An entrepreneur who runs a successful elearning company in Plymouth has won a triple place in the final of the 2015 Devon Venus Awards, which recognise the achievements of women in business.Louise Pasterfield, Managing Director of Sponge UK, based at Plymouth Science Park, is a finalist in the categories of Director of the Year, Employer of the Year and Digital Media and Online Business.Louise said: "It’s been really interesting taking part in the Venus Awards, finding out about the diverse and innovative businesses being run by women across Devon. I’m delighted to be nominated in three categories, particularly given the number and standard of entries. 2015 is proving another great year for Sponge UK with more than 20 new clients since January and a further expansion of our workforce." She set up Sponge UK in 2004 and since then the company has grown into one of the country’s leading elearning companies. The firm specialises in tailor-made online courses and campaigns for large global organisations with a host of well-known customers including Tesco, Coca-Cola, Royal Mail, the NHS and the United Nations.  The Devon Venus Awards, nicknamed the ‘Working Women’s Oscars’, is now in its third year and the competition takes place in nine regions across the UK.The Devon winners will be announced at a gala celebration evening on Friday, November 27 at the University of Exeter.The post Triple finalist place in Venus Awards for Sponge boss appeared first on Sponge UK.

Compliance courses have the potential to change the way your staff act more than any other type of training.Unfortunately compliance learning has a reputation for being dull and irrelevant with many of the people who are required to take it.Here we offer our best practices for compliance training and elearning so you can make sure your courses gain the positive reputation they deserve.Comply with legislationThe underlying aim of compliance learning is avoiding mistakes that could lead to breaches in the law. Every business and every member of staff needs to be aware of the legal requirements for their role.Keeping track of your employee’s completion of the relevant training is necessary in order to comply with most industry regulations.Meeting the legal obligations to provide the correct training for your staff is the primary motivator for people seeking compliance learning. You have a responsibility to ensure all staff take the required compliance training, but there’s no reason it can’t also offer a real benefit to your business.Make it realThere are many ways to make people aware of the regulations and legal frameworks that they operate in at work. Some compliance training will consist of a basic run through of the laws involved with an assessment to test understanding at the end.Good compliance learning uses scenarios that bring the legislation to life. If you want your course to be more than a tick box exercise and offer real benefits to your staff you should incorporate the real situations they will encounter.Bringing regulations into the working world of your staff means using realistic examples that are specific to your business. Staff who can relate to the scenarios in training will be more likely to follow the correct procedure in a similar real life situation.Targeted trainingBlanket compliance training can be blamed for much of its negative reputation. Any compulsory regulations or companywide policy changes are going to affect a high proportion of employees. How can you make sure no-one is taking training that they don’t need?Even within a department there might be a wide variety of job roles that each operate within different legal frameworks. It’s common for a company to employ many staff in very similar roles who don’t all work in one place or at one time.Grouping your staff for compliance training based on the place or time that staff are available could result in wasted resources and man hours.The answer is to target compliance training based on a job role. It’s possible to create an elearning course that allows a learner to select their role and be led through a path of modules which are tailored to their needs.By routing each learner appropriately you end up with employees who are less bored, quicker back to work and more easily tracked for completion.Keep it simpleLong drawn out compliance courses mean less engagement from your staff and more frustration all round. Keeping the individual modules short and on subject allows you to target specific regulations and keep your learners interested.Combining short, focused modules with good targeting of staff roles gives you the best chance of getting the training that’s required to the people who need it.There’s another big advantage to keeping compliance training segments brief; it allows them to be updated much more easily. It’s inevitable that new regulations and legislation will come into effect and make your compliance training outdated.You can avoid re-creating a whole compliance course by breaking it up into components that can be individually updated when necessary.Creating simple compliance training that can be easily delivered on many platforms is also going to offer an advantage when updating.Consistent cultureKeeping all employees on the same page when it comes to their actions helps create a consistent culture across the organisation. Compliance can be an important part of this process, by laying out the official ways of performing a particular role.There are not too many opportunities as clear cut as compliance training for setting your expectations of employee’s behaviour. If everyone has the same training and can refer to it in the future it gives them the confidence to act, especially in situations which are not immediately black and white.Reinforcing the seriousness of staff’s legal obligations is much easier within a formal training environment. Setting the right tone and making sure it’s consistent is very important and online delivery can help make this possible.Elearning makes compliance easierFailing to keep up with the latest legal requirements of all your employees can quickly result in serious problems for your business. Compliance elearning offers many benefits for your L&D department to help ensure you’re able to stay compliant.Here are five clear benefits to using an elearning model for your compliance training program:Comply with legislation - elearning allows you to track completion within an LMS and ensure all staff are up to date on compliance and policyMake it real - bringing the legislation to life with actual examples that are realistic and relevant to all your staff is much easier with multimedia content like videoTarget - no-one wants to sit through compliance learning that is irrelevant, by using elearning you can build one course with many modules that takes learners through the training they require and nothing moreSimple and quick - creating bit sized modules and allowing learners to log on any time to complete the compliance course means less time away from their work, more knowledge retention and allows you to update them more easilyConsistent culture - compliance gives you the opportunity to impress your values onto your staff and ensure a uniform response to some of the common legal problems, offering the same training every time to anyone in the same role is a crucial part of the processMoving your compliance training on line in whole or as part of a blended solution can have a big impact on your employees. Creating a bespoke compliance course will allow you to take advantage of all the benefits we’ve outlined and give your staff the best chance of completing their training.Author: Louise Pasterfield, Managing Director, Sponge UK Discuss a project Subscribe to our newsletter The post Benefits of compliance training appeared first on Sponge UK.

If your cost per hire doesn’t take into account the cost of bringing a new employee up to optimum productivity you’re ignoring the biggest expense of taking on new staff.Oxford Economics report that the total cost of hiring someone new is just over £30,000 with more than £25,000 of that total represented by the cost of lost output while a new employee reaches optimum productivity.If you’re a HR professional looking to reduce these costs, we’ve got five tips to help you achieve your goal. During this post we’ll shed some light on the problem and show you how elearning can help speed up the time to productivity significantly.Where do the costs come from?There are many factors that affect these costs, and some can be managed better than others.Some factors will affect all new employees, and others will be specific to one group. It’s important to know these differences when you’re creating a strategy to reduce the costs.The main areas to consider when finding ways to minimise these costs are:Business factorsSector - highly skilled employees are more expensive to bring up to speed and this difference is reflected in industry variance for costsSize - small businesses have lower productivity costs than larger organisationsEmployee factorsRelevant experience - if a worker is currently in the same sector it’s a big advantage in time to productivityCurrent employment situation - new starters who are unemployed fare worse and graduates take longer than workers from other businesses to get trained upHow can I reduce these costs?There are two main ways to reduce these costs: cut the time it takes to reach optimum productivity, or change your new starters’ path to productivity.A graph from the Oxford Economics Report shows how new starters who learn faster at the start reduce costs by having a higher total productivity over the same period than slow starters A new employee who starts fast and finishes slow on this path will cost you less than a steady or slow starter, despite taking the same time overall.5 ways elearning can helpCreating or improving an induction or onboarding strategy is one of the best ways you can reduce your cost per hire.Here are 5 clear ways that an elearning model can help reduce your cost per hire: Pre-boarding - start induction before day one for a boost in productivityAn online elearning programme is the easiest way to offer pre-induction or pre-boarding training to employees. Using a cloud based LMS means elearning can be made accessible to new starters from anywhere.A new employee who is coming directly from employment in the same sector tends to improve productivity fast at the start of their new role and more slowly as they approach optimum.If you identify which type of employee you’re likely to be hiring you’ll be able to cater to their needs better. If you start early enough you could give an industry newcomer some of the key skills that they lack and take a shortcut to fast progress.Pre-boarding or pre-induction is becoming more and more popular, especially amongst industry leading companies.These pre-boarding statistics from the Aberdeen Group show its potential:Best in class companies are 35% more likely to begin onboarding before day oneTop companies are 18% more likely to provide information on the company’s norms, etiquette and values to new hiresMoving the basic but essential elements of induction into a package that can be completed before day one gives you more time to focus on individual needs of new starters.Video - give new starters the chance to hear from high level managers quickly and easilyUsing video of the top management team as part of an induction process will help new starters identify with the heads of the business. The people who set the company culture and values are often the best people to share them.Learning the culture of the organisation and having the ability to ask questions about a specific role to the people in charge accelerates the progress of new employees. But often it’s not possible to get one-on-one time with the high level management of a larger company.Innovative techniques like branching scenarios with interactive video can help create a unique path for each job role to discover the most relevant information from busy managers. Elearning games - allow new employees to experience real scenarios before they happen for a short-cut to experienceA report by the Elearning Guild shows that games and gamification has a real impact on skill-based knowledge assessments with a 14% increase in performance when game elements are used. New skills are a large part of new starters’ learning so improving training in this area has a real impact on speed to productivity.Gamification elements can be built into the LMS, with elearning tracking feeding into them as your employee takes the training. These clear markers of progression help motivate employees to develop new skills through competition and collaboration with peers.Incorporating serious games and simulations allows new employees to experience the scenarios that they haven’t had the chance to in real life. Giving a new starter this realistic environment in which to fail safely gives them the confidence to act decisively when the real situation arises. Tracking - monitor performance and progress to help identify learners needs more quicklyHaving your new staff’s results and progress available is invaluable when creating a plan for their development. Using elearning in an LMS (Learning Management System) makes this data collection straightforward.An employee engagement study by Blessingwhite shows that 24% of employees would be more engaged at work if they were given the opportunity to do what they do best. Tracking which training themes new employees are returning to enables managers to give them these opportunities as soon as they start.Tracking your new starters’ progress is critical to keeping them moving at the right pace. Combining tracking with frequent reviews gives management the opportunity to guide people onto the right track whilst identifying potential stand out talent.Self-paced learning - capitalise on new starters existing skills to speed up their path through training Elearning allows ultimate flexibility for learners to take courses on demand, not only will new starters be able to take control of the speed at which they consume courses but they will be able to revisit the modules that matter most for their role.Self-paced learning can help accelerate the progress of exceptional employees. Allowing new staff to go at their own pace means they can concentrate on the areas that they need the most work on and breeze through the subjects they are familiar with. There are many other benefits of induction elearning beyond reducing time to productivity, we have a produced a free guide on how to integrate elearning into your induction or onboarding programme that’s available on our induction page. Discuss a project Subscribe to our newsletter The post 5 ways to reduce your cost per hire with elearning appeared first on Sponge UK.

Minecraft is being used by the UK government to help recruit IT talent and it’s more than just a gimmick.Games are a credible way to tackle major business problems and their value goes far beyond novelty and entertainment.This post explores why elearning games can help organisations meet some of the biggest challenges they face.The Minecraft factor Finding the right staff is a major problem for many large organisations. Globally, 38% of employers reported difficulty in filling jobs in 2015, according to research by ManpowerGroup. In response to this challenge, the UK government is turning to the popular computer game Minecraft to find and recruit talent to work in the cyber security industry. It’s part of the Cyber Security Challenge UK, which aims to find potential employees through the use of games. In this particular example, the use of Minecraft helps to attract attention and inspire younger people who may not have ever considered a career in IT security, but there is more going on.To be good at Minecraft you need certain skills including strategic thinking, team working, problem solving and creativity, just the type of skills that modern organisations want in the workforce. It is this side of the game, not its popularity that makes it such a good instrument for recruitment. Similar skills and abilities can be developed with elearning games in the workplace. These tend to be on a much more modest scale than Minecraft but can be just as effective in meeting specific challenges.  Leading thinker on games in learning, Professor Karl M. Kapp, has highlighted the three most compelling elements of games as being mastery, story and feedback. Kapp says: "People play games to demonstrate mastery, overcome competition, to escape from stress, to control their environment and to be entertained." He argues these make for a more successful and engaging learning solution.  3 top business problems The next section of this post takes three common business challenges and explores the role elearning games can play in addressing them. They are:Introducing new a technology or system successfullyGetting managers to give effective feedbackComplying with new regulations or legislationThese are generic issues but relevant to a wide range of organisations, both public and private.Introducing new a technology or system successfully  Whether it is a new way of working or the latest piece of software, the hope of any business is that the change will lead to improvements in productivity, sales, customer service or another critical aspect of enterprise. However, introducing something new is fraught with difficulty and can be a challenging time for the workforce. A survey by MIT Sloan Management Review about the adoption of new technology revealed that most employees found the process complex and slow with managers failing to adequately communicate the benefits to the business.Training can play a big part in helping employees to feel more comfortable and confident but also make it quicker and easier to get the new tech or system up-and-running. ‘Traditional’ online learning or a face-to-face workshop may well be in the training mix but a game offers something special. It can be a test bed where employees can practice in a safe environment. This works best when the elearning game is a simulation of the new system or technology. A game allows people to see if they are doing it right, and if not, enables them to replay until they master the task.Getting managers to give effective feedback We expect our leaders to be able to handle difficult conversations at work but it doesn’t come naturally to all of them. Research by the Chartered Management Institute found that 31% of those surveyed in the UK found it hardest to challenge a colleague’s inappropriate behaviour while 30% struggled to give feedback on poor performance. Inevitably, if managers repeatedly dodge tricky conversations this behaviour will have a negative impact on an organisation. The cost to business of ineffective management is significant and a UK government study put the figure at a massive £19billion per year.An elearning game can offer managers a platform to practice and learn from their mistakes. By navigating their way through a realistic story, where they have to make decisions about what to say and do next, they gain experience which can help improve their skills in the real world. Crucially, feedback in a game is visible and constant so they know instantly when they get things right or wrong.Complying with new regulations or legislationThe need for businesses to be compliant has never been greater as regulators get tougher, penalties rises and the level of regulatory change increases. The financial impact alone is significant; fines by the UK Financial Services Authority rose by more than £400 million between 2008 and 2013. But there are wider consequences of non-compliance including the impact on share price, liquidity, increased management and staffing costs, reputation and customer trust. Andrew Neblett, Managing Director, Enterprise Risk Management at Thomson Reuters, sums it up: "Regulators are under intense pressure and are coming up with more creative ways to enforce and promote compliance. The new challenges that firms face go way beyond just a fine, and companies and individuals need to be aware of the wider implications that non-compliance can have throughout an entire organisation starting from the bottom-up."Compliance training has a mixed history in terms of its effectiveness and questions are constantly being asked about whether it can deliver what businesses need to safeguard themselves in such a tough climate. The latest report on compliance from the independent research organisation Towards Maturity sheds light on the scale of the problem facing businesses. Eight in ten compliance professionals looking to mitigate risk, improve business process and shift behaviour through learning initiatives are failing to achieve their goals. The report also highlights a move in thinking away from ‘traditional’ elearning to more innovative approaches.Elearning games are among the new techniques being used to help organisations avoid non-compliance and boost the effectiveness of  compliance training. As already outlined, games allow people to learn, explore and practice in ways not normally available in traditional courses, whether online or face-to-face. In particular, elearning games in compliance have a number of advantages, allowing learning through exploration, practice, decision-making and engagement.  Finally, games don’t have to be on the grand scale of Minecraft to make an impact. Advances in technology along with clever and creative design means that affordable elearning games are now available, allowing more organisations to tap into their unique properties to help tackle the biggest challenges they face. Discuss a project Subscribe to our newsletter The post How elearning games tap into the Minecraft factor appeared first on Sponge UK.

Viewers of the live-streamed internet television channel, Learning Now TV (LNTV), will be able to see an exclusive interview with Louise Pasterfield, Managing Director of elearning provider, Sponge UK this month.The entrepreneur will reveal how Sponge UK has grown to become an award-winning market leader, how the company demonstrates the impact it is making for large global organisations and how it has created its own internal university to help develop its staff.Louise said:"Learning Now TV is a valuable resource for the learning and development community and is leading the way in providing the latest news and debate on key topics.  It’s great to be included and I’ll be explaining why Sponge UK is breaking the mould in the elearning industry.  I’ll share my personal view of our growth from small business to a significant player in the UK and Europe, and I’ll be tackling a crucial issue for the industry - evaluation." Learning Now TV is a free channel produced by some of the L&D world’s leading authorities who have many years’ experience of reporting the real world issues for today’s learning and development professionals.Colin Steed from LNTV said:"It’s good to hear from our award-winning learning solution providers and Louise provides some valuable insights on where she sees elearning going in the future. We are celebrating our first birthday at Learning Now TV in this episode so make sure you tune on 29 October at 8pm."The interview with Louise Pasterfield is due to be broadcast on Thursday, 29 October.People need to register for free to watch the channel via http://learningnow.tv/registerThe post Sponge UK boss on Learning Now TV appeared first on Sponge UK.

Focusing on the learning outcome is all important in elearning design. Finding the one goal that you need to accomplish and building really effective training to achieve it.One company that has led the way in focusing on customers and getting them the information they need is Amazon. The world’s biggest retailer, Amazon has had to solve some of the biggest problems facing any business.We’re going to analyse their innovative ideas and show how an elearning approach can help you use the same techniques to solve some common business training problems.At Amazon.com, it’s our goal to be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy…Amazon’s primary goal is to sell more products to their customers, in order to do that they need to compete for customer’s attention, loyalty and money.Let’s see how we can overcome some business training issues with the help of elearning and the Amazon approach.1.   Time away from work: 1-ClickOne of the problems with training is the time that workers need to spend away from their job.The genius of Amazon’s patented 1-Click buying process is reducing the necessary steps of purchasing an item to the absolute minimum.Don’t necessarily think about this as a parallel with micro learning or creating bite-sized sections of content focused on one thing.  It’s more about the process by which learners reach the content in the first place.One click buyers still see the photos, description and reviews for each product, it’s only at the point when the decision is made that all obstacles are removed. One click learners should be given all the information they need to choose the right course for them and have it available immediately.Opening up all areas of a course to learners can accelerate their progress as they decide which pieces of the content they will benefit from most.Elearning, specifically combined with a customisable LMS (Learning Management System), allows you to make learning accessible quickly and easily for all your learners. A bespoke, streamlined approach to the course selection process that is tailored to your staff will give you the best chance of getting people into the learning.2.   Lack of feedback: Amazon reviewsL&D can struggle to get useful feedback from employees about training, but it’s an essential part of a good learning strategy and can inform the whole process of career development.Getting feedback on products is valuable to the supplier and prospective customers.  If you have feedback from learners on a course, consider sharing it with staff who will take the same training in the future.Amazon has their Vine program which encourages suppliers to provide products to Amazon that they then send out for free to their most helpful reviewers, as voted for by the customers browsing the site. They also publish a leaderboard and hall of fame for the top reviewers on the site, gamifying the process of giving feedback.Introducing reviews for elearning becomes a lot easier with an LMS in place. There is a Moodle plugin which makes it simple to add Amazon-style star ratings and reviews to your courses, for instance.It can also be automated and anonymised so it can work on a large scale and give you the most valuable feedback.Acting on that feedback is the next step and it requires a thoughtful approach to ensure continual improvement of the course for the next round of employees.Of course, the system is open to abuse and, just like Amazon, you may need to step in to make sure it’s being used properly so it gives your staff a genuine view of the course.3.   Unnecessary training: RecommendationsGetting the right training to the right people is a constant challenge for L&D teams.  Creating a more personal experience for employees can really help create engagement and boost outcomes.By building on reviews and incorporating other items that customers have purchased, Amazon pioneered the idea of a personalised shopping experience.Having the data to be able to recommend the best course for your learner takes a few steps and we can follow Amazon’s lead on each one.First the basics: collect the essential data required, name, job role, location etc. This helps you put the right content options in front of the learner.Amazon Garage is a service which collects your car’s make, model and age and then makes sure that car-related products are compatible with your vehicle. That way you only see the items that you might need for your car.Having your learners get specific on the details of their work allows you to make sure they only see relevant courses, this is especially beneficial for compliance where no-one wants to complete a course that they don’t need to.The other approach is to use the learner’s input to steer them in the right direction for their needs. Adaptive learning techniques like pre-course assessments and branching scenarios can be employed to create a more personalised route through the content for each participant.Interactive video provides a great way to offer engaging, adaptive content that matches a learners needs closely.4.   Lacking a learning culture: Amazon PrimeMaking learning and development part of the culture of the company is a goal for many L&D teams. Giving staff the opportunities to progress and gain knowledge throughout their time at work gives them motivation to continue their personal growth.The Amazon Prime subscription service is a loyalty programme, it offers advantages for members that mean they are more likely to choose to buy from Amazon than a competitor. They looked at their key advantage, originally logistics and speed of delivery, and now cloud data storage and streaming, and used it to come up with a compelling reward for subscribers.In order to create a culture of learning you need to start by identifying the key advantage that training can offer employees. Look at the values of your company, what makes it unique? What development opportunities can you offer that no-one else can?If you have the right rewards your staff will repay you with their time and effort to receive them. Don’t be afraid to try different approaches. Some people will respond well to a chance at networking opportunities with senior colleagues, others will thrive on self-paced courses that they can complete on their mobile.The lesson to take from Amazon is to look at your strengths and create clear benefits based on them.  If your company wants to promote all regional managers from within the business in 2 years, make this clear and create a way for employees to prove their worth.An elearning provider needs to have a fundamental understanding of the company’s goals in order to foster a culture of learning that promotes them.  Creating campaigns that include elearning can be a great way to introduce these ideas to your strategy.5.   Change in workforce behaviour: KindleAmazon started out selling books because they were cheap and universally popular. Even before e-readers started threatening the physical book market, Amazon were prepared to create their own hardware and marketplace to compete in a new field.The Kindle is now the most popular e-reader in the world, and Amazon controls up to 95% of the e-book market. When it looked like tablets were going to overtake e-readers as devices for consuming e-books,  Amazon released their range of tablets too.The equivalent for L&D professionals is the rapidly changing nature of the workforce. With younger employees, better connectivity and cheaper access to technology there is a clear move to more mobile working and learning in many areas.Elearning mirrors the growth of Amazon’s original business for many of the same reasons; it’s available online, any time and the costs are therefore lower than face-to- face training.Now the way people are accessing the internet is changing it’s time to react and give the learner what they want. Well-designed elearning gives you the flexibility to deploy your training content in different ways.Being willing to pivot your elearning strategy to include the needs of new learners will make it possible to keep ahead of dramatic changes. Going with an elearning provider who uses the latest techniques helps benefit from the changes rather than seeing them as an obstacle.In summary here are the five ways thinking like Amazon can help elearning overcome your business problems:Time away from work - streamline the process of getting your learners onto the elearning they require by giving them all the information they need and delivering it onlineLack of feedback - encourage reviews for courses and make them available to both learning designers and learners themselvesUnnecessary training - target your elearning using employees roles and abilities and use adaptive learning through pre-course assessments and branching scenariosLacking a learning culture - make your staff aware of the unique opportunities they have to develop their skills in your company and incorporate these in your elearning campaignsChange in workforce behaviour - elearning has the flexibility to help you react quickly to changing trends in workforce behaviour like the increase of mobile devices in the workplace Discuss a project Subscribe to our newsletter The post The Amazon approach - Problem solving with elearning appeared first on Sponge UK.

An induction programme by Farmfoods that not only welcomes new employees to the company but helps to identify potential managers has been shortlisted for a top award by the Learning and Performance Institute (LPI).The frozen food retailer worked with elearning provider, Sponge UK to develop the new blended induction programme which includes multi-device elearning modules supported with on-the-job training and printed workbooks. Crucially, all employees are able to progress through the training up to branch manager level, no matter their job title.This innovative approach is helping Farmfoods to retain staff, identify talent and promote from within the company.  The training has been shortlisted in the LPI’s Learning Awards 2016 in the category of Onboarding Programme of the Year.  Ronnie Morgan, Head of Training and Development at Farmfoods, said:"We are delighted to be shortlisted particularly given the high standard and number of entries for this year.  We’ve already started to see the benefits of our new onboarding programme which has not just enhanced our staff training but is helping us nurture our talent for the future."Farmfoods is the second biggest frozen food retailer in the UK and one of the fastest growing food retailers in 2014 with 35% sales growth for the year.The company launched the new induction training in January this year. More than 3,500 staff throughout the UK have already completed it.Louise Pasterfield, Managing Director of Sponge UK, said:"Farmfoods have embraced innovative ideas in their onboarding programme and used learning technologies to their full advantage to deliver benefits to the business. We worked really closely with the company to understand their needs and develop relevant and engaging scenarios that would help employees get the most out of the training."Sponge UK used the responsive framework Adapt to create the elearning so employees can access the training via smartphones and tablets.The Learning Awards winners will be announced at a ceremony at The Dorchester hotel in London’s Park Lane on Thursday, February 4, 2016.  The post Induction wins shortlisting for Farmfoods and Sponge UK appeared first on Sponge UK.

Fleet vehicles are a big cost to business and a lot of effort goes into managing driver risk and providing training, whether on the road or online.But research by a leading road safety charity suggests more than half of companies are not offering training when a fleet driver needs it most - after an accident.I’m lucky enough to have never been involved in a serious accident but the other day I had a minor bump in a country lane.  No-one was hurt and there wasn’t much more than a scratch on either vehicle.  Nonetheless, my hands were shaking afterwards and I had to pull over for a few minutes to calm down.  For a few days afterwards, I avoided that stretch of road and it took a good few weeks to regain my confidence on rural routes. Remember, this is was a minor incident but it goes to show the impact even a minor shunt can have on a driver.Worrying researchThere are more than 35 million fleet vehicles in the UK and around 86% of fleets will have experienced an accident in the last 12 months.  It’s estimated that one in three road accidents in the UK involves a vehicle being driven for work.  About half of fleet accidents cost over £1,000 in vehicle repairs so repeat incidents can make a sizeable dent in company finances.Of course, the financial impact pails into insignificance against the human cost of fleet accidents.  Around 75% of workplace deaths are as a result of driving; it’s still one of the most dangerous work activities people undertake on a daily basis.   Most large companies with fleet drivers operate some kind of Driver Risk Management (DRM) system to manage risk effectively and maintain a duty of care. This will include training but often it is only targeted at drivers deemed to be at high risk and usually takes place when an employee joins the company or moves into a job with fleet driving responsibilities.  A new report by The Institute of Advanced Motorists’ (IAM) Drive & Survive division, providing analysis of fleet incidents based on a survey of a 100 companies, makes worrying reading.  It reveals that while 80% of businesses have post-incident policies and procedures in place, more than 50% do not offer post-incident driver training as a means of reducing the risk of repeat incidents. An earlier IAM study also revealed that 72% of people who drive for work in the UK had never been offered driver training at any stage.IAM concluded: "Many companies are not….putting in place sufficient measures to reduce the risk of incidents happening or (more worryingly) happening again to the same drivers." More than 50% of businesses don’t offer training to their drivers after an accident Barriers and benefitsGiven what is at stake, the question is why are so many fleet drivers not being offered training after an accident?  There is no definitive data explaining this trend but a number of factors may be influencing decision-making in this area:Post-incident training is not compulsory for corporate fleet driversDriver training costs money and takes up timePost-incident procedures focus on managing the administrative burden rather than prevention of repeat incidentsCompanies do not deem training necessary if their driver was not at faultThe impact on the driver’s confidence is underestimatedBut while there are obstacles to overcome, there are significant benefits of offering post-incident driver training as a way to avoid repeat accidents.  The advantages make a strong business case:Better trained, more confident fleet driversReduced repair, legal and administrative costsIncreased residual value of fleet vehiclesEnhanced company reputationQuicker return to full efficiency for driversImproved evidence of duty of care and corporate responsibilityTraining as standardFor those companies that do offer post-incident training, the majority would normally do some form of assessment to identify which employees to target.  For reasons of cost and time, only those deemed to be at fault or at increased risk of a repeat accident will be offered face-to-face training and, of course, this makes good business sense. But it’s not a fool-proof strategy and overlooks the needs of the drivers who now lack confidence, those who have never had driver training and those who would benefit from training regardless of their risk level.One option is to provide post-incident training as standard so all drivers can have at least some base level learning support following a crash. An obvious way to make this approach cost-effective is to offer the training online. Online courses can help drivers to learn good behaviours and the best approach for managing driving situations in the safest way. Elearning also reduces the amount of downtime required for training. Innovative elearning techniques include:Interactive video3D simulationsVideo-based scenariosElearning games and game elementsAnimationsThese are all highly interactive elements and well-suited to the likely content of post-incident training such as road safety, minimising risk, identifying hazards, building confidence and driving defensively. Importantly, adding an assessment or test to the elearning can help fleet managers identify which drivers require further one-on-one intervention or on-road training.Finally, there is evidence that fleet drivers themselves are crying out for training, whether or not they have been involved in an accident.  A survey found that 44% of work drivers who had not been offered training would welcome the opportunity.  The challenge for business is to find the best way to meet this demand and make driving safer for their employees. Discuss a project Subscribe to our newsletter The post Should you offer all fleet drivers training after a crash? appeared first on Sponge UK.

Some of the most interesting parts of Towards Maturity’s recent report on compliance training are the direct quotes from learners and L&D professionals talking about compliance elearning.We’ll look at what we can learn from this genuine feedback and examine strategies to help overcome the problems that real learners are having with compliance training.Excellence in Compliance Training is the latest report from Towards Maturity, an independent research organisation that provides benchmarking data to help L&D professionals improve their results.Generic courses aren’t relevant"The mandatory courses all feel too generic and often lack relevance to my working environment."It’s clear from this feedback that off-the-shelf compliance courses are failing some employees.Often, a generic approach can’t offer the same engagement as a bespoke course designed for your organisation. One of the biggest themes of the report is the view of employees that compliance elearning is boring and irrelevant.A well-designed compliance course will highlight the real world benefits to learners of being compliant. Knowing the specific details of an employee’s role within their organisation is critical in creating a course they can relate to."My experience of off-the-shelf training is that the majority of it is dull and usually filled with too much irrelevant information, due to the fact that the author doesn’t know what audience they are writing for, so they have to cover all eventualities. They also tend to fill training with irrelevant gimmicks to make it seem more interesting."It’s important to ensure that any interaction adds to the objective of the course. It’s tempting to introduce elements that brighten up a dull subject but as we can see, learners value concise content that shows them the benefits.Real learners can spot a generic course.  It can affect their performance and the likelihood that they will complete the training. A bespoke approach allows an instructional designer to create the most effective route to the learning objectives for your staff.If you can hear your employees when you read these quotes, consider using a tailored solution for your next compliance elearning programme.Multi-device learning"We already have mobile-enabled applications for compliance training on certain devices but we are trying to get support for all devices since training platforms are not entirely supported. We hope to have easier access to training applications for all mobile devices in the near future."This experience is echoed by many other respondents to the Towards Maturity study, with only 23% using mobile phones and 42% using tablets to access online learning content. Making it easier for staff to access training is a priority for many L&D departments.Creating platform specific training limits the benefits of the course to learners using that single device. You’re also limiting the lifespan of the training to the operating system or device that it’s designed for.Elearning enables more people to take training, with geographically dispersed workforces able to experience the same course as their colleagues. Unfortunately they will often be using different types of devices to access these online courses.One solution is to create responsive content that is designed to be accessed through a web browser on any device.When a responsive course is accessed on a mobile the learner will be presented with a layout that’s suitable for a small touchscreen. If the same person arrives at their desk and would prefer to use a desktop with a large screen, mouse and keyboard, the content adapts to the new hardware and progress is resumed.Building a responsive course will allow you to extend the life of your learning and make one set of content accessible to many more learners.  Responsive elearning therefore represents a cost effective way to reach as many people as possible with one course. Adapt - Responsive elearning framework Creating responsive content is simplified by using a framework like Adapt. It makes it possible to create multi device learning that will work on all the devices your learners use. Sponge UK were founder members of the Adapt Open Source project and continue to develop the framework whilst using it in many commercial projects. Too much choice"I would like a study plan, requiring time and support from my Line Manager. I’m not sure where to start; there’s so much on our online learning portal, it’s a bit overwhelming."Sometimes, presenting staff with too many options results in ‘analysis paralysis’, the abundance of choice making it difficult to select the best option.The following quote is from a high performing company that is meeting the majority of its compliance training targets."We shifted from eight mandated courses on induction to a new approach aligned to what a new person needs to do in the organisation. Mandated training is aligned to individual job roles and placed in context."The different experiences make it clear, target your employees’ job roles and give them less elearning that is more relevant and you can achieve better performance.This kind of targeting can be achieved in the LMS (Learning Management System) by using the information you have to identify which areas different types of staff need to access.It’s possible to take this approach a step further when dealing with an elearning induction programme.Using adaptive learning techniques like pre-assessment can steer staff to the relevant parts within a single course. Giving them one course that provides all the relevant information is better than offering many individual courses.If you want to find out more, including the statistics that back up the quotes from the report, you can download it in full from Towards Maturity.Keep this genuine feedback and these real solutions in mind when you take on your next elearning project. Discuss a project Subscribe to our newsletter The post Real feedback and real solutions to compliance elearning problems appeared first on Sponge UK.

How can you provide effective training for all your employees wherever they are in the world?Large businesses routinely operate across borders and they need training that can adapt to the different cultures and environments that their staff are part of.Everyone knows that when you see the familiar Tesco sign, whether you’re stepping off a bus in Malaysia, or visiting friends in Slovakia, you’re going to get a familiar experience.If you ask for the cornflakes you’ll be taken to them by a staff member, the checkout process will be the same and the floors will be clean. There are standards that are expected across the entire chain of stores that are kept consistent thanks to standard training.There are some differences though, the bakery might serve different types of bread, the majority of milk may be long life rather than fresh and the sandwiches might not be pre-packaged in triangles. Training is also needed for the unique aspects of each location.Food retailers offer the most obvious examples of the challenges in training for global organisations, but all companies face similar issues. Elearning can help overcome these problems through a number of techniques.How can elearning help?Elearning is one of the best ways to get this training out to your staff.  It can be served centrally so any updates or translations can happen in one place and be accessed from around the world.The key to creating a course that can be used anywhere is to break it into modules. By identifying the parts of the training that are unique to an area you can separate the parts which will require adapting from the standard core modules.Common skillsThe standards that a company’s reputation and business relies upon need to be instilled in every employee, regardless of location.Common skills that need to be consistent across an international workforce offer a great opportunity to save on costs by having one set of training for everyone performing that role.Once the basic training is established you will need to consider both translation and localisation of the content before deployment.Translating elearningTranslation often doesn’t require the creation of new content. If the course has been well designed the new text can be imported to replace the existing content. Working with a provider who is experienced with translation helps ensure this is a smooth process.Some courses will require some more substantial changes. Moving from English to a right to left reading language like Hebrew for instance might require adjusting the layout of assets to make sure the learning objectives are still clear.Localising elearningLocalisation is the process of adapting content to fit a local area. Making sure the training is relevant to the culture and environment that the learners are part of.In order to localise content properly you need to take account of all the different types of media in the course. Images, audio and video can all reflect the values and customs of the part of the world they’re created for.Look for an elearning provider that has experience in, not only translation, but localisation of content, if you need to deploy the same course across many territories.Unique skillsThe specific training that’s required for staff in a certain location is more difficult to create. Often the training will follow the same basic processes but with key differences throughout.Building templates allows you to create the structure of a module and then slip in the relevant content for your area. Creating another version of the module for a different but similar process is then a much more manageable task.Every elearning authoring tool will allow you to create some sort of template, and many providers offer a template creation and training service to get you up to speed on adapting templates into new modules.The best templates are broken down into distinct sections which can then be edited or moved individually, creating a versatile tool kit for an elearning developer to quickly put together a course which best fits the specific needs of the area.Combining a template with translation and localisation makes it easy to introduce new region-specific training modules.Get your staff the right trainingOnce you’ve translated, localised and modified the courses to make sure they are suitable for any member of staff no matter the location, you need to give them access to the relevant information.Being overwhelmed with options can be a major turn-off for staff wanting to develop their skills. With so many versions of courses you need to narrow the possibilities down to a manageable selection.Geolocation technology that’s built into web browsers and mobile devices can be used by elearning to help ease the process of serving the right content to the right people.You may need to serve the same course on new EU regulations to everyone in Europe in their local language, and a different course on US law in English to others.  Automatically detecting the region of an employee who is accessing the elearning makes it a seamless experience for them.You can control which courses are available through an LMS (Learning Management System), so that only the appropriate courses for your audience are available to take. This solution means you get full control over who takes the training.Alternatively, you could opt for an adaptive learning approach, allowing the learners themselves to answer questions or select options which then present them with the appropriate course.If a staff member accidentally answers incorrectly and is steered to the wrong course, it’s easy to add safeguards that allow them to back up and make a different selection.SummaryHere are the main reasons elearning can help when training a global workforce:Translation - once a final master version of the elearning is signed off the content can be translated and easily substituted into individual coursesLocalisation - elearning makes it possible to change other course assets like images and video to match the local culture without having to produce an entirely new courseTemplates - all elearning software allows creation of templates which reduce the time it takes to modify elements of the course to make them relevant to staff in different countriesGlobal deployment - having the course housed on an LMS accessible from the web allows you to update it and immediately make the new version available worldwideGeolocation - identifying a learners location using web technology puts the relevant information in front of the right staff automaticallyMany of the common pitfalls and challenges can be avoided if you use an elearning provider who has experience with delivering international elearning programmes.Discuss a project Subscribe to our newsletter The post The challenges of training global workers appeared first on Sponge UK.

The eLearning Network’s annual conference will hear how "thinking like game designers" can help learning professionals unlock the full potential of games in digital learning.Kate Nicholls, Creative Director at award-winning elearning company, Sponge UK is hosting a session at the conference looking at the role of games in elearning.Nicholls said:"Designing effective learning games requires a different skillset to ‘traditional’ elearning. It can be daunting to start with but it’s worth the challenge.  I think game play comes naturally to humans and it is just a question of working out how to make the most of this innate ability to reach a learning objective. As learning designers, we can gain a lot from borrowing techniques from the commercial gaming world.  During my talk, I will be suggesting ways of thinking like game designers and exploring how to best use games and game elements in elearning."The session, The Role of Games in Digital Learning, will also cover the different types of games available, when to use games in elearning and why games are effective as a learning tool.   It takes place at 12.10-12.40pm at the ‘Beyond Click Next’ conference on Wednesday, November 11 at 15 Hatfields, London.The event is the biggest event ever staged by eLearning Network (eLN) and open to members and non-members alike.There are three streams of presentations covering strategy and tactics in digital learning, design and methods and tools and systems.Keynote addresses will come from educational scientist, Pedro De Bruyckere and elearning expert, Clive Shepherd.Registration is available via the eLearning Network website.The post Think like game designers plea at eLN conference appeared first on Sponge UK.

The role elearning can play in creating a positive and lasting induction experience for new employees will be explored in an interactive webinar this month.Award-winning elearning provider, Sponge UK is hosting the session to provide new ideas for organisations looking to improve their approach to onboarding.Learning Designer at Sponge, Brayley Pearce, is hosting the webinar, First Impressions to First Year: Benefits of Bespoke Induction.Brayley said:"The picture you paint during an employee’s induction is the one that stays with them, so it is essential to get it right. I’ll be following the journey of a new starter from the moment they accept a job offer to their first year of service and highlighting ways bespoke elearning can help make the induction as positive and productive as possible. As with all our webinars, I’m interested to hear about a wide range of experiences and there will be plenty of opportunities for attendees to share their views and ask questions."Data from the independent research organisation, Towards Maturity suggests that while 97% of organisations offer induction or onboarding training only 58% of these skills are e-enabled.The webinar takes place between 12:30 - 13:00 (GMT) on Wednesday, 18 November 2015 and registration is available via http://buff.ly/1NTs4NI.The key areas covered will include:Benefits of induction elearning for your business Pre-boarding strategiesFirst day, first impressionsExtended induction programmes  The webinar will be useful for L&D professionals, HR practitioners and managers looking to implement change in onboarding, and will be relevant across all industry sectors. The post Webinar on positive induction from first day to first year appeared first on Sponge UK.

How well does your organisation deal with change?Increasingly, the degree to which businesses can adapt positively and quickly to change is driving their success. But it’s not just at board level - every employee has a role to play and elearning can help.Rapid pace"Change is inevitable. Change is constant."British Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli speaking at the zenith of the industrial revolution must have thought his generation had the monopoly on change, given the social and economic upheaval of his time.We may just outdo the Victorians.In our world, it is not just the level of change, but the rapid pace of change, that is defining.Technology is the best example.Today, even the most basic smartphone has the equivalent computing power of a 1980s defence system.But so-called exponentials promise to take this is a whole new level.Exponentials are technologies that grow in capability at a much faster rate than normal tech, roughly doubling in performance every 12 to 18 months (relative to their size and cost).Examples are things like quantum computing, artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics.We don’t yet know where this rapid pace of change will lead us, or how it will impact on our everyday lives, but the ability to adapt to change is likely to become a fundamental requirement for both individuals and organisations.CEO surveyWhat keeps company leaders awake at night?The latest Global CEO survey by PwC sheds some light.Out of more than 1,300 CEOs in 77 countries:72% said they are concerned about geopolitical uncertainty60% are worried about social instability58% are concerned about the speed of technological changesReassuringly, those at the top of business are clear on the strategic importance of developing the skills of their employees to help meet these challenges.More than 80% said their organisation always looks to equip employees with new skills through continuous learning programmes.Common barriersWhether it is the introduction of a new technology, a merger or entering a new market, the workforce’s ability to adapt positively is crucial.But there are many things that can go wrong.Some of the common barriers include:Workforce resistanceLack of employee engagement and motivationOrganisational culturePoor communicationLack of adequate resourcesPoor leadershipThese pitfalls lead to an estimated 70% of organisations failing to successfully implement business change projects. Learning innovationBusinesses that are digitally transforming their learning are seeing results.  Towards Maturity’s latest Benchmark Report reveals that learning innovation has contributed to a 22% improvement in the ability of organisations to change procedures and products and delivered a 24% improvement on their ability to speed up rollout of new IT, over a 3 year average.With the speed of change now increasing across all sectors, multi-media elearning is likely to play an even bigger role in future in helping organisations respond to business change.Interactive videos, explainer animations, elearning games, interactive challenges and quizzes and social learning technologies can all be used as part of an online learning campaign to support a business change project.We’ve identified 5 ways elearning contributes to successful transformation:CommunicationA key factor in the failure of change initiatives is communication. Poor communication leads to a lack of understanding and fuels resistance. Getting communication right can be tricky if the business change is complex or happening quickly. Elearning can prove a rapid and effective communications tool. Learning designers are adept at turning detailed information into an easy-to-digest format. Businesses can check understanding through interactive quizzes so they can provide more information where necessary.MotivationWinning hearts and minds - you may have heard this phrase if you have been involved in change management. But that’s not going to happen without tapping into emotion. Elearning can use elements such as video and animation to inspire the workforce about the business change, why it’s necessary and what’s in it for them.EngagementClosely linked to motivation, business change success is dependent on employee engagement. Engagement will vary throughout the business change initiative, in a process called the ‘change curve’. Elearning has the advantage of being available at any time so employees can refer to it repeatedly and when they are ready. Good elearning also keeps people’s attention for longer and helps them absorb information so it can prove far more engaging that a dry, written communication.InteractivityBusiness change is far less effective if the only option is to respond  passively. Elearning is built around interactivity, allowing workers to understand the change through active learning. Being told to ‘listen and accept’ is very different from being asked to ‘discover and explore.’  The latter is much more effective in supporting employees through change.FlexibilityFor organisations implementing business change quickly, or those with a workforce spread across the world, elearning can be particularly useful. Face-to-face sessions inevitably take time (and money) to rollout. Elearning can be available to all staff at the same time so everyone gets a consistent message, wherever they are in the world. Given the pace of change in some sectors, elearning may be the only effective option to keep employees updated.To recap, elearning can help support staff development through business change in 5 key ways:CommunicationMotivationEngagementInteractivityFlexibilityWith constant change now the new ‘norm’ for many businesses, those proving most successful are the organisations evolving their approach to change management and how they communication with and train their workforce.Sponge UK has experience of working with large companies to workforce training on business change using a wide range of multi-media elearning.Discuss a project Subscribe to our newsletter The post 5 ways elearning can support business change appeared first on Sponge UK.

In a connected world where data is one of the most precious resources for any business, cyber-attacks are becoming more common.From major government leaks to hackers targeting corporations, all L&D departments should be helping to prepare for a potential data breach.We’re focusing on the strategies that you can put in place to ensure the best performance of your staff, from frontline to management, before and immediately after a hack.PreparationThere are many types of cyber security breaches.  The highest profile examples tend to be outside agents attacking or stealing secure data, but perhaps more common are simple lapses in protocol or mistakes in securing data.There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to dealing with an area as big as cyber security so being able to offer a cost-effective, versatile approach is key.Elearning has the flexibility to make preparation for a hack easier and more effective.Types of elearning that will help:InductionDuring induction or onboarding you can build a sense of loyalty and responsibility in your staff, a culture of accountability. Many security breaches come from an inside source either willingly giving up information or accidentally losing important hardware.With a good induction programme in place you can encourage new starters to take data security seriously. It’s also an opportunity to explain what data the company stores, how important it is and what precautions are taken to protect it.We have lots of information on how induction can reinforce a culture of responsibility. Find out more on our induction page.ComplianceThe basic groundwork for knowledge around a data breach is usually dealt with by compliance training. Compliance elearning can give your employees the general knowledge they need to quickly get up to speed on the specifics of an event.There is an argument that everyone in the business should have a good basic understanding of the data that is held in the company and what the regulations are around protecting that data. Elearning makes it easier to deliver this message consistently.Consider updating your compliance elearning regularly by having an easily editable course which presents the latest information.Having bespoke compliance elearning around data security allows you to give specific, relatable examples to your staff which will be key to helping them understand the unique data situation of your business.Soft skillsIf you have customer facing staff they will have been trained on handling customer’s concerns and often the basics of data protection too. This should provide a good grounding for dealing with general enquiries.It’s not just customer facing staff who will be dealing with an extraordinary situation. Intermediate management will also need to be primed with the skills they need to support frontline workers.Any crisis in a business can reveal gaps in the skills or knowledge of employees so it’s important to take any opportunity to prepare for these situations.Simulation and serious gamesExperiencing a crisis before it happens, with the ability to make mistakes without fear of doing any damage, is an effective way to prepare staff.Real world events can be simulated within software to allow employees to understand the consequences and the possible outcomes. This type of elearning can incorporate many levels of employees and even external factors like social media and press can be reproduced to add realism.After a breachExperian’s data breach response guide (PDF) lays out how to set up a plan for dealing with the various stages of a data security breach. Naturally, creating a plan and preparing for a potential breach is a big part of the guide.Most experts agree that being open and honest about the breach as quickly as possible is the best tactic to limit damage to a company’s reputation. In order to get the correct information out to the people who need it staff will need to be informed about the specific circumstances as well as the fundamental issues.A responsive, easy to update elearning module can be one of the most effective ways to get the message out.There are ways that elearning is especially useful when dealing with situations like this:Just in time learningBy getting the information out quickly and updated regularly, with a suitable LMS (Learning Management System) acting as the foundation, you can quickly disseminate information to all your staff.Leading figures will need to know the information that frontline staff are passing out to the customers. If the same training course can be accessed online by top level managers they can get a clear idea of what the customers are going to be told.Communicating clearly and consistently is one of the best ways to limit potential reputational damage and elearning is one of the best ways to keep everyone on the same page. Not only can you have one course for everyone to access, it can be tailored to individual needs.With the tracking built into an LMS, you can tell who has taken the training and remind anyone who hasn’t to take the course, ensuring that the latest information reaches everyone who needs to see it.VideoSometimes the best way to get information across quickly is to talk to your employees. If you can’t do that face-to-face then video could be the next best option.Distributing video is as easy as adding it to your LMS or putting it into a new course.  Any video that is aimed at the customers can also be made available to staff in the same place.If your business relies on customer data (and most do) your staff should be in a position to answer questions on what happens if a breach takes place.  A bespoke elearning solution can help prepare staff in the event of a breach and help them deal with the aftermath.We produced our own cyber security module as an example of how multi-device elearning can help your organisation prepare stay cyber safe.  Follow the link to request access to the demo or contact us using the button below to discuss your cyber security training needs.Discuss a project Subscribe to our newsletter The post Handling a hack: Data security elearning appeared first on Sponge UK.

"Leave this conference with questions not answers," urged Elliott Masie, as the curtain fell on his 25th annual extravaganza, Learning 2015.There was a lot to think about following the event, which explored the changing face of workplace learning in the beautiful setting of Orlando, Florida (Nov 1-4, 2015).Three questions jumped out for me - none of them are answered easily.Question 1: How can we make better use of neuroscience to improve workplace learning?Corporate learning expert, author and Learning Now TV presenter, Nigel Paine banged the drum for evidence-based learning in a conference talk inspired by his new book, The Learning Challenge.  He picked out neuroscience as one of the big themes facing learning along with big data and technology.  Paine went on to focus on neuroscience and some of the myths prevalent among learning professionals. He highlighted some of his favourite fictions:Left handed people are more creativeWe only use 10% of our brainsPeople learn better when they are taught in their preferred learning styleBrain cells are dying as we get olderWomen have more balanced brains than menHow many did you think were true? Don’t worry, you’re not alone.Thankfully, Paine also covered some the things that we actually know about the brain and learning. He explained how emotional engagement is important; learning is more effective when people care. And he highlighted the positive link between physical activity and better brain performance with remarkable footage of a brain scan before and after exercise - food for thought in our increasingly sedentary workplaces!Paine’s point is that we need to change traditional views on workplace learning by using neuroscientific research to inform and improve learning design.Question 2: How can gamification and game elements be used more effectively in learning?One of the conference speakers I really wanted to catch was gamification expert, Professor Karl Kapp of Bloomsburg University. He has a particularly clear and understandable way of explaining how games can be used in learning.Kapp breaks down gamification into two types; structural and content.He describes structural gamification as the application of game elements with no alteration or changes to content. This might be through points, levels, badges, timed exercises and leader boards.On the other hand, Kapp’s definition of content gamification is the application of game elements with alteration or changes to the content. This could be through the use of a story, challenge or mystery.Kapp went on to share with delegates some more of his observations about games and gamification and their relationship to learning. These included:Failure - allowing people to get things wrong and try again is a key mechanism for helping people to learn.Rewards - making a game reward too large could be counterproductive if the learner is more preoccupied with the reward than the learning.Leaderboards - they work best when learners have a realistic chance of getting on the leaderboard. If they can’t hope to win it will act as a disincentive.Testing - pilot testing of gamification elements is important to make sure the game elements work as expected.After his talk, Professor Kapp also shared with me some advice for instructional designers. "Practice playing games if you want to be successful at game design for learning," he urged.Question 3: How can we make leadership training more effective?Maestro Roger Nierenberg conducted the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra as part of his demonstration on leadership and organisational dynamics. It was fascinating to see such a powerful visual demonstration of the impact of leadership; in this case the conductor leading the orchestra.Nierenberg showed how his behaviour directly affected the performance of the orchestra.At one point, he conducted without looking up, focused inward on what he was doing rather than connecting with his team of musicians.The result was instantaneous as the orchestra struggled to pick up his instructions and lost confidence.Nierenberg made several important points about leadership, including:Share the big picture with everyoneListen, hear and anticipateBuild a culture of trust that is agile and keeps changingConnectedness is importantAs a leader, be careful not to get caught up in your own work and not connect with your employeesBringing the best out in individuals helps to make a great teamIn summary, my three burning questions from Learning 2015 are:How can we make better use of neuroscience to improve workplace learning?How can gamification and game elements be used more effectively in learning?How can we make leadership training more effective?What’s your burning question about learning?Author: Louise Pasterfield, Managing Director, Sponge UK Discuss a project Subscribe to our newsletter The post 3 burning questions inspired by Masie’s Learning 2015 appeared first on Sponge UK.

United Biscuits (UB), the leading manufacturer of biscuits, cakes and snacks, is supporting ongoing culture change in the organisation with new elearning for its staff.The global company behind brands such as McVitie’s and Jaffa Cakes has launched two online learning modules for new and existing employees about the key behaviours and culture change helping to drive success in the business.Award-winning elearning provider, Sponge UK created the bespoke modules using responsive technology so UB staff can access the training on any device.  The elearning outlines UB’s PACE behaviours (performance, ambition, competitiveness and energy) and the role they play in helping the company achieve its goals.Employees are introduced to PACE through the eyes of three illustrated characters, based on real life employees.Louise Pasterfield, Sponge UK’s Managing Director, said:"Culture is vital to the success of modern organisations, but it can be a difficult thing to teach. Providing authentic examples and experiences is important and the illustrated characters do this in a really engaging way.  Each character has a different perspective and experience so learners get to see how PACE works across a wide range of situations. We’ve also created a short video animation which sets the scene and helps to introduce new employees (and remind existing ones) about the context of PACE within the company."  Head of Learning and Development at UB, Lisa McCandless said:"Our challenge was simple - create something that helps new starters and current employees understand and ‘get’ what the culture we describe as PACE actually means at United Biscuits. However, we soon discovered the solution was not that simple. Working in collaboration with the creative minds of Sponge, who truly understood human psychology, was key in helping us to create something we are really proud of. By using storytelling with real people within UB combined with their avatar characters, which genuinely look like them, we were able to bring PACE to life.  We are really impressed by the feedback we’ve had from our employees, those involved and even our CEO on these two new modules."The elearning has been created using Adapt, the world’s leading multi-device elearning technology that allows a single version to run perfectly on any size device.More than 4,500 UB employees in the UK will undertake the training and the elearning will be rolled out to a further 9,000 staff globally in the near future.Workers also have access to a supporting workbook called PACE in my Pocket which will be available in print, or as an app, to act as a quick reference guide.   Discuss a project Subscribe to our newsletter The post United Biscuits drives success culture with new elearning appeared first on Sponge UK.

It can take time for new employees to learn the job, gain confidence and become productive, but only 37% of businesses extend their onboarding beyond a month.As a follow up to our webinar on induction, we’re going to dive deeper into the benefits of an extended induction programme.It’s often the case that the person tasked with implementing an induction process hasn’t actually done one themselves for several years.  It can be hard to empathise with a brand new starter, especially if they are going to be doing an entirely different job to the one you’re doing yourself.We asked our webinar participants to take part in a survey so we could see what the real motivations were for creating or improving an elearning induction programme.As you can see, engaging staff in order to increase productivity is the clear winner from this sample of L&D professionals, but every business is different and there are people who have different aims even within this group.We’re going to explore some of the ways extending the induction elearning process can help with these goals.PreboardingAs soon as your new hire formally accepts the role you have a chance to start the induction process. Preboarding, or pre-induction involves helping the new starter become a part of the company before their first day."There’s an opportunity to give them information, knowledge and confidence before they join so from day one they can be more productive." - Brayley Pearce, Learning DesignerAround 50% of companies offer some form of preboarding, and the trend is growing to offer a more substantial package to new starters before their first day.Elearning is perfectly suited to delivering preboarding content. It can be made available securely outside of the organisation and is accessible on any device, giving new hires plenty of chances to get started.There are some situations in which preboarding will be especially useful:Long notice periodsIt’s not unusual for an employee to have to give up to 3 months’ notice before leaving a job. During this period, they could receive counter offers to stay in their current role, or even find alternative options. Keeping them engaged and up-to-date on their new company and role will help alleviate this risk.Temporary workersThere are many industries that will have seasonal workers during busy periods. If you have to deal with a big influx of new starters in one go you can save time by making part of the induction process available online before your temporary staff walk through the door.Often casual workers are sourced from an agency and might not have attended a face-to-face interview before turning up at the business location on day one.  Any preparation they can do in advance will be a real help in getting them up to speed quickly.Being able to update your pre-induction gives you the chance to keep it fresh for each season. Make the information relevant and your new employees will be better prepared, more engaged and more productive.Graduates or first-time sector employeesIf you’ve got new starters coming from outside of the industry, returning from a long break or from higher education, then extending the induction further forward can be really useful.A tailor-made primer for your business can include the specific industry information that a new employee needs to prepare for their start.Within your organisation it’s also possible to tailor further to individual roles and skills areas. Many jobs will require a unique mix of skills and knowledge to be truly productive, and this is where bespoke induction really pays off.How long should induction be?If you’re like 63% of companies and don’t have any form of formal induction beyond the first month then you might be used to dealing with first day nerves and the legally required health and safety briefings of the initial contact.Looking beyond this to the ongoing development of an employee you might want to separate induction from the standard training that you offer.Many businesses have a 3 or 6 month probation period, it might be intuitive to cap your induction elearning at one of those points. But are there advantages to continuing the process beyond 3, or even 6 months?"The values and culture of the organisation need to be instilled in everybody from day one onwards. The personalisation of that journey depends on ongoing induction and development, looking at reviews, skills gaps and knowledge gaps." - Sarah Williams, Senior RecruiterThe CIPD defines induction as "the whole process whereby employees adjust or acclimatise to their jobs and working environment". This process can take much longer than 6 months, and some situations can effectively send your employees back to the start of this process:Business changeMergers, spin-offs or any other large-scale changes to the way a business is run can have a knock on effect for all staff. Keeping employees engaged through these changes is a challenge that induction can help you meet. With a well-designed elearning induction programme you can make changes or additions to the module and deploy it quickly to everyone in the firm.With elearning, it’s possible to incorporate external documents and resources which can be altered independently of the module. Whether it’s a simple update to terms and conditions or a brand new mission statement, an elearning induction is much more cost-effective to update than a printed or face-to-face alternative.PromotionWe’ve worked with retailers who have used induction not only as an introduction to roles and responsibilities but also to identify potential talent for promotion.By building modules aimed at many different roles and allowing all members of staff to complete every level they got a good idea of the self-motivated individuals. It turned out that many of the staff wanted to take the induction courses for their line managers and even area managers.If you have a bespoke elearning induction course based on each role it’s easy to make these available to anyone through an LMS. As well as identifying candidates, you have the benefit of a pre-built induction module for anyone promoted into a new role.Get in touch to discuss a more effective and engaging induction process that offers cost-effective options for extension, before and after the first day.Discuss a project Subscribe to our newsletter  The post Don’t take the stabilisers off too soon! Extend your induction appeared first on Sponge UK.

Business leaders are being urged to challenge their expectations in the latest Towards Maturity report.But what assumptions about elearning should they cast aside? What should they demand from elearning in future?Towards Maturity’s latest industry benchmark report, Embracing Change includes insights from more than 600 Learning and Development (L&D) leaders from over 50 countries.   It makes the case for a shift in thinking away from ‘traditional’ ideas about workplace training, and points to the activities of top performing L&D leaders who are taking a fundamentally different approach and achieving much more.One particular section of this comprehensive document lays down a challenge to business leaders to expect more from L&D."Significant business improvement can be achieved through the digital transformation of learning strategies when business leaders demand more than just efficiency."  - Embracing Change, Towards Maturity.This post takes the report’s theme of ‘expect more’ and applies it specifically to elearning, which continues to be used by 90% of the organisations surveyed. What should business leaders demand from elearning in the context of change?Expect impact   Elearning can deliver critical business benefits for organisations, but in the past it has sometimes failed to prove its value or contribute in the right areas.Showing evidence of impact is often limited to feedback surveys, learner questionnaires or course completion data.Of course, these have their place, but they don’t show the difference elearning can make to the central goals of an organisation, and ultimately the bottom line. The Embracing Change report urges L&D to align more closely to business objectives to achieve a greater impact.The findings from the best performing organisations underline the benefits of this approach.The top 10% were five times more likely to agree that they are improving productivity, employee engagement and business responsiveness, compared to the bottom quartile of the index.Those involved in commissioning and creating elearning will need to find robust ways of evaluating it and demonstrating its value against KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) that fit tightly with business goals. In hindsight it sounds obvious, but business leaders should expect elearning to make a difference in the areas that matter most to their organisation, whether that’s customer satisfaction, productivity or sales.  Expect innovation Dave Buglass of Tesco Bank has a warning in the foreword of Embracing Change."If we continue to do what we have always done, many [organisations] will continue to fall short of their full potential," he said.In terms of elearning, breaking with the past must mean moving beyond long, unimaginative, ‘click next’ content that leaves learners feeling bored and demotivated. Thinking deeply about the needs of the audience and the most effective way to connect with them is far more likely to deliver tangible results. This will take both creativity and innovation.Obviously, technology has a role to play, but innovation in learning design is equally as important. Expect more than a course  More than 90% of top performing organisations questioned for the Embracing Change report considered the ‘course’ as only one option for building skills and performance.Yet, elearning is all too often created and deployed as just that - a single online module in isolation.Finding ways to extend elearning and combine it with other learning approaches and technologies to maximise its effectiveness is no longer just desirable - it’s essential. Using elearning in conjunction with learning campaigns, social elements, face-to-face sessions and learner-generated content can increase its effectiveness and impact.Business leaders should be prepared to ask questions about how elearning can add value above and beyond its existence as a single course.In summary, expect impact, expect innovation and expect elearning that moves beyond a ‘traditional’ course - don’t settle for less.  If we demand more of workplace elearning it can play a greater role in helping to improve business performance. Discuss a project Subscribe to our newsletter The post Are you demanding enough from your elearning? appeared first on Sponge UK.

Leadership training is only for managers. Isn’t it?Rethinking this idea could have far-reaching and unexpected benefits. But how and why would you invest in leadership skills across the wider workforce?Starting earlierOn average, a manager will have been supervising people for 9 years before taking part in any kind of formal leadership training. It’s a long time to take sole responsibility for your own managerial development, even for the most able and resourceful of leaders. But if organisations start so late with existing managers, what hope for emerging leaders and rising stars?It’s something businesses need to consider according to leadership expert, Jack Zenger. "Think of the advantage to be gained by beginning some formal leadership development activity at an earlier age, rather than waiting for nearly a decade to begin," he points out in his report, Are you starting too late? Zenger’s right about advantages, starting earlier makes sense for a number of reasons.Nurturing talentEarlier training can help upcoming managers form good leadership habits and hone their skills. They also have time to practice before being put in charge of large teams.Staff retentionRising stars are less likely to become frustrated and ‘jump ship’ if they feel there is investment in their development and future. They also have a clearer path to rise through the ranks.Drives up standardsEarlier investment in leadership training can help the next generation of leaders to gain confidence and fulfil their potential faster.Wider workforceYou can begin to see the business case for investing in training for emerging managers, but what about the wider workforce? Providing opportunities for all employees to develop their leadership skills does have its benefits too.Desirable skills for anyoneWhat are leadership skills? Problem solving, team working, decision making and strategic thinking are all high on the list of the qualities of a good leader. But these are also desirable skills for any employee, particularly those working in companies where innovation and creativity are important for overall success.Everyone recognises good leadershipIf all employees have the opportunity to experience some level of leadership training, they are more likely to understand what good leadership looks like, and even challenge poor managers. This in turn can help raise the bar because there is a greater expectation on leaders and they are more likely to be held accountable.Identify hidden talentsOrganisations may have a system for spotting potential management candidates, but sometimes great leaders can be overlooked. Allowing the wider workforce to engage in leadership training increases the chance of identifying hidden leadership talents which may otherwise go unnoticed.Elearning opportunitiesCost is an obvious barrier to making leadership training available more widely to the workforce. Clearly, it’s not practical to send all employees on face-to-face courses, but elearning creates an opportunity to make aspects of leadership training available to a wider audience at virtually no extra cost.It’s not hard to imagine how an elearning resource aimed at helping managers develop their soft skills could be at least offered as an optional extra to employees as a whole. Take up of leadership elearning by non-managerial grades can be easily monitored via an LMS (Learning Management System) and data can be used to help inform talent management programmes.This innovative idea is already being used by some employers to spot talent and find a new generation of managers. Find out how it’s working for the UK frozen food retailer, Farmfoods.The latest Towards Maturity Industry Benchmark Report reveals that 70% of respondents plan to e-enable their leadership and management skills in the next two years, up from 51%.As more organisations move aspects of their management training online, the prospect of democratising leadership development becomes more of a reality. Discuss a project Subscribe to our newsletter The post Why it’s time to democratise leadership training appeared first on Sponge UK.

Elearning experts have recognised the importance of creativity and innovation in driving the industry forward by naming Sponge UK as Outstanding Learning Organisation of the Year.The judges at the 2015 Elearning Awards singled out the bespoke elearning provider as ‘a mould-breaker’ and described the firm as ‘a strong and vibrant company which is clearly on a roll.’The award follows Sponge’s 2014 win for Elearning Development Company of the Year.Louise Pasterfield, Managing Director at Sponge, said: "Elearning is changing and Sponge UK is at the forefront of this transformation."In partnership with our clients, we’re focussed on finding the most effective ways of making a tangible difference for learners. The award recognises this commitment to pushing the boundaries so we increase the impact of elearning in the workplace. We’re thrilled to be singled out in such a competitive year and I’d like to thank the Sponge UK team for their hard work."  The Elearning Awards are the biggest in the industry and recognise the best in learning technology and elearning.The title of Outstanding Learning Organisation is awarded for evidence of strong, continuous results, organisational excellence, proven achievement, a strategic approach to growth and an innovative approach to future success.The official awards citation said:"Sponge UK is coming of age and has really made its mark in 2015. The company is a mould-breaker in every sense; based in Plymouth, family-owned and female-led. Creativity and innovation are at its heart, and that word, absorbing; the idea that if elearning is engaging and relevant people will absorb what they need to know. The business has tripled in size in three years and seen a big increase in the number of new clients in 2015. Always generous in sharing ideas, Sponge UK is an inspiring example of what can be achieved through a passion for learning."The 2015 Elearning Awards took place on Wednesday, November 25 at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel in London and were presented by comedian and broadcaster, Phill Jupitus.The post Sponge UK recognised as Outstanding Learning Organisation of the Year appeared first on Sponge UK.

A Plymouth entrepreneur, who created one of the UK’s most successful elearning companies, has won an award recognising the achievements of women in business.Louise Pasterfield, Managing Director of Sponge UK is the winner of the Digital Media and Online Business category at the NatWest Venus Awards in Devon, which have been dubbed the ‘working women’s Oscars.’Pasterfield built up her company at Plymouth Science Park from a tiny enterprise into a market leader in the highly competitive world of bespoke online training.Sponge UK works with large organisations such as GlaxoSmithKline, Tesco, Toyota, Royal Mail, the NHS and the United Nations to create custom-made workplace elearning that helps improve the skills and performance of hundreds of thousands employees worldwide.Pasterfield said:"There are only a handful of elearning companies led by women and it can sometimes feel like a male-dominated industry, at least at board level.  It’s a highly rewarding career where you’re constantly learning, and I would love to see more women seeking opportunities in elearning and aspiring to leadership in the sector.  I’m delighted to be recognised at this year’s Venus Awards and take part in this celebration of local women and their achievements in business."Sponge UK was recently named Outstanding Learning Organisation of the Year at the Elearning Awards, one of the top honours in the industry. Alexis Bowater, Regional Partner for the NatWest Venus Awards in Devon, said: "The Venus Awards were set up to celebrate women in business and we are delighted that Louise is our winner this year of the Digital and Online Media category.  Hers is a truly inspirational example of how determination and application can turn a great idea into an astonishingly successful international business.  Louise is a fantastic winner to now go forward as a finalist in the national awards and we wish her every success with that."  The Devon Venus Awards took place on Friday, November 27 at a gala evening at Exeter Great Hall.The Digital Media and Online Business prize was presented by award sponsor, Christian Jenkins of Plymouth Science Park.The post Sponge UK boss wins women’s business award appeared first on Sponge UK.

Leading sports retailer, Sports Direct is extending its online induction for new staff with two new elearning modules.The company was among the first in the UK to invest in a fully responsive digital onboarding programme to provide new employees with flexible and user-friendly training.Award-winning elearning company, Sponge UK designed and developed the new bespoke modules, having already worked with Sports Direct since 2013 on their online induction programme.The courses are built using Adapt - an innovative responsive elearning framework - so employees can access the training on any type of device including smartphones and tablets.Justin Kirkham, Staff Development and Training Manager at Sports Direct, said:"The induction training we provide to our new employees is always focused on assisting with adjustment to their new job and helping them become familiar with their new work environment. It is essential for us to offer support to our new employees in whichever way we can and be sure that we get their new career off to the best possible start. Innovation is at the heart of SportsDirect.com and the development of our elearning platform shares the same ethos."The latest elearning courses help new starters understand what happens in store on a daily basis, their role in merchandising stock and helping customers find the best products.Sponge UK’s Managing Director, Louise Pasterfield, said:"Sports Direct are pioneers in multi-device elearning and we are delighted to work with them again on creating yet more responsive modules. Adapt allows a single course to adjust intelligently to different size screens, providing learners with maximum choice and flexibility on how and when they do their learning."The online induction courses have been delivered to around 25,000 employees, across the 19 countries Sports Direct operates in.The training is hosted on Sponge UK’s cloud-based Learning Management System (LMS), Launch&Learn allowing managers to easily track how many learners are active and monitor their progress on any device.Sponge UK was named the gold winner in the Outstanding Learning Organisation category at the recent Elearning Awards 2015.The post Sports Direct extends multi-device induction training for new staff appeared first on Sponge UK.

Award-winning learning provider, Sponge UK is using its expertise in multi-device elearning games to create a fun festive challenge.The Plymouth-based company has launched a new Christmas game, Save Santa!Players take on the role of an elf who must find a way through a frozen underground world, collecting presents, dodging yetis and defeating rocket-powered penguins, before locating Santa and freeing him from the clutches of an evil Jack Frost.It’s the eighth year Sponge UK has released a complimentary Christmas game instead of sending Christmas cards.Louise Pasterfield, Sponge’s Managing Director, said:"It’s become a bit of a festive tradition and Save Santa! is our best ever Christmas game. There are six levels to conquer, spike traps to avoid and baddies to defeat. It also has an interactive leaderboard displaying the top ten high-scoring players, and you can also tweet your score from the game. It’s our way of saying ‘thank you’ to our clients and everyone who has supported Sponge in the past year. But as you would expect it’s also a learning opportunity. Creating the game allows our team to try out new ideas and further hone their skills in game design and development. As games become more important within workplace learning, I believe it’s good for people who don’t normally play them to expand their knowledge. So whether you’re an instructional designer, learning consultant or L&D manager have a go and see if you can save Santa!"The game has been built using the open source HTML5 gaming tool, Phaser. It is cross-platform which means it can run on any device and operating system.Players are able to return to the game and continue from where they left off, which enables everyone to reach the final ‘boss level’ and ultimately…Save Santa!Sponge UK’s Games Developer, Jason Butler said: "The Christmas game provides an excellent opportunity to showcase our cross-platform game development and push the boundaries. It also enables us to try new techniques which we can then use in future projects. I’m planning to repurpose the game engine we’ve created for fire safety training in 2016, obviously without any penguins or yetis!"Sponge UK is one of the leading innovators in elearning games and gamified learning, and has worked on game-based projects with organisation such as Waitrose, GlaxoSmithKline, Royal Mail and the NHS.The Save Santa! game is available via www.spongeuk.com/xmas throughout December.Players can tweet their score from the game using the hashtag #SpongeSavesXmasSponge UK is Outstanding Learning Organisation of the Year after winning gold at the Elearning Awards last month. The post Sponge UK launches ‘best ever’ Christmas game appeared first on Sponge UK.

Placing the learner at the centre of the learning design process is essential when creating relevant and engaging online training. One aspect that’s often overlooked in the creation of an elearning course is the user interface (UI).Your car’s tyres are the most important part of the vehicle. After all, they are the only parts that actually touch the road.It’s the same with UI.The principle of identifying the point of contact as the most important part of a system is valuable in many areas including elearning.The one point where your learner actually interacts with the elearning is through the user interface of your course.The content needs to be well designed, but if the learner can’t get to page 5 because the next key blends into the background then your course will fail.Problems bad UI causesA bad user interface can derail the whole learning experience faster than anything else. Nothing can render whole sections of your course useless so quickly.1: TimeMaking the time for elearning is one of the biggest barriers for many staff. The time they do have should be spent learning rather than hunting for the item they need on the screen.2: DisengagementFighting to get through a module is not a good feeling. If the experience is less than smooth it’s a barrier to engagement for your staff.3: Fear of changeAn inconsistent UI will force staff to learn a new approach each time they take more elearning. Unnecessary change puts many people off and slows everyone down.4: Lower completionIf simply navigating to the end of a module is hard work there will be many more people dropping out before completing. Even small UI decisions can make a big difference to the completion rate.5: Increased supportA bad UI increases the number of calls and emails to the support team dramatically. Time spent designing and testing a UI will be paid back many times in fewer support hours.Good UIIt’s easy to say "avoid bad UI", but what can you do practically to make sure your users are getting the best UI experience?We’re taking a broad overview of some of the most relevant aspects of UI design that you can use as a quick check list for your next elearning project.A lot of the UI information available online is focused on web design and luckily much of it can be applied to elearning. It’s especially relevant if you’re working with a platform that can produce web-style content such as HTML5 technology (see Adapt framework).One of the big benefits of online content is the ability to easily test different approaches to the same issue. This means we can lend some scientific research to reinforce the following guidelines.Keep it clear and simpleAllow learners to find their own way around, avoid confusing or complicated designs in your interface.Watch out for things like icons with no labels - you might know what the icon means but it won’t be obvious to everyone taking the course. The common ‘hamburger’ menu icon is a good example."When you hide something in the hamburger menu, you make it less discoverable by your users." - Alex TyagulskyYou can increase use of a menu by 20% by simply replacing the three lines with the word ‘menu’. It’s not unusual to see more ambiguous icons in elearning courses, so this dramatic difference when using a relatively widespread icon highlights the benefits of clarity.If it’s not obvious to all your learners exactly what an icon does, it’s going to cause one or more of the issues above.Be consistentNot just consistent with your own elearning interface, but also with the operating system that your learners will be using.If everyone taking the training is going to be using a Windows 8 PC and the Chrome browser, they are going to be used to the way things are laid out. If you follow these principles you have given your learner a shortcut to navigating your elearning.Google go as far as providing design principles for android developers which are useful for designing elearning for any device. One of their pieces of advice is:"If it looks the same, it should act the same"In this example the small triangle in each of these cases opens a drop down list for you to select from. If you know your staff will be accessing learning on an android phone or tablet then they will expect this behaviour if they see this symbol in your elearning.These are called standard patterns and there are many different examples that you can take advantage of when designing elearning to make completing it a more user friendly experience.By being consistent within your own courses you are helping a learner build familiarity with the training. This makes it easier to introduce new modules and ensure people get more efficient, the more training they take.TestingResearch by Zeebox revealed that a bar of textual menu items, although they might not look as clean, were more effective than a burger-style slide out menu.They used A/B testing to confirm this, giving some of their users the burger icon menu and some the textual on-screen menu while monitoring their behaviour.With the ability to manage courses through an LMS this type of testing becomes possible for your training. Delivering the best experience for your staff reduces costs and time away from their work while boosting engagement and performance.By creating a simple, consistent interface backed up with real figures from testing, you can build strong foundations for the rest of your elearning.This post will give you a checklist for next time you’re reviewing a training course that will help avoid the issues we’ve identified and prevent wasted time and money.We’re able to create a style guide that is tailored to the learning needs of your staff. If you’d like to talk to us about how to create better user interfaces get in touch.Discuss a project Subscribe to our newsletter The post 5 ways a bad user interface (UI) can derail your elearning appeared first on Sponge UK.