We will plead guilty from the get-go that we’re not a disinterested third party when it comes to championing the rise of serious games and gamification. It’s one of our core competencies here at Designing Digitally, Inc. and we love designing and developing these programs for higher education, military, government and corporate clients. Plus, our team loves making them! But we’re certainly not alone in seeing their vast promise for training and employee engagement, and this time around we’re hijacking the crystal ball of serious media maven, Forbes, as they share their predictions for the future of gamification in the business and education sectors. As we’ve been explaining in our campaign to educate interested parties on the possibilities and potentials inherit within E-learning, gamification is the process of adding game dynamics such as competition, rewards, and recognition to educational programming, company training regimens and routine job duties. Engaging with these programs via digital access points such as computers, laptops and smart phones adds remarkable convenience as well as uniform experience and performance metrics to the mix. Coupled with the high IT usability quotient of today’s emerging workers who have been raised on video games and computer technologies, gamification is evolving into a dynamic media with virtually unlimited applications. In a nutshell, our gamification experts can create just about any scenario one can imagine for virtual training and job tasking needs. We know the future of gamification is bright, which is one reason it is a key part of our business. Now let’s hear what a media heavy hitter has to say about that future as well. Forbes Magazine contributor, Dan Schawbel, interviewed author, professor and New York University Assistant Director of the Business & Economic Program, Adam PenenBerg. Mr. Penenberg who was asked many questions about serious games and their future in the workplace. We found this bit about employee motivation quite interesting: The Future "I see a day when a person will log into work from home, his avatar interacting with other employees. Companies like IBM are big into avatars, by the way. Then the person will, in a game-like architecture, perform his job, receiving constant feedback as if he is in a game. This, too, is already happening. The next time you go to Target, notice the checkout screen. On it you’ll see a game that rates the cashier’s speed. According to one report, Target maintains a running average of an employee’s scores, requiring that more than 88 percent of transactions make the speed cut, with a cashier’s score affecting salary and promotions. Target has turned cashiers into players of a corporate game." Imagine that - Target hitting the bull’s-eye on efficiency and customer service via gamification! Penenberg goes on to discuss surgical procedures, archeological text decoding, public health pandemic predictions, and DNA recognition - all made easier and more successful via gamification. Read the full, fascinating Forbes interview with Adam Penenberg about the future of gamification, here. To learn more about Serious Games, Training Simulations and E-Learning, contact the gamification experts at Designing Digitally, Inc.

The corporate world is all about making profits for its stockholders- basically the bottom line for businesses today. Of course, the "trickle-down effect" also helps employees make money and hold steady jobs - a very good thing in today’s ambiguous economy, given its up and down fluctuations. For companies and corporations to succeed today, then, businesses either need to recruit new customers on a continual basis, develop loyalty with past customers to keep doing business with them, or achieve some combination of both of these strategies. With so many companies producing similar products, and little true differentiation amongst them, it often falls on the employees to somehow "hustle," and keep customers satisfied, or reach-out to potential clients. The pace and pressure on employees can thus be intense, and burnout claims many workers every year. Serious games can offer a helping hand to businesses large and small in a number of ways- either as a motivational tool that makes sales and customer interaction fun again for employees, or empowering players to develop an understanding of companies and their values. Below is an example of a business who has experienced success and growth via the innovative merging of marketing and motivation that is at the center of gamification and serious games for consumers and employees alike. How They Did It Domino’s Pizza put their money where their mouth is when it comes to customer satisfaction. They asked their biggest critics what they disliked about their brand, then changed their product and order/delivery process in response - a gutsy move, but one that showed they really want to please their clients. Domino’s found they needed to appeal to the core demographic of young people who were technologically savvy and wanted to engage with the company via wireless tech and the Internet for ordering and options. Locating near-by stores, tracking pizza delivery and electronic coupons are all features sought by the younger demographic. Also, Domino’s rolled out a billboard experience in the U.K. via an app, and apps for smart phones where you can play games or order a pizza. The apps will even select a pizza for you if you can’t decide what to order. All the above features are tech-driven results of their customer survey. The results? According to Forbes Magazine, the results have been impressive. "Domino’s digital platforms comprise 30% of sales in the U.S.; in April it reached the $1 billion milestone in online sales. Both mobile apps - for the iPhone and Android - are in the top 15 in lifestyle rankings with the iTunes store and on Google Play. The Android app generated more than 140,000 downloads in its first two weeks after being released." See complete coverage on Domino’s digital dominance by following this link to the Forbes’ article.

The mobile world has been largely affected by the rise of smartphone and tablet use, which is also changing the way we convey and seek out information. Over the past few years, people have found new, unexpected ways to use their mobile devices, including education. Numerous corporations and other entities have discovered the convenience and effectiveness of using the mobile platform to train employees or give users access to pertinent information and skill training. In this article we will touch on some of the main factors that should be taken into consideration when creating a mobile learning program. With this, we will go over some of the top tips for mobile learning development as well as a handful of solutions to help you better understand the entire process. Conduct a Mobile Analysis It is first and foremost imperative that a mobile analysis is conducted for you. With this, a plan for design and development can be determined based on technological factors. During this stage, your design and development partner should conduct research to discover which types of mobile devices your learners most commonly use - and which they don’t - as well as how they use them. Also, what are the technical specs of those devices and their capabilities? After completing a tech and mobile analysis, the plan for development becomes clearer. For example, it is necessary to look at the overall processing power of the device you are intending your program to be used with. While many computers have a 3.5 GHz processing power, the processor speed in smartphones ranges from 1.2 GHz to 2.5 GHz. The iPhone 5S recently came out with the world’s first 64-bit processor designed for mobile use, but this is relatively new so should not be considered the norm. When it comes to the screen, the iPhone 6 Plus (the largest model) has a 5.5 inch screen with a resolution 1080 x 1920 pixels. Many computers have 18 inch screens or bigger, which is a significant difference that should be considered. Because of this, when viewing training on a mobile device it may not feel and function as intended unless optimized for mobile. Keep the Device in Mind Consider the device (iPad, iPhone, Android, Samsung tablet, etc) and make sure your program is compatible with each operating system. According to a study conducted by Business Insider Intelligence at the end of 2013, tablets are showing faster adoption rates than smartphones initially did, which is definitely something to take into consideration when designing a mobile learning program. Keep in mind certain software programs, such as Adobe Flash, are not compatible across all devices. With this, it may be necessary to adjust the software being used in order to accommodate a range of devices. It should be noted, the way we interact with a PC versus a tablet or smartphone is different, so the technology you use may need to be adjusted too. When designing for tablets and/or smartphones, we need to make sure we are focusing on what kind of learning environment is being created. It should be sensitive to user interface differences and adjustments such as placing text entry fields at the top of the screen and converting rollover fields to single click selections with a ‘submit’ Button. Similarly, it is important to keep in mind how the user will affect the program. In most cases, a user’s hand or wrist will block some of the screen, so it should not be assumed that users will perform a specific action then quickly move their hand. Don’t Forget About the User The user is perhaps the most important element of any mobile learning program. Because of this, you must consider their overall experience and expectations throughout each step of the development, design, and implementation process. What we mean by this is that mobile learning should be simple and fit-for-purpose. If the program is flexible, engaging, and gets the job done, the user should be motivated and take responsibility for what they need to know. Users respond well to real-time access to information in the palm of their hand, and they want up-to-date, credible content as well as technical stability and navigable applications. These expectations can be challenging, but if approached with the right mind frame and capabilities, they can be met. If possible, observe how users hold the device you are designing for and make adjustments accordingly. It may be wise to consider ‘landscape’ view vs. ‘portrait’ view, depending on how interactive your course is and what device your learners are using. People have a very strong connected with their smartphones and tablets, and this affects their overall consumption habits and mindset. Consider their behaviors (for example, mobile users typically prefer to engage in short activity bursts) and pay extra attention to how they affect their overall experience. Be Visual When having a mobile learning course designed, be sure the interface is being designed for the device and make every effort to grab and keep your learner’s attention through various visual elements. Make sure the font is at least 14pt, use bold imagery, use icons and other graphics to represent content over text whenever possible. Remember, mobile devices have smaller screens and different technical specifications than PCs or laptops, so you will need to make the appropriate changes and adjustments to ensure the program not only works, but is presented in a way that holds the user’s interests and reaches your objectives. Mobile learning programs and technology give organizations the opportunity to provide users with access to specific information that will help them develop an intended skill set. With this, we must be aware of the differences between developing a learning module for PCs versus mobile devices. By having a mobile analysis conducted, paying attention to your user and his or her needs, and focusing on interface functionality, you are one step closer to a successful mobile learning program. Designing Digitally, Inc, works hard to ensure your training program is mobile friendly and there when your learners need it. To learn more about mobile training development and what mobile learning can do for your organization, contact us today!

One of the primary challenges to business today is cutting through all of the clutter to directly engage their intended audience. Companies that fail to capture the interest or imagination of their desired target will continue to find engagement and conversion elusive. Competition is fierce for the attention of your potential customers, but also for that of your business partners and employees. Gamification is one way to attract and hold the attention of those who you want to engage with. By inserting activities, tasks and interactions that are interesting and relevant to their audience, companies can increase the level of engagement in a meaningful way. As we know, gamification is the practice of using game-like interactions within non-game activities. It typically involves some type of reward for performing a specific task. Effective gamification techniques involve challenges and activities that make participants feel good. They use a combination of social currency, achievement and fun to turn mundane or tedious tasks into desirable activities. Examples of tasks where gamification improves engagement and/or conversion rates include web-based sales and marketing, employee training, consumer-driven word-of-mouth marketing, information and data gathering tasks, and more. All of these activities are made more interesting by introducing rewards, accomplishments and entertainment into them. Marketing gimmick or proven science? The science behind gamified interactions is clear - people are motivated by recognition of their accomplishments. Whatever the activity, if we complete it successfully and are rewarded, our brain releases endorphins that lead us to feel good. If an activity is especially interesting, fun or challenging, our neurological chemistry responds accordingly. When people receive a reward for an achievement, no matter the scale of the reward, their self-image is enhanced and they feel encouraged. This positive response creates a favorable impression of whatever activity they were performing, and the association is made. Gamification creates an opportunity for positive association with a brand, product, service, or other entity. When developed in the right way, these game-based activities can be an effective tool in not just engaging, but converting participants to your view. Gamification in a real-world setting Studies have shown that when even relatively mundane websites use a gamification style to their design, conversion rates increase measurably. Examples of this are websites that request users to provide information by filling out a form using drop down menus or text boxes. These are often tedious tasks that frequently see a user abandon it before completion. However, when this same information is put in the form of a playful graphic style, completion of the task can be greatly increased. In one particular A/B test of a registration process, two web pages were compared for their effectiveness. The website was for an IT-oriented job board, and was requesting detailed information from job candidates. The control version was a standard text-based form with drop-down menu choices. The rate of abandonment during the registration process using this page was high. The second version was a gamified web page with graphics that showed the progress of a representative applicant. This second website was also configured in a sort of treasure hunt style, with the beginning and end in clear site on the page. Now keep in mind that the information being requested was identical, it was simply being requested in a different style. After 28 days and more than 10,000 applicants, the results were clear. The website that used a gamification style had an increase in conversions of 66% over the text-based version. The real promise of gamification The effectiveness of gamified website design and gamification of websites for sales, marketing and branding cannot be overstated. In almost every case where a standard or static design is compared with a website that uses gamification, the results are extraordinary1. Studies show an increase in brand recognition and loyalty, engagement in social media and word-of-mouth advertising, better retention of customers, and improved conversion. At Designing Digitally, Inc. we’re committed to designing the most effective gamification techniques for your business, brand, product and service. As an e-Learning solutions company, our knowledge of game-based engagement and grabbing the attention of your target audience is second to none. Our results in effective gamification and serious game design speak for themselves. Let us know how we can help you improve your engagement and conversion rates using our expertise.   [1] Does Gamification Work?  A Literature Review of Empirical Studies on Gamifacation - Hamari, Koivisto, Sarsa. 2014.

A Look at Gamification and Serious Games As anyone who’s ever watched an adept video gamer will tell you, videogames are some of the most engaging activities we can perform. That’s because playing computerized games stimulates our brains by presenting scenarios in which we have to interpret and respond to various input. The brain is engaged to such an extent by the interaction within these games, that cognitive scientists have shown it actually improves brain function. This same level of engagement is what training directors strive for in designing the newest types of learning courses. For years training professionals have been dangling the carrot of improved learner engagement in front of frustrated managers’ eyes, yet frequently the training they develop has come up short. The advent and continued improvement of gamification and serious games promises to change all of that. As the technology to create more realistic and functional computerized interactions has combined with ubiquitous connectivity, high-speed computing and mobile devices, e-learning engagement is becoming a promise fulfilled. As the terms gamification and serious games become more a part of our dialogue in training development, we notice some confusion. Is there really a difference between them? Let’s have a look. What’s in a Name? In fact, gamification and serious games relate to the promotion of learning using the inherent problem-solving skills and engagement that interactive games facilitate. The techniques for problem identification, creative problem solving and solution-oriented thinking are all brought to life when a learner is placed inside of the situation. That said, there are some semantic differences that can be identified between the terms. Gamification is a technique which uses game mechanics such as leaderboards, badges and other rewards or incentives in a non-game context. By incorporating the fundamentals of game mechanics, training can be made more interesting and engaging to the learner, leading to better retention and improved performance. The term ‘serious games’ often refers to games designed for the purpose of teaching a specific skill. Jobs that involve a potentially dangerous or highly technical task can be developed as computer-based scenarios for learners to practice on. That is not to say only dangerous or technical tasks can be the subject of a serious game, any topic can be the subject of a serious game. This kind of training technique applies game principles, but does so in a way that focuses on a specific skill-building outcome. Using games in a teaching environment to better represent the concepts being taught gets the learner engaged. Through game playing, learners are able to master skills and tasks virtually, outside of a real-world setting. How Games Promote Learning The methods and techniques for designing training courses have evolved immeasurably over the past few decades. The problem is, traditional methods have depended upon presenting learners with lists of facts to memorize, rules to follow, and tips that may or may not be relevant. All of which is a recipe for disengaging the brain. Training that is designed using effective game techniques on the other hand, presents learners with an opportunity for activity, feedback and engagement. The best game-based training incorporates many of the motivators that make video games so engaging, such as challenge, recognition of achievements, an opportunity for reward, and a way to track progress. These and other game techniques help to promote interest, excitement, and engagement. If we believe the science which shows us that highly engaged brains are better at learning, then using game techniques for developing training just makes sense. If our brains are engaged and active, they are more able to receive, process, and retain new information. Designing Digitally, Inc. is Here to Help The goal of any training program is to offer learners the best opportunity to acquire knowledge. Using game techniques within training courses promotes more interaction, better engagement and improved retention of the information being presented. Gamification and game-based learning offer the learner a more stimulating and engaging learning experience, which translates into a more effective training program. At Designing Digitally, we specialize in creating E-Learning that uses the latest techniques and principles of gamification. Our experience with creating game-based learning tools gives us the ability to design effective training programs for any business and knowledge set. Our results speak for themselves, so let us know how we can help your business to increase learner engagement, improve efficiency and create a better trained workforce. Contact us to learn more about gamification, serious games, and how your organization can benefit from stellar online training.

Enhance Your Skills through Gaming You may have heard a lot about games being bad for the brain and how it hampers brain power? If so, then it’s time to change that perception! There has been some research conducted on the effect of games on the human brain. The psychologists and scientists have concluded that games can actually help people become better learners, rather than harming their learning ability as was once portrayed. But how can playing games make you a better learner? When it comes to learning, games can play an important role. Even though it is not common in the corporate sector to implement the use of games as a part of training their employees, the interest in adopting games for learning is steadily growing. According to research done by the UC-Denver Business School, participants who played games for learning a specific aspect of their job had 9% higher retention rate, 11% higher factual knowledge and 14% higher skill-based knowledge. Results showed employees who played games to learn and train were more confident in their skills, remembered more and were able to perform their duties better as well. With such benefits, this is something a lot of L&D directors are looking into. Get Creative Because you are required to make decisions based on fictional but real-time game events, it enhances your decision-making and learning capabilities. This can be helpful in brain development as you have to plan, search, negotiate and try different approaches to solve problems and advance through the game’s levels. Games that require you to role play need a great deal of creativity as you have to model the character to be able to tackle different foes and overcome obstacles. These games need you to understand the game’s structure and the rules with which that particular fictional world functions. Even though video games are not labeled as educational, they can play an important role in helping you become a better learner. An example of such a game is flight simulators designed and developed to train pilots. Learning on such a platform allows the trainee to be put into different situations, and gain knowledge and confidence in a simulated environment where mistakes are not fatal. It’s Not Just Fun and Games It is important to note that games have more potential than being a means to just have fun. Games allow the learner to interact with the virtual world which runs parallel to the real world environment. Because of this, the knowledge and the skills which they are expected to apply later can come easily to them. An example can be a game that is created to reflect a real-life job of managing employees with different skills and personalities. The game randomly creates situations that require you to take action. Unlike passive videos and lectures where the learner can do nothing but sit, watch, listen and take notes, games can get them to utilize relevant skills based on their knowledge by needing to interact with the scenarios. Become a Better Learner With games, L&D Directors can give their employees an immersive experience into what they should expect from their respective jobs. The best part is the immediate feedback for both the learner and the L&D Director. The learner is able to finish the program with improved confidence and increased knowledge to excel at their jobs, while the directors of training have an amazing tool at their disposal for training their current and new employees. With these benefits showing how gamers are better learners, there is no doubt a day will come when games will be an integral part of learning. To learn more about gamifying your training, give us a call 866.316.9126

We write alot about gamification on our blog; how it increases engagement, boost morale, the list goes on and on. So, for this installment we will be looking at more of a case study type bit. Enjoy! Blue Shield of California has discovered that gamification combined with social media is motivating its employees to strive towards healthier lifestyles. They’re also now thinking the approach could work for the employees of their corporate health insurance clients as well. Implementing this strategy would be good for everyone, particularly the employees and their families. As Information Week website reports, "Blue Shield launched Wellvolution, a wellness initiative for its own employees, in 2009. This program had some impact, but the company eventually realized that it could do even better," Bryce Williams, director of Wellvolution, told InformationHealth Healthcare. Recent research has shown the power of social connectedness in improving health outcomes. Also, mobile health apps were suddenly catching on among consumers. "So it made sense to take the technology that people were already using and comfortable with, and migrate that to a health platform that included social media and social gaming," Williams explained. Blue Shield's first move was trying an application called Shape Up Shield, which focuses on promoting physical activity. Shape Up Shield is an eight-week-long, social-media-fueled challenge that uses an online platform to let employees form teams, post comments in forums, set team and personal fitness goals, and give virtual 'high fives' for encouragement. In 2011, over 1,800 Shape Up Shield participants walked, hiked and ran a combined 600 million steps, or about 300,000 miles. Another application, Healthrageous, uses mobile devices to get patients involved in wellness and chronic disease care. Based on personal data collected on these devices, Healthrageous advises and supports patients in meeting their health goals. The program also includes a social media element in which participants can compete and share their experiences online. Including the impact of Shape Up Shield, the Wellvolution initiative has had an impressive track record. "In the past three years," Williams said, "80% of Blue Shield employees have participated in at least one of its wellness programs. During that period, there has been a 50% drop in smoking prevalence and a similar increase in regular physical activity among employees. The incidence of hypertension has fallen by two-thirds, and disability claims are down among participating workers, but not others." One reason for the high participation rate in Wellvolution is the incentives offered to employees. Wellness program participants are paying $3 million a year less in insurance premiums, and they're getting a total of 2,500 "health days" off from work. The company has also benefited by cutting annual health cost growth for its employees from double to single digits. You can read the entire coverage on Blue Shield’s social media/gamification strategy here.

With mobile technology becoming increasingly ingrained in today’s society, it is no shock mobile devices can be used in corporate training and performance support. However, delivering your training via mobile devices, be it your iPhone or tablet, is not as easy as just opening your modules on an iPhone. Therefore, we have outlined a few quick tips for creating content for mobile learning. Make it Short and Sweet Mobile learning content needs to capture and keep users’ attention. Long paragraphs or segments that drag on for several minutes are not ideal, as users may quickly become distracted or uninterested. Dividing content into small segments, sticking to smaller chunks of context, and using bullet points whenever appropriate, are all great ways to get the message across without losing your audience. Interactivity No one wants to click through a ton of slides filled with text. Incorporate interactivity in your mobile learning to keep user attention and get them engaged with the content. Try interactions such as drag and drop or matching. Remember, smart phones do not have rollover capabilities and a few other nuances, so make sure you keep these in mind when creating interactions for your content in mobile learning. Check Your Tone Mobile learning projects often benefit from the use of a conversational tone, instead of a more professional, lecturing voice. A phone or tablet is a user's personal space, the voice or text of the content should reflect and respect that. Staying away from automated voice messages and working toward more personalization is essential to keeping users interested and willing to stick with it. Always Keep Your Learner in Mind Your learner is your key to success, so always keeping them in mind as you develop your content is a great way to ensure your project produces the results you’re looking for. It can be easy to get caught up in the aesthetics or interactivity of you mobile learning,but developing a great mobile learning project for a specific audience is key. Keep it Simple A great way to engage users, without overwhelming them, is to keep the design of your mobile learning module simple and to make sure the content is fit-for-purpose. While an extravagant design and complex content may be appealing to you, this may cause users to lose attention and jump ship. Remember, content should be presented in a style that is easy to consume and engage with. So there you have it! 5 quick tips for creating content for mobile learning. Not saying it’s easy, but keeping your content short and sweet, and to the point and interesting, along with focusing on your audience and their needs, is a great way to start. To learn more about mobile learning development, contact us! We would love to chat!

For this week’s blog post I thought it would be cool to share a video we made a couple years ago about gamification in the context of everyday life. I came across this video when going through our YouTube channel looking for a specific demo video to show a client. Having not encountered this particular video before (it was before my time here at DDINC), my curiosity got the best of me and I had to check it out! But before we get to the video, I want to take this opportunity to share a little about what gamification is and how it can be used in corporate training. (If you just can’t wait any longer and the suspense is literally killing you, scroll to the bottom of the page to find the video) So, what is Gamification? Gamification is the use of game elements in a non-game context. For instance, using badges and leaderboards in corporate training. The badges and leaderboards are the game elements, and, obviously, corporate training is the non-game context. Why Gamify? Because that rhymed, that’s why! But seriously, gamification does wonders for employee engagement, motivation and knowledge retention. Additionally, gamification makes training far more interesting than a slideshow presentation. Boost Engagement, Increase Motivation and Knowledge Retention Employee engagement is imperative when it comes to training; if they arent’ engaged, how do you expect them to retain any information? By using game elements such as badges and achievements, employees are more likely to be engaged with your content. Corporate training may not always be the most exciting or engaging activity for employees. However, by rewarding employees with badges and status indicators (achievements) you are giving your learners a reason to get engaged. No, I am not saying your employees should marry each other; I’m sure that violates an HR policy or two… What I am saying is using gamification engages employees and gives them a reason to interact and pay attention to your content. If employees are paying attention, they are more likely to recall and retain information. Using gamification in online corporate training is a great way to motivate employees. For example, using a dynamic leaderboard to display scores that are a few above and a few below a learner’s score. This way, the learner sees an attainable goal, instead of seeing the top 10 scores when they may be well into the bottom 10. By showing scores that are just above that learner’s score they are more motivated to pass up their peer that is only a few points ahead of them. What About the Video You Promised Us?! Ok, folks. Check out this video we made on gamification in everyday life! To learn more about gamification or how your organization could benefit from a gamified learning experience, give us a call! 866.316.9126

As mobile learning continues to receive attention and gain momentum as an effective tool for learning, as do the myths surrounding mobile learning. Unfortunately, many people do not have an accurate understanding of what mobile learning is, exactly, and how businesses and educational institutions alike can benefit from it. Because the mobile learning domain is unchartered territory for a lot of people, this confusion is to be expected. However, the myths surrounding mobile learning may be holding it back from being adopted and used as widely as it could be. Today, it is our intention to uncover some of the most common myths surrounding mobile learning. In doing so, we hope to shed some new light on this concept and give people a better idea about what to expect when considering implementing mobile learning as a tool for their business or organization. Myth #1. Mobile Devices are Distracting To be honest, it would be nearly impossible to remove all distractions surrounding a learning experience without putting someone in an empty room with just a tablet. Even then, one could always open a new window or answer a text message. However, how is that any different from classroom training, or online training on a laptop? With mobile learning, someone could be lounging at home on their couch, tablet in hand, reviewing product specifications via a mini game, preparing for a sales presentation the next day. By allowing learners to participate in training and review on their own time, in their own environment, distractions will naturally be less of an issue. Myth #2. Mobile Content Isn’t as Secure as Online Learning Content Sure, people are far more likely to misplace or have their smartphone stolen than say, as desktop computer. However, this doesn’t mean they are less secure than these more stationary devices. Through advances in technology and the rise in popularity of mobile learning, we are seeing a growing number of devices that are considered highly secure and easy to manage. Content can easily be encrypted on any device as well as the browser in order to ensure a secure, safe connection. Not to mention, how often are you sending personal information, other than maybe your email, to your LMS with a mobile device? Myth #3. Mobile Learning is Not as Effective as Other Forms of Learning Mobile learning isn’t always the most ideal delivery medium for information and training, but it has proved to be more effective than originally thought. The ability to learn ‘on-the-go’ with the assistance of smartphones, tablets, and other devices is becoming an increasingly popular method of training, as it enables users to learn at their own pace and on their own schedule. One of the most positive things that has come out of this movement towards mobile learning is that it gives users the ability to access and revisit content whenever they need. This is huge - as it means that learning is no longer restricted to a classroom or training session, but can be done on the couch, on the subway, or while waiting in a coffee shop. Just-in-time training and performance support are easily attainable with the use of mobile learning. Myth #4. Small Screen Size is Not Suitable for Learning Depending on the content and your intention, the screen size should not be an issue when mobile learning programs. This form of learning is great when you need to deliver just-in-time information or would like to give people the means to access the training material as they desire. You will find that what matters most is actually the ease with which users can access information, as well as how it presented and how usable it is for accomplishing the intended goal. Furthermore, newer phones and tablets have larger screens, which is yet another reason why the ‘small screen’ myth is being debunked as we speak. Also, through responsive design, content easily fits on screen and still provides the desired user experience. There are many different ways you can get results from a mobile learning program, but the first step is to understand the misconceptions surrounding this form of training. As we will continue to see advances in technology, this notion of mobile learning will become more and more common. It is important to keep in mind, in order to be successful with a mobile training program, you must take the time to sit down and go over your goals and objectives. By starting with this step first, you will have a clearer picture of whether or not this route is right for you. At that point, it is recommended that you contact our Designing Digitally, Inc. team. We will walk you through the entire process and answer any questions or concerns you may have about mobile learning. We hope that you now have a better idea of what mobile learning is all about, and what some of the most common mistruths about this ever-popular form of learning are.