What You Forgot to Ask Your Last Training Development Vendor

When you hired a training development vendor, you thought you asked all the right questions: What delivery methods do they offer? What is their experience? Can they meet our needs on time and on budget? What do my colleagues say about them?

The vendor delivered content and experiences beyond your expectations, and the participants loved it. Employees and managers alike responded with glowing feedback.

A few months later, you approached the C-suite with a request for more funds for another round of this well-received training.

And the answer came back: a resounding “no.”

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How Much Technology Does an Instructional Designer Have To Master?

Today’s job descriptions for instructional designers (IDs) require the following: Basic HTML and Flash programming familiarity. Solid knowledge of course development software and at least one LMS. Visual design skills (Dreamweaver, Photoshop, Illustrator).

Whatever happened to the good old interviewing, storyboarding, or writing skills? Is the pure instructional designer role a thing of the past? Exactly how much technology does an ID need to master in order to be a “good” ID?

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The Myth of the Millennial Learner

The truth is most employees have the same workforce training preferences and needs. One may be a “digital native,” but prefer learning that involves collaborating with others, practicing real-world skills, and receiving substantive feedback.

We don’t have a millennial learner challenge; we have a modern learner challenge.

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Translating Your SME's Tech-Speak

A while ago, I was working on an incredibly complex training project. It involved training on processes and requirements used for contract setup and delivery. The audience consisted of hundreds of employees in a Fortune 500 company.

What made the project so complex was the sheer number of subject matter experts involved. Whereas I was used to working with maybe four or five at the most, this project required the input and approval of no fewer than 13 SMEs. There was no overlap – each was responsible for a distinct business unit, and brought unique content to the table. And some were C-level, meaning their time was at a premium.

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