How Google’s micro-moments are influencing the design of L&D solutions
Ever heard of a micro-moment? It’s the latest and greatest from Google’s marketing division but it does have linkages with training and development. Let’s first remind ourselves what a micro-moment is and then let’s discuss what it means for the L&D Professional. What, exactly, is a micro-moment? In their, ‘Micro-Moments: Your Guide to Winning the […]
Flowers for Algernon
I’ve just read Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes. Occasionally, you read a book that you know will remain with you forever, and this is one. For those who don’t know it, and I didn’t, it’s a moving, thought provoking and clever novel written through the eyes of someone with learning disabilities who has the […]
eLearning technology can better your training
Employee training is expensive. Studies show that US businesses spent approximately $156 billion on employee training in 2011, but 90% of that learning was lost due to lack of follow-up and reinforcement. Fortunately, eLearning technology is offering new approaches to corporate training, which results in improved accessibility to learning opportunities and higher employee engagement, which […]
Do you know these 12 design principles for next generation learning?
What is next generation learning? And why does it have the attention of the board as well as learning professionals? When done well, next generation learning enables organisations to build the transformative skills, mindsets and behaviours that are required, far faster and more cost effectively than ever before. It uses all the resources of the […]
Lego and Experiential Learning
Lego, it seems, is as popular today as it was when I was young. Or certainly, it is in our family; my partner’s young nephew (we’ll call him Jack) loves it. It’s great that Lego has evolved, and is still able to compete in the modern, digital age, but at the same time, I lament […]
How To Transform Training With Gamification
Don’t confuse gamification with turning learning into a game. The latter often falls flat and results in learning experiences that are cringeworthy and a bit childish. The former, on the other hand, is a strategy that has been proven effective in the classroom and the workplace. In fact, a Colorado Technical University case study showed […]
9 key VR terms L&D needs to know
Any new technology comes with its own slew of terms, concepts and abbreviations – and VR is no exception. In my last of three articles on VR I’ll try to explain what I think are the most important and interesting terms for L&D. If you’re looking for a brief introduction to VR itself, consider reading […]
Negotiation Skills Self Assessments.
I am currently in the process of refreshing the content of my 2 Day Negotiation Skills Training Workshop. I would be interested to hear from trainers regarding the best provider of negotiating skills self assessment questionnaires to help attendees gain awareness of their own negotiating style at the start of the course. I’m also keen to hear about […]
Beat Those Holiday Blues With Impactful Training
No-one likes going back to work, but have no fear, Autumn is here, and with it comes a great chance for leadership training. But what makes L&D programmes effective? Expedition Organiser James Eynon has some top tips. September is now upon us and that means, alas, the summer is coming to an end. For […]
How are games rewiring our brains and shaping behaviours of the future?
When I hear the word ‘gamification’, a part of me dies inside. Gamification can often sound like a buzzword, but I never heard or used the word once throughout the 8 years that I worked in mobile games. Our aim was just to create great gaming experiences that were completely player-focused – simple! Having come […]
A Toucan Doing the Can Can
Whatever one toucan can doIs sooner done by toucans twoAnd three toucans it’s very true Can manage more than two can do And toucans numbering two plus twoCan manage more than all the zoo canIn fact there is no toucan, who canDo what four or three or two can. A couple of blogs back, I made […]
Benefits Of Using Gamification In The Workforce
Your employees are great people, but it’s your job as a manager or business owner to get the most from them by bringing the best out in them. Gamification is a commonly used term over the past few years in the marketing industry, human resources, sales, and entrepreneurship. Gamification is a great way to boost […]
Change: Are you a Driver or a Passenger?
This year, my partner and I drove more than 2,000 miles to Andorra and back on a tour of Western France. It was one of my favourite holidays ever. I loved the freedom, the ability to choose our own destination unfettered by timetables and fixed routes, to detour and stop at any scenic point to […]
The Gamification of Learning
“My friend came to stay this weekend and we were talking about work; she said she really hated training days until they got a new trainer in. She was telling me about a game they’d played, with the new trainer. It turned out to be Hold the Front Page!” What a fantastic email to get […]
Why Gamifying Employee Training Works
When employers look at ways to improve their employee training, they’re likely to come across multiple articles discussing gamification. This increasingly popular concept is taking hold in employee training because it offers a way of spicing up your training in a way that seems to make sense. By turning training sessions into a sort of […]
Elections and the Gift of Power
In the aftermath of all the recent political excitement, including the meteoric rise of President Macron in France and the recent elections here in the UK, I’ve found myself reflecting on the nature of power and influence, and particularly on a fairy story I wrote some years ago. It was written to support the work […]
Customer Service
Hello. We are having a cusomer service month at work and I’m looking for ideas for a game / challenge I can do with teams as part of the campaign. It should: – relate to customer service – involve teams competing to acheive something – there needs to be a winning team so “best time […]
The Dreaded Shootout – Penalties and Practice
On Monday I was at Wembley to see my adopted hometown team, Reading, play Huddersfield in the Championship play-off final. It’s the most expensive game in football with £290 million up for grabs for the winner. As such it was a tense and cagey affair, ending with every football fan’s worst nightmare: the penalty shootout. Huddersfield […]
What does the future hold for L&D?
I had a fascinating time at the CIPD learning and development show at Olympia last week. I left with a lot to think about because there were so many great talks and interesting ideas. One talk that resonated with me in particular was by The Open University on ‘Future Trends in Learning’. They listed 6 key trends to […]
Graduate Away Day
I have been asked to arrange a fun packed afternoon (2.5 hours) with the brief being: fun and starting to get to know each other. The problem is a minimal budget and we have tried companies over the years that charge a fortune and are not that great! Has anyone got any activities they would […]
