For Centuries we had been used to learning in a particular way. Our learning was always shepherded by a guide - parents at home; teachers and tutors during our school years; professors and mentors at college. We then entered a vocation which again required some learning; and the way we learned from our childhood carried on into adulthood where we again learned under the guidance of an instructor. This worked fine until recently when technology enabled learning changed the way that educators and L&D faculty thought of learning. Today, educational institutions and offices, both in the public and the private sectors, are making the shift to technology-enabled, online learning. Within organizations, there is always a faction of those employees who are uncomfortable with this new way of learning. If you are one of those who hesitates to give technology-enabled learning a try, here’s 1 reason to embrace eLearning - you will love it! Here are 12 reasons why you will love and embrace eLearning: Learn on your own device. If your organization is against its employees bringing in their own device to work, you can access your learning when you are not at work. Learn at your own pace. eLearning recognizes that your needs are unique and lets you learn in your own time, in your own way, at your own pace. You will have access to a unique learning plan that has been designed keeping your job role and capabilities in mind. Get access to information as soon as you need it - courses are well structured, so you can find the information you need, easily. The industries’ best practices are at your fingertips. Oftentimes, instructors are inadequately equipped to answer questions related to the most recent practices. eLearning courses are prepared with much thought and research. Because the content can be easily updated, you can be sure that you are accessing the most recent information. Self-evaluate. Self assessments after every course let you know where you stand. If you are unable to fair well in a particular course, you have the option of redoing the course until you get it right. Get immediate answers to your most pressing questions through the interactive interface that connects you with peers and industry experts - across the globe. Train in a safe environment with simulated learning. This is especially useful for employees who are exposed to hazardous conditions like the pharmaceutical industry and those who must train on the use of heavy/dangerous machinery. eLearning is eco-friendly and drastically reduces your carbon footprint. Increase your overall productivity by training in your free time, when you are at home or traveling; it is accessible every day. You don’t have to be connected to the internet. Organizations, whose employees are constantly on the move, make sure that they can train, offline; work is automatically uploaded when you are connected to the internet. Perform better, and have greater retention of what you have learnt, than your classroom-trained counterparts, and enjoy the fruit of being a top performer. We live in a futuristic world of high expectations and increasing demands. We must keep pace with the superfast changes around us while delivering a 100%. It’s impossible to keep up a chaotic lifestyle, keep pace with hectic work schedules and attend training. How do we sustain the balance? With the help of eLearning, of course. For most of us this is a scary proposition; the more set our ways - the scarier it is; but eLearning is one of the most beneficial forms of learning for busy employees. Don’t think of the ‘e’ in eLearning as ‘electronic’. Think of it as ‘exciting,’ ‘extraordinary,’ ‘efficient,’ and ‘easy,’ and you would have taken your first step toward a more rewarding career.

How often have you wandered through a supermarket looking for a product, eventually asking a passing assistant -only to be told "It’s over in the corner," instead of "Please come, I will show you"? How often have you stood in a phone shop to purchase a new phone and queued while customers get their existing phone problems solved because there is no queue for sales that is separate to service? How often have you bought a product (sometimes an expensive product) and the assistant makes no effort to engage in small talk with you, even about the weather? How often have you ordered goods in a shop ‘for next day delivery’ and it arrived a week later? Frustrating, isn’t it? A 2013 Canadian survey by Accenture showed that 63 per cent of people surveyed said they engaged in ‘Showrooming’ during the holiday season - researching and choosing in a store, but buying online [1], and this percentage is likely to be higher this year. However, also in 2013, Forbes reported that a survey by retail analysts Simon-Kucher & Partners showed that consumers did not start to shop online because of low prices, but because of their bad retail experiences. It further opined that if retailers continued to fight online suppliers solely on price, it would spell disaster for them [2]. In today’s booming global economy, traditional retailers must invest in infrastructure - more inventory, better delivery and better staff training - all to enhance the shopping experience in their stores. Right now, retailers are attempting to compete with online suppliers on price. This will naturally start off a chain reaction to this effect: Low price would mean low margins; low margins would mean having to cut down on costs. Cutting down costs would involve lower staff numbers, lower staff pay and less staff training. For the customer, less staff in a retail outlet would mean having to wait longer to be served. Less pay will force the good, committed staff to leave and go elsewhere, leaving the less-smart employees behind. Less training means the duds stay as duds. Even worse, new employees would have to be trained in even simple tasks like stacking shelves, by the already overworked store management - all leading to an inevitable drop in sales, as previously loyal customers drift away to online retailers. Less sales will inadvertently lead to less income and a need for more cuts; and the death spiral will continue to bankruptcy. Right now, the biggest retail battle in history is being fought out. The biggest online retailer on the planet, Amazon, is being taken on by Walmart - the biggest traditional retailer on the planet, in Amazon’s own backyard. According to Yahoo Finance, in the first half of 2015, Walmart started to make ground on Amazon, and as a consequence Walmart shares went up - sending Amazon’s shares spiraling downward. Part of the reason for the shift is the US government’s insistence that state sales tax be paid on purchases; this erodes part of Amazon’s margin [3]. The same issue is coming up here in India with the government insisting that Indian online retailers pay state service taxes on purchases. However, a large part of the reason that it has worked well for Walmart is because the company has concentrated on increasing its store inventory, improving delivery times, revamping its stores and website - All possible because it invested in staff training. This has helped drive a huge chunk of its traditional store business and is enabling it to have the clout to take on Amazon and win back the market share that it has lost to the e-tailer. Interestingly, it styles itself as a Webshop - where all its store products are available either online or in local stores - at a price that is now very competitive or the same as that of Amazon (but one still has to Showroom somewhere, so why not go to Walmart and have it delivered?). If you consider that Walmart revenues were $469 billion and Amazon $19 billion in 2014, this will be a fascinating battle to watch over in the coming years. It is not a coincidence that Walmart became the world’s largest company by revenue, it is in no small part due to the employment and training techniques they use. In 2005, when John DiBenedetto took charge of Walmart’s US domestic training division, he started a program that resulted in what is called The Walmart University, which oversees staff procurement and training worldwide, providing a uniform training culture for 2.2 million employees worldwide in 2015. They identify potential employees who have the right characteristics for a particular job, then train them thoroughly in every aspect of retail selling before they are allowed in a store. However, it does not end there as employees are continually mentored and trainedfor their entire period in the company [4].The result is that people love Walmart stores. You can get anything there, the price is very right and there have nice, friendly and knowledgeable staff to assist one with purchases - just what shopping should be like! This world dominance came with a cost, but it has been money well spent as Walmart and other progressive companies have proven - investment in selecting and training the frontline people who represent you to the public is never ever wasted. One may scoff and say that it is all very well for Walmart with their billions, but what about the lowly local retailer, who cannot afford the time or the money for training? The answer must be answered with this question: Can any retailer afford to not formally train his staff -even if it’s just for one hour a week at a slack time? A point worth noting: In 1962, mighty Walmart was just a small single store, but with the right training across departments it is a mighty giant today. Unfortunately, while the retail industry booms, it also faces one of the largest employee turnover rates. With employees walking in and out constantly, it is time consuming and expensive to carry out training. Training robs into the floor time that an employee is expected to clock in and either of the following three things happen: 1. Employees clock in training hours but productivity suffers. 2. Employees clock in floor time, but training suffers. 3. Employees get trained and move away looking for better jobs, leaving the not-so-bright staff behind. Technology-enabled-learning takes care of these retail industry training problems seamlessly by providing a solution that both employers and employees are happy with. Technology-enabled learning provides simultaneous training across locations/time zones and reduces the average training cost per employee. Training does not bite into floor time and can be taken up during breaks, travel or after-office hours. * Online training ensures better course completion rate. * Successful training leads to increased competency * Improved employee engagement through knowledge enhancement * Instant performance tracking via assessments Effectiveness of training can be analyzed through online feedbacks, polls and surveys through the system. Two-way communication between the learner and L&D department. Technology enabled learning paves way for informal learning through forums, discussion groups and content sharing create reduced training time - quick responsive time - faster turnaround from trainee to employee [5] There is also a compelling case to be made for the retailer who has to be trained; and this is probably an even more compelling case than that of training a sales force. Most small retailers have worked for someone else and then made the leap to running their own store without any formal training to begin with - but depended solely on their rapport with dealing with people. They would have been the powerhouse in another store before they branched out on their own, and now they find themselves bogged down with accounts, ordering, paying wages, and dealing with officialdom and all the rest. These retailers need training in planning, delegation, recruitment, staff training, time management, and all the other essential areas that become very important when one runs a small business. These retailers need to be taught the lesson that their staff need to be trained well in the basics and that it will be rewarded in customer numbers. And now, with a successful solution available for the retail industry, it isn’t impossible to train both employers and employees with technology.TEL Sources [1] http://newsroom.accenture.com/news/accenture-holiday-shopping-survey-reveals-canadians-are-webrooming-and-showrooming-to-save-money.htm [2] http://www.forbes.com/sites/barbarathau/2013/10/08/why-consumers-really-shop-online/ [3] http://finance.yahoo.com/news/walmart-vs-amazon-what-twitter-says-about-the-battle-210557835.html [4] https://www.td.org/Publications/Newsletters/LX-Briefing/LXB-Archives/2007/12/Driving-Business-Performance-at-Wal-Mart [5] http://www.24x7learning.com/retail-software-solutions/ See more at: http://www.hr.com/en/magazines/technology_enabled_learning_excellence_essentials/july_2015_technology_enabled_learning/retail-armageddon-a-case-for-training-the-retail-i_ibqgy9rw.html#sthash.ULg7y65Q.dpuf

This article is the second part of our blog titled "I bought a T.V." If you have not read the first part, you can read it here. At the end of the first part, we posed the following questions: "So what makes a salesperson like Muheen so good. Every week he deals with dozens of customers like me, but he makes everyone feel as if they are unique. Is it something that is innate, is it something that is learned through experience, is it taught, can anyone be turned into a Muheen?" In the 2000 T.V. film ‘Death of a Salesman’, based on an Arthur Miller play, Willy Loman is a salesman - well, not really - he spent his entire career ‘trying’ to be a salesman. He wanted to be one because his father’s friend, who was well liked and made plenty of money, was a salesman. Willy wanted to be well liked and make money, but Willy never made it even after a whole career of trying. If just wanting to be a salesman is not enough, what makes one particular man or woman better at selling than another? Are there basic traits that one person has that another does not. Researching online, while there seems to be widely varying emphasis on personal traits, there does seem to be a consensus that the right mixture of ‘Empathy’ and ‘Ego’ are a basic requirement to be successful at selling. Empathy (noun): The ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Empathy allows the salesperson to be able to put themselves in the customers shoes, see the process from their side, and use that knowledge to progress the sale while not allowing the empathy to become sympathy, which would interfere with the closing of the sale. Ego (noun): A person’s sense of self-esteem or self-importance. Ego is necessary to feel a need for the sale, but not too much or it will cloud the empathy felt for the customer, and the sale will be driven too hard, too fast, and will fail. As the selling process produces more failures than successes, ego is also needed to put failure behind and open the next selling attempt with no thought of the failure gone before. Lots of other qualities are listed as essential - drive, tenacity, organization, focus, work ethic, charisma, confidence, people skills and many more, and different mixes of these seem to be required for different types of selling, but if the right mix of empathy and ego are missing, someone will not be a top salesperson. As to whether these essential traits can be taught or not, we like the quote from an article in the Harvard Business Review:"Long before he comes to know the product, mostly during his childhood and growing-up experience, the future successful salesman is developing the human qualities essential for selling. [1]" Those of us who come from a non-sales background would expect that salespeople would have a particular attribute that made them suitable for their career, as after all, every function in business has its own basic requirements. However, while the attributes of a good salesperson are fairly clearly known, the success rate of picking a good one is extremely low! As an online article on the Canadian Professional Sales Association’s website puts it: "Whenever sales managers get together at company meetings, improving sales force effectiveness and high turnover rates amongst the sales force are invariably the topics for discussion. While examining their sales forces and reading articles in Sales and Marketing Management magazine, they seem to ‘accept’ that 80% of all sales are made by only 20% of the sales force. [2]" So how can this situation have evolved in companies? Surely this ratio of productivity would not be tolerated in other departments in a firm. Part of the reason may lie in the explanation given in a Forbes online article: Perhaps, the best way to deal with this problem then, is to take the bull by the horns and first train recruiters on how to identify good sales people. The second part - training these people will then naturally fall into place - and voila! You have another Muheen! "Most companies, however, find it challenging to identify sales people with the right attitude, work ethic, and selling skills to be successful. Far too many organizations put insufficient rigor behind the hiring and on-boarding process, and many managers do not have the interviewing expertise or a formal and repeatable process to impartially evaluate candidates. [3]" It’s true that eLearning organizations have superb products for all aspects of sales training; however, they just deal with the individuals who are put through the system, and if the results are not spectacular or even good, it is fair to assume that the blame falls on online training. While the courses themselves are good courses, if one is not cut out to be a sales person, they won’t produce the desired effect. Perhaps, the best way to deal with this problem then, is to take the bull by the horns and first train recruiters on how to identify good sales people. The second part - training these people will then naturally fall into place - and voila! You have another Muheen! Reference : [1] https://hbr.org/2006/07/what-makes-a-good-salesman [2] http://www.cpsa.com/knowledgecentre/SRCArticleRead.aspx?articleID=414 [3] http://www.forbes.com/sites/brucechesebrough/2011/04/08/why-cant-i-find-good-salespeople-mastering-the-3-keys-to-identifying-and-developing-sales-stars/

We’ve all had our share of unique experiences with sales staff at retail outlets. These encounters range from being rib-tickling hilarious to plain bizarre - nice to reminiscence, but at the end of the day - one wonders about the training retail outlet employees are privy to. It’s easy for a customer to spot a well-trained sales person from one who has not received the best possible training or worse still - no organizational training at all! With this very simple anecdote I hope to highlight the embarrassment and loss of customers retail outlets are heading for in the absence of proper training. My old TV was shot, and the family grumbled endlessly until I knew I had to bite the bullet. Even I was tired of the distorted flickering picture, so I consulted the bank balance and decided how much I could spend. With big ticket items like this, I do my homework online (just as most people do nowadays), and out of the bewildering array of options I decided a Samsung TV was what I would get - mainly because I have a Samsung smartphone which has given trouble-free service for the last four years. I knew there were three Samsung TV vendors in my area, so I visited all three one Saturday. The first shop was small, and when I entered there appeared to be three people in the showroom. One was watching a film on one of the TVs, the second appeared to be reading a magazine, and the guy at the counter was on the phone. I waited for five minutes during which time no one acknowledged me; so I wandered around looking for a Samsung TV and couldn’t find one. Eventually the guy at the desk finished the call (to his wife/girlfriend), looked at me and said "Yes?" He was overweight, sported a disheveled hairstyle, dirty fingernails, and some of his breakfast was on his shirt. I explained that I was looking for a Samsung TV, but he appeared to have none on show even though he was listed as a dealer. I was told that Samsung TVs were crap (yes, that’s the word he used), that they gave trouble, and there were better options available. I politely said, "No, thank you," and left. The second shop was a much bigger affair. I passed three people smoking outside the shop. I didn’t realize that they were the staff until they followed me in. Inside, the shop was devoid of customers and all the TVs were on - all showing a film that was watched by two people with great gusto and at high volume. An older guy - obviously the manager and reeking of cigarette smoke - approached me and I explained what I was looking for. He immediately brought me to a gigantic TV and I was told that this was what I wanted. I insisted that I didn’t want something so big but was told ‘the bigger the better’. "What about the specifications?" I asked - "Oh the top of the range, Madam, of course!" I asked about the refresh rate - "oh the best available, Madam, of course!" We hadn’t even talked price, but I got the impression that he either did not know the answer or was under the impression that I, being of the fairer sex, wouldn’t understand. So I politely thanked him and left, with him following me to the door - rattling away special deals that could be availed IF I decided to buy ‘today’. The third shop was only two shops down, so I persisted. As I approached, a security man opened the door for me, and inside I found that there were six or seven customers. Almost immediately a smartly dressed young man detached himself from a customer, apologized that they were busy, asked if I wanted a coffee, and showed me to a seat. Five minutes later he came to me, introduced himself as Muheen, told me he was glad I had come into his showroom, and asked how he could help. He quizzed me for a couple of minutes with questions about what would be watched, was there a husband who watched sports, children’s ages, did we have a computer already and roughly how big was the room, did we have satellite or cable, and such questions. He then showed me two TVs, one a smart TV, one a non-smart, and recommended that either of these would be most suitable for me. He said I didn’t need a 3D or 4D or a curved screen, as he knew I just needed a basic TV for general viewing, and price was important. We talked price and I told him that his prices were about twenty percent more expensive than those online and he said they could never compete with an online price, but would come close. We went to see his manager and after some calculating and haggling I got a price that was two percent above the online price, but Muheen politely asked me to consider some facts: All the staff in the shop and the delivery guys lived locally If I ever had problems with the TV I could come to them and they would look after it, and I wouldn’t have to deal with some invisible person sitting at a call center If the TV had to be returned for any reason, they would pick it up at a time convenient to me Online retailers were currently having issues about underpayment of taxes - taxes that go to the government for everyone Muheen was a good salesman; he was not pushy, treated me with respect, and established a connection with me. He made me feel that I was important and valued as a customer. He gave me a card with his cell phone number and suggested that I give him a call if I had any issues with the TV, assuring me that he would sort out those problems for me. As a parting shot, he requested that I contact him for any further requirements, promising me a better price than any other shop. I walked out of that showroom feeling pleased with myself. Yes, I had paid a little more than online, but I had dealt with a real person who was pleasant and helpful and who also reminded me that the local economy has a place too, giving the local people (like Muheen), a chance to work locally. Three weeks after my TV purchase, I received a call from Muheen enquiring if everything was going well with the TV and if I faced any problems. He said that he was glad to hear everything was ok and told me again that he was glad I had purchased from him, which reinforced my good feeling about buying locally - so much so that I have subsequently dealt with my friend Muheen again. So what makes a salesperson like Muheen so good? Every week he deals with dozens of customers like me, but he makes everyone feel unique. Is it something that is innate? Is it something that is learned through experience? Is it taught? Can anyone be turned into a Muheen? That is a topic for another article. To get the second part of this article, please subscribe to our Newsletter.

The banking industry is increasingly growing in importance in view of the current business scenario. As a vertical market, where adoption of innovative technology is central to its growth, up skilling of employees in this sector is of utmost importance. A ‘Single Customer Relationship View’ is the key to success for BFSI companies as this enables them to ‘cross-sell’ and ‘up-sell’ their offerings. E-learning can be an effective way to bring the diverse set of people onto a common platform.The primary agenda of banks is to serve customers better. Product information needs to be taught to the sales personnel. This process can be made simple through e-learning. Reasons necessary for e-learning to be adopted in the banking sector For tracking compliance, banks use e-learning and learning management system software that support e-training eLearning enables you to easily adapt the content and transfer to the learner, which could be done at any time and from anywhere. This is the main benefit of using this method in the banking sector During active production, the learning approach is a very important factor to be considered. Training should be given in terms of daily basis, so that learners develop their skills to the professional extent. In order to achieve the required objectives, we use e-learning to train employees Those employed with the banking sector can improve their administrative qualities. Online learning can effectively be used to improve their communication skills and interact with clients effectively. They are provided with ample scope to apply the concepts they have gained on a daily basis It is imperative that banks focus on maintaining and developing their portfolio of customers. Important factors that influence the company’s strength and position in the market are the quality of client service and the variety and adaptability of the products to the customers’ needs. Human resources play a pivotal role in ensuring excellent service and customer satisfaction. It can be accepted that a robust e-learning strategy has a major impact on the organizational performance. ELearning is able to successfully address critical challenges in human-capital development: rapid induction of new employees, quick launch of new products, regular andconsistent testing of employees and a need for courses that are readily accessible for any employee regardless of the location.

For Centuries we had been used to learning in a particular way. Our learning was always shepherded by a guide - parents at home; teachers and tutors during our school years; professors and mentors at college. We then entered a vocation which again required some learning; and the way we learned from our childhood carried on into adulthood where we again learned under the guidance of an instructor. This worked fine until recently when technology enabled learning changed the way that educators and L&D faculty thought of learning. Today, educational institutions and offices, both in the public and the private sectors, are making the shift to technology-enabled, online learning. Within organizations, there is always a faction of those employees who are uncomfortable with this new way of learning. If you are one of those who hesitates to give technology-enabled learning a try, here’s 1 reason to embrace eLearning - you will love it! Here are 12 reasons why you will love and embrace eLearning: Learn on your own device. If your organization is against its employees bringing in their own device to work, you can access your learning when you are not at work. Learn at your own pace. eLearning recognizes that your needs are unique and lets you learn in your own time, in your own way, at your own pace. You will have access to a unique learning plan that has been designed keeping your job role and capabilities in mind. Get access to information as soon as you need it - courses are well structured, so you can find the information you need, easily. The industries’ best practices are at your fingertips. Oftentimes, instructors are inadequately equipped to answer questions related to the most recent practices. eLearning courses are prepared with much thought and research. Because the content can be easily updated, you can be sure that you are accessing the most recent information. Self-evaluate. Self assessments after every course let you know where you stand. If you are unable to fair well in a particular course, you have the option of redoing the course until you get it right. Get immediate answers to your most pressing questions through the interactive interface that connects you with peers and industry experts - across the globe. Train in a safe environment with simulated learning. This is especially useful for employees who are exposed to hazardous conditions like the pharmaceutical industry and those who must train on the use of heavy/dangerous machinery. eLearning is eco-friendly and drastically reduces your carbon footprint. Increase your overall productivity by training in your free time, when you are at home or traveling; it is accessible every day. You don’t have to be connected to the internet. Organizations, whose employees are constantly on the move, make sure that they can train, offline; work is automatically uploaded when you are connected to the internet. Perform better, and have greater retention of what you have learnt, than your classroom-trained counterparts, and enjoy the fruit of being a top performer. We live in a futuristic world of high expectations and increasing demands. We must keep pace with the superfast changes around us while delivering a 100%. It’s impossible to keep up a chaotic lifestyle, keep pace with hectic work schedules and attend training. How do we sustain the balance? With the help of eLearning, of course. For most of us this is a scary proposition; the more set our ways - the scarier it is; but eLearning is one of the most beneficial forms of learning for busy employees. Don’t think of the ‘e’ in eLearning as ‘electronic’. Think of it as ‘exciting,’ ‘extraordinary,’ ‘efficient,’ and ‘easy,’ and you would have taken your first step toward a more rewarding career.

So mobile learning got off to a slow start - no big deal. ("It was a slow start with a fast finish" - is what you are probably thinking just now). If global statistics are anything to go by, mobile learning or mLearning (as we love to call it), is going places these days, and the end is nowhere in sight! In fact, judging by the sale of mobile devices (again, we are talking "global" statistics here), mobile learning is only going to get bigger and better and finally take over all other forms of learning. The January edition of our newsletter carried an infographic of our online learning predictions for 2015, and top of that list was mobile learning. If you missed the newsletter - click here to view the infographic. We are right - mobile learning is big, and judging by its exponential growth, it’s the way to go - regardless of industry, sector, demographic or anything else. Did I say "exponential"? Yes I did - 1 out of every 3 organizations is using mobile learning to train its employees. A couple of years ago, in their 2011 report, American Ambient Insight stated that at that point in time 39% or organizations were already using mobile learning and that by this year (2015) there would be a growth of 29.3% among US corporations alone that would buy mobile learning - and that is already happening. The worldwide market for Mobile Learning products and services reached $3.2 Billion in 2010. The five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is 22.7% and revenues will reach $9.1 billion by 2015. 37.2% of the global workforce will be hooked to mobile learning within the next eleven months. If, to the cynic, these are mere numbers stated to make a case for mobile learning, let’s have a look at what the learner has to say for mobile learning. Over the last couple of years, 100% of employees have said that they prefer the option of using mobile devices to learn. 29% of mobile learners said that they put to practice what they learn via mobile learning - as opposed to a smaller number who access other types of learning. 99% believed that the format and presentation (bite-sized chunks of information), of mobile learning course content, enhanced their learning. 75% have been floored by its sheer convenience and time management capacity. In 2012, 65% of workers declared that their mobile devices were their most critical work devices. Mobile learning has an impact on the human psych as well. Psychologists will tell us that mobile learning increases the speed of learning, retention, recall and transfer of learning - all of which are a part of the learning process - all of which are a part of the mLearning process as well. Learning is not about listening to a podcast. The best type of learning is by using various mediums to learn - voice, images, videos, etc., - all these are elements of a well designed mobile enabled course. Mobile learning has the potential to provide learners with learning experiences that are personally meaningful, collaborative, and socially relevant. Mobile learners study 40% more each week because they can study anywhere. These learners are 3 times more likely to track their progress, and twice as more likely to study between 6 am and 8 am - the best time, according to psychologists, for the brain to absorb and retain new and relevant matter. While the ubiquitous mobile device is just a mobile device to some, it is the world in the palm of his hand for the ‘mobile learner’. Social engagement and informal learning become an integral part of a mobile learner’s life. Technology has liberated the learner’s world and with mobile learning, a learner can now learn anywhere he wants to, whenever it suits him. Even organizations of various sizes and types are getting smart and changing their approach to organizational training by giving in to the (BYOD) policy, so that employees have the freedom to learn on a device of their choice. If you needed one good reason to go the mobile learning, we hope you needn’t look further - we’ve just presented you with a plethora of hard-hitting facts that speak for this ubiquitous learning. The numbers are on the increase; the enthusiasm knows no bounds. Yes, it was a slow start; but it was a sure start - and mobile learning is here to stay.

On a cold wintry morning in December 2013 the management of a small pharmaceutical company received a stern warning letter from the Office of Compliance, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, regarding regulatory violations found during a U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) investigation. Along with a list of noncompliance issues detected, the letter further ordered the company to notify its office in writing of the actions the company had taken or would be taking to prevent similar violations in the future. It continued to state that, failure to adequately and promptly explain the violations noted in the letter would result in regulatory action without further notice. The pharmaceutical industry is among the most heavily regulated in the world, and pharmaceutical companies face unprecedented compliance challenges. Each year, regulatory non-compliance costs the pharmaceutical industry billions of dollars in fines, recalls, audits and more. The challenge that organizations in this industry face is to provide a desired health outcome to people while it meets compliance requirements. To make sure this happens, CIAs (Corporate Integrity Agreements) state that organizations must implement a comprehensive employee training program, but that is easier said than done. Identification : Pharmaceutical companies must identify relevant categories of employees for particular training - failing which, employees could lose interest in training and get slack on regulatory issues. Timelines : Pharmaceutical companies are required to develop and implement codes of conduct, policies and procedures, and training - all within a set timeframe outlined in CIAs. Developing company-specific policies and then developing a training program that is meaningful and effective is time consuming; and more often than not, companies run out of time. Completion Rates : According to CIAs, employees are required to complete 100% of their training, and organizations are required to provide a specified number of hours of training annually, on topics outlined in the CIAs. This is quite difficult given that employees like the sales force are unavailable for training. Tracking : Needless to say - organizations have to keep track of training and employee attendance which is a difficult and time-consuming job for administrators. Today’s work culture leaves no scope for classroom training. However, technology-enabled learning solutions have a successful impact on learning and provide cutting-edge solutions for the regulatory compliance training issues faced by organizations. What’s more - technology-enabled learning is a proven compliance measure that industry compliance professionals rely on to successfully train their employees. The Learning Management System is one such solution. It is the new classroom for today’s organizational training/learning. Very simply put, the Learning Management system is a platform on which courses can be loaded and then dispersed to employees. A good LMS is packed with features (such as an offline course player, digital library, mobile learning, bookmarking, assessments, tracking, notifications), that aid in successful learning, without burdening employees with having to be physically present at a classroom. This also explains why online learning has a higher completion rate than any other type of learning. A modern LMS is robust enough to take care of all the compliance training requirements of an organization, track training and learning, deploy assessments and certification - all within the stipulated time. With a superb tracking system, organizations find tracking of individual training as well as team trainings hassle free. Compliance with regulations in the Pharmaceutical industry might be unavoidable, but it need not be impossible to comply with regulatory standards, anymore. Technology and online learning solutions are the perfect solution to today’s regulatory compliance issues - not just in the pharmaceutical industry but in all other industries as well.

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? 

When I first joined The Ariel Group, and heard stories about their leadership training workshops where business mixed with "actor techniques," I was skeptical. And admittedly afraid. I’m not an actor. Minus those two summers in my camp’s theater production, the stage has since been seen as something I walk across to receive a diploma. And if your business world is anything like the ones I’ve been in, it’s better when you are "head down" and focused on the project at hand than dancing through the meadow in a costume. But then again, that’s why I applied this job. I longed for creativity in workplace. I was tired of being treated like some robot fulfilling orders with no input on style. I’m ambitious. If I want to take on leadership responsibilities, what did I need to know? What intangibles do I need to be a leader? (it’s such a baffling question when you think about it) Are there things I’m doing that are holding me back? Do I communicate in such a way that I am hindering my business relationships —and maybe even personal ones? (Spoiler Alert: I’m single.) A few weeks ago, the opportunity arose for internal Ariel Group employees to take one of our workshops, Personal Presence: Value Proposition. I was told I would learn speaking techniques, ways to authentically connect with my coworkers, and even tips on how to explain my job to make a good impression. Before the classroom, my go-to boring line was "I’m the person managing the blog and managing the social media." My gut is telling me that most of you, like me, are a little apprehensive about putting your acting-shoes on. To help, here’s some insight about what it’s like to be in the Ariel Classroom. Wear business casual to move around. A day out of a suit and tie is a welcomed thing, right? Don’t worry, you aren’t moving across the floor in a choreographed routine. But you will get up and do group theater technique (mimicking the person’s body language) in a circle. You want clothes you are comfortable in. If a tie restricts your movement, leave it at home. A tip for the ladies: wear flats. Let your feet relax for once. You don’t need to be scared about theater exercises. Initially I had hesitation, but I pleasantly surprised about the methods Ariel uses. Each technique put a spotlight on a part of my communication that I may have been neglecting. My Italian hand gestures weren’t always matching up with words I was saying. My posture told a different story than my face. We even had a chance to get feedback on our handshakes. It was really enlightening. You will get feedback. You’ll get tons of feedback. The Ariel facilitators are sensational and ours, Maggie Steig, was superb. She endorsed each participant and gave one-on-one coaching on what we were doing right or detailed, illustrative ways we could describe our jobs - i.e. our "value proposition statements," - better. We worked in groups, pairs, and even did a rehearsal of our value proposition statement before we presented it. Match the feedback with the eye-opening exercises, and I could already feel my mind shift on ways I can improve my communication out of the classroom. It’s challenging. If you’re like me, your communication habits didn’t happen overnight. You probably speak a certain way and think it’s lovely. And then BOOM! You realize the way you come off isn’t how you want to be perceived. It’s hard to break habits and receive constructive criticism. Wait, people think I’m overbearing when I do that? WHAT?!?!? By the end of the day I was mentally exhausted, but I got so much out of it. And I feel my career will be better off for it too. You’ll see places you can make an impact. For me, my biggest challenge is that I’m called "overbearing" and "intimidating," when in actuality my intention is to help. I don’t have ulterior motives, but people are skeptical of someone who "just wants to help." During the handshake exercise, I immediately jumped right into the conversation, introducing myself, which apparently threw off the other person. It was deemed too much. The feedback I was given was to let the other person talk first - they will give the tempo of the conversation, not me. In networking nights since, I’ve tried this strategy. I realize I do have a big personality and it’s hard for people to get a word in when I’m on a roll. If I take my foot off the throttle, I’ve been able to make stronger connections - and not scare everyone away! The best part is that I feel more confident about my work and myself. I no longer downplay my job saying, "I manage the social media." Instead, I proudly state, "I’m Ariel’s online concierge. I want to make sure everyone who comes in contact with our work online feels valued. In the blog, my goal is that they have the best user experience and feel they learned something from reading our content. Through social media, I want to share quality pieces from around the web to help our followers excel in their careers. If they have a question, no matter where they are on the totem pole, I want to answer it in a way so they know they can depend on the brand." The latter statement tells a much different story. It paints of picture of what I do, and illustrates what things are important (treating every customer like a VIP, creating quality content pieces, engaging user-experience) to me in the work I produce. This perspective - how you position yourself, how you can use stories for impact at work, how to talk about your values - is what makes the Ariel Classroom unique. You pause, look at yourself with a critical eye, learn better techniques, and give yourself an opportunity to be better. What was your experience like in the Ariel classroom? Or do you have questions about some of the exercises? Write them in the comments below. Want to know how if your leadership presence skills are sharp? Take our leadership self-assessment.      The post Inside the Ariel Classroom: How Scared Should You Be? appeared first on Ariel Group.        Related StoriesStories From The Road: Park Avenue, New YorkPresence in the Face of Change ManagementApplying Life Wisdom from Our Elders in the Workplace 

I believe that this is the best life can be - it's the same for everyone. There's nothing we can do about it.Meeting the schedules of my children's activities is as complicated as my work schedule. I need a couple of drinks at night to settle myself down to sleep.The word that jumps out at me here is belief - without belief, there is no hope. I was excited that this belief statement was the least true but sadly still true for too many. Clearly the people like you who read our posts take the time to follow a newsletter or blog once in awhile, so it makes sense that you are not completely blind to your ownership of your situation. Whether it's a tough time for you as the leader or those you lead, here are small efforts to practice. When we want to change our emotions, we can behave as if we have and the brain and heart will follow.Buy a bag of special candy (Pop Rocks are fun). Make a list of your leaders. Randomly order them. As often as you can, select two or three to visit, give them a piece of candy and ask them how it's going. Listen. Help them solve it only if that's needed. Make your visits unpredictable and don't tie it to anything else. Keep them guessing. When you've gone through the list start again with a new piece of candy.Buy these Sticky Men. Stop everything, and have a wall race with your team at 3 PM on Wednesday. Return to work.Stop having meetings that are horrible. Have standing meetings, with agendas, parking lots and leave with a list of tasks to track (name, due date, task). Take back the craziness.If you have stakeholders that are hard on your staff and confronting them is not going to make it better, hunker down with the staff to help them with resiliency. Get some blank paper and pencils, then ask your staff to sketch a picture of their worst stakeholder in 30 seconds- without showing anyone else. Ask them to add things to the picture of the stakeholder- where are they, what time of day is it, what do they have with them, what is their expression, etc? Ask them then to flip the picture over to the blank backside and repeat the exercise but this time ask them to pretend they are this horrible stakeholder, and draw of picture (same additional info). Discuss. Help your team build awareness about how they are contributing to the relationship problems.Before the next time you're together, give your staff a homework assignment to Google what being "below the line" means. Share the thoughts and come up with your own chart like the one above. Consider using this prior to every discussion to get a sense of where each person is coming from. We're all below the line at different points of time, often appropriately. We also can't make someone go above the line, but we can help them see where they are and how those mindsets are impacting work.Have everyone in your office take and share our Stress Quotient assessment. Notice where the stress is coming from and where it is not.

How would you like it if vegetables at the supermarket were stocked with meat or milk? You wouldn’t find the produce in the first place. There’s a reason why the Table of Contents is placed within the first few pages of every book. There’s a reason why the streetlights are not tucked away amidst a maze of store signs. The reason is usability or how easy or difficult it is to find your way through a user interface. And judging by how difficult it is to find houses in certain streets or make your way through software, it seems that it is easy to goof up UX design. Bad usability can inhibit your learners from learning what they need from a course. So, to avoid this, here are 3 tips you can use to create killer eLearning designs:

Sorry it has been a while since my last blog post, I’ve been busy running the first Parentpreneur Startup Accelerator. It’s going really well and the feedback has been amazing. I’m so impressed by the progress the parentpreneurs are making and look forward to sharing their stories with you soon. In the meantime, I thought you’d like this podcast episode from a fellow parentpreneur and productivity geek, Jo Dodds. She’s recently launched her podcast and I’ve already gleaned some great ideas from the interviews she has had so far. (Also, her daughter does the intros, with brilliant & often hilarious results!) You can listen to my discussion with Jo on Track 2 of her iTunes podcast, here. Amongst other things, you’ll learn: Why I wake up early How I structure my day to get the most out of it What tricks I use to keep myself focused How I get coached by Richard Branson. A couple of things to make you aware of… first, Jo interviewed me for the podcast episode quite a while ago, back when I expected ‘Making Greatness’ to focus on helping people build teams. I ‘pivoted’ (using what I teach on the Accelerator) and so now Making Greatness is just the temporary name for my Parentpreneur Accelerator business - (I’m working on the new brand / identity!) Second, on the podcast I mention I wake at 05:30… since then I have changed my approach and now always wake at 04:30 and generally feel great! I hope you enjoy the interview and find it useful. If you do, I’d appreciate you letting me know using the comments below.

Today’s post is inspired by the above graphic. I’ve had this hanging on my bulletin board for years. I don’t recall where I came across it, but I found a copy of it on Cathy Moore’s Pinterest page. It never fails to make me laugh, but it is also very true. (At least the part about SMEs is true. I’ve never seen an LMS ooze ectoplasm.) So often I hear people complain about their SMEs falling off the face of the Earth or having issues getting information. I’m spending this week at a client’s site desperately trying to gather information from multiple SMEs, all of whom are busy installing new machinery or troubleshooting issues. I credit the lessons I’ve learned over the years with getting me through this crazy, time-crunched circumstance with the information I need. Following is what I’ve learned: Do your homework. Research what you can about the topic you are discussing with the SME. Use the internet to gather information. Call ahead and ask if there are materials that can be provided in advance. Plan ahead. Know what you want to get out of the conversation. What is your main goal and what do you need to know to reach that goal? Write out your questions. A lot of people go into a SME interview and ask questions off the top of their head. This is a good way to forget something important. Be prepared. Make sure you have everything that you need to conduct the interview. Pencil sharpened, pen full of ink, plenty of paper, iPad charged, tape recorder has batteries, etc. Be flexible. SMEs are busy, busy people. You will need to be flexible with your time and flexible with the circumstances under which you conduct the interview. Be prepared to conduct the interview while the SME is doing other things. Set expectations. Let the SME know at the beginning of the interview why you are talking to him, how the information will be used, and how long you intend the meeting to take. Let the SME know what information you already know. Focus the conversation. Don’t let the SME go off on a tangent or get caught talking about his dogs. SMEs like to share everything they know about the topic, but you only need to know what your audience needs to know. Keep control of the interview so you can make the best use of the time you have. Thank the SME. Make sure that the SME knows you appreciate the time she took to talk with you. This is not the SME’s job, and you are more likely to get additional help quickly if the SME feels appreciated. Also mention that you will follow up in a few days with any additional questions you may have thought of. Review your notes. Immediately after your meeting transcribe your notes so that they make sense and flow. Set them aside and then review them again within the next few days looking for gaps or anything that needs clarified. Follow up with the SME via email, phone, or if necessary a second meeting. Be patient but persistent. Getting additional information or reviews is often challenging. Keep in mind that dealing with your needs is not the SME’s job, just an addition to her job. Make minimal requests and keep them specific. Provide a date that you would like to receive the information or review by and indicate that you will follow up with a phone call if you do not receive the information by that date. Make sure that you give the SME plenty of time. Continue following up until you get what you need, but always inform the SME of your intention to follow up.

Part 1: How to Build a Backdoor in Your Course Part 2: Create a "Hidden Entrance" to devMode Part 3: Add a devMode Indicator Part 4: Unlocking the Master Control Panel In the previous Downright Sneaky Tricks tutorials for Lectora®, you learned how to create devMode, turn it on and off with a hidden button , add an indicator , and give yourself special powers . In this tutorial, you will learn how to make your secret entrance to devMode a little harder to access by adding a password. If there’s one thing I learned from Scooby Doo, it’s that you’ve got to account for meddling kids. A "secret passageway" needs to be "secret;" otherwise, it’s just a passageway. When you think about it, using an invisible button as the gateway to devMode is not very tight security. Some meddling kid mousing around might see the cursor change into a finger. If they clicked, they would discover your secret passageway, and after some shenanigans involving running on barrels, the jig would be up. So how do you beef up security for your secret passageway? With a password, of course! Instead of going right into devMode, if users click on our secret entrance, they will get a password field. They’ll have to guess the correct password before they can access the riches of devMode. Take THAT, meddling kids! Here’s the recipe… EVEN MORE SECRET ENTRANCE RECIPE You will need… One invisible button (to show the password field—we will repurpose our devEntrance button) One form field (where you enter the password) One green SUBMIT button (where you click to SUBMIT the password) One red Exit button (you always need a red button for cancelling stuff) One green checkmark (to indicate to the user when they entered the CORRECT password) One Group called PASSWORD GROUP (in this group you place the Form field and the CANCEL and SUBMIT buttons. This group is Hidden by default.) One ACTION GROUP called CORRECT PASSWORD One ACTION GROUP called WRONG PASSWORD The password process Let me take a moment to explain how this password will work. Step 1: A user clicks the hidden button which displays the password group (password field, submit button, and cancel button). Step 2: The user enters the password in the password field. Step 3: The user clicks the green SUBMIT button which checks if the password is correct (or the user clicks the EXIT button to back out) Step 4: If the password is correct, devMode is turned ON and the green checkmark appears (as well as anything else associated with devMode). If the password is incorrect, the password items all hide and devMode is turned off. First, let’s add the groups we will need. At the top level of the course, on the Insert ribbon, click the Group button three times to add three groups with the following names: RIGHT password WRONG Password Password Group Next, let’s add the password field, green submit button, red Exit button, and green checkmark. On the Test & Survey ribbon, click Entry field to add an entry field. Rename it Password field. Double-click Password Field and, in the Properties ribbon, specify the following settings: Variable: keyCode (instead of Entry 1) Max characters: 40 Select the Password checkbox Select Initially hidden Optional: Change the Background color to a light yellow The entry field is where the user enters the password. Selecting the Password checkbox means when a user types in the field, it shows up as dots instead of alphanumeric characters. SNEAKY! To add the green Submit button, open the Stock/Media Library, select Buttons, select Green, and add the Green-Basic-Next to the page. Set it to Initially Hidden.   To add the red Exit button, open the Stock/Media Library, select Buttons, select Red, and add the Red-Basic-Exit to the page. Set it to Initially Hidden. The Red Exit button is there for the user to back out if he or she gets here accidentally. The action associated with clicking the CANCEL button is to hide the 3 PASSWORD components. To add the green Checkmark, open the Stock/Media Library tab, select Status Indicators and add the Status-check.png to the page. Set it to Initially Hidden. Position these four items as shown. Move the Password field, green Submit, and red Exit buttons into the Password Group. Change the properties this group to Always on Top. Next we will repurpose the devEntrance button. Instead of toggling devMode on and off, its function will only be to show the Password group. Select the devEntrance invisible button and drag the three actions (devMode Toggle, show indicator if, and show menu if) into the RIGHT Password action group. We will trigger these actions ONLY when the user enters the correct password. 10. Select the devEntrance button and add the following action: Trigger: Mouse Click Action: Toggle Show/Hide Target: Password group Now the only thing that the devEntrance does is toggle the password group on or off. Next, we will add the action that checks the password. When is the password checked? When the user clicks the green SUBMIT button. Our password will be scoobysnack. (Or anything you like. The key is to pick a password that no meddling kid is likely to guess.) 11. Select the green Submit button and add the following action: Trigger: Mouse Click Action: Run Action Group Target: RIGHT Password Condition: IF keyCode is equal to scoobysnack (or your password) Else action: Run Action Group WRONG password "When the user clicks the green Submit button, if the password is equal to scoobysnack, then run the RIGHT Password actions. Otherwise, run the WRONG password actions." If a user enters the wrong password, or if they click the red EXIT button, then this should HIDE the Password group and turn off devMode (if it is on). The WRONG Password action group is where you define what happens if the WRONG password is entered. We want 2 things… hide the password elements and change devMode to OFF (0). 12. Select the WRONG Password action group and add the following action: Name: Hide pwd grp Action: Hide Target: Password Grou 13. Select the WRONG Password action group and add another action: Name: Exit devMode Action: Modify variable Variable: devMode Type: Set equal to Value: 1 The RIGHT Password Action Group is where you nest all of the good and happy events associated with entering the correct password such as showing the green checkmark, the devMode indicator, the devMenu, and turning devMode to ON. 14. Select the RIGHT Password action group. 15. Select the devMode Toggle Click the IF condition and remove the condition. Rename the action devMode ON. 16. Add a new action to the RIGHT Password action group with the following settings: Name: show checkmark Action: Show Target: Statuscheck Add one more new action to the RIGHT Password action group with the following settings: Name: clear pwd field Action: modify variable Target: keycode Type: set as empty Value: (leave this field empty) This last action will clear out the password from the entry field. 17. Select the green Statuscheck checkmark, add a Fade for the Transition In and Transition Out, and add the following action: Name: hide this 2.5 Trigger: Show Delay: 5 seconds Action: Hide Target: This object We only need the checkmark to show up briefly when the correct password is entered. Once it shows up, it will fade away after 2.5 seconds. We need to do one last thing: clicking the red Exit button should trigger the WRONG password actions. 18. Select the red Exit button and add the following action: Name: devMode OFF Trigger: Mouse Click Action: Run Action Group Target: WRONG Password Okay, that’s everything. Give your password field a test! In conclusion So, at the end of the day, we’ve made accessing devMode is much harder. If users find the hidden button (devEntrance), they only see the password group. If they enter an incorrect password, it all disappears! BUT if the correct password is entered, they enter the devMode, where they have SUPER-POWERS of instant navigation and god-like knowledge of right and wrong answers! At long last, you too can be the creepy villain in your own online courses! Happy haunting! Download the Lectora and Lectora Online files for this course in the Trivantis® Community. John Mortenson is the Online Learning Manager for The Fresh Market. He has been developing online courses for over 10 years and is a member of the Lectora Advisory Board. He is also an Adobe Creative Suite Guru and cartoonist. You can contact him on LinkedIn and Twitter. Previous Tutorial The post Downright Sneaky Lectora Tricks Part 5: Creating a MORE SECRET Secret Passageway appeared first on .