There’s lots of talk about replacing training with performance support, and in many cases, it’s a great idea. But what about the times when you need both? How do you incorporate performance support within a training context? How do you use instructional design to get the best of both worlds, and why should you do it? Ideally, your clients should be clamoring for performance support. But in reality, if an independent strategy can’t get traction, perhaps it’s time for a more unified approach.

Conventional learning methods were quite simply not working for Bloomingdale’s. The learning tactics at Bloomingdale’s were not driving the correct behavior with their 15,000 associates, and as a result the company turned to microlearning as a way to change behavior and drive bottom line results.

In this session, you will learn why Bloomingdale’s decided to break away from conventional practices and try microlearning in 2012—before microlearning was a known term. You will explore the issues the company faced when it was decided to take the organization down the microlearning path and what the dramatic results have been. You will learn from the pitfalls and successes that were encountered along the way. For some, this session will provide a wake-up call for how learning professionals need to adapt their approaches to better meet the needs of a business and its employees. For others, it will help them gain a better perspective on the true benefits of taking a microlearning approach.

In this session, you will learn:

Most organizations operating in the modern training space ask many irrelevant and/or misdirected questions about mobile and social learning, e.g., “Will this be on an iPad, iPhone, or Android?” This question leads to discussions about screen real estate, etc., but misses the critical point relating to the learner experience in mobile and the equivalence of experience for others in non-mobile environments.

Technology has completely changed the way we live, work, and learn. Technology has brought us the Internet, smartphones, tablets, and many more tools that have changed our lives forever. Of course, these same technologies have also brought us memes like Socially Awkward Penguin, Success Kid, and yes, Grumpy Cat.

Learning in an eLearning module is generally assessed through multiple choice questions, rather than measuring demonstrations of target behaviors. When you design eLearning, you build in knowledge checks. All too often, these quizzes are reading comprehension tests rather than authentic assessments of skills. You need to test the target objectives to ensure you meet the goal of the program.

There is plenty of research about the increasing use of video to engage learners and drive performance. The thirst for video content is effectively shown in some startling stats: YouTube is the second-most used search engine with over 1 billion-plus unique users every month; and online video is forecast to account for 60 percent of all web data by 2020. When video is the most popular, shareable form of media content, how can you explore the learning opportunities the technology affords?

If you look at the learning solutions that are being produced today, there is still an issue with the solutions hitting the mark and moving the needle for a learner. You need to take a step back and focus on the learner, the experience you want them to have, and how to convey the information in a way that moves a learner to action outside of the learning event.

How often are you faced with the dilemma and the questions: “Can I use this?” or “Where can I find images, video, music, and audio I can actually use without violating copyright?” With so many media assets, such as images, video, and audio readily available online, it can be a headache to figure out what you can use for a project and what is restricted by copyright. How can you ensure you are working within the legal guidelines, but still get the job done?

Shrinking budgets and accelerated production schedules can make it difficult to leave room for professional voiceover narration for eLearning projects, and it’s often one of the first things cut. Unfortunately, skimping on quality narration can leave learners confused or distracted, which has a direct negative impact on their attention and retention.

The difference between a novice and an expert Captivate developer primarily falls in knowing things like when and how to create user variables, system variables, and shared actions. Impossible, you say? You’ll never be able to wrap your head around these topics?

Video can be a highly effective form of media for learning. However, adding video to an eLearning course has historically been expensive and something that required a large amount of time and skill to create. That’s not the case today, with the tools for creating and editing video becoming both easier to use and less expensive.

Choosing an LMS can be wrought with peril. There are many decisions that go into selecting the system that provides the best fit for your company, and there seem to be no end of things waiting to trip you up on your path to your new system. But if you know what to look for, you can avoid the hazards!

Your learning ecosystem already exists in the resources scattered across your intranet and beyond, but your learners don’t know how to find them. When they are able to access this wealth of information, they are often overwhelmed, leaving the resources underutilized and the employees frustrated and still unable to meet their performance improvement needs. Many organizations have platforms such as an LMS and the content that they want to highlight, but they lack middleware and associated processes to connect the dots.

The struggle of managers to identify the best candidates for the roles within their learning and development (L&D) ecosystem is always an issue, as is cultivating the development of valuable skills and knowledge within the existing ecosystem. The problem can be addressed by detailing the capabilities and competencies that are of the most value and importance in the L&D ecosystem, given the range of experience, degrees (formal education), and certifications available for professional development within the industry.