human resources

Instructional Designer for hire!

I received some unfortunate news yesterday. After a mid-day call with my employer I learned several positions, including my own, would be eliminated based on the economic downturn and uncertainty relating to Coronavirus.

My time with Traliant was amazing and had such potential, and I’m ready to find a similar role! If you’re looking for help with your training initiatives, reach out. We can arrange a time to discuss how my talents and skills may align with your needs. Of course, you can see samples of my work here at my blog, and I’ve also uploaded an fresh résumé.

In addition to Instructional Design and Articulate Storyline work, I’m open to other projects. With a background in recruiting and hiring, I’d be glad to apply my Human Resources AND design skills to help you re-format and re-design your own résumé to something more attention getting! Also, I miss designing corporate communications similar to the newsletter example that is here. If something like that would help in your organization, let me know. I could also apply this background and skillset to helping you freshen up other HR and communication forms, too.

I hope things are back to normal soon. Above all, I hope we all stay healthy and safe. In the mean time, I’m pressing forward with an aggressive job search, enjoying extra time with my family, taking time to update my blog, and hoping for the best- for us all.

A Change Will Do You Good

Sheryl Crow once offered that advice, although I am rather certain she wasn’t offering career guidance. Regardless, a change has done me good!

This week, I joined a fast-growing company that specializes in Human Resources and compliance training productions. There are a lot of positives that come with this change:

The position is 100% remote.
It wasn’t an issue to commute to the Charlotte area monthly with my previous employer, but that role did limit me to living in the Carolinas. Now, if my husband’s career opportunities take us to another state or location (or if we simply want to move), I won’t have to change employers.
I’m part of a training team.
Regardless of what you do, it can be difficult to be a team of one. Previously, anything I wanted to learn in Articulate or regarding training and instructional design, I had to learn on my own. Budgets for conferences and continuing education were limited.

Now, I’m a part of a content design team, and I am already learning from my new colleagues. Also, it is neat to see persons specializing in one content production area (design, scripts and writing, video production, technology support), and I look forward to learning more about each piece of this puzzle from my new co-workers.
I’ll get to continue balancing training design and HR knowledge.
I think this is a task where I can excel. Further, I worked too hard to earn my Human Resources certifications to give them up. I’m excited to have found a career where I can continue pursuing HR knowledge while also becoming a more effective and efficient training designer.
The company is fast-growing.
During my own research, the interview phase, and the on-boarding process it has been near unbelievable to see their growth data over the last few years. It is evidence of that the training market is growing and that there is demand for solid, well-produced training tools. Equally as important, that growth is a big clue that my new employer is doing it right!

While I was initially hesitant to join a company that is still relatively early in its life-cycle, I’ve realized this is the type of opportunity that does not come around often. I’m excited to grow and develop with the company.
The culture appears to be amazing.
Yesterday, another designer mentioned how it is imperative to produce training that suits learners across the disability spectrum; I was proud to hear that is a priority. My own supervisor has been nothing but supportive in responding to my questions and concerns of the last few weeks. Other staff members have provided reassurances, including two other designers who took time to schedule a phone call to tell me about their roles, average work days, frustrations, and triumphs as I progressed through the interview process. The Chief Learning Officer was quick to praise their “no jerks” culture during our call days after I began the application process.

Simply stated, their culture has a lot of similarities with that of my beloved former employer.

The last few weeks have included some sleepless nights, worry, and frayed nerves. Change can be hard. More than once I wondered if I was making the correct decision. I have little doubt now, and I am transitioning to a phase of reminding myself to be patient as I learn a new company, their processes, and their expectations. I can be my own worst critic and have to remember I must learn to (figuratively speaking) crawl, walk, and then run forward. One thing is certain, this is positive change and will do me good!

Get To Know You Bingo

As I’ve mentioned on several occasions, I’m charged with planning and hosting instructor led training, which includes organizing team building activities. With each training event, we’ll visit an off-site facility such as an escape room or adventure course, but we’ll also use free time between presenters to further build the team’s camaraderie.

Occasionally a subject matter expert will finish his/her presentations early, or sometimes, the group won’t use all the time allocated to their breaks (included in the schedule to allow participants a chance to check work emails, return phone calls, or network with their corporate office contacts). To be prepared for any free time with our April event, I developed a simple “get to know you” bingo game. Feel free to use and edit this file, maybe adding industry or company specific traits. You can tie those organizational bingo blocks back to you larger learning goals, or you can simply use this to game encourage conversation and get the group up and moving around- almost always a positive experience in your classroom environment.

Get To Know You Bingo

Articulate Problem Solving Interaction

Problem solving is one of the early themes in our upcoming soft skills curriculum, and one lesson includes what is now my favorite Articulate developed module! In this example, the learner must complete a challenge as part of his/her responsibility for planning a child’s birthday party. Anyone who has helped plan even the smallest event certainly knows how frustrating and chaotic it can be. While it is seems like a far-fetched for a corporate learning lesson, we wanted to steer clear of office-like examples. We expect the non-workplace scenario will help learners concentrate on problem solving principles instead of focusing on the specific problems he or she may face during work assignment. These problem solving skills can be easily applied to any situation, work related or not!

What makes this example so exciting from a developer’s perspective? Obviously, each grid on the interaction slide needs an answer, but this means there must also be states and variables based on correct AND incorrect answers for each grid. This is the first time I’ve used such detailed logic in a course, but I believe it produced a learning challenge that will require participants to think rationally and exercise his/her problem solving skills. Further, this development reminded me the possibilities in Articulate are near limitless!

Click here

to see the superhero birthday challenge.

Text heavy versus visual PowerPoint (and my favorite beach)

We recently completed our first instructor led training session of 2018, which means I spent an unfortunate amount of time in the weeks prior coaching our presenters regarding PowerPoint design. (I’ll continue this coaching in the coming week as the participants’ feedback is distributed to the presenters/speakers.) During these consultations, we often discuss the impact of a visually engaging presentation versus a presentation that is text heavy.

I do not mean it as a slight to students, but learning science has proven the human brain cannot read a text heavy slide while simultaneously listening to what a presenter has to say. While there are learning activities you can facilitate for text heavy slides, in this post we’ll discuss using a visually engaging slide as a talking point. To help demonstrate my point, I designed a basic presentation with two quick topics, two slides per topic. Using an image or photo to craft a story can create emotion, or as demonstrated in the first topic of the attached slideshow, an image can better demonstrate statistics, numbers, or other data (when compared to listed data). Above all, this improved design and presentation method can increase learners’ retention!

I’d like to elaborate this idea using the second topic in the sample presentation I’ve included. The simple way to tell a learner about my favorite beach would be to list attributes about the under developed, quiet South Carolina town. The second option isn’t as easy- it requires a designer to think a bit more creatively, and the presenter must also be comfortable speaking on a topic without the “crutch” that a text heavy slide may provide. (Although, shouldn’t any subject matter expert be able to speak on his/her topic with minimal guidance/cue?)

Using lovely pictures to create meaning and emotion, I could tell a learner about the small town where golf carts and bicycles are primary means of transportation. I could detail the delicious meals served on screened patios of mom and pop restaurants, struggling ceiling fans offering some reprieve from the South Carolina heat and humidity. I could offer stories about dolphins playing at sunset, alligators sunning on marsh banks, or egrets swooping over the water to catch his/her meal. I could (verbally) list the animals I’ve watched fishermen and women pull in from the surf, horseshoe crab that once dotted the sand during one of my visits, or the boneyard beach. I could even facilitate an activity where participants would learn about and then demonstrate the ability to build temporary fencing, which island volunteers construct seasonally to protect the nests of loggerhead turtles, a vulnerable species that lays eggs on the island each summer. I could go on and on.

Unfortunately, the odds are slim that I ever get to teach my adult learners about this haven (near Charleston, SC), but I hope the ideas I’ve shared here make you think twice about how you use PowerPoint and inspire you to take a more visual approach when you begin contemplating the design of your next presentation.

Text Versus Visual Presentations

PowerPoint Tips

We’re preparing for our final corporate orientations of 2017, which means I’m handing out a lot PowerPoint tips. I become the proverbial broken record leading up to these events, reminding presenters and subject matter experts that simple and small changes to a presentation can yield big results. I thought these same simple ideas would make an excellent post here.

If you haven’t done so, change the format of your PowerPoint to 16:9. Most devices are in widescreen format, and this will format your presentation to fill the screen. BONUS- you’ll have a bit more space to work with on your screen! (Check under the “Design” tab.)
When your presentation is running in as a slide show, you may notice some icons near the lower, left corner of the screen- left arrow, pen, slide, and right arrow. Don’t forget this pen feature would be available to call attention to information on your slide or make other notations during your presentation.
Consider using a dark background with light text. This format can prevent eye strain for your learners, especially during long presentations or extended days of learning. (It is easier for the human eye to focus on the dark background and light text.)
Try your best to keep each slide’s word count to 10 or less. You see, if your slide is text heavy, there’s a possibility the learner is reading instead of listening to what you’re saying. The learner CANNOT read and listen to you at the same time! I do not mean that as an slight to your learner- it is simply the way the human brain works. This may mean you need to create more slides, but that’s a simple solution to text-heavy slides. Limited text with strong visuals allows you to present extemporaneously, and there’s a higher probability your learner will retain what has been said.

If you’re insistent on including text heavy slides, use the following tips to make the verbose portions of the presentation more engaging:

Instead of revealing the information all at once, use a carefully selected animation to present the information in small pieces. (So many times I receive finalized presentations that show all the information on a cluttered slide at once versus slowly revealing it using animations or triggers.)
The possibilities for reading comprehension activities are near endless, If you must use the text heavy slide, include some sort of extended group discussion. (You’re going to need to comfortable asking leading questions, facilitating learning with Socratic questioning to encourage critical thinking and problem solving during the conversation.)
1. Present the information all at once, have the audience read the slide, and then each learner should complete some sort of action or gesture when he/she has finished reading. (Examples- raise his/her hand, stand up, bookmark but close their notebook/textbook, face the front of the room, etc.)
2. Next, you can simply discuss the text. You could have the group as a whole involved in the discussion, or you could divide the group into smaller sections to discuss a specific section of the text. You can easily kick this off with simple questioning-What new idea did you learn? What are the pros/cons of this idea? How would you implement or apply this idea at your work location? What questions do you have about what you just read?

There are many resources you can easily access to see other suggested improvements. Watch the webinar and online videos/presentations from the many, many skilled facilitators and PowerPoint gurus out there. Register for a design class. Ask for help- there’s probably someone within your organization with strong presentation skills that might be willing to help you polish your own presentation.
Lastly, think of presentations where you were excited and engaged. Is there any method the subject matter expert or presenter used that you could apply to your own presentation? Don’t be afraid to try something new! If it doesn’t work you can keep practicing or make more changes until you find the solution that’s best fitting to you and your material.

Using activities to take your instruction from insipid to inspiring!

Once again, I’m in a last minute scramble, finalizing the details for an instructor lead training session next week. (We’re preparing to host 11 managers at headquarters for four days of training on corporate functions.) And once again, I’m reviewing our subject matter experts’ (SMEs) presentations and asking, “WHERE IS THE INTERACTION?” To simply summarize the situation, despite my constant lobby to make simple changes to presentations, I deal with a lot of SMEs and presenters who want to walk into the room, lecture and spew information, and then leave the room.

I think training “buzz words” such as engagement, activity, and facilitation (among others) can be intimidating to someone who is not accustomed to thinking about instructional design. That’s okay- it’s his/her job to master his/her department’s functions and fill the SME role. It’s my job to think about the best possible design to increase learners’ engagement and knowledge retention while meeting an organization’s strategic learning objectives.I also think including an activity during a training presentation or event is easier than some people realize. Here are a few simple ideas that can create a more engaging learning experience by facilitating knowledge discovery (instead of delivering dull, boring lectures).

1) Does any portion of your presentation require building a list? Don’t display that on your presentation via the projector. Instead, use a flip chart or tablet to have your group brainstorm the list with a volunteer from the group writing down each idea! Once you’ve collected each necessary item/point in the list, return to your presentation and prove details and support information. (It may be wise to leave out the list and details in any prints or handouts to prevent learners from peeking ahead, revealing an answer too soon. This would also hopefully prompt him/her to take notes regarding information he/she finds valuable.)

2) Do you have a slide during your presentation that is text heavy or requires reading a lengthy passage? Instead of having a presenter or instructor lecture on the text, have the group read silently with each person circling/underlining/highlighting passages that he/she recognizes as vital information. After the group has finished reading, ask what they have highlighted, and begin the discussion. This will allow the presenter or SME to provide even more detail, information, and insight regarding the topic. If the group missed a point that should have been highlighted, ask a question about this portion of the text to facilitate discussion on the topic.

3) Does any part of your presentation require looking up information at a website? Why not have the group look this up for you? Using their smart phones or tablets to search for the necessary material, the first person to find the information at the site can stand and read this aloud to the group. Next, progress to the saved or bookmarked link/site with your projector and computer to begin discussing this topic.

The possibilities are nearly endless. If describing the training design includes an action or (safe!) verb, you’re on the right path to more engaging facilitation and activities!

And here’s one final tip- if your activity will require a person to volunteer to read, make a list, role play, build, etc make sure there’s a “prize” for him/her after the activity is finished. It can be as simple as a company branded stress toy, a water bottle stuffed with snacks, movie passes, or playing cards. (The dollar bins and seasonal aisles at chain pharmacies and other major retailers are great places to shop for these simple prizes.)

Extra, extra! Read all about it!

Recently, my boss approached me with a question: what did I think about launching communications or a newsletter for our operations staff? I thought it was a great idea! And even better, I appreciate that she trusts me enough to work autonomously to produce each publication.

In the last few months, the newsletter has grown to be a solid source of information for our employees communicating deadlines, policy changes, procedure reminders, and announcing new staff members. The operations newsletter even inspired me to begin monthly bulletin boards and a quarterly newsletter for our corporate facility. It’s grown to be one of my favorite responsibilities and allows me to balance the company’s communication and strategic goals with my own creativity.

Would you like to see a sample? I’ve attached a generic letter here for a fictitious corporation. Use this as an inspiration to revise your own company’s internal communication plans, or contact me for more information on how I could assist your organization.

Acme Letter

The Bill Of Rights

Seventeen years ago The West Wing (my favorite political drama) made its television debut, and I have recently re-watched several favorite episodes. A few evenings ago, an episode inspired this training example. If it has slipped your mind since a civics or history class, the first ten amendments of our U. S. Constitution are called the “Bill of Rights”. Drafted by our forefathers and ratified in December 1791, the Bill of Rights protects personal liberties and freedoms and also outlines certain government functions.

With the inspiration from The West Wing, I realized the Bill Of Rights offers a great opportunity to build an interaction via Articulate Storyline 2. This sort of presentation would make an excellent supplement when training on any concrete order or established process.

Can you “drag and drop” the first five amendments of our U. S. Constitution into the Correct order? Click here

to give it a try!

Tonight’s Entrée- peanut butter and jelly sandwiches

A recent potential project at work discussed the best method to re-train a group of employees on an integral process. Simply and generally summarized, employees are missing the most vital step or performing the steps out of order, which creates a liability for the organization. I immediately knew the drag and drop features available in Articulate Storyline would be an ideal interaction to test the learner’s knowledge, but how could I demonstrate this to a SME/project contact that has not been involved with training processes previously? My first goal was to demonstrate the drag and drop with a process most people could quickly comprehend.

Who doesn’t love a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? (I prefer mine to be made with grape jelly.) I’m sure many people may associate the PB&J with their elementary school lunch box, but since it is a procedure most of us have mastered, I thought a sandwich recipe would be a great example to demonstrate a a drag and drop interaction.

As information, the SME agreed to using this training format, and we’re in the process of revising this course to the specific policy and process. Like a tasty sandwich, I’m certain this brief lesson will hit the spot, satisfying learners and stakeholders alike!

Click here to learn how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich!