Cross The River

CROSS THE RIVER

It was Friday afternoon at 3:15 p.m.  I called Mark.  Mark is an executive in the training division of a large financial services company.  I opened our conversation by letting him know of our past work for his company and having been referred to him by another executive at the organization.  I then shared with Mark our work helping the individuals in their company improve their work speed through training from subject experts (on software applications).

How do you think Mark responded ?

Do you think he responded like countless other managers have responded when a new idea is brought to them ?

Mark said

"we do all our training on software applications for end users through e-learning".

 I said "All of your training?".  He said "Yes".

Makes you wonder.  

I once met a man who had lived all his life (over 4 decades) in Covington, Kentucky.  For any readers who are not familiar with this region, Covington is just across the Ohio river from downtown Cincinnati.  It is close enough that you can walk across a bridge to get to downtown Cincinnati (1/2 mile). He told me he had never been to Cincinnati.  He had never crossed the bridge over the Ohio river.  He had rarely been out of Covington.  I asked him why.  He said he saw no reason to go anywhere else.  While his contentment is enviable, his global perspective (even if he is an avid reader about other places in the world) leaves much to be desired.

The same may be true of Mark.

E-learning effectiveness has proven to be lower than 

many other methods for developing new skill.  

Below is one source's (Corporate Universities by Jeannie Meister) summary of learning methods and retention.

       Rate of Retention                Learning Method

                 80%                            Teaching others
                 80%                            Immediate use
                 75%                            Practice by doing
                 50%                            Discussion
                 30%                            Demonstration
                 20%                            Audio-Visual
                 10%                            Reading
                   5%                            Lecture

My experience with e-learning (which I use almost daily) is that it is primarily a combination of reading, lecture (watching someone talk on a video or listening to an audio source), audio-visual and demonstration (watching a demonstration / film clip - e.g. YouTube), and practicing by doing (assuming I clearly understood what I read, saw, or heard).  The good news is that elearning is a good combination of several of the above learning methods.  The other news is that the overall rate of retention and skill development is low.  The other other news is that most employees don't use elearning.  Many said they lack the time (a euphemism for lack of discipline). 

The other good news is that this can be an efficient use of my time.  I use e-learning for a few minutes at a time.  I have the time freedom to do it when I can fit it in to my 11-12 hour work days.  That works well for me.

The frustration I run into are:

• It takes longer to learn (because the rate of retention is lower and , as such, the "lessons" need to be repeated) 
• The content is not detailed enough for what I am trying to learn and I am unable to easily find a source / an expert to help me figure out how to do the skill I am trying to learn
• Some sources of content have outdated information
• It takes strong discipline

My suggestion: Cross The River.  Don't stay in Covington (i.e. don't just use one tool for learning).  

To improve your retention:

• Teach others
• Make immediate application (and perform it seven times in a row if feasible) after you work with a person who showed you how to do something
• Like you did in learning a skill when you were younger (e.g. playing the violin, gymnastics, chess), use labs and practice  before "performing".
• Minimize the amount of lectures (including television) you consume for the purpose of education
• If you enjoy reading, highlight actions you will take based upon what you read and create a task to take that action
• Be aware of the limited retention you will have from demonstrations and presentations and keep these options for learning to a minimum 
• The "new" 3 - 5 minute video clips use for learning are in the audio-visual retention category 

I hope this blog motivates you to make at least a small change in how you learn.

Beth

iPhone 5 or Samsung Galaxy III

It is embarrassing having an older cell phone.  Like my "old man clothes" that my wife urges me to replace (which I have), my flip phone dates me.  I like to think of it as prudent.  It is old enough that my son has had four cell phones since I purchased it.  In fact, when I bought a new one this past week, the Verizon representative could not even find a picture of my old phone in their system. A real relic !

I take some comfort in the fact that I put others in my family first.  My wife has an iPad, iMac, and  iPhone.  My 19 year old son has an iPhone.  My 9 year old daughter has a Kindle Fire and an iPod Touch.

Having received a gift of cash for Christmas, I knew it is my time for an upgrade.

As a person who makes prudent purchases (at least some of the time) and takes good care of belongings (yes, my cell phone is over eight years old), I am not what you would consider a spontaneous purchaser.  My contributions to keeping our economy cranking through consumer purchases are adequately justified by my wife's buying habits.  Between the two of us, she makes up for my miserly purchasing habits.

Back to the reason for this article.  Should I, or you, buy the iPhone 5 or Samsung Galaxy III ?  It depends, you say.  Yes, I know, it depends.

The ease of use of the iPhone is appealing; but the screen is smaller.  And with 53 year old eyes, I can use all the screen real estate that I can afford (that still fits in my pocket and doesn't look dorky - have you seen someone talking on a phablet ?)

And the iPhone has a good operating system, more quality applications, is easier to set up, and a good mobile browser.  What about a good solutions for maps when I travel you ask ?  Should I expect that a respectable Apple maps application will soon be available ?

And being that we use Google Applications for our work, the Samsung operating system (Android) will work better with our corporate Gmail.  And Google Maps is hard to beat.  Will I have the patience to do what it takes to set up the Android device to my liking ? 

Taping myself giving talks with the iPhone 5 will give me better quality video.  And the iPhone is easier to use one handed. I guess I'll have to drive with my knees while texting with two hands if I get the Samsung (only in states where that is legal - are there any ?).

And, Siri sure is fun to use.  

Being that time does not allow me to be a gamer or download and listen to music, the fact that Apple media tools rule is not a factor for me.

Being a contrarian at heart, the news that Apple is losing its luster and Samsung is gaining market share incites my interest in an Apple phone.

Sorry, Microsoft and RIM, you did not make the short list.

So what did I decide to buy. The iPhone 5 for these reasons:

• Durability - I've seen the beating our 19 year old gives to his iPhone and the same treatment my wife's iPhone phone gets from our 9 year old.  Both of the phones are in tact after considerable use 
• Better videos - I believe the quality of the videos I use will be better with the iPhone
• Easier to use - I sense that the iPhone will be easier to use and will make using my wife's iPad easier
• Variety - this is the first Apple product I will use for myself
• Voice recognition software - for those of you who have used both the Android and Apple products, you know Siri wins that game
• I feel less likely to have a security issue (due to Apple's vetting process for applications)
• Being able to text and drive with the one handed Apple (really, I am just kidding about this officer)
• Being able to easily video conference with my daughter (Facetime is easy)
• Better media (if and when I have time for avocational activities such as these)

What am I losing:

• easier use of our corporate Gmail
• my eye site due to squinting when I read my iPhone screen (actually the iPhone 5 screen is not much smaller than the Galaxy S3 screen)
• Good Mapping capabilities

Google Drive

Using Google Drive to Organize documents

For those customers who are using Google Apps, you may have seen the recent release of Google Drive (back in the Spring).

Having now used Google Drive for a while, my blog this month are my experiences with using Google Drive (versus the previous version).

So far, I find Google Drive functional for the way I work - primarily the way I organize my documents to be able to find them more quickly.

One element I find conducive to my work is the labeling of folders (previously labeled collections).  Because I have used the Windows Directory for many years, the nomenclature is more comfortable for me.

I have found organizing my documents and finding them to be more easy in Drive.  My experience is that creating folders makes more sense to me.  Also, it is easier to see which documents are mine and which documents are others (shared with me).  As such, I am finding documents faster and working faster.  I like that !

I am finding that, every day, I migrate more of my Microsoft Office documents to Google Drive. 

At Arden, our plan was to migrate off of our previous messaging platform (Lotus Notes) and off of Microsoft Office over a two year period.  We are about a year into the process and our migration is on schedule.  Google Drive is making this transition easier due to the increased simplicity of storing the documents in a directory like structure (similar to Microsoft Windows).

One difference is that we at Arden have several hundred shared documents.  We are moving them to our Google site.  That means that I, or another employee, has a document stored in a folder of our choosing.  When I share it with a co-worker, they can keep it in the main folder (called shared) or move it into a folder of their choosing on their site.  This helps me spend less time looking for documents because they are organized the way I want them to be.  I don't have to take time trying to figure out in what directory and in which folder they are stored in our Windows directory.  I prefer that.  Others may not.

My feeling is that this is the general move in the industry - to have employees take on more responsibility for organizing their documents.  For example, I believe that one reason some larger organizations are moving to another document management solution, Microsoft SharePoint software, is to push the management of documents down to the line of business level.  As such, managers are deciding what documents to store, where to store the documents, and to whom to give access.

IPad

Recently, I got an iPad.   I have used other's iPads a couple of times.  Now I had my own!

I was anxious to see how a tablet could improve my life.  

This article is about my initial experiences with a tablet / iPad.

One thing is clear.  The mobility it provides us has been beyond my expectations.  Previously, we had a bag of books for my young daughter Addy that we lugged around. Now Addy just has to carry the iPad - all her books are stored in the iPad.  It is much easier than lugging around a back pack full of books for her to read.  

Because the iPad loads fast, it allows me to more quickly check e-mails (i.e.  I don't have to wait for an operating system to load - as I do with my personal computer). This allows me to quickly check e-mails and find information on web sites.

Another benefit has been the ability to connect with my sisters visually through FaceTime.  Being that both my sisters live an hour away, connecting with them in person does not happen as often as we would like.  FaceTime is a new way for us to stay connected.  I was jazzed to see how well it worked when we first did it.  Being that they both have the iPhone, I am able to use FaceTime to see my sisters, nieces, and nephew - oh, and yes, my brother-in-laws.  

FaceTime is good tool that Addy uses to talk with her cousins as well.  The kids have easily figured out how to use this web conferencing tool.  It is easy. You tap on the FaceTime icon and then tap on the person's name with whom you wish to connect (on the list). It calls them and you are connected (if they answer).  This is so easy, that Addy calls constantly (too often - to my dismay).  Maybe Apple should make this a little more difficult for young children.

One of the limitations is that I am unable to work with some applications that I have available through my personal computer.  For example, I would like to be able to use Microsoft Office documents on my iPad.  It may be possible to do so. I have not had time to research this.

Being that we have been using Google Applications more in our work, I do like being able to use Google Applications on my iPad.

One of the best things about my new iPad is that I can enjoy listening to music and checking emails while in the kitchen making dinner!

Frustrated With Microsoft Office 2010

Is working with the ribbons interface in Microsoft's Office 2010 Applications frustrating to you ?

Are you finding the right place to click to take an action (e.g. start slide show) is not as evident in the new software version ?

If so, you are like millions of other business people who are experiencing angst with Office 2010 applications.

Over the past couple of years, we have helped a number of individuals more quickly adapt to the new commands and increase their work speed - without having to get help from co-workers.

Because many of our customers only need a short amount of time to help them adapt, we developed a program specifically for those who are well versed with previous versions of Office - a 90 minute transition program.  

The program covers:

1. Understand the New Environment
2. Working with the Ribbon
3. Work with Contextual Tabs
4. Groups
5. Commands
6. Dialog Box Launcher
7. Using the Word Galleries
8. New elements of Word - including navigation, search, and graphic affects
9. New elements of Excel - including table enhancements and chart improvements
10. New elements of PowerPoint - including picture effects, transitions, and special effects

E-Mail Marketing Tips

E-Mail Marketing Tips

In July, the demand for help with marketing ideas for e-mail marketing software Constant Contact was high.  Instead of the normal one day of classes, three days of programs were held.  


The fact that dozens of individuals in Cincinnati paid $300 to learn more about marketing using Constant Contact software is a testament to the value of this marketing avenue.


To keep it in proper perspective, a high percentage (e.g. 95%) of business who use Constant Contact are small businesses.  The fact that numerous small business in this region is a testament to the value of this marketing vehicle.


Here are of the several recommendations provided in the program:

• Use bullets for quick reading
• Link to full articles (don't put the full article in your newsletter)
• Brand with your colors and logo
• Engage more effectively by educating, providing fun, and inspiring the reader - this should be 80% of your content
• Have 20% or less of your newsletter for promotions (e.g. discounts, offers, etc.)
• The subject line is important in motivating people to open the e-mail - it should be 5 - 8 words and provide a benefit
• Having it come from someone they know and trust is also important
• Use of video is eye catching to most readers

One of the benefits of using this medium for marketing is that metrics provided help in decision making.  

If learning more by attending a future program is of interest to you, send me an e-mail (beth.combs@ardentraining.com) to have more information e-mailed to you.

SharePoint Site Owners: Blended Learning Solution

As more individuals clearly recognize that much of their learning is informal, more of our delivery mechanisms at Arden Corporation are integrating elements of informal learning in our services. To that end, one of our trainers has developed a blended learning solution for individuals who are tasked with responsibility for SharePoint sites for their group.


For those that are, they can be involved in:

• Deciding on the layout of the site
• Creating new sites
• Setting and monitoring access to the site documents
• Site administration and management

The skills needed for these elements are beyond the person who uses the SharePoint software for their work.  As such, the knowledge and skill needed is more intensive.  To help meet the education need for these individuals in a manner that is more conducive to individuals time availability, the blended learning solution has been developed - one that is focused on short segments of time.  

The work with the subject matter expert is in three (3) to four (4) hour stints.  Individual work is also kept at a similar time frame.  The subject matter expert makes herself available during times that the students are doing individual work (e.g. working on labs) in case additional help is needed.

In addition, being that the attention span of most adults is about fifteen (15) minutes in length, we strive to keep the education we provide in short segments to accommodate our adult need for changing up the milieu continuously so as to keep the mind stimulated and accelerate knowledge and skill development.

Development of this blended learning for SharePoint Site Owners is one more step in our work offering better learning experiences for individuals.