A little while ago, I created a framework for performance solutions in L&D that was built around four simple questions about the problem to be solved, the people we’re creating for, the solution itself and what happens after it’s deployed. My intent was (and still is) to bring together a lot of good work that has been done in the L&D and other fields that will help to improve the work we do. In thinking more about the earlier version of the framework, along with feedback from others, I’ve modified it to begin with the problem, followed by the end...
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This is the first in a series of posts documenting how I’m applying a design thinking approach to a project I’m working on. “Design thinking is a problem-solving methodology that focuses heavily on involving users of a solution in its design” (Boller and Fletcher, 2020). This definition comes from the book ‘Design Thinking for Training and Development’ by Sharon Boller and Laura Fletcher. It’s the first (that I know of) that frames design thinking in the context of learning and development. It’s a valuable source of ideas and templates and if you’d like to incorporate design thinking into your projects,...
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A few years ago, I wrote a blog post where I shared 5 books every eLearning professional should read. I still stand by those suggestions but I’m adding this new selection for all learning professionals. The reason I’ve selected each of these books is because they’ve contributed to the evolution of the way I work. Here they are in no particular order: Innovative Performance Support by Conrad Gottfredson and Bob Mosher This book first introduced me to the five moments of learning need: New (learning something for the first time), More (expanding learning), Apply (when actually doing something), Solve (when...
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This is a question that you might hear in a fast food restaurant. However, when a request for training comes to the L&D team and we provide it - we're effectively asking the same thing. Do we want to be thought of as the people who create training or design content? Or do we want to be known as the people who solve problems in our organisations? If it's the second question, then we need to really determine the problem we are trying to solve. This means starting with curiosity and not content. Here's some ideas about how that can...
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Recently, I’ve been thinking about the work that we do within in the field of L&D. Usually, we add up all the 'things' we've produced and tell others within our organisations about all the work we’ve done. Unfortunately, many L&D teams talk in terms of outputs instead of outcomes. But what’s the point of making more 'things' if they don’t make a difference in terms of performance? A big part of the problem is that the starting point and consequently the focus of our activities is on content. There must be a better way. In my previous two posts (One...
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