We discuss the trends and issues we observed during the weeks of November 9-23 as we flipped resources into our Flipboard magazine (http://bit.ly/trendsandissues). We have three trends that we discuss. There were a number of resources we flipped that showed unique uses of VR by companies (e.g. Volvo). The second trend are a variety of […] Tags:   Del.icio.us Facebook TweetThis Digg StumbleUpon Comments:  1 (One) on this itemCopyright © Trends & Issues [Episode 51 Trends for Weeks of November 9-23 VR Applications, Online Learning, and Apple Products], All Right Reserved. 2015.

Batman defeats Joker and other villains with the help of the items in his utility belt. Bob the Builder can fix just about anything with the tools in his belt. Military and law enforcement officers carry what they need to do their jobs and protect people on their belts. Ok, so technical writers and instructional designers may not wear utility belts but keeping a variety of software tools at the ready for any situation is a good idea. To help you be efficient, up-to-date, and completive, I’ve gathered a list of common software tools in our industry to help you in any situation. The list is not all-inclusive, but it became rather extensive so I broke it into three tables - technical writing, instructor led training, including virtual instructor led training (VILT), and eLearning separately. Note, some software appears in more than one list. Remember, you are responsible for your professional development. I’m hoping this software list will help you identify any weaknesses so you can take action to strengthen your tool belt. Knowing how to use the software and in which situations to use it is key. Technical Writing Explanation of the difference between word processing, desktop publishing, and content authoring software: Word processing software. These are the most basic authoring tools and sometimes that is all you need. Creating text styles like headings, adding headers and footer, and inserting graphics sometimes is enough to get the job done. Desktop publishing software. These are a several steps up from word processing software. They are more robust and able to handle larger file sizes. With a desktop publishing software you can create page layouts for brochures, job aids, quick reference guides, and large manuals. Sections, chapters, indexes, table of contents, and references are easier to create and manage. Complex templates can be created once and reused over and over so that all of your documents have a consistent look. Content authoring software. These also allow you to create page layouts but are geared towards larger manuals and other items that do not require as much graphic design elements. Content authoring software allows for publication to several formats including HTML, PDF, XML, etc. Instructor Led Training (ILT and VILT) eLearning

In this information age we tend to over think and over complicate things, including how to make eLearning more exciting for learners. Don’t over think it! CommLab India created this simple but effective infographic providing four tips for making boring content more interesting. Gamify to create fun. Use decision making scenarios. Do away with jargon. More visuals, less text. You can view the entire blog post here.

A few weeks ago in It’s a Game. It’s a Tool. It’s Learning Battle Cards! I wrote about an exciting new tool that is coming out in October called Learning Battle Cards. Well, the discount code that I mentioned is here!! The 20% discount code is 6a8319. Follow these instructions to place your order: Go to http://www.learningbattlecards.com/ and scroll to the bottom. Click the Order Your LBC Deck button. Select the LBC deck. In the Coupon Code box type 6a8319 to receive 20% off your order!

The battle is on. Who will win? Humans versus robots!! Ok, so maybe the comparison of using a human recorded voice versus the text-to-speech isn’t that exciting, but it is good to know the differences and the pros and cons for each. VivaeLearning has a great video to demonstrate. Adobe Captivate - Audio Narration: Human vs Robot

Today I’m attending the 2015 Content Marketing World Conference in Cleveland, OH. You can follow my highlights of the conference on my Twitter feed, @jessiner #CMWorld. As technical writers and instructional designers we need to stay up on the current trends and be versatile. Well, the marketing folks keep a pulse on what customers want and what they need. Often they are responsible for ensuring customers get the training and documentation they need. They are also very committed to properly portraying the company messaging and brand.  Today my goal is to understand training and documentation from their perspective and learn how I can incorporate more polish into my deliverables. I want to create an experience for people, not just a bunch of papers and PowerPoint slides. Who better to learn from than the people responsible for customer experience at major corporations? So follow along with me on Twitter and next week I’ll report my findings on how technical writers and instructional designer can use content marketing.

I promised a report on the Content Marketing World conference when it was done and here it is: I have a lot to learn! The conference was the largest I’ve ever attended and it was first-rate. They had celebrity keynote speakers, stage sets, music playing, gameshows, informative and energized sessions, and the vendors had awesome giveaways. It was the Disneyland of conferences. Well worth the money and time. You can view some of my observations during the conference on my Twitter feed (@jessiner #CMWorld). I was overwhelmed with how little I actually knew about content marketing. I looked at it as just another type of writing, but if you have ever written a new product sell sheet for a company you quickly realized that what information the marketing team finds important can be very different than what you are accustom to. On top of that, I discovered that content marketing is much more complex than simply writing a few sell sheets and social media posts. There is a science and art behind it that is completely different from instructional design and technical writing. However, there is a grey area where content marketing, instructional design, and technical writing overlap. The common factor for all three is that they all transfer information to an audience, and the key to being successful is knowing and delivering what the audience needs and wants. No matter how well-written, visually appealing, or skillfully taught, if it doesn’t meet the audience’s needs, then it is not valuable.

Time is running out to save on your Learning Battle Cards order. The 20% off offer expires September 30th. See Discount Code for Learning Battle Cards! for details. What are Learning Battle Cards? Only the coolest training development tool ever! The set of cards will help you break out of your instructional design rut and spark your creativity. You can get more information from the post It’s a Game. It’s a Tool. It’s Learning Battle Cards!

Pinterest is a visual social media tool. A lot of people think of it as a site full of arts and crafts and recipes. However, I have found it full of useful information in a variety of topics. Recently I discovered a world of technical writing, elearning, adult learning theory, and coaching infographics available on Pinterest. I created a Tech Com and Instructional Design board with some of the great information I’ve found. Follow my Pinterest board and see what is out there.

We’ve all watched science fiction movies and shows where people are surrounded by and interact with holograms. I never really expected to see it in the average person’s everyday life during my lifetime. However, it looks like it will be her sooner than I ever thought. Microsoft has introduced HoloLens. Microsoft describes HoloLens as "the first fully untethered, see-through holographic computer. It enables high-definition holograms to come to life in your world, seamlessly integrating with your physical places, spaces, and things. We call this experience mixed reality. Holograms mixed with your real world will unlock all new ways to create, communicate, work, and play." Mixed reality. Having holograms integrated with your real world. Does that have your wheels turning? If it doesn’t watch the video demonstrating its uses. Here is what caught my attention as an instructional designer and technical writer: Training can happen anywhere in real-time. From their desk, employees can learn about and interact with new company products. Employees can learn how to operate equipment and learn new skills by practicing on a hologram. User manuals can be supplemented with real-time, step-by-step instructions. Field technicians can get help from supervisors who can see what they see. Mixed reality can be and exciting new chapter in the instructional design and technical documentation world. Support and training are going to be more visual and hands-on instead of word and paper driven. We will need to adjust how we deliver information to our audience, but if we adapt there is still a place for us in mixed reality.