Training Industry Quarterly, Spring 2013 / A Training Industry, Inc. magazine / www.trainingindustry.com/TIQ 31

Corporations spend billions of dol-lars each year to train and develop their employees, yet post-training

surveys tell us that a majority of trainees who participate in a typical corporate training program do not effectively use their new skills and capabilities on the job.

Researchers point to a number of rea-sons why training programs fail to take root in the corporate environment, in-cluding lack of reinforcement and prac-tice, the training content or modality itself, ineffective instruction, or too little time spent on understanding employee training needs. In fact, many training

professionals today believe that technol-ogy is the answer to the problem. Online learning, mobile applications, computer simulations, video training and distance learning are all prominent methodolo-gies in many corporate learning cultures

meant to make training programs more effective and accessible.

It is not that these factors have noth-ing to do with learning success or that these technical applications should be abandoned. There is no argument that all of these factors have an impact on em-ployee learning. However, the focus of this article is to discuss a critical factor that has been missing when explaining the shortcomings of our corporate train-ing programs.

Worldwide, companies are becoming aware of the link between employee de-velopment and cognitive ability. In many cases, they are discovering that learn-

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facing employees develop the skills needed to interact with, engage and better serve customers where they are frequently net-working and providing customer service: on social media.

To truly deliver content in a way em-ployees are used to receiving information, you have to give it to them on the devices they’re using. In the culture of BYOD (bring your own device), employees are coming to work with mobile devices in hand. Capitalize on this reality by deliver-ing training programs that are accessible on the go. By making bite-sized content mobile-ready, training departments can give employees access to courses and con-tent in an engaging and intuitive way. It’s an effective way to instantly enrich real-time teaching and learning, giving em-ployees both the structure and flexibility needed to accommodate how people actu-ally conduct business today.

Integrate training into the business workflow.Learning is not a point-in-time event; it

is ubiquitous. Trainers should keep this in mind by integrating training content into systems employees use as part of their nor-mal workday. Integrating easily digestible bits of knowledge into the business work-flow is a great way to enable “active learner” employees to access information on their terms, when they need it.

For example, training courses delivered within Client Relationship Management (CRM) software enable sales reps to quickly brush up on products without leaving the CRM. Delivering presentations, interac-tive tutorials, social learning tools and other professional development resources within the systems employees are using, speeds up time-to-productivity. This model of on-demand learning allows employees to solve problems in real time as they arise, without departing from their normal day-to-day ac-tivities.

Even with the most effective training programs, employees will still lose some of the knowledge gained during the train-ing to time. That’s why a system that allows employees to “reach back” for information while on the job can ensure critical informa-tion delivered during training is impactful when it matters most. Trainers should be sure to archive materials and content and make that content accessible to learners long after their formal training ends. As in-structors update and enhance course con-tent in subsequent months and years and new information is added, alumni of the training can access the latest materials and information to keep their knowledge and skills relevant and timely.

A knowledgeable workforce creates suc-cessful employees which, in turn, lead to an increased bottom line. Many organizations today are looking at investments with more scrutiny than ever, moving forward with only those most likely to help the bottom line. By building training programs using methods proven to maximize learning and minimize retention loss — like a bite-sized strategy — corporate training departments can prove their worth with an impact that is sure to please the C-Suite.

Paul Terry is vice president of Profes-sional Education (ProEd) at Blackboard Inc. Email Paul.

Takeaways

Research indicates that training programs can be improved greatly by taking a “bite-sized” approach to delivering information. By breaking content down into small, digestible “chunks” of data and streamlining the delivery of con-tent, corporate training depart-ments can make their programs more efficient and effective. Here are a few ways to tailor training:

-nent information and break it down into smaller pieces that are searchable and easy to reference in the future.

Engaging with “chunks” of con-tent on the same subject but in different formats can help rein-force knowledge.

Trainers should leverage social learning — two-way, collabora-tive engagements — to encour-age knowledge sharing.

Employees are bringing their mobile devices to work — take advantage of it by giving them the ability to access training ma-terials while on the go.

Integrate easily digestible bits of knowledge into the business workflow by placing them in sys-tems that employees are already using.

Training programs that allow alumni of the training to “reach back” and view updated course information enable employees to stay current and access informa-tion when they need it most.

LEARNING IS NOT A POINT-IN-TIME EVENT; IT IS

UBIQUITOUS

28 Training Industry Quarterly, Spring 2013 / A Training Industry, Inc. magazine / www.trainingindustry.com/TIQ

than continue with the ineffective approach of information overload, training depart-ments should embrace a new strategy of learning, one that is more effective and ef-ficient. A bite-size learning strategy involves identifying pertinent information, breaking it down into smaller pieces, and stream-lining the delivery of the information. By giving employees “one bite at a time” over the course of a longer training program in-terspersed with days on the job, they will be more likely to remember important in-formation and apply their new skills in the workplace.

So how can trainers turn existing cur-riculums into bite-sized chunks? They can start by dividing monolithic documents or lectures with overwhelming amounts of in-formation, into snippets that are digestible, searchable, and easy to reference when the learner actually needs the information … on the job. Take, for example, PowerPoint and other slide-sharing tools. While they can be a great way to deliver information, learn-ers may lose focus during monologue-like lectures that feature dozens of consecutive slides. Trainers should try to shorten slide shows and use the slides to highlight the most critical information, grouping relevant slides together in separate presentations. To allow learners to access the information in

the future, trainers should offer digital cop-ies of those slides after the fact.

But identifying pertinent information and creating digestible snippets out of that information is only half the battle. To maxi-mize learning, trainers must streamline the delivery of content in a way that resonates with learners. Here are some ways to tailor training to increase learning retention and program effectiveness.

Letting learners engage with content in different formats can help reinforce knowl-

edge and increase retention. Trainers can combine “chunks” of content like videos, audio sound bites, games, performance tools, activities, chats and discussions, for more effective lessons. For example, a voice note can supplement a chapter, or a quiz can augment a blog post response. Infographics are a great way to combine several “chunks” of information into a more memorable piece of content. Pulling out the important data and combining it with useful graphics can help employees understand the material without getting lost in a list of names and dates.

-gram should be too.Outside of the office, employees are using

social media sites, blogs, wikis, and docu-ment and video sharing, to share informa-tion instantly and collaborate with each other. Trainers can encourage collaboration and information sharing inside the office by taking cues from this trend. One way to do this is to use tools that mimic social media sites and Web 2.0 utilities we use outside of work, such as instant messaging, document sharing applications, and personalized web pages or blogs.

An added benefit is that training in and around social learning tools can help client-

ShoreTel: Integrating Training into the Business Workflow

The cloud division of ShoreTel Inc., a leader in business voice and unified communications, embraced social learning and integrated its training into the business workflow by melding sales training content with its Client Relationship Management (CRM) sys-tem. Training within the CRM incor-porates social learning tools and Web 2.0 innovations, such as discussion boards, blogs and wikis, which enable collaborative, peer-to-peer learning ex-periences. Employees can also access

the training on their smartphones and other mobile devices.

“Business learning in America is failing because people think adults learn dif-ferently than children, but they really don’t,” said Heather Bennett, division vice president of learning at ShoreTel. “Project-based learning, collaboration and team building empower employ-ees to embrace self-direction and utilize virtual, on-demand access to colleagues, experts and resources. As a result, sales reps improve their skills,

are better prepared to make and close deals, and increase sales.”

LETTING LEARNERS ENGAGE WITH CONTENT IN

DIFFERENT FORMATS CAN HELP REINFORCE

KNOWLEDGE AND INCREASE RETENTION

Training Industry Quarterly, Spring 2013 / A Training Industry, Inc. magazine / www.trainingindustry.com/TIQ 27

A study by Ralph Burns found that the impact of a lecture is great-est in its first five minutes — after

that, learners’ attention wanes and the ef-fectiveness of the lecture drops. I’ve found that many traditional corporate training programs take a “data-dump” approach, either providing employees with lots of in-formation and materials for them to review on their own time, or overwhelming em-ployees with large amounts of information in long lectures. Either way, these types of programs make it difficult to retain course

material, hindering their effectiveness and efficiency. Moreover, these traditional pro-grams are outdated: they do not meet the needs of the next generation of employ-ees—those who want access to knowledge all the time and right away, on their terms, or as I like to call them, “active learners.”

Cognitive psychologist George Miller argued in his 1956 Information Processing theory that short-term memory can hold from five to nine “chunks” of information, and that too much information given at one time is likely to be quickly forgotten. Rather

Improving Learning Outcomes

B Y P A U L T E R R Y

TO MAXIMIZE LEARNING, TRAINERS MUST STREAMLINE THE DELIVERY OF CONTENT IN A WAY THAT RESONATES WITH LEARNERS

with a Bite-Sized Strategy

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practical, useful and based on actual workplace situations. Uncover issues or difficulties the learners are experiencing to create engaging scenarios and practice activities. This makes learning meaning-ful. Who wants to sit through informa-tion that will never be used on the job? Give learners choices. Learners like choices and flexibility. Give them the op-portunity to apply their current knowl-edge to situational challenges. Allow them to breeze past what they already know to the points they want to learn. Let the learners choose the sequence of learning that works for them, allowing them to choose the starting point and to skip around, forward or back if need be. Break it down. Give the learners small, digestible chunks of training. The human brain is only capable of absorbing so much at one time before learners shut down in frustration. Also consider that most learners don’t have large blocks of time available to devote to learning. Cre-ate learning experiences that can be mas-tered in small, manageable pieces. Show the benefits. Draw learners in by creating a story that directly affects what they would do with the information. Be specific about what the course will do for them in terms of time saved, makes the job easier, etc. Sell the benefits! Build in positive feedback to remind them of what’s in it for them. Make it social. Incorporate social media as part of the design of the learning ex-perience. Today’s learner is connected — allow opportunities for learners to share expertise and gain knowledge via social media channels. Also, offer just-in-time resources such as job aids, training li-braries, discussion boards, and other online support systems.Know your audience. Above all, design-ers should put themselves in the learn-

er’s shoes, relate to them. What are their skills levels? What do they need to know for the job? What will challenge them but not threaten them? What do they need to know now? What can be left for another time?

SummaryIn their 2006 study, Alan Saks and

Monica Belcourt estimated only 62 per-cent of trainees immediately transferred skills to the job after learning. Even more discouraging, they discovered after one year only 34 percent maintained the trans-fer of learning. The American Society for Training and Development’s 2012 State of the Industry report estimates in the United State alone, organizations spent over $150 billion on employee learning and development during 2011. Taking these two studies in tandem potentially means billions of training dollars are not having much impact.

Michael Allen warns instructional de-signers when he writes, “No motivation = no learning outcomes.” Using thoughtful design to challenge learners to solve real organizational problems makes learning relevant to both the employee and to the organization while keeping the motiva-tion high for the learner and teaching, re-inforcing, and applying the desired skills. By flipping Allen’s equation, making it “motivation = learning outcomes,” the learner becomes more of an asset to the organization. And an engaged, motivated learner is always a positive factor for his or her own growth and development as well as for the organization.

Karen Sieczka is an instructional de-signer with GP Strategies Corporation and author of the e-book Growing Great Ideas: Unleashing More Creativity@Work. Email Karen.

Quick Keys to Designing

Motivational Training:

Give learners choices. Learners

like choices and flexibility. Give

them the opportunity to apply

their current knowledge to situ-

ational challenges.

Break it down. Give the learners

small, digestible chunks of train-

ing. Create learning experiences

that can be mastered in small,

manageable pieces.

Show them the benefits. Be spe-

cific about what the course will do

for them in terms of time saved,

makes the job easier, etc. Sell the

benefits! Build in positive feed-

back to remind them of what’s in

it for them.

Make it social. Incorporate social

media as part of the design of the

learning experience. Also, offer

just-in-time resources such as job

aids, training libraries, discussion

boards and other online support

systems.

Know your audience. Above all,

designers should put themselves

in the learner’s shoes, relate to

them. What do they need to know

to get their job done?

THE HUMAN BRAIN IS ONLY CAPABLE OF ABSORBING SO MUCH

AT ONE TIME BEFORE LEARNERS SHUT DOWN IN FRUSTRATION

24 Training Industry Quarterly, Spring 2013 / A Training Industry, Inc. magazine / www.trainingindustry.com/TIQ

learner is interested and ready to learn, then good content AND effective con-tent presentation should unlock learning transfer. But, how does a designer make this happen?

An Inside JobIt is important to understand adult

motivation before attempting learning design that makes the experience stick for the learner. Motivation is chiefly intrin-sic, meaning it has to come from within

each learner. Applying the logic of Herz-berg’s Theory of Motivation to the work-place, learners are only truly motivated by training that will enable them to reach for and satisfy the factors Herzberg identi-fied as the real motivators, factors such as achievement, advancement, and the pos-sibility of growth and development. With all the choices out there today, why would learners spend time on training activities that don’t have any of those factors?

Even great training programs can’t force the learners to feel motivation but poor instructional design can surely drive them away from it. Since motivation is a drive to fulfill a need, designers have to find ways to enhance a learner’s motiva-tion. How? By assuring learners are re-warded through the learning activity itself or are moving toward an internal goal, a benefit they perceive is for them, it is use-ful, interesting, challenging. With this in mind, an instructional designer should always be evaluating to see if the training is managing to hit any of those intrinsic hot buttons such as making learners feel capable, enhancing self-esteem in some manner, helping them realize hidden po-tential, or reinforcing mastery of a task or subject.

ChallengesBeginning a course, designers face sev-

eral challenges, many which can crush the learner’s motivation. First, the content of the training has to be worthwhile and rel-evant to the learner. Designers may find themselves overloaded with information from subject matter experts who expect more information rather than less to be the best route for learning. However, it is up to the instructional designer to wade through, to search for nuggets of informa-tion, and synthesize them into something useful — an end product the learners ac-

tually need and more importantly, can apply to real-world, workplace situations. If information supplied by an expert is not necessary to reach the business goal of the training, perhaps it might be use-ful as a resource document but don’t force the learner to endure excess materials as a mandatory part of the course.

Another challenge is the overload and availability of information. Learners can access most everything they could pos-sibly need anywhere, any time. Today, workplace learning often occurs outside the realm of a formal process so it can be hard to convince learners to sit down and take time to engage in planned training activities when the activities often seem to have nothing to do with actual, practical workplace application.

Maybe the training seems to be a “one size fits all” solution, forcing learners to wade through all the stuff they already know to reach new, valuable information. This type of design is guaranteed to frus-trate and annoy learners instead of moti-vating them. Training that is customized and speaks specifically to learners, how they can benefit on the job, in their ca-reer, or personally, if they take the time and effort to care, will gain more positive attention and acceptance.

Engagement StrategiesTraining that both motivates and edu-

cates uses simple, straightforward think-ing embracing learner-centric ideas. In short, the training design revolves around learners: What do they need? When do they need it? Why do they need it? What’s the simplest way to give it to them? Some ways to make training more engaging, in-teresting and more motivating to learners are:

Make it relevant. Focus the design around skills and knowledge that are

SINCE MOTIVATION IS A DRIVE TO FULFILL A NEED, DESIGNERS HAVE

TO FIND WAYS TO ENHANCE A LEARNER’S MOTIVATION

Resources for Further Exploration:

Motivation and Learning presenta-tion by Rich James

Get Your Audience Pumped: 30 Ways to Motivate Adult Learners, the eLearning Coach blog by Con-nie Malamed

Guide to E-Learning

Weiner’s Theories and Principals of Motivation

and Hygiene Factors, Learn How to Motivate Your Team

An Investigation of Training Activi-ties and Transfer of Training in Or-ganizations

Development (ASTD), ASTD’s 2012 State of the Industry Report

Training Industry Quarterly, Spring 2013 / A Training Industry, Inc. magazine / www.trainingindustry.com/TIQ 23

There are many reasons training fails to transfer learning. Often, one of the key reasons is the lack of

motivation, not on the part of the learner, but because the design of the training it-self is demotivating. When training fails to motivate, offering no knowledge trans-fer or skills gain, a learning opportunity is lost, and, even worse, it can influence learners against future training programs. This begs the questions: what tactics can instructional designers use to make peo-ple really want to learn? What are some ways to make motivation a key point when building training?

Connie Malamed, the “e-Learning Coach,” blogs often about motivation as a part of creating good design; she main-tains there are several factors that cause a learning transfer, including the perceived

value of the training to the learner and what opportunities are available to apply the skill or knowledge.

Workplace Climate

Today’s workplace demands instruc-

tional designers to consider how train-ing will cut through the noise, provide relevant, timely information, catch and focus the learner’s attention, all while pro-ducing a behavioral change, skill gain, or other outcomes desired by both the orga-nization and the learner. It’s a tall order. Michael W. Allen, in his book, Michael Allen’s Guide to E-Learning, stresses that to successfully create a desired change, a learner’s motivational level has to be at the point where he or she is interested or, even more desirable, sees the value of the training and wants to commit to im-provement of a particular skill. It seems motivation is everything when it comes to learning. “If motivation is high, learning will occur even if instructional materials are poor,” Allen writes.

Building on Allen’s reasoning, if a

Motivation:

WHEN TRAINING FAILS TO MOTIVATE,

OFFERING NO KNOWLEDGE

TRANSFER OR SKILLS GAIN, A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY IS

LOST

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