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Robert L. Minter

MISMANAGEMENT OF TRAINING PROGRAMS

A SYSTEM FOR ORGANIZATIONAL READINESS

CONSULTING APPROACHES TWO BASIC STYLES

David Hosmer, EdM, CPTD, CCM, is an independent practitioner doing business as Cascading Coaching. He is frequently called upon for his expertise in strategic organizational redesign, leadership and management development, career services, as well as design and facilitation of micro- and macro-level interactive learning initiatives.Hosmer’s experience spans more than 25 years in varied industries, repeatedly exceeding expectations in the areas of L&D, coaching, talent management, and organizational effectiveness. For 15 years, he was a director in several renowned domestic and global organizations. He has built and transformed four OD and talent development functions aligned with company strategic imperatives. Several of his teams have won or have been nominated for internal and external awards.He has fulfilled full-time talent development and OD leadership roles at MIT, Charles River Laboratories, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Wyeth (Pfizer), Boston Edison (Eversource), Private Healthcare Systems, Fleet Boston (Bank of America), Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.His clients have included MIT, Boston University, Clark University, California Community Colleges, Hult International Business School, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard Medical School Primary Care Institute, Tufts University, Robert Paul Properties, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Charles River Analytics, Havas Media, Axis Communication, and the Association for Talent Development.Hosmer earned his master’s degree in education from Harvard Graduate School of Education, bachelor of arts in psychology from Boston University, and personal and professional coaching-specialized graduate studies from Cambridge College. He is author of numerous articles and book contributions. Hosmer has also served as keynote speaker and guest panelist for several professional and career conferences and webinars.

David Hosmer

Cathy Hoy is a seasoned learning leader with more than two decades of experience in learning and organization development. She has led the global learning, talent, and culture strategies for several organizations across a range of industries and has a proven track record of success, having worked internationally for renowned brands such as British Gas, Expedia, Tesco, and Coca Cola EuropeanPartners.Cathy’s knowledge and experience have empowered her to successfully create and execute learning strategies that have enhanced both employee and overall business performance. Her expertise lies in her ability to blend strategic vision with practical implementation, creating effective learning environments that drive growth and innovation.In 2020, Cathy joined Soho House as its global L&D director. There, she focused on cultivating a more diverse and inclusive working and learning environment, demonstrating her commitment to equality and inclusivity in the workplace. Following this, she took on the role of chief learning officer at the Learning and Performance Institute, where she developed new initiatives for the business and provided support and guidance to L&D leaders and their teams, further enhancing her reputation as a trusted leader in her field. With her vast experience and passion for learning and development, Cathy continues to shape the future of organizational learning through CLO100 with her business partner, Robert Wagner. CLO100 runs The Learning Leaders Programme, a program dedicated to the development of learning leaders, equipping them with the tools and knowledge they need to create high-performing learning organizations and effectively operate at an executive level. Cathy’s wealth of experience, coupled with her relentless passion for the field, positions her as an influential force within the field of learning and development.

Cathy Hoy

December 2022 - TD Magazine

Reduce the friction that is preventing learners from engaging with your learning.Businesses spend billions of dollars trying to understand consumer behavior, resulting in marketing strategies that aim to get consumers to buy their products. However, in those companies, many L&D functions are not leveraging the same insights and strategies to reach their learners. Treat your learning solutions like products, and minimize the friction between the solutions and learners. One way to do so is using BJ Fogg's behavior model to evaluate your learning initiatives.Identify the frictionThe Fogg behavior model looks at three conditions that must be present for someone to engage in a behavior: motivation, ability, and a prompt. When one of them is absent or diminished, so is the likelihood that the desired behavior will occur.For example, let's say you have a missed call on your cell phone. Why didn't you answer the phone? Maybe you heard it ring, looked down and saw who was calling, and decided you didn't want to talk to that person right now. You heard the ring—that was the prompt. Nothing was keeping your from answering the call (that is to say, you had the ability). You just didn't want to—you didn't have the motivation to engage in the behavior.Now let's say the phone rings, and you're expecting the call and want to take it. But you can't find your phone, or it's in another room and you can't get there in time. Again, you heard the ring (the prompt), and this time you wanted to take the call (motivation), but you weren't able to get to the phone in time (ability).Finally, let's say you're expecting the call, and your phone is right next to you. However, the ringer is set to silent. The phone rings, you want to answer and are able to do so, but you never hear the ring—you received no prompt to answer it.That's how Fogg's behavior model works. The presence or absence of any of the variables can contribute directly to the likelihood that you'll engage in a given behavior.What if we look at learner behavior through that lens? You've created a great learning initiative and spent a lot of time and money on the learning ecosystem. However, you don't seem to be getting the traction you're hoping for. Here are some questions to consider:Are learners aware of the learning solution? Are there prompts that alert learners to its availability?Are learners motivated? Do they want to engage in learning?Are they able to engage with the learning solution?Is there anything preventing them or making it more difficult for them to access it?If you have opportunities in any of those areas, then you have friction between learners and the learning solution. Friction, in this context, is the absence of prompts or is anything that impedes motivation or ability when it comes to a learning initiative.PromptsIf learners don't know about your learning initiative, it may as well not exist. These days, people are inundated with prompts—pop-ups on smartphones, ads on social media, digital billboards, and the like. How can we ensure that learners are prompted to our initiatives? The traditional methods are static and push prompts.A static prompt is one that is in a fixed physical location, such as a poster in a breakroom. It works fine when your audience tends to be isolated in one particular location. But if someone is not in that exact location, they won't see it.A push prompt is much more targeted. It entails identifying your audience members and sending a prompt to them, such as an email reminder that a course is available. However, you often can't customize that prompt by audience member—everyone gets the same message. And you can't time the prompt so that it reaches an individual right when they need it most. Thus, there are some limitations to what we have traditionally used as prompts in our learning ecosystems.This is an area we should pay close attention to because it has the potential to change rapidly. Imagine if we could activate a prompt for a specific learner at a specific time and in a specific location with a learning solution that is designed precisely for the activity that they are engaging in in that moment? It would be similar to finding an exclusive offer from Starbucks popping up on your phone whenever you're within 50 yards of a store.MotivationMotivation should be the easiest variable in this equation. If your initiative meets a learning need, learners should be inherently motivated to engage with it. However, that isn't always the case. In my experience, there are two major reasons. The first is that the solution does not meet a learning need (which is a subject for another article). The second, and more egregious, reason is that learning solutions get bogged down with demotivators that dilute learners' eagerness.Given the massive increase in video use for learning, there are some lessons to be learned from how people engage with YouTube and how we think about the videos and other learning initiatives we create.I often use the example of having a hole in my drywall and turning to YouTube to see how to fix it. Not surprisingly, there are numerous options from which to choose. We've all become accustomed to using filters to narrow down internet search results, although we often do our own visual filtering first. For example, I can take a quick look at a results list on YouTube for drywall repair and immediately rule out, or at least deprioritize, some of the videos. The first thing I'll look at is time. I expect that this should be a relatively simple task, so I'm not looking for a long video. The shorter the better.Likewise, learners have an expectation of how simple or complex a task is and at least some sense of how long it should take to learn. If they see that a video is 30 minutes long, and their perception of the task doesn't line up with that amount of time, you may lose them right away.I start playing a six-minute video from the list. After a lengthy introduction, a bio of the host, and several examples that don't apply to what I'm looking for, the host eventually starts the process of explaining how to execute the repair. It took over one minute to get there. That is an informal measurement I call "time to learning"—or how long it takes before I get to the actual learning. Time to learning is especially important when considering whether our goal is knowledge retention or knowledge acquisition. In other words, are learners in this for the long haul, or do they just need a quick one-off fix that they will rarely if ever need again?When looking at learning from a knowledge retention standpoint, time to learning is slightly less important. We know we're going to get deep, and participants learning about the instructor's credibility can be helpful to set the tone. But if we seek knowledge acquisition, or disposable knowledge, time to learning matters a lot—especially if there are several options from which to choose.For example, imagine I need to generate a report for my manager, who is out sick. I've never done the task before, and it's highly unlikely that I'll ever have to do it again. After some digging, I find a few videos that will help me figure out what to do. However, the videos don't cover only the report I need to generate; they cover all the reports in the entire program and explain where the data from those reports comes from and why they're important to the business.Are those bad things for me to know? Of course not. But they're not relevant to what I need to do right now. Getting what I need is like searching for that how-to needle in a haystack of video instruction. I may resort to other options, such as trial and error (risky) or asking a colleague (now two of us are wasting time trying to figure this out).Going back to the drywall video: I stuck with it for more than a minute only to see how long it would take for the purposes of this example. If I had a real need, I doubt I would have held out for more than 10–15 seconds.We can and should apply the same lessons to our video content libraries and consider where we are adding friction that we should remove. In most cases, those are demotivators that don't reflect the quality of our instructional design yet may deter learners from ever finding that out.AbilityAnother go-to source for information in people's nonwork lives is Google. Here's what happens if I search for "how to repair drywall"—let's count the clicks: I open the browser to Google and type the search term, then click Search. One click. What I see first are a few links to associated terms like "water damage" and "peeling" that enable me to refine my search. Below that is a frame from a video already queued to a specific timecode that is likely to address my need. Below that are links to a few more videos, all with descriptions and timecodes of key moments in the videos. Next up is the "People also ask" section, which displays several ways that others have posed their question that may be more in alignment with my need. And finally, I get a list of results that I would normally expect to see on Google. All from one click.Now think about your learners and, more importantly, your learning ecosystem. Most likely your version of Google is some sort of learning management system or learning experience platform. How many clicks does it take learners to get there? Once someone arrives at your version of Google, how many of the features described above does it have? How easy is it for learners to find what they need?Many of us are presumably still in a situation where learners must go through six, eight, or even 10-plus clicks to find what they need. Number of clicks and speed to solution are ways we can assess learners' ability to engage in the desired behavior.Nobody wants to click through a never-ending menu. Individuals have been conditioned that they shouldn't have to, and they are far more likely to give up somewhere along the way than they are to reach the end.Other ability barriers include bandwidth and hardware. Sometimes our instructional design comes with ability barriers. If you have motivated learners who know about your initiatives, make it as easy as possible for them to access and engage with learning.Enhance learning's impactThis article has numerous questions you can ask about any given learning solution. It's going to be difficult to get satisfactory answers to all of them. But what you can do is identify an area that you believe may be causing friction for your learners and is something that you can influence.In other words, we all want better bandwidth, but you probably have an extremely limited ability to influence that yourself. You may have a better chance implementing some prompts for learners that can move the needle. Or you may be able to reduce the number of clicks required to access content with some adjustments to your internal websites or portals. Start small by looking for areas to reduce friction with existing learning solutions, and then incorporate the ideas into the design phase of future ones.If you treat your learning program like a product and view your learning ecosystem as a mechanism for reaching your audience and providing that product, it may change your perspective.

Are You Driving Learners Away!

What is Demo Day?
This free, half-day event offers you the opportunity to see live demos from five leading skills development solutions. Each 30-minute demo allows you to see the solution in action, ask questions, and request additional information. Selecting new technologies for your organization is a tough decision and a big investment. Let ATD Demo Day help you learn about the benefits of a variety of options at once.
Who is it for?
Anyone who is currently searching for innovative solutions to develop skills and capabilities, is interested in augmenting their skill-based strategy with new technology, or is reimagining enterprise upskilling initiatives.
Demo Day Agenda: (All times below are Eastern Standard Time)
11:55-12:00 pm  ATD Introduction & Welcome
12:00-12:30 pm  How to Choose the Training Format That Really Works (iSpring)
12:45-1:15 pm    Holistic Learning for MidMarket Teams: Cornerstone Learning Fundamentals (Cornerstone OnDemand)
1:30-2:00 pm      Bringing The Skills Opportunity to Life (ExpertusONE)
2:15-2:45 pm      Engage and Upskill Your Workforce with Learning Done Differently (Blue Ocean Brain)
3:00-3:30 pm      Empower Your Professional Growth: Simplified Skills Development Plans with Bridge LMS (Bridge)

Session Descriptions:
 
 
12:00-12:30 p.m.
How to Choose the Training Format That Really Works
Have you ever wondered why a brilliant course topic sometimes fails to resonate, while complex subjects suddenly become clear and excite learners? The secret often lies in the format — a critical yet often overlooked element that can make or break the learning experience.This session will shed light on the power of various course formats and delve into their unique benefits for different occasions. Whether you're an educator, instructional designer, HR or L&D professional, join our upcoming webinar to learn why course formats matter and how to use them effectively to achieve your learning goals.
Join this session to:

Discover the most popular course formats, from basic to more advanced, with their strengths and weaknesses.
Learn how to choose the ideal course format based on subject matter, audience, learning objectives, and other factors.
Identify practical insights for choosing the most suitable e-learning format based on training goals and resources available.

 
Speaker: Inna Solar, Senior Account Executive, iSpring
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12:45-1:15 p.m.
Holistic Learning for MidMarket Teams: Cornerstone Learning Fundamentals
Workforce needs are evolving rapidly and midmarket organizations need to stay a step ahead. Come take a look at how Cornerstone Learning Fundamentals could be your next competitive advantage. Discover how Learning Fundamentals delivers personalized learning journeys, curated content, and low-lift administration in an all-in-one, easy-to-deploy solution.
 
Speaker: Brittni Olson, Solution Consultant, Cornerstone 
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1:30-2:00 p.m.
Bringing The Skills Opportunity to Life
For years, we’ve been teased by the promise of skills, but the complex nature of skills has swamped the best of plans. AI has finally brought that promise within reach. A fully realized skills strategy has many moving parts across multiple functions. Learn how we plan to empower your team to deliver on the skills development portion of the skills strategy and be an integral part of delivering on your CEOs broader skills vision.
Join this session to:

Develop an understanding of all the moving parts in a holistic skills strategy
Learn how AI can revolutionize the historically onerous task of managing skills
Identify the benefits of creating a skills-based learning strategy

 
Speakers: Caitlin Bigsby, Director of Product Marketing, ExpertusONE and Ferik Ferizaj, Principal Solution Consultant, ExpertusONE
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2:15-2:45 p.m.
Engage and Upskill Your Workforce with Learning Done Differently
Discover a refreshing approach to ongoing skills-building that transforms professional development from a chore into an inspiring journey—for both you and your people. Join us for a live demonstration of HSI Blue Ocean Brain to experience first-hand how our innovative microlearning methodology empowers companies to elevate their workforce's skills in the most relevant topics to foster an agile culture of collaboration, innovation, and teamwork.
Join this session to:

Discover the secret sauce to HSI Blue Ocean Brain's content and delivery strategies that differentiate them from other training partners.
Examine how tailoring content journeys to organization's objectives and budget removes the burden of content development and curation.
Identify how to create continuous upskilling at your organization through multi-modal learning that drives true engagement and culture change.

 
Speaker: Erin Reilly, Senior Account Executive, HSI Blue Ocean Brain and Hannah Yanoski, Account Executive, HSI Blue Ocean Brain
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3:00-3:30 p.m. 
Empower Your Professional Growth: Simplified Skills Development Plans with Bridge LMS

Experience a transformative journey in employee development! Delve into the structured process and unique features of Bridge LMS that enable organizations to create tailored skills strategies. Learn how to guide employees in crafting personalized skill development plans, fostering professional growth. Don't miss this chance to revolutionize your approach to employee development and empower your workforce for sustained success!
Join this session to: 

Master job title analysis to find trending skills and create standardized skills taxonomy that connects your content to the right learners.
Find focus skills easily and design impactful development plans.
Cultivate robust skills communities and create a culture of connection and mentorship.

 
Speaker: Mark Probert, VP of Revenue & Sales, Bridge
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