In the on-going quest for better and more effective training techniques, capturing the attention and imagination of the learner is still the key. The more we can engage our training audience, the more likely they are to learn and retain the information we present to them. Few other techniques accomplish this goal more effectively than the use of gamification in a corporate training setting.  As most of us know by now, gamification is the technique of using game elements and mechanics in a non-game setting, such as in corporate training. It has been shown that when we embed these game activities into our training programs, employees are more actively engaged with the lessons .  As we know, the more engaged a learner is with the material, the better they learn. So how does this work exactly? And how do we make the most effective use of gamification techniques in a corporate training setting? Why gamification works To understand how gamification can improve the effectiveness of a training program, we need to take a look at how people are motivated to learn. First off, our brains are wired to respond positively to rewards. When we successfully complete an activity and are rewarded for it, our brain releases endorphins. These chemical responses make us feel good, and are what motivates us to continue with the activity - in this case, learning. So if we can build a training program that rewards participants for learning, then they’ll feel good about what we’re teaching them. This is the basic science behind how and why gamification within training is so effective - it optimizes for human interaction with the training lesson rather than simply presenting the information.  How to use gamification in your training Not all training easily lends itself to creating game elements around it. That said, there are many tools we can implement that take advantage of the same reward/response effects that keep learners motivated. These diverse tools and elements can be used in such a way as to introduce competition, set goals, offer proof of accomplishment, and many other techniques.  Gamification can incorporate some or all of the following game mechanics and elements in engaging the learner to proceed through the training lesson: Provide immediate feedback.  One of the best ways to keep a learner interested and engaged is to offer timely indications of how they’re progressing through the lesson. This accomplishes the goal of encouraging them to keep moving forward, and also gauging their understanding of the material.   Offer rewards.  The accumulation of badges and other signs of accomplishment will provide the learner with the motivation they need to continue. Remember, the brain responds to these rewards by releasing endorphins that make us feel good about our progress.   Include competition.  Showing training participants where they stand in relation to their peers is one way to encourage peak performance. This acknowledgement of ‘status’ within the hierarchy of the organization is yet another motivator.  However, care must be taken to not alienate learners who don’t reside in the highest percentile. One way to do this is to only show the scores of the nearest peer/competitors in any measurements.   Build collaboration and community.  Building cooperation and collaboration into your game-based training provides context for the rewards, goals and competition and other elements. It is a way of encouraging group performance and team-building while still keeping learning fun and engaging. Effectiveness of gamification in corporate training The benefits of gamification within a corporate training environment cannot be overstated. Introducing any of the techniques and elements of gamification can measurably improve the effectiveness of most training programs. And when used as part of a blended learning environment, gamification is effective in encouraging employees to participate, engage and learn. Using these techniques can lead to greater overall participation, more interaction within the work environment, and improved knowledge transfer and sharing among employees. Here at Designing Digitally, Inc., we’re experts at designing corporate training programs that use the tools and elements of gamification to promote improved learning performance. Let us know how we can help your organization take your training to the next level. Our customized eLearning solutions are built using the latest techniques and top-tier designs to ensure the most effective training delivery possible. It’s just what we do.

For the National Football League and its 32 teams around the country, the game of football is serious business. Every advantage that can be exploited on and off the field could mean the difference between a trip to the post-season and a losing record. That’s why a few teams around the league are trying out an innovative new training technique that may forever change the way players practice and prepare for games. At least five NFL teams are testing out virtual reality headsets that allow players to take part in plays without ever actually setting foot on the field. It works using specially designed headsets and actual footage from practice games to create a 360-degree view of a virtual playing field. In this VR setting a player can see all of the other players around him, and can watch as the play unfolds before him in real time. Simulations teach new quarterbacks the plays without the bruises What is the advantage of virtual reality in the NFL you might ask? Well, imagine a new quarterback like number 1 pick Jamies Winston of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has the task of learning all the team’s plays, the various offensive alignments, the capabilities of his new team mates, and even the different defensive setups of other teams - all on the job. But with virtual reality he can be immersed in whatever situation his coaches want to drill him on, without the possibility of injury on the field. This idea of multiple repetitions in a controlled environment is a coach’s dream for his highly-paid new quarterback. It allows for more time spent with each of the plays, since the system can reset and rerun a play far faster than players can get back to the line. It also lets the coaches focus on the precise areas where a player may need improvement. The technology at play One of the primary developers of this new technology is Derek Belch, a former Stanford football player and then coach. He also wrote his Master’s thesis on virtual reality as a training tool. Belch founded a company called Strivr, and decided to focus on actual 360-degree video for a reason. "All of the research coming out of Stanford’s VR Lab is that human movement is incredibly important in how our brain perceives something," Belch says. "It’s key for high-speed, fast decision-making athletes to see natural gaits of other players in VR. When you watch video games in an immersed environment it's cool, but when trying to train athletes' brains, they will tune out and end up making decisions off of false cues." In using this new VR technology in a real-world setting, Stanford quarterback Kevin Hogan had three of his best games in 2014. This was proof enough for Belch, and this year he presented his technology to college football programs and to the NFL. The Dallas Cowboys were the first NFL team to sign on, and gave the system rave reviews. Soon after, five more teams came on board. Endless possibilities With this technology truly in its infancy, the possibilities for its uses seem limitless. Coaches can place themselves on the field to see what their players are seeing. Offensive players can see plays from the perspective of the defense. Details such as which direction a player’s eyes are looking can be studied, and movements predicted. And that’s just within the realm of football. When we consider the future of virtual reality, 360-degree virtual imagery and immersion in a setting, we can imagine any number of uses. Complex scenarios can be studied and repeated until perfected, in an environment that is as close to reality as it’s possible to get. This is one view of the future of training, and the opportunities for virtual reality. If you want to learn more about how virtual reality training is being used in corporate settings, let us know. Here at Designing Digitally, Inc., we’re experts at E-learning development, 3D training simulations, virtual world development, serious games, and more. Let us develop a custom training solution for your team or organization. We’re on the cutting edge of digital training design, and can show you just what the future holds.

With the wrong expectations or talent, E-Learning course development can easily miss the mark. Designing Digitally, Inc. knows the E-Learning space inside and out across numerous industries. We’re laser-focused on our clients’ needs and consistently make sure E-Learning courses exceed their expectations. All courses stem from a challenge or problem, whether the training is about industrial safety or employee conduct. Training is structured to change behaviors and improve employees’ performance. The danger with E-Learning course development is that it can be based on outdated approaches that don’t keep up with the times. It’s not just about understanding how to shape courses based on the technology learners will use (including smartphones and iPads). Our team, which includes seasoned instructional designers, knows that courses must be fun and engaging to ensure that learners can absorb and use what they’re taught. For example, we create web-based serious games with gamification elements, including visuals and rewards that appeal to learners. Dull, matter-of-fact instruction takes a backseat when learners can interact with courses that reflect their interests. For example, corporate training should include narratives that match real-life workplace settings - everything from the images to the text. If the graphics look cheesy or the language isn’t realistic, workers will likely lose interest. Designing Digitally, Inc. also makes sure that courses are based on learning principles that have been established and adapted over several decades, including Bloom’s Taxonomy. Created in 1956 and revised in 2000, it looks at levels of cognitive thinking and learning (including levels like remembering, understanding, applying and creating). Early in our process, we review the E-Learning technology that can be used and define the audience, documenting what training they’ve had, what they already know and what the training is expected to accomplish. Developed in Lectora, Storyline, Raptivity, Captivate, Articulate, Gaming Engines, PHP and/or HTML5, our E-Learning company creates custom assets, including illustrations, photographs and 3D models for your E-Learning courses. We can also include custom interaction, such as multiple choice, true and false, mini-learning games, scenario-based training and more. All custom E-Learning courses we develop are SCORM and AICC-compliant. Some clients have the bulk of the content on hand when we start a project. E-Learning course development moves along faster in those cases. Designing Digitally, Inc. adapts the content to ensure that learners will stay engaged. Sometimes clients need more direction from the start. If the content is limited or not available for some modules, we know what it takes to fill the gaps - large or small. We enjoy planning and shaping the content with the support of clients’ in-house subject matter experts. E-Learning course development always starts with the client. We know what questions to ask to discover and define their needs and goals that could range from limiting workplace accidents to improving sales. With our time-tested process, we often help clients refine their needs. Top executives may outline a few broad or specific goals. But our research, including interviews with employees, can identify other core problems that clients need to address. Contact us today to learn more about E-Learning course development and how Designing Digitally, Inc. can support your business, government agency, college or university.

One of the greatest challenges faced by training developers is capturing and holding the attention of an increasingly distracted audience. This is especially true in an e-Learning environment where the learner is asked to focus on the lesson at hand, and not on the many other things he would rather be doing. One way to gain the attention and interest of your audience is to use non-traditional tools and techniques like serious games. Serious games training, as in videogame playing, engages the participant on multiple levels by incorporating a variety of techniques that are both entertaining and educational. But is it enough to simply add visual effects and interesting game mechanics to a training course? Much of what appeals to video game players is the narrative of the game they’re playing. After all, who doesn’t love a good story? This same principle should be applied when designing serious games for use in training your workforce. The narrative of a serious game is what captures the interest of your learners and creates a desire to complete the course. In this way, narrative enhances serious games training and engages the participant on an entirely different level. Immersion in the story increases engagement Anyone who has ever witnessed a child listening with rapt attention to a story being told knows what it means to be immersed in the narrative. Our imagination takes over, and we become entirely engaged in the story. This engagement is what training developers are seeking when they design their courses - complete engagement with the lesson. Building narrative into serious games creates this immersion in the story and in what’s being taught. According to the authors of one in-depth study, getting learners involved in the narrative of a lesson triggers an emotional response, which in turn connects them to the lesson in a profound way. This intense connection leads to creative problem-solving, critical thinking and ultimately much greater retention of the lesson material. How to build narrative into your serious games training At its core, narrative is a story that unfolds as we experience it. When building narrative into serious games training, the learner/participant becomes a co-creator of the story and to the extent allowed, directs the narrative. It is the responsibility of the serious game developer to design the framework and environment that allows lesson participants to travel through the story and uncover the information you have for them. To be clear, narrative storytelling within a serious game isn’t required to be topical or even realistic. A technique that uses fantasy worlds or made-up characters can stimulate even more imagination on the part of learners. What is necessary is a connection between the story and the knowledge or information you want your learners to retain. You can then develop a narrative around the material, complete with plot, character and environment of your creation. One technique for narrative creation uses the hero archetype, with the learner in the starring role. As the serious game progresses, the learner/participant meets challenges and uses previously gained skills and information to overcome them and advance in the story. Each lesson provides greater and more challenging obstacles, with new information to learn and skills to master. When designed correctly, this narrative technique can transmit information and knowledge without a learner ever feeling that they were involved in a training session at all. Care must be taken when designing serious games training with a narrative, however. Developers must make sure that the learning objectives and lesson materials are fully explained and presented; otherwise your training may devolve into just another video game. Knowledge checks and skills assessments need to test for complete comprehension before allowing the narrative to progress. Here at Designing Digitally, Inc., we create serious games and e-Learning courses that engage, entertain and enlighten your workforce. If you want to find out more about how using narrative within serious games can make your training more engaging and effective, let us know. We’ll work with you to develop a customized serious game for just about any training need. Click here to contact us and find out more.

When addressing the training needs of today’s workforce, no discussion is complete without mentioning mobile learning. That being said, mobile or m-Learning can often mean different things to different people. For example, if you log on and complete your e-Learning course at home on the weekend, is that mobile learning? Or how about if you’re on the road and take an e-Learning course in your hotel’s business center - is that m-Learning? Of course there’s the obvious - taking a course on your tablet or other mobile device while waiting at the airport for your flight. Now that’s m-Learning, right? The truth is that all of these scenarios and many others are what we’d call m-Learning - training that is delivered on demand, when and where it’s needed. The idea that e-Learning and m-Learning are different things is quickly becoming an outdated belief. It’s more to the point that digitally-delivered training needs to be portable, available and deliverable to a range of devices. In fact, on-demand training is quickly becoming the preferred training delivery method for our modern and mobile workforce. Adjusting our ideas of knowledge-based content delivery Delivering training materials and other knowledge-based content to our workforce is the next step in the evolution of performance support. When workers have access to the latest information, techniques, processes and tools, they are empowered and made measurably more efficient. And the best way to ensure this timely content delivery takes place is to make it available on any device they may be carrying. Examples of this type of m-Learning performance support include: A field service or support engineer using his tablet to access an instructional video of a complex process. A training rep pulling out her smart-phone to get an immediate answer to a customer’s question regarding a product feature. A systems operator using his laptop to brush up on an operation process while on the way to a client location. All of these examples can be described as m-Learning - the consumption of knowledge or training while using a portable or mobile device. Design considerations for making E-learning mobile-friendly Of course, along with shifting our thinking about what constitutes m-Learning, we must also adjust the way we design training for consumption on mobile devices. There are certain design considerations that will make training on mobile devices more effective and appealing to learners, especially when viewed on small screens. Here are a few design tips and techniques to keep in mind when designing training that may be accessed using a mobile device. Small segments that teach a single concept are easier to present and to consume on a mobile device. Also remember that less is more when it comes to designing training for small screens. Embedded video can be a valuable learning tool, but remember to fill as much of the screen as possible with the information that is useful to the learner. User experience is of the highest importance when designing m-Learning. Consider the variety of training methods that are available and choose the one that’s best suited for the subject at hand. Reduce the amount of text, and substitute images wherever possible. Use a consistent presentation and navigation style for your m-Learning courses. It can already be a challenge for learners using a small screen - no need to make them search around for what to do next. The use of animation gives training designers much more control over how images and content are presented on mobile devices. Instead of trying to capture an intricate process and present it in video, draw it! There are many more design considerations that can help to make learning on a mobile device more effective and appealing. The key, however, is to keep the learner in mind at all times, and to remember the reason for creating the training course in the first place. Here at Designing Digitally, we’re experts at designing and creating training courses that bridge the gap between e-Learning and m-Learning. We take the approach that digitally created training should be able to be accessed where and when the learner needs it. Let us know how we can help turn your e-Learning efforts into a universal mobile learning success story. Contact us today.

If you want employees to retain what they learn, how can you make sure that happens? Training can be effective depending on the employee’s desire to learn, the instructor, the topic or other factors. Corporate gamification can be the training variable that wins over employees and holds their interest.  Otherwise, they may get sleepy or simply brush aside what you wanted them to absorb. You don’t just want them to do their jobs; you want them to excel. Training can minimize problems and help your business reach or exceed its goals. Does that mean they’re given a shiny star sticker every time they do something right? Not exactly. But there are points and incentives with corporate gamification, which can involve rewards for players and feature tracking data like leaderboards that show the status. In short, corporate gamification makes training more appealing and engaging. Game mechanics can make something that’s potentially boring much more fun to do. Training should be memorable, not a sleep inducer - and that’s what gamification can do to help. Even the iconic Mary Poppins referenced how routine tasks can have an "element of fun" when she sang "A Spoonful of Sugar." Corporate gamification can be effective with compliance training, which otherwise may be dry from start to finish. Businesses often don’t have a choice because other companies and government agencies require difference forms of compliance training related to everything from respecting other employees to understanding the Family Medical Leave Act. With compliance training that uses gamification, employees can earn badges, track their progress, and sometimes find out how their co-workers are doing while learning about what can ordinarily be some very dull content. Specific training types that fit well with corporate gamification include: International trade controls Ethics HR laws and rules Pharmaceutical warehouse safety Operating machines Food preparation Workplace violence prevention Sales training (product, service, or sales approaches) If the training is mandatory, shouldn’t businesses do what they can to improve the odds that employees will remember what they’ve been taught? Too much is at stake, including substantial contracts with other companies, potential fines for non-compliance and more. The key with corporate gamification is to adapt it to the employees and their jobs. The type, timing and presentation of rewards and gamification themes must match the nature of what they do every day and how they normally communicate. Organizational challenges and barriers should be discussed before spending much time to enhance training with corporate gamification. For example, if a group of employees isn’t getting along, they may not cooperate even if efforts are made to make the training more enjoyable. Corporate gamification has several advantages beyond keeping employees engaged in a given topic. Designed correctly, corporate gamification can help companies pick up on nuances and gain insights about their employees’ behavior. You might discover that an employee who seemed like an overachiever is simply a socializer when it comes to participation within training environments. Designing Digitally, Inc. has mastered corporate gamification based on experience we’ve gained in several industries through the years. We know what works and what doesn’t when it comes to adding game mechanics to dull content. Employees simply may lose interest if companies resort to the same training methods and rely on material instructors have been using for decades. The approaches to training and learning in the past will not work with future generations entering the workforce. Some E-Learning companies try to bolt corporate gamification onto their service offerings. For us, corporate gamification isn’t something you just throw in the mix. It’s not for every company. But it can be a good investment. You might roll it out with one set of employees and then expand it throughout the company - all based on the original approach. Our clients value our process, which is successful because we draw from the skills and knowledge of both instructional designers and game developers who find the best ways to help clients leverage corporate gamification. It’s important to remember that corporate gamification is not a serious game (the two are easily confused).  It’s an essential aspect of a serious game that can seem to be cheesy if it’s not aligned with the learners. Similarly, corporate gamification elements can look amateurish if they’re poorly conceived and don’t reference the right incentives. Intrinsic rewards can range from badges to trophies that the learner earns based level completion benchmarks and desired performance outcomes. Extrinsic rewards aren’t uncommon either, including lunches, corporate apparel or even paid time off.

Think learning is serious business? Well, you’re right. But learning can also be interesting, fun and engaging at the same time. By using non-traditional delivery techniques, training designers have found that they are better able to gain and hold the attention of their learning audience. Some of the best techniques for doing this involve the use of games in the delivery of training. In fact, some of the best training course designs are those that employ one form or another of game mechanics and design. As any video gamer will tell you, the level of engagement and immersion when playing a modern video game is quite impressive. That’s because the brain is being stimulated to such a degree by the scenarios being presented that almost all cognitive function is focused on the game. Think what would happen if we could generate that same level of intense focus on a training module. What are serious games? Gaming in general teaches people to solve problems in unique ways, using trial and error methods and by repeating an action until it is perfected. By using game-based techniques like this in job performance training, an employee can gain valuable skills and knowledge the same way. That’s the idea behind serious games. When we talk about serious games and gamification within a training environment, it makes sense to clarify what we mean by each term. Generally speaking, gamification is the use of game mechanics like levels, badges and rewards in a non-game, or training, context. When we talk of serious games on the other hand, what we’re referring to is the use of high-definition graphics, virtual reality simulations, and techniques that allow a user to practice skill performance in a game-based environment. There’s no doubt that the use of serious games in training design is gaining in popularity. Organizations from the U.S. Military to Fortune 100 companies are incorporating serious games into their training programs for a variety of reasons. Here are some of the reasons given from a recently published Gartner Group study: Reduced training costs Safer delivery of certain types of training Improved performance results Better engagement Better knowledge retention Ease of training delivery Greater training participation The benefits of serious games in training From a purely L&D perspective, serious games offer the opportunity to engage learners in an activity that is both entertaining and educational. It allows us to present learning opportunities and scenarios that are fun, challenging and rewarding. Serious games also allow a learner to more easily translate the material from theory to practical relevance. In addition, they are far more effective in teaching problem-solving and other soft skills. While the incorporation of serious games into the corporate training environment is growing, it is still a relatively small piece of the e-learning pie. That may be partly due to the complexity that goes into designing serious games, but also because many organizations don’t yet know the capabilities of this new tool. When designed and developed by experts, serious games can be used to train for some of the most dangerous and complex performance tasks. Some examples of this include: Emergency response training Heavy equipment training and skill building Medical device and surgical training Complex mechanical/assembly training Detailed process and installation training Scenario-based sales training Soft skills training Compliance training How serious games can help train your workforce Whatever the industry or job skill, a serious game can be developed that will deliver unique and valuable training to your workforce. Through the use of simulations, branching scenarios, role-playing, 3D virtual skill tests, problem-solving challenges and other techniques, your employees will learn and retain the information they need to perform their jobs better. Comprehension and retention will be improved, and the training participation rate will likely improve as well. Let the experts here at Designing Digitally, Inc. help you take your training to the next level. We’ll work with you to develop serious game training that is cost-effective, engaging and relevant to your workforce. We can create customized serious games for just about any industry and job type. Let us know how we can help you train your workforce to compete in today’s tech-intensive environment using the next generation of training techniques.

What if you built it and they didn’t come? Imagine pouring untold amounts time, money and resources into building an online training program for your workforce, only to have it go unused. The best training program in the world is worthless unless it has the participation of your learners. So how do you entice your employees to get onboard with your online training efforts? How do you promote the benefits of online training to a skeptical or hesitant audience? If we approach the challenge of promoting your online training as simply another sales opportunity, we can begin to see the solution. As with any sales campaign, you need to develop a plan to market your product (in this case online training) to your target audience (in this case your employees). However, it is also important to maintain a level of trust and integrity with your workforce in the process. Why you need to market your training internally Generally speaking, people are resistant to change and hesitant to adopt new ways of doing things. This can be especially true in the workplace, as careers and livelihoods are at stake. But change is inevitable, and the new online training programs are in the best interests of both employers and employees. In the effort to gain adoption, you need to actively market this new method of training to your workforce. To accomplish this, consider how Hollywood promotes their latest blockbuster movie to the public. By building excitement and interest (and yes, a little hype) far in advance of the rollout, your employees may feel more anticipation rather than dread. A strong marketing campaign can turn skepticism into interest. It’s all in how the new online training is perceived, and how successful you are at presenting it. So let’s take a look at what we can do to entice your employees into eagerly jumping onboard with your online training. How to use gamification to entice your workforce The use of gamification or game-based strategies can be a highly successful way to get folks interested in your online training efforts. What we mean by this is to implement some of the techniques that make online games so appealing. Here are a few examples of how gamification can be used to entice workers to make the leap: Competition.  Initiating friendly competition among employees can be a great way to motivate some to participate. Competition can take the form of; most courses completed, highest score, department with the most participation, etc. There are few of us who can resist our competitive nature for long - just make sure not to alienate any of your workers. To avoid this, consider daily or weekly resets so that all can compete. Status.  Status recognition is a great motivator for some workers, and can promote participation in your online training program. Implementing leader boards and top performers can piggyback on the competition method, leading to even more participation. Rewards.  Using rewards is a classic gamification technique that keeps learners coming back for more training. Since our brains are wired for a positive chemical reaction to rewards, it actually makes learning a positive experience. Reward systems can be built into the online training lessons themselves, and can also be made a part of the marketing or enticement to participate in the training. You can build excitement and interest in your online training by using gamification techniques to entice employees to participate. You can also use these game mechanics within your online training courses to encourage learners to continue with the lessons. Gamification has been shown to increase the interest and participation levels in training courses of all types.   What can happen if you don’t market internally? Although internal marketing of your online training may seem strange or even a little coercive, it is in the interest of the learning and development effort to do so. Without actively marketing your online training to your workforce, participation will not be as strong as it could be. As a result, the effort you’ve put into building the online training program is wasted. And as we know, training that doesn’t get used is the least effective training of all. Here at Designing Digitally, Inc., our training experts can help you devise an internal marketing campaign that will help to promote your online training efforts. By building excitement and anticipation into your online training efforts, your workforce will be geared up and ready to participate fully. Let us know how we can help you in your training needs, and in getting your workforce onboard. Call us or fill out our online form to learn more.

As L&D professionals, all of us have seen the good, the bad and the... well, really bad of e-Learning. We know that when it’s done well, e-Learning can be an effective and enjoyable way of acquiring new skills and knowledge. We also know that when it’s done poorly, e-Learning can be tedious, boring, and downright painful. So what can we do to ensure our e-Learning courses are well-designed, interesting and engaging? First, we need to keep in mind that e-Learning development is a practiced skill, and involves many hours of planning, preparation, design consideration, programming, testing, etc.  It also involves the use of interactive elements, appealing visual design, creative story-telling and challenging tasks, among other features. In addition, there are techniques like gamification in which learners are rewarded for their accomplishments and encouraged to participate fully in the lesson. By incorporating the best features for the material at hand, e-Learning courses can be more impactful and effective in delivering their intended lesson. They will be more likely to capture the attention of your learning audience, and will have a much greater rate of completion and knowledge retention. Why e-Learning often falls flat Someone pointed out recently that the roots of most e-Learning, if we really consider it, can be traced back to Microsoft PowerPoint. Many of the original digitally-delivered training courses were nothing more than linear and tedious converted PowerPoint presentations - even if they did contain some fly-ins or animations. This is evident even now, as many of the e-Learning design programs out there allow for direct importing of PowerPoint files. Importing PPT and calling it training is a flat and boring excuse for e-Learning. There is a laziness and lack of creativity on the part of some in the industry that can cause e-Learning courses to fail in their primary mission. It is against these sub-par efforts that the really great e-Learning designs are able to stand out and succeed. Elements and design considerations for really good e-Learning The creation of a successful e-Learning course requires careful consideration, planning and effort. There are certain elements and design factors that, when implemented correctly, can lead to a highly effective and successful course. Here are some of the basic elements that we consider when designing e-Learning. Add interactivity - but don’t overdo it.  Using interactive elements like simulations, branching scenarios, drag-and-drop activities and immersive stories can engage your learning audience, but too much of these can result in a chaotic and distracting course. Remember, the point of the lesson is to deliver information in the most effective way, not to impress learners with your abilities. Strive for a clean design and easy navigation.  Challenging your learners on their retention of the lesson material is one thing, but challenging them to figure out navigating your course won’t do. Make it clean, simple, consistent and aesthetically pleasing - that way the focus will be on the information, not the interface. Include a storyline or unifying theme in your e-Learning. When possible, create a story around the lesson that creates interest in the material. If your learners can imagine themselves within the training scenario, they are more likely to be engaged and to retain the information being taught. Use multimedia when possible and appropriate.  Inserting animations, video, audio and images in your e-Learning can create excitement and interest in the lesson. It can also be a great way to depict complicated or detailed processes in a controlled way. Just be sure not to overshadow the lesson with the multimedia production. Build in checks along the way.  Nothing is more frustrating to a learner than to feel lost in a training course. Building in knowledge checks along the way will help learners gauge their level of understanding. You can then redirect them if it appears they haven’t grasped a concept. Here at Designing Digitally, Inc., our e-Learning design team will work with you to develop courses that engage and interest your learners. With our expertise at developing unique and effective training, you’ll see the difference between e-Learning and really good e-Learning. Call us or drop a line to find out just what we can do to help your organization’s e-Learning efforts.  

Planned and presented well, business simulation can make a huge difference with a core set of employees or groups of employees across an enterprise. Designing Digitally, Inc., understands issues that face businesses both internally and externally. We’ve been shaping and delivering solutions that replicate real-life work scenarios for many years. With advances in technology and learning approaches, it’s possible to develop simulated learning environments. From manufacturing to health care, companies have turned to us to address critical business training needs. We focus on the best ways to change behavior with custom-built, business simulation training for business management and services. The projects succeed because we know how to best educate, engage, and entertain your audience. With direction and insights we draw from clients, we create realistic settings where employees can develop and test their knowledge in a safe environment. The planning is elaborate and the programming may be complex, but learners will only see what they experience as they tackle suitable tasks in a self-paced online environment that matches their work environments (including visuals and words). Where do you need the most help? Diversity training? Ethics? Compliance? Designing Digitally, Inc. can develop business simulation training that helps employees understand, retain and apply what they learn. We engage them with a wide range of immersive experiences that include custom graphics and animations that make training fun and memorable. Business simulation training is a good option for companies that need to ensure that existing and future employees are equipped to do their jobs as productively as possible while helping companies minimize safety and legal risks. Training options include first-person directed simulations and guided experience simulations. Training can involve a variety of topics like: How to measure marketing efforts Day in the life of a supply chain worker Day in the life of a contract officer How do deal with vendors (procurement) How to conduct a meeting How to manage a supply chain How to oversee warehouse logistics Business simulation training can apply to specific machinery as well. Companies know how to operate machines, but they don’t always have effective methods to train someone to run the machines. Once the training is in place, a company can use it over and over for many employees. But business simulation training requires a great deal of planning and prep work to create. In the early stages, we ask clients detailed questions to extract their precise needs and define what they expect to accomplish. In our process, we always involve employees who can help us define their training needs. Whether business simulation training is for hard or soft skills, it’s a good way to prepare employees who can make mistakes before they need to dive into real-world settings.