project owner, and assist with implementation. Evaluate project effectiveness, and disseminate lessons learned back to the team. Download a PDF of the Instructional Design Checkpoints! The post Instructional Design Checkpoints appeared first on Enspire.

"Help, I forgot to think about supporting the development of my direct reports!" I’m half-way through a six-month executive coaching engagement with Beth, a recently-promoted senior-level manager. We’ve been working on three specific desired outcomes for her ongoing leadership development and professional growth. At the start of a session, she says to me, "Steven, with all my focus on my own developmental goals, I’ve completely forgotten about helping to develop those who report to me!" "I think I offer good feedback, both ‘positive’ and ‘constructive’ on specific activities, products, and deliverables but I haven’t been thinking about their longer-term professional growth and leadership development," Beth continues. "This is a blind spot — and there’s a huge potential cost to them as individuals and to this company.  I don’t want to be blind to it anymore!" I know Beth is not alone in this dilemma. The balance between "getting the work done" now, and looking ahead at development issues, especially for high-performing, high-potential individuals With the day-to-day, fast-paced focus on "getting things done," it’s tough to find time to stop and consider the long-term strategic issues we face. Still, it behooves us to prioritize leadership development for our benefit, the benefit of our employees, and the long-term success of the companies in which we work. Of course, we all probably have some "development planning" built into our performance review process. Are we, however, really paying attention to this vital ingredient to employee engagement and company success?  Or are we "checking the box" once a year, because it’s required? Think about just one (for now) high-performing, high-potential individual who works for you. Pause now and think about one of your best employees.  (Ultimately, of course, I’ll encourage you to think about the full range of those who report to you.) Go ahead, name that person. Start the process of thinking: What would you do if he or she came in to your office and said they had accepted another job elsewhere? A top performer leaving creates a huge gap for you to fill. What are the strengths he or she brings to their current role and the range of their responsibilities? How might you help further leverage them? Where are the places he or she may benefit from help to fill in a gap or progress along a continuum of development? What are some "stretches" or development goals that might be reasonable next steps and would allow them to be an even greater contributor to your team’s success? Do your perspectives on strengths and development areas match? Is it a matter of developing new skills or having greater opportunities with new, challenging assignments to demonstrate skills not yet experienced or observed? Do you really know what motivates this person to go "above and beyond"? Could you help provide the resources, support, assignments, introductions, and perspective to help them grow? How might a next conversation start with this individual to let them know you’re committed to his or her development? A few first steps you may consider If thinking in this way is new to you . . . As an experiment, start working more extensively with one person on your team on his or her leadership/executive development. Try not to think of this as a one-time conversation. Instead, think about your coaching style and how that threads its way through the entire year and the cycle of your business.  Perhaps there are milestones throughout the year you can map out as well. Talk with your direct report about the ways in which you can be most helpful to him or her. Is it providing a new, challenging assignment?  Is it giving them more autonomy in the work they’re currently doing?  Is it working on a cross-functional project team? Find out and commit to what you can do. Based on the experience you have with this one individual, begin to formulate a greater and more fully realized plan for ongoing leadership/executive development for your entire team. Develop some consistent practices, processes, and desired outcomes. This can be built into your annual performance review process, but must continue through the year. If you’re someone who would rather work from the general to the specific, you may want to craft a plan first and then work with your folks based on that fully articulated plan.  If you like learning as you go and building the general from the specific, try the ideas above. Please let us know what you notice in the performance and "spirit" of the people with whom you work most closely on ongoing development.  What benefits do you notice — for the person who reports to you, for you, for your company? We’re eager to hear and share what you learn along the way.   The post Let’s Support Emerging Leaders Part I: Working at the Individual Level appeared first on Ariel Group.        Related StoriesLet’s Support Emerging Leaders Part 2: Creating a Program for High PotentialsFrom the Director’s Playbook: Endorse, Endorse, EndorsePresence in the Face of Change Management 

Recap of Part I: In a previous blog, we discussed working on development goals at the individual level - specifically, how you can help a high-performing, high-potential individual accelerate his or her career path while increasing their motivation and engagement.  I also pointed out the benefits of collaborating with those "high potentials" on how to leverage their current strengths and allow them to stretch into new areas of development. So now that you know why you should be paying attention to your high potentials, this week, we go a step further: How to take a more organization-wide approach to helping your high-performing individuals realize their leadership potential. And it’s simpler to implement than you may think. I’m currently working with a Swiss-based international company on developing a full-fledged program for high-performing/high-potential individuals. Depending on your position in your organization, you might consider a similar program. Here’s the recipe we collaborated on creating: SELECT: Take 15 individuals who have already demonstrated great competence and promise. SCHEDULE: Have these individuals meet three times (2 /12 days per module) as a full cohort over the course of 6 months in concentrated learning modules. SUPPORT: Provide them with faculty members able to help them upgrade their already superior skill set in communication, presence, and presentation. STIMULATE: Simultaneously, provide these individuals with faculty able to offer them a broader perspective and new information on MBA-like topics about the world of business more generally and about the world in which their company operates. STAGE: Divide them into three cross-functional project teams, each of which addresses an issue of strategic importance to their company - with an opportunity to present the results of their work to the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors at the conclusion of the program.  Offer each group institutional support through high-level executive "sponsors." STRETCH: Throughout the entire 6-month program, utilize group activities and one-on-one executive coaching to remind participants that the program is all about their "stretch" in the areas each has identified as important in his or her professional leadership development. SIGNIFY: Involve the President/CEO in a meaningful way to let participants know that this program matters at the highest level. There are certainly many other models for building on the strengths of high-performing, high-potential individuals, but this particular model goes deep and broad and has the added benefit of "learning by doing" with a very high-visibility opportunity included at the end of the program. From that standpoint, it’s a "win-win" all around. But.  You may not be able to just jump in. Or, you may already be further along than you thought. So here are some questions you might ask about instituting such a program, to set your own starting point: How have we attempted to leverage the skills and talents of our high-performing and high-potential individuals so far? Where have we experienced the greatest success? Where have we fallen short of our desired outcomes? What is the upside if we’re wildly successful in helping our emerging leaders "step up"?  What is the cost if we don’t? What are the pros and cons of identifying a small number of individuals (compared to the total population of our workforce) for this "special program" vs. beefing up our organizational-wide approach to leadership development for each and every employee? What are some of the working assumptions we seem to hold as an organization about the place of development in our work culture?  Do we need another look at those assumptions? What can we learn from other companies who have succeeded in making step-changes in helping significant contributors make even more significant contributions to a company’s success? What are the "great outcomes" we seek in focusing on leadership development and how might they best be achieved in today’s climate? Recognizing and encouraging your best and brightest is one of the smartest moves you can make for your organization. As always, we’re eager to hear what you’re doing in this area.  Share a success story or two with us, and let’s keep the conversation alive.     The post Let’s Support Emerging Leaders Part 2: Creating a Program for High Potentials appeared first on Ariel Group.        Related StoriesLet’s Support Emerging Leaders Part I: Working at the Individual LevelFrom the Director’s Playbook: Endorse, Endorse, EndorseDo Your Employees See You…as Human?