Our Gift to You:
15 Things to Remember
When Designing Adult Learning
Chris F. Willis, CEO, Media 1
One doesn’t survive 15 years in the learning industry without picking up a few bits of wisdom along the way. As our anniversary gift to you, Media 1 decided to share some of the key guiding principles we rely on when designing custom learning programs.
If you find these helpful, please let us know. If you don’t, please let us know as well so we can continue to practice item 15 on this list!
- Less is more. Less is more. Less is more. We’re all busy, with many of us working harder than ever before and with fewer dollars and resources. Nobody has time to spend wading through an ocean of words. One of the greatest gifts we can give our learners is to analyze and evaluate all the information available against desired goals, then deliver precisely what they need just when they need it.
- It’s not about us. It’s about you—or more accurately—your learners. Learning needs to be directed at behaviors and actions that directly affect your bottom line and help your learners meet top organizational goals. All the awards in the world are worthless if the folks who take your course don’t have the skills they need to perform at the desired level afterward. What do your learners need to succeed?
- One size does not fit all. This refers to tools, methodologies, delivery methods, and, yes, even those widely misunderstood and much maligned “learning styles.” Nobody can afford to develop the same course in a dozen different modes to satisfy the preferences of all learners. However, our work with a global audience has taught us that it is risky not to take learner desires into account when designing a new program.
- Corollary to item 3: Templates are really good for a few things. Literally. Considering learner preferences doesn’t mean creating an entirely different experience for every learner. Back in the “edutainment” days of the late '90s, we thumbed our noses at “templatized” learning modules as boring, cookie-cutter page turners. Today, we wouldn’t think of designing a large curriculum without first agreeing on a series of course templates and exercise design models. The truth is that templates in moderation help avoid design (and budget) excess—and ensure a consistent learning experience.
- Culture trumps everything. This one actually came from a close friend and colleague at HP who shared the observation in a discussion about the challenges of working with a global team—and unpredictable performance outcomes that varied widely by region. A key learning point: if the desired performance is not supported by the corporate and geographic culture of the audience, you will not get the expected (or desired) results.
- You will only accomplish that which you measure. This point hit home when we put our own company bonus plan into action. Prior to that, team members didn’t understand how their individual actions affected the overall health of the company. When we started tracking and reporting our progress weekly to the team, suddenly everyone started paying attention to their own personal role in helping us hit our collective bonus target.
- Corollary to item 6: If you aren’t going to use it, don’t measure it. So many organizations put an LMS in place and immediately focus on writing courses and assessments aimed at gathering new statistical data, just because they can. However, there is a physical cost and liability attached to every data point. Before deciding to measure something, ask your colleagues, “What do we really plan on doing with that information?” Then, author well-crafted assessments to get the specific information you need.
- Tools come and tools go; skills are forever. The eLearning world is littered with software casualties. But solid, core skills, like instructional design, writing, and information design, carry over into any development platform. No tool, rapid or otherwise, can make up for a lack of skill in these areas.
- Telling ain’t training. This phrase belongs to Harold Stolovitch and ASTD, but as many of us here at Media 1 have a strong technical communications background, it bears repeating. Use training to provide a big picture view and change behavior. For procedural steps or reference information, provide a job aid or online tool. Telling Ain't Training by Harold Stolovitch (Paperback, May 2002)
- Eat your own dog food. Another client maxim worth repeating, as distasteful as it may sound. The core truth behind it is actually twofold. First, we obviously need to practice using the tools and behaviors we espouse in the learning programs we develop. But at the same time, we need to make sure we only “serve up” learning that we would want to consume ourselves!
- Design for the real world. Anyone can create a learning masterpiece if given unlimited time, tools, and budget. True genius comes from being able to work within the very real constraints we face in any given situation and still being able to do as much good for our learners as possible.
- Corollary to item 11: Money isn’t everything. Think of a big budget movie that flopped. Now, think of a low budget film that was a huge hit. The same factors are at play in the learning programs we develop. Spend wisely.
- Give it away. If you horde knowledge, it won’t make you more valuable; it will just go stale over time and be of little use to anyone. Share what you know with the world and it will come back to you many times over.
- Accentuate the positive. As an Appreciative Inquiry advocate, I often direct my team to, “Tell me what you can do, not what you can’t do.” Try to forget about what your learners are doing “wrong” today. Instead, focus your creative energy and budget on where you want them to go tomorrow. Not only will you enjoy better outcomes, you will have happier learners.
- Keep learning. We have only begun to scratch the surface of what research and technology can offer those of us who support adult learning and performance. The years ahead will continue to bring many new and exciting tools and methodologies. We expect our learners to open their minds to new possibilities. Harking back to item 10 on this list, we need to make sure we, as training professionals, do the same.
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