Learning While Working Podcast

About Ant PughAnt is a self-employed learning design consultant and instructional designer, with a career in learning and development spanning twenty years, with experience working in several continents, and global clients including ANZ, Westpac, Link Group, Microsoft and Carnival. He is renowned for using a performance-based approach to design training, passionate about implementing human-centred solutions to change behaviour, improve performance and deliver measurable business results.Key takeaways:The vast majority of learning is ineffective. Ant unpacks how a great learning designer questions everything and trusts their instincts. It’s very easy to just copy what others are doing, but if you ‘break out’ of the L&D world and review how else you learn in your day-to-day life, it’s easier to think outside of the box.Writing is a great way of teaching (and learning). From writing a daily email to his mailing list, Ant has become a better writer and has learnt a lot more about learning design. Find your medium where you can capture – or report – daily on what you have learnt or thought about to a community, no matter how small.Some of the biggest blockers for writing are not knowing who you are writing to and your mindset around writing. Ant has reframed what writing is to him – it’s about documenting, not creating content. This has been a powerful way to beat overwhelm for Ant, which enables him to write so frequently in a flow state. Focus on being a reporter rather than a leader or teacher, and simply share with others what has worked for you so far.Chapters:(00:00:00) Introduction.(00:02:26) How to become a better learning designer.(00:04:34) Ant’s strategy to seeing things differently.(00:07:10) How to move forward in new ways of thinking.(00:13:57) Why learning designers should write more.(00:17:41) Making the time to write daily and Ant’s writing process.(00:21:20) Some of the biggest blockers for writing – and how to overcome them.Links from the podcast:Subscribe to Ant’s daily newsletterConnect with Ant on LinkedInFind more about Ant PughCheck out GaryVee’s YouTube channel,Watch GaryVee’s ‘Document, Don’t Create’ video on youtubeWatch recording of Sprout Labs webinar ‘Creative thinking for learning designers’

About Dani JohnsonDani is the Co-founder and Principal Analyst for RedThread Research. Before starting RedThread, Dani led the Learning and Career research practice at Bersin, Deloitte. Her ideas can be found in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, CLO Magazine, HR Magazine, and Employment Relations. Dani holds a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Science and Bachelor of Science degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Brigham Young University.Key TakeawaysRedThread's Next-gen Learning Method Report demonstrates that the ways people work are changing – and that the methods companies use to learn must keep pace with those changes. Their research shows that there are more than 60 methods that enable employee L&D, from the way employees consume information to how they can learn from one another.When it comes to analysing data, it’s important to be able to ‘sift through’ and identify actionable information. Dani gives a great example of benchmarking, and that it shouldn’t be a primary influence for an organisation, but a consideration. She also stresses the importance of being tech-agnostic.Dani also shares how skills development is important as L&D roles are becoming more central to organisations. The need for durable skills such as critical thinking, communication and leadership will be needed for such roles.Chapters:(00:00:00) Introduction.(00:01:50) Why RedThread produced the next generation learning report.(00:03:20) The RedThread Employee Development framework.(00:04:46) On how they conducted their research and what surprised them most from their findings.(00:07:54) Some key takeaways for L&D professionals.(00:11:56) Why L&D experts are making use of what they already have in organisations.(00:15:25) On the need for skills development.(00:17:10) The need for mindset shifts for L&D professionals.Links from the podcast:Connect with Dani on LinkedInFind more about RedThread ResearchCheck out RedThread’s Learning Methods Infographic

About Geoff RipGeoff Rip is the Founder and Principal Designer at Training That Works. He is a highly experienced and passionate learning professional with rich and diverse knowledge. He specialises in quality production of end to end learning, utilising social learning and technology, with a dedicated focus on increasing capability resulting in performance uplift.Key takeaways:Geoff’s methodology is 'performance first', meaning it is applicable if there is a performance need that requires a learning solution that is best met with a training program. It also starts with a clear picture of successful on-the-job performance. Two key models that are part of the methodology are the Training Effectiveness Equation (Formation x Transformation = Results) and the Ready-Set-Go-Show Model.Geoff shares his Six Lenses Evaluation Model:LENS 1 is Participation, which includes Attendance and Activity and is common to many other approaches to training evaluation.LENS 2 is Perceptions, i.e. participant reactions to the learning process in the READY and SET Phases, e.g. perceptions of psychological safety.LENS 3 is Realistic Performance. If we don't move people as closely as possible to workplace performance, the chances of them actually using their new knowledge and skills is significantly diminished.LENS 4 is Recall Performance. It relates to Imperative 1 in the GO Phase and is based on research into retrieval practice. Training designs that don't incorporate retrieval practice will inevitably be followed by a steep forgetting curve.LENS 5 is Real-world Performance. This relates to Imperative 2 in the GO Phase. There are three components (or levels): Perceptions, Process and Competence or Proficiency.LENS 6 is Performance Outcomes. This includes productivity measures and financial measures/metrics. It also includes ROI (as a financial measure).Geoff recommended a storytelling technique as participants find it easy to tell stories about application. A practical guide for storytelling is SHOW - Situation, How, Outcomes, and Wisdom. We need to evaluate real-world performance, even if it's only at the level of perception, and we need to treat this performance as a learning process.Chapters:(00:00:00) Introduction.(00:01:37) What most learning evaluation activities miss – and how Geoff designed a model to measure competency.(00:06:32) The three phases to Geoff’s evaluation model: Ready, Set, Go, Show.(00:11:00) Geoff’s approach to learning flow over using templates.(00:14:25) The Six Lenses Evaluation Model.(00:34:55) Measuring ROI on select parts of a learning process, as opposed to the entire process.(00:36:44) How to evaluate learning effectiveness by telling a story through the SHOW acronym.(00:38:12) Geoff’s key advice to improving your evaluation process.Links from the podcast Connect with Geoff on LinkedInRead Geoff’s LinkedIn article on the Ready-Set-Go-Show for Effective TrainingRead Geoff’s LinkedIn article based on the podcast: Six Lenses Evaluation ModelBrowse the Learning Scientists websiteDownload Geoff's Six Lenses Evaluation Model

About Jeff KortenboshJeff has over 20 years of experience in Learning and Development, working for global organisations like Philips, AkzoNobel, and IKEA. He is currently working at de Volksbank. Jeff is the author of the acclaimed book ‘20 questions Learning and Development should ask before talking about training’, where he unpacks measurable performance and business outcomes and relevant solutions that go beyond training. He is also an illustrator of digital explainer visuals.Key takeaways:See if your client already has a solution in mind, to help identify what they really want. As the learning designer, give them space to articulate ideas and get a sense for how committed they are to those ideas.Consider reverse engineering exercises to help identify the bigger picture, and the tangible steps needed to get there. Jeff suggests asking questions such as ‘What does success look like?’. And it’s okay if you clients don’t know what good looks like yet – just focus on getting the team together to work it out for themselves.It’s important to find the key learners to work with from the beginning of the training process, as it helps prevent potential pushback from employees. Jeff’s advice is to start small, for example seek the five key learners that you can begin working with, then build up from there.Chapters:(00:00:00) Introduction.(00:02:03) How Jeff’s 20 Questions training works.(00:05:59) The Parking Lot question.(00:09:11) Getting to the route answer by defining success.(00:13:06) Getting access to the right learners.(00:16:12) Jeff’s learning process of co-creation.(00:22:58) Jeff’s strategy for potential pushback from employees.Links from the podcast:Connect with Jeff on LinkedInRead the book 20 Questions Learning & Development should ask before talking about training!

About Warren Kennard Warren Kennard is a globally connected higher education professional and reformer with extensive leadership experience across EdTech, strategy, marketing, business development and partnerships, principally in last-mile learning institutions positioned to scale. He is currently Principal Consultant of Digital at Melbourne Business School. Key takeaways:We are undergoing a rapid pace of change in society that demands certain skills. Transformation needs to happen within Higher Education to ensure that there isn’t a broadening gap with market requirements. Higher Education needs to also review its own business models to keep up with the pace.The ‘disruptors’ of the traditional education model, such as tech boot camps, are offering training that is more practical and project-based. Consider ways to work together with these boot camps that provide such technical skills.Organisations and universities can leverage the future skills in workplaces by working together. Even though they operate very differently, hence the rise of third-parties like boot camps, it’s important to be patient, clear on each other’s expectations and establish a partnership of learning.Chapters:(00:00:00) Introduction.(00:01:56) Why Higher Education is rethinking the way its working with industries.(00:04:30) Working with the ‘disruptors’ of Higher Education.(00:07:27) Bootcamps versus university short courses.(00:15:00) Advice for organisations who are considering working with universities.(00:17:54) Innovation labs at universities.(00:20:15) Exploring the different learning styles across programs.(00:23:01) How would Warren like to see the development of future skills in workplaces.Links from the podcast Connect with Warren Kennard on LinkedIn

About Aman Ed Aman Eid is a social neuroscientist of learning and an organisational designer concerned with how organisations transform via learning efforts. Coming from an interdisciplinary colourful background enabled Aman to have a unique approach to tackling the challenges facing organisations. In the last 14 years, Aman led and contributed to designing and redesigning 100s of learning journeys of agile teams, leadership communities, and organisational landscapes. For organisational reinventing to work, we need to reinvent the ways we learn together in organisations, and for organisational learning to work we need to reinvent the intentions of leading the learning efforts.Key takeaways:As many of us are reimagining the world of work, we also need to reimagine how we learn. Many of us have been caught up in the traditional way of working which focuses more on task mastery, neglecting the human side of work. Aman highlights that organisations are essentially “you and me” – a place where humans work together.We can learn from big tech companies when it comes to reimagining the future of work. As they are growing at an accelerated pace, we can quickly see what their success and failures are, and apply where needed to our workplace. A common weakness of big tech companies is their lack of hiring diverse talent, often due to their pace of hiring, so this helps us stick to the path of maintaining a diverse culture.L&D experts can help organisations reimagine learning by ensuring all employees have a platform to share their voices. By nurturing the “invisible leaders”, the key decision makers can then listen and be open to change.Chapters:(00:00:00) Introduction.(00:01:50) Why we need to reimagine organisational learning(00:04:25) Redefining work relationships(00:06:14) What we can learn from Big Tech companies, including their struggles(00:12:44) Bringing diverse talent to the organisational level(00:15:31) How an L&D expert can help facilitate the “invisible leaders”(00:20:32) Aman’s key advice with reimagining workplace learningLinks from the podcast:Connect with Aman Eid on LinkedInMore about Aman Eid

About Eva KeiffenheimEva Keiffenheim left teaching in Summer 2020 to become an EDUpreneur. Her life’s mission is to make education fairer and better for as many learners as possible. She is a writer, and helps research, consult, and implement education projects. She also co-founded Speed Up, Buddy!, an NGO to support first-gen students. She shares in her weekly newsletter of +3K subscribers, Learn Letter, where she shares useful tools and resources.Key takeaways:Eva shares the three things that organisations can do to help their employees become lifelong learners:Provide opportunities for continuous learning. This might be a formal learning pathway that is made up of courses or collections of resources. It could be structured stretch projects, peer groups or suggested workplace learning activities.Leverage from powerful technologies. Studies have shown low completion rates come from limited engagement, e.g. just watching videos, and there are plenty of EdTech solutions that help provide more active learning, for example Maven, a cohort-based course (CBC) platform. Ultimately, adopt technologies that can help facilitate ways of engagement, e.g. testing, leaderboards and immediate feedback.Make space and time to learn and practice. It helps learners get into the flow of absorbing information, and gets them out of the ‘content consumption’ trap. The main thing is to make sure that learners have enough time to repeatedly practice what they’re learning.The human brain’s ability to recall information diminishes, and it’s no flaw of human memory, so include this fact in your corporate learning designs. E.g. revisit the topics, don't just lecture!Good grades alone don't reflect acquired learning. Having just a visual dashboard and tracking time spent are not enough. Consider accountability systems and ways to embed motivation within your learning platform.Encourage learning exchange and the concept of learning in public through feedback and connections. For example, share your notes or internal blogging.Chapters:(00:00:00) Introduction.(00:02:50) The three things organisations can do to help their employees become lifelong learners(00:05:41) Why it’s important to schedule in time for learning(00:07:47) Key strategies to practise new skills in the corporate environment(00:09:12) Leveraging technology to acquire new skills(00:13:36) The role of dashboards and measuring real progress(00:20:28) How to make the most out of note taking(00:22:27) Applying cognitive science to your learning design(00:27:22) Eva’s key advice to L&D expertsLinks from the podcast:Connect with Eva on LinkedInEva’s WebsiteFollow Eva on MediumFind more about Roam Research Read the book Make It StickRead the book Atomic HabitsDo a course on MavenDo the course Learning How to Learn: Powerful mental tools to help you master tough subjects with Barbara Oakley

About Britt AndreattaBritt Andreatta is a thought leader who creates brain science-based solutions for today's challenges. As CEO of 7th Mind, Inc., Britt draws on her unique background in leadership, neuroscience, psychology, and learning to unlock the best in people and organizations.Former Chief Learning Officer for Lynda.com and Senior Learning Consultant for Global Leadership and Talent Development at LinkedIn, Britt is a seasoned professional with more than 25 years of experience.Key takeaways:The basal ganglia is a group of structures found deep within your brain. They are activated when you perform habits. This is “autopilot” mode, which helps enable you to do tasks quickly, accurately and without conscious thought. A useful mindset as a learning designer is to think about design habits.The brain’s reward system is a powerful motivation for humans to complete tasks. As learning designers, it’s important to leverage this concept and implement cues within your learning design.Ensure you are fully analysing what needs to be done and how effective your learning material is. Don’t take clients' analysis at face value, so go back to square one and be clear on what the best solution is.You can apply brain-based strategies to both in-person and online environments. The main thing is giving the learners enough space and time to practise. Britt recommends simulations, role plays and virtual reality for this.Chapters:(00:00:00) Introduction.(00:01:50) The link between habits and workplace learning.(00:05:04) Integrating cues and rewards in learning design.(00:08:08) Brain-based strategies used for building habits.(00:11:10) The importance of analysing the full learning experience.(00:13:24) Strategies for digital learning.(00:16:25) When to consider using VR for learning.(00:21:16) Why learning designers don’t apply enough brain-based strategies.Links from the podcast:Connect with Britt on LinkedInBritt’s WebsiteRead the book ‘Wired To Grow’ by Britt AndreattaBooks and resources Brit recommended‘The Power of Habit’ by Charles Duhigg‘Make it Stick’ by Henry Roediger III, Mark McDaniel and Peter BrownNature Scientific American

About Kuva JacobsKuva is a Learning Design Strategist, Instructional Designer, and the Founding Director of Redpoint Consulting. Her passion for learning design seeded from a PhD in mathematics when she created visual, interactive, flash based modules that brought complex mathematical equations to life.Kuva’s focus is on improving the experience of the learner through interactivity, engagement and creative use of multimedia. She creates highly technical training materials right from the analysis phase through to design and delivery.Key takeaways:Constructivism is a theory that learners construct new understandings and knowledge – integrating with what they already know. Constructivism is the ‘Grandfather’ of human centred design. Constructivism and human centred design helped shift the learner to the centre of the learning experience.It’s important that learners design something for themselves for the product to work effectively. The use of virtual design sprints can help ensure the clients are engaged and involved along the process.Online whiteboards such as Miro enable online remote design sessions. Miro allows users to be all in one space, and you can organise and structure the information really well.Design thinking gives you a closer connection to your learners. Be open to innovating in ways that suit your audience through working with key learners and identifying what people want to know.Chapters:(00:00:00) Introduction.(00:01:35) How Kuva came to use design thinking in her learning design practice.(00:08:06) A process for using virtual design sprints.(00:12:34) How Miro succeeds a lot more when used virtually than in-person.(00:15:00) Using a survey to gather opinions for the prototype.(00:16:48) Shifting to design thinking in learning projects – and learning from epic fails.(00:22:19) The importance of understanding your audience and identifying how they want to learn.(00:23:05) Advice to people about using design thinking.Links from the podcast:Connect with Kuva Jacobs on LinkedInRedpoint ConsultingRead Kuva's article on How I Applied Human Centred Design principles to Learning DesignMiro

About Trish UhlTrish works with learning & talent development professionals, people leaders, and other businesses executives on engineering dynamic ecosystems to equip and empower their people with data, analytics, and tech to enable the cultural transcendence necessary to power this kind of strategic change.Key TakeawaysOne thing L&D people get wrong when it comes to data is starting by looking at data. Instead, it should be more about starting with a business challenge or opportunity in mind—and then sourcing the data we need, whether it’s already available or needs to be generated or a combination thereof.It’s not about the learning function as much as it is about using data to generate the insights to drive the outcomes that allow others in the organisation to make better decisions.Data should be used to improve our processes. Data should allow us to expand our understanding and the context in which we’re using data to help us make more quality decisions.The whole point of evidence-based practice is to use the best quality data we have available, and this can include:DataOur judgment and expertiseStakeholder’s expertise, experience, and perspectiveScientific literature and academic researchThere are so many other data sources that we can use in addition to learning data, for example, Kirkpatrick’s four levels of evaluation or smile sheets. We can line those pieces up to be able to have a journey that actually helps us over time to drive outcomes.While financial performance has been a critical indicator of organisational success in capitalist countries, the performance metrics are changing as we move into a more sustainable business world.“Even though profit is important, it can’t be the sole focus anymore – it’s about people, the planet, and prosperity for all” – TrishUsing existing logic frameworks and measurement scales that have been academically vetted and rigorously tested in the field can help us collect data and reach conclusions faster.We should use existing logic frameworks to answer the big questions - there are proven ways to measure qualitative data such as employee engagement, culture, safety, leadership, and much more. We just need to become aware of what tools already exist and take advantage of their reliability.“It’s not just about the analyses, and it’s not just about playing with data. It’s also about being able to compel action. We need to take that analytical insight and actually compel action with that” – TrishLinks from the podcast:Connect with Trish Uhl on LinkedInTrish Uhl on LinktreeLearn more about Owl’s LedgeUtrecht Work Engagement Scale - for reliable, validated instrument for measuring, monitoring, managing employee engagement

About Austin WelchAustin is the co-founder of Sage Media, a company focused on producing training and development content that is captivating and engaging for the learner audience. He combines research from behavioral psychology, cognitive science, and adult learning theory to create educational films that resonate with the audience and drive behavioral change. Through a combination of learning strategy, story design, and video production, Austin is revolutionizing the way that companies train and connect with their employees. Key Takeaways“We must create environments in which learners can find their own intrinsic motivation.” - AustinThe three key nutrients for intrinsic motivation include:Sense of autonomy: allowing free will to guide your decision makingSense of mastery: feeling good about your skills and what you doSense of relatedness: how we relate to the world and the people in oursWhen creating a mandatory course for employees, you can still create a sense of autonomy by giving them options such as what order they flow through the course or being able to choose when to take the course.A sense of mastery can be encouraged when you ask them to bring their own life experiences and lessons into the course.To boost relatedness, you can create message boards and forums where learners can bounce ideas off each other and connect around the content they’re learningDeductive learning is the traditional approach where you’re provided information, examples to reinforce it and are quizzed on it later. Inductive learning is where a learner is provided with examples and then they’re asked what they can infer from it, really tapping into the critical thinking element. This taps into their autonomy, mastery, and relatedness.Research supports that using traditional pen and paper workbooks while learning helps commit the information to memory and behavior. Workbooks provide an opportunity for exploration while reinforcing learning concepts and ideas. They help leverage the mastery/competence and autonomy factors.We should shift our mindset from checking if employees are completing the training just to check a box to whether they’re demonstrating the results of the training. This will tell us more about whether an employee is a good fit, whether the training is effective, and if adjustments need to be made.When creating a training on sensitive topis such as anti-harassment, language like “don’t do this or this will happen” tends to feel accusatory and divisive but rather, find ways to create a sense of relatedness between the learner and the content. For example, asking “As a leader, how can you step in to create a culture that feels safe for your staff?” focuses more on building relationships and fostering a healthy company culture than the laws and regulations of harassment.To learn more about learning motivation, Austin recommends reading research on intrinsic motivation and self determination theory. Links from the podcastConnect with Austin WelchLearn more about Sage MediaRead Self-Determination Theory and the Facilitation of Intrinsic Motivation, Social Development, and Well-BeingLearning tools for increasing Learners’ MotivationExplore The Learner Engagement Summit resources

About Arun PradhanArun is a leading innovator in the field of learning and development with over two decades in the field. He’s the co-founder of ModelThinkers.com, a platform that aims to provide solutions that empower people to be smarter and faster by cataloging a playbook of the world’s most powerful ideas. These ideas can be used to make better decisions, interrupt bias, and solve complex problems.He’s passionate and ever curious about topics such as cognitive psychology, behavioural economics, marketing, and anything that provides insights into how people think, behave and change.With his understanding of consumer behaviour and experience in learning and development, he brings an interesting perspective to the table regarding the role of design thinking in L&D.What is Design Thinking?Design thinking, or co-design, is the process of understanding the user, challenging assumptions, and redefining problems in order to identify alternative solutions that may not always be evident at first glance. This process involves several steps, including empathizing with and understanding the user, defining their needs or problem, creating an innovative solution, designing a prototype, and testing.Key Takeaways:Design thinking is still relevant and useful in L&D; however, it tends to be overused.Co-design is overused because people tend to think of it as a way to convince others to buy into their idea or solution, be it the consumer or the executives of a company. People tend to associate it with getting sponsorship.The overuse of design thinking can prove redundant for your audience. When done too often, an audience that’s already overwhelmed and busy will view the experience as just another project to add to their plate and won’t feel enthused about participating.Design thinking is still useful when there’s a level of complexity to the problem you’re aiming to solve.When you’re engaging with your audience, the primary goal should be to understand their context, needs, and pain points, not for them to help you come up with a solution, per se. That happens behind closed doors once the data is being reviewed.Sometimes clients just want a solution delivered to them. In some cases, it’s best to lean on previous experience and expertise to develop a viable solution rather than going through a design exercise.Chapters:(00:00:00) Introduction.(00:2:25) How is design thinking being overused?(00:4:10) When is design thinking useful, and how can it be used more effectively?(00:9:09) The role the audience plays in co-design.(00:15:09) What’s the best approach for the prototype phase?(00:23:18) What’s next for using design thinking in L&D?(00:25:17) How can L&D teams become more dynamic with the way they use design thinking tools?Links from the podcast:Connect with Arun Pradhan on LinkedInLearn more about Model Thinkers, and be sure to sign up for the newsletterRead Arun Pradhan’s Linked post on rethinking Design thinking in L&D

About Sumit GuptaSumit, now a leadership coach, comes from 16 years of working in tech companies. He's now moved away from the technical side of things and slowly transitioned his passion for tech to management and leadership. Today he works with leaders from various tech and social organizations to overcome some of the biggest challenges they face in their individual leadership or with managing their teams."Learning is the foundation which helps your team to adapt to whatever is coming next. Learning is the foundational element of any team and of any kind of leadership" - SumitKey TakeawaysA one-on-one between a manager and employee is a foundational tool to ensure that there is space to learn and perform. Additionally, a one-on-one should be a place for a manager to listen to the people's concerns and work to provide solutions to their needs.A great one-on-one happens at regular intervals, once a week or every two weeks. The manager and employee are both present in a safe, private space to discuss not only status updates, but also to build the relationship. It should feel like a place where staff can disclose what's bothering them so they can work alongside their manager to develop the appropriate support they need to meet their objectives.When working with an employee who isn't meeting expectations, instead of using critical language like “underperforming,” consider reminding them of the expectations they signed up for, discussing where they're currently hitting the mark, and ask them what's missing for them to reach the level you need them to reach. And then work to offer a solution to help them hit their objectives.As leaders, if you see that your staff may be lacking certain soft skills, it's your responsibility to help develop them through coaching or mentoring.One of the best ways to prepare a new leader or manager is through on-the-job practice - not just learning in a classroom setting. And also having a dedicated coach who can listen to what's happening and offer that one-on-one support and feedback."Everything which is difficult, or where you are not hitting the mark is an invitation to practice" – SumitRatings can be useful in measuring performance metrics, but managers shouldn't identify their employees by these numbers. There has to be that human connection and relatability still."If you measure a fish by its ability to climb a tree, you will always be called a poor performer" – SumitListen to your people to understand what they're good at, bad at, and what they want to learn. This can allow you to see if certain employees would be better suited for different roles based on their strengths and interests.To build a stronger learning culture, managers should set aside dedicated time for learning, thus creating a rhythm of learning each week or month.Chapters:(00:00:00) Introduction.(00:02:06) An introduction to Sumit Gupta.(00:03:00) How leaders can foster a learning culture in tech companies.(00:04:01) The opportunities and challenges tech companies face with learning at work.(00:05:16) How to use staff/manager one-on-ones for fostering a learning culture.(00:12:42) How to prepare leaders and managers in directing the one-on-one conversations.(00:15:00) The effects of using labels such as “underperformer” or numbered rating systems to evaluate employees.(00:19:12) How to provide feedback to an employee without using a rating system or label.(00:21:53) The key to making sure employees have dedicated time for learning.(00:23:43) The importance of building trust with employees and structure around learning at work.Links from the podcastConnect with Sumit Gupta on LinkedInLearn more about Deploy YourselfRead "How to Have Career Development Conversations With Your Employees? Or How to Care for Your People?"

In this episode, Robin chats with Panos Siozos, co-founder and CEO of LearnWorlds, an e-learning platform allowing companies and individuals to create their own online training school. He shares how the platform is used to onboard their own developers/technical staff, ways to encourage continued learning in a remote environment, and ways to streamline the creation of learning content for your courses. “Success is not being defined by all the things we know, or how excellent we are at what we do today, but I guess it’s more determined by how fast we learn and how fast we adapt to the new ways of doing things” – PanosAbout Panos SiozosPanos Siozos has a Ph.D. in Educational Technology, with a specialization in Computer Assisted Assessment. He’s a co-founder and CEO of LearnWorlds; an e-learning company focused on transforming self-paced online learning. He has extensive work experience as a computer science educator and as a software engineer and IT manager.About LearnWorldsLearnWorld offers professional trainers, training organizations, and businesses a hassle-free way to create their own, personally branded online school where they can offer courses directly to the public as individual courses, bundles, or subscriptions.Key Takeaways:All employees hired at LearnWorlds go through training by taking courses designed for their job role directly through the LearningWorlds platform. This helps them not only learn about the job, but also gives them firsthand experience of how the platform works and what it’s like to use it.Companies that use an online platform for their onboarding program should focus on repurposing existing content that can be shared across the organization. Course content can be created through many channels, such as through recorded internal meetings or webinars created for a specific customer or audience. You can take existing content and reframe it into the context you want to teach it without reinventing the wheel. Learning content doesn’t always need to be polished as long as it’s relevant. Sometimes growth happens too fast to keep up with training content, so repurposing can be sufficient.If you provide employees with a place and the infrastructure to exchange ideas and teach each other, growth and continued learning tend to happen organically. People actually like to share what they know and to help other people in turn, helping to create learner and user generated content through discussions and open forums.“It’s an environment of constant challenges and problem solving this is what drives us forward” – Panos Even when working remotely, you can engage staff in a culture of learning. You can do this by giving them interesting problems to solve, by communicating expectations and company direction clearly, and by continuing to foster and build personal connections with your team members.You can encourage learning and growth with some of your most senior team members by giving them opportunities to teach or mentor more junior staff on the team; thus, giving them a new challenge to keep them engaged. Chapters:(00:00:00) Introduction.(00:01:47) Who is Panos Siozos and what LearnWorlds does.(00:02:35) How LearnWorlds is using their own e-learning platform to onboard new talent.(00:05:31) Is polished course content as important as relevant content?(00:09:14) How do you get people and teams engaged with generating content?(00:12:11) How to embed a culture of continuous learning during the onboarding process.(00:17:06) The key to maintaining a learning culture in a fully remote work setting.(00:19:50) What opportunities are there for more senior employees to learn and grow?(00:24:44) Advice for businesses thinking of transforming their onboarding program.Links from the podcast:Connect with Panos Siozos on LinkedInLearn more about LearnWorlds

Join us for a new episode of Learning While Working as Robin chats with John Danner from Dunce Capital – a company focused on investing in the future of learning and work. In this episode, John shares his insights as to why tech companies need to be focused on developing their own talent pipeline as opposed to continuing to bid from a dwindling supply of senior engineers.About John Danner:In the 90’s John co-founded Net Gravity, which was one of the first online survey companies. He then sold it and pursued a Master of Education to become a high school teacher. Then, in 2006 John co-founded Rocketship Education, a not-for-profit charter school network focused on providing equal learning opportunities to low-income and minority students. He now runs Dunce Capital, where the focus is on investing in the future of learning at work. Through his varied professional experience, he’s gained a deep expertise that crosses over technology, learning, and business.What should a talent pipeline for a tech company look like?Ten years ago, there weren’t nearly as many tech companies with a need for senior engineers and the more prominent companies like Apple and Netflix were able to pay the salaries to scoop up the available ones for hire. But now, we live in a time where the demand for senior engineers is higher than ever before, but there isn’t a pool of candidates big enough to fill the need.We'll see companies bring in young engineers, and then either internally or through external partnerships, train those engineers for the first couple of years so that they're not a liability. So that would be my prediction about what's going to happen in the tech industry over the next few years, and I think it’ll be a big advantage – John DannerKey takeawaysThe demand for senior engineers has far surpassed the available demand meaning that the future of hiring and training of engineers will need to change.Tech companies are going to advantage themselves by figuring out how to bring in much younger engineers and train them in their own culture and how to be an engineer.When companies invest in developing their employees and create clear career paths for them to work toward, they’re likely to get better retention.It can be a challenge for both small and large companies to train from within - each size company has its own set of problems.“An earlier stage startup doesn't have the capacity to do great training because the number of senior folks they have that would be capable of mentorship is just not strong enough yet. And you have the more mature companies, which until today have just been able to use the market to get the scarce resources that they need” – John DannerIn neither case are companies really focusing on how to develop people from within.“A lot of the companies, I think look at it as somebody else's problem still, and they wish that they could just find people that were ready to hit the ground running, and I think that's been true up to maybe five to 10 years ago in tech, but it's fairly clearly not true anymore. There is not a large enough supply of hit the ground ready folks anymore.” – John DannerThe focus should also be put on bringing diversity into tech so that there can be a representative group of people that mirrors the population. Companies can’t wait for the elite schools to become broadly representative and deliver them with diverse grads. And that’s why some of these post-grad accelerated Computer Science programs are so important; they help promote the diversity that elite schools and companies aren’t yet focusing on.The sooner companies get onboard with internal training and development programs, the better positioned they’ll be. The time of bidding up senior engineers is over.Chapters:(00:00:00) Introduction.(00:01:51) What should a talent pipeline for a tech company look like?(00:06:37) Investing in employee development as a means of retention.(00:08:13) Can smaller companies compete with the professional development larger companies can provide?(00:10:41) Achieving the proper ratio of junior to senior employees.(00:12:07) Focusing on building diversity in tech.(00:13:53) Should accelerated tech schools have a role in helping people once they start in an organisation?(00:16:24) John’s advice for developing a talent pipeline.Links from the podcastConnect with John DannerLearning more about Dunce CapitalFollow John Danner on MediumRead Johh's post on Tech needs to stop whining about talent

About Zachary MinottZachary Minott has a background in computer science, game and augmented reality programming and web and salesforce development. Beyond software engineering, Zach is an avid reader and learner. He’s also a talented writer on Medium where he’s amassed quite the following. Zach is passionate about expanding his knowledge, exchanging ideas with others, and finding new ways not only to create but to innovate. What is a learning engine?“What a learning engine is to me, is how many components are you going to put into your mind, that will allow you to move forward and be better than yesterday? How many ideas can you fill your head with, positive and negative, to optimize those things to your advantage” – Zachary MinottA learning engine is essentially the driving force that pushes us to continue learning and absorbing new information so that we can expand our knowledge and skillset. In developer terms, you can be a good developer if you know coding language but, what makes a great developer stand apart from the good ones is their ability to problem solve creatively. So, it’s not just about the core skills, it’s about adopting skills outside of what is traditionally expected for your work to stand out as exceptional. Key TakeawaysThe importance of creative thinking: Sometimes looking out of your own profession, and your own discipline can trigger different ways of looking at things as well.The more you learn, the more angles you explore, the broader your view. And now, you can find connections between concepts like art, psychology and coding and combine them to create a more elegantly and intuitively designed code.Where a lot of developers are missing the mark is going beyond their technical coding skills when rather, they could be diving further into the problems they’re seeking to solve and the experience they’re trying to create for the customer. It takes a certain level of intuitive and creative thinking to go beyond what the technical aspect of programming can do.“Because when you're creative, but you're not exactly a master at the technicalities, you're able to figure things out on a similar level, just because you're able to see those things in ways that they can't see them.” – Zachary MinottThe best way to develop your learning engine is to just start small. Think of what knowledge can bring you the most value, or is of most interest to you, and then, pick up a book and commit to reading 10 pages a day. Watch videos, listen to podcasts, read newsletters even 10-30 minutes each day. Over time, the knowledge compounds and you easily become an expert in that field.Chapters:(00:00:00) Introduction.(00:00:29) The importance of connecting pieces of knowledge to creatively perfect your craft.(00:02:00) What is like being a developer?(00:10:00) Strategies to build upon your knowledge and tips for building new habits.(00:17:45) What is a learning engine?(00:20:41) Writing as a means to share knowledge and exchange ideas with others.(00:26:45) Zachary’s advice for someone developing their own learning engine.Links from the podcastConnect with Zachary MinottRead his articles on Medium

This podcast is a conversation with Toby Newman from HERE Technologies about how to foster a learning culture. HERE Technologies is a Netherlands-based company that provides mapping and location data services. In the interview, Toby provides examples of the strategies and approaches that Nigel Paine and Sonia Malik talk about in the previous interviews on learning cultures. One of the key points from this interview is the importance of supporting employees to be able to share and capture knowledge. Toby also provides many other strategies of fostering a learning culture during the interview.Find out more HERE TechnologiesConnect with Toby Newman

In this podcast, Robin talks with Sonia Malik from IBM about reskilling your workforce. Sonia has more than twenty-five years of experience working in various roles in the education technology industry. The conversation starts with Sonia talking about how the pandemic has put reskilling and learning at the core of organisations and the opportunity this has provided for L&D. We then move into talking about how organisations can plan for reskilling, to enable learning to be at the strategic core of an organisation and so learning becomes a core part of daily activity. Sonia talks about how your approaches to reskilling plans needed to include perishable and durable skills. Examples of perishable short-term skills working might be cloud technologies. These types of technology skills change quickly and often are only valuable for a few years. Examples of durable skills include presentation skills, communication skills, creative thinking, teamwork and collaboration.Sonia also talks about what the organisation does to provide the learning infrastructure. Learning infrastructure is both the learning experiences and the recognition of learning that motivates an employee to learn. This enables learners to become motivated, self-guided, super learners. IBM has done research work into figuring out who their super learners are. There is a link to that below. Links from the podcast● Connect with Sonia Malik● Sonia’s articles on the IBM Training and Skills Blog● Increase your employability: Become an intentional Super Learner● Burning Glass Technologies report After the Storm - The Jobs and Skills that will Drive the Post-Pandemic Recovery

This is a podcast with Dan Mottau from RedBubble on Future ways of working. RedBubble is a global online marketplace for print-on-demand products-based designs submitted by artists. Dan has previously been on the podcast and talked about Agility as being The Secret to Greater People Experiences. The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the world and is transforming how we work and live. Remote working has transformed many workspaces and employee’s lives and we are seeing the rise of hybrid workplaces. One of the key messages from this podcast is that hybrid workplaces are about allowing people to work the way they want to and if organisations don't allow for that flexibility they risk losing employees.Links from the podcast● Listen to the Agility as being The Secret to Greater People Experiences podcast with Dan● Find out more about Red Bubble● Connect with Dan on LinkedIn

What is a learning culture and how is a learning culture fostered, supported and enabled? In this podcast, Robin is exploring these questions with author and podcaster, Nigel Paine. Nigel's latest book is called Workplace Learning: How to build a culture of continuous employee development. This podcast builds upon and discusses themes from the book. About Nigel PaineNigel Paine is a change-focused leader with a worldwide reputation and a unique grasp of media, learning and development in the public, private and academic sectors.Nigel focuses on the use of learning technologies, organisational development, leadership and creativity with a spotlight on maximising human potential, innovation and performance in the workplace. Nigel is a strategic thinker, able to motivate, lead and drive organisations forward to deliver business and training objectives.Nigel has been involved in corporate learning for over twenty years. He has a Professorship from Napier University in Edinburgh and is a Fellow of the CIPD, LPI, the RSA and a Masie Learning Fellow in the USA. He presents a monthly TV programme (Learning Now TV), shares a weekly podcast (with Martin Couzins) called From Scratch, and regularly writes articles for magazines and journals about development, technology and leadership.Links from the podcastFind out more about Nigel PaineConnect with Nigel PaineRead Workplace Learning: How to build a culture of continuous employee developmentWatch Learning Now TV

This podcast is a return to talking about live online learning. When people signed up for the 2020 Remote Learning Conference we asked them what they wanted to know more about and inclusion was one of the themes to emerge. In this podcast Robin is talking with Brigit Ritchie from WE. WE is a learning studio facilitating workshops, retreats and art experiences to re-imagine relationships in and out of work. This podcast explores what inclusion is and it’s importance. It’s also partly a case study of how WE delivers live online learning. Brigit wraps up with a great discussion about the importance of listening.About Brigit Ritchie Brigit is the founder of WE. Brigit’s vision is to develop Relational Mindfulness® to equip people across the world with relational skills to thrive in life. Over the past decade, WE has facilitated experiences for thousands of people to explore how to connect deeply with themselves, each other, and our communities. Brigit leads this work within the WE community across the USA creating cultures of inclusion and belonging in companies like Google, Instagram, and lululemon. Brigit is a mother of two living in LA with an active studio practice where she paints commissions and murals for clients and brands.Links from the podcastFind out more about WEConnect with Brigit Ritchie on LinkedIn and visit Brigit Ritchie’s own site. Connect with WE on Instagram

In this conversation Robin is talking with Gareth Killeen from Reece about how they used design thinking to re-imagine their leadership development program. Themes include human centered design, design thinking and micro-learning and spaced learning. This is another podcast that was recorded at LearnX 2019.Links from the podcast Connect with Gareth KilleenFind out more about ReeceFind out more about LearnXSprout Labs eBook on design thinking and L&D.

This is the next in the series of podcasts from LearnX 2019. This podcast is a return to a series of podcasts that were recorded face-to-face at LearnX 2019. Future podcasts may keep on exploring live online learning and learning in hybrid workplaces. In this podcast Robin is talking with Zoe Sharan from Amicus about how she is using the 70:20:10 learning model in their leadership development program.Links from the podcastFind out more about the 70:20:10 learning modelFind out more about LearnXConnect with Zoe Sharan on LinkedIn

The remote learning virtual conference brings together guests from the Learning While Working podcast series on virtual facilitation. It's four half-day sessions over 3 days from November 17th 2020 (Australian time zones). One of the sessions is designed for the European/UK time zone.The event is a mixture of group sessions and small breakout sessions with your peers where you will be exploring the issues and possibilities of live remote learning. If you're listening to this after November 18th, 2020 you can now buy the recordings from the event.Sign up here

In this podcast Rachel Burnham is talking about sketchnoting as a way for accelerating the process of learning and cognitive science behind the practice of sketchnoting. If the idea of sketchnoting is new to you, Rachel explains what sketchnoting is at the start. Also, towards the end of the session Rachel talks about how she is now teaching sketchnoting online. About Rachel Burnham Rachel helps trainers and L&D professionals become even more effective. She has over 25 years of experience in training and L&D, this includes a wide range of organisations from the private, public and voluntary sectors. Links from the podcastRead L&D Matters by RachelConnect with Rachel BurnhamConnect with Rachel Burnham on TwitterRachel’s upcoming events on EventBrite

How do you make sure a virtual event runs smoothly and is engaging? Your event producer is key to a successful virtual event but what does a producer do? In this podcast, Robin is talking with Karyn Gleeson about this question. The podcast focuses on large events but producers are also key to small events. In smaller groups, producers can help new online facilitators, support the learners with technology and help read the digital body language of participants. About Karyn Gleeson Karyn Gleeson is an online events production manager for The Learning Guild, where she manages both the tactical needs of producing online events as well as the strategic needs of managing the staff and event deliverables. Previously, Karyn was an LMS administrator and manager of technical support staff for an online curriculum provider. Karyn also has years of experience as a business analyst, project manager and trainer for a custom software development firm.Links from the podcastConnect with Karyn Gleeson The Complete Virtual Classroom Checklist: 30 Tips for a Successful Event by Karyn Gleeson Prepare, Plan, and Practice for Your Virtual Classroom Sessio by Karyn Gleeson

Conference style events have a different set of problems to events that are designed for small group learning, they are even harder to make engaging. For Barbara Covarrubias Venegas the key to making an event memorable is the connections between the speakers and audience and connections within the audience. In this interview Robin is talking with Barbara Covarrubias Venegas about approaches to building connections and designing large virtual events. About Barbara Covarrubias VenegasBarbara Covarrubias Venegas is a virtual events expert and new ways of working researcher. She is founder of #virtualspacehero where she works with a diverse team of people from across the globe and she designs and produce EXTRAordinary and memorable virtual events. Links from the podcastFind out more about Barbara Covarrubias VenegasFind out more about virtualspaceheroConnect with Barbara Covarrubias Venegas

Scenarios are a powerful way to ensure your learning is performance focused. Using scenarios moves your online sessions away from being information dumps to being active and engaging experiences, where participants are sharing and problem solving together. One approach Ray talks about, is working with the group to bring out their experiences and basing the learning on those scenarios instead of fictional scenarios. About Ray JimenezRay Jimenez Ph.D. is the Chief Learning Architect at Vignettes Learning, trainingmagnetwork.com and situationexpert.com. He has worked with the American Bankers Association, Neiman Marcus, the US Air Force, NASA, Blue Cross, Goodwill Industries, Pixar Studios, Edison Missing Group, Dendreon, Netafim, Progressive Insurance, Bridgepoint Education, and the California Institute of Technology among others. Ray's expertise is in microlearning, story-based learning design, scenario-based learning design and creative problem solving. Links from the podcastFind out more about Vignettes LearningConnect with Ray Jimenez

Conversations are at the core of how we learn with each other, too often live sessions both face-to-face and online are presentations not conversations. Moving online does make designing learning around conversations more challenging but not impossible. In this interview Robin is talking with Joshua Davies from Knowmium about what a conversation architect does. Powerful conversations helping people transform the way they think and behaviour don't just happen, they need to be planned and designed. This podcast will give you ideas and strategies on how to design conversations. Joshua and the team at Knowmium have put together the Radically Remote Facilitation Toolkit which is a book, a toolkit of templates for activities, a short course and tutorials on using Zoom. About Joshua Davies Joshua is the founder of Knowmium. He has 14 years of business and communications training experience in Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, as well as both South and North America. He has worked with Fortune 100 companies around the world, conducting research, coaching and workshops on various areas of communications improvement at all levels of management. Links from the podcastFind out more KnowmiumConnect with Joshua DaviesRadically Remote Facilitation Toolkit Find out more about Liberating StructuresWhiteboarding tools - Miro, Conceptboard and MURALPolling - Typeform, MentimeterTools for analysing your online sessions - Otter for transcripts, Marco for monitoring participation and Cyran for automatic analysisQuestions and ideas to explore from this interview How could your online sessions become conversations?Could your session planning be more like designing a map of options and different directions for a conversation rather than writing session notes?Learner expectation about what online learning is. How can these expectations be broken down?What Liberating Structures could you use in your online sessions?How could you make your sessions be more like ‘spaces’ by using collaborative whiteboard tools such as Miro?How can you structure and scaffold complex, powerful questions so they are easier for your learners to interact with?Does your icebreaker and check-in actually prepare your participants to share deeply in the session?How could you use video to bring the physical space around your participants?How could you use transcriptions to analyse your sessions?

Everyone who is working remotely knows the experience of Zoom fatigue and the negatives of video conferencing; pixel vision, seeing yourself all the time, and what sometimes feels like an ocean of blank faces; but video conferencing also has many powerful possibilities for learning. These are the possibilities that Robin explores with Chad Owen in this latest interview.One of the themes that often recurs in interviews around online facilitation is showing up as human online and really connecting with others. Chad explores ways to use video to help with being human online. The interview also includes some great tactics and finishes with a discussion about whiteboarding. There is a sub-theme in this podcast about working visually online.About Chad OwenChad is the founder of Stimulus. Stimulus specialises in team acceleration for disruptors and innovators. Chad has a background in video making and storytelling and has worked for companies such as NIKE, CISCO and Wells Fargo. Chad has recently moved to learning and training. He creates immersive experiences to teach and practice new ways of working to reshape how people and systems operate. Recently, as well as moving his own learning experiences online, he has been helping other learning professionals move their work online.Links from the podcastFind out more StimulusConnect with Chad Owen

Great live virtual learning sessions happen with a combination of facilitation skills, learning design and visual design. L&D professionals often struggle with visual design. In this podcast, Sprout Labs visual design lead Iona Dierich, talks about the importance of visual design in online facilitation. Iona has a unique set of skills, as well being a visual designer and an occasional instructional designer, she has a background in teaching design. She now runs Sprout Labs visual design for our learning lab. In our programs on online virtual facilitation and design skills, Iona’s sessions on visual design are often what people get the most excited about. In this podcast Iona talks about a simple, practical idea on how to improve your visual design. Links from the podcastConnect with Iona on LinkedIn and on Instagram Iona’s Thinking Visually - presentation slides from 2019 Learning While Working virtual conferenceSprout Labs Visual design for learning lab that Iona runs

In this podcast Robin is talking with Nancy White about how we can rethink how we work and learn online. Nancy is one of the pioneers of virtual communities, social learning and online facilitation. She now works mainly in organisation development focusing on how we meet. Nancy’s interview gives a different feel to other interviews in this series, it's less about formal learning and more an exploration of how to reimagine working and learning online. In the podcast, Nancy uses a powerful statement that is picked up in the title ‘creative destruction.’ Creative destruction is a great mindset for rethinking and refocusing the way we work.Links from the podcastFind out more about the work Nancy does at Full CircleConnect with Nancy White on LinkedIn

In this podcast Robin and Lori Niles-Hofman are talking about performance consulting. This podcast is another in our series on live online teaching and facilitation being recorded in the middle of the COVID-19 crisis. Many organisations have rapidly switched from face-to-face learning to live online facilitation which feels like a fast agile way to get learning to employees who are remote. There are other rapid agile approaches to help your people learn and performance consulting is key to deciding the right learning for the employee’s need and the best way to reach them. Lori and her business partner Amanda Nolen, have produced the COVID-19 Learning Triage flowchart. This is based on an existing tool Lori and Amanda use for performance consulting. Lori was on a podcast talking about data driven learning and how marketing works with data. In this podcast, she shares her vision for what she calls the invisible LMS, which applies some of the data driven personalisation methods we see in digital marketing strategies to learning. Links from the podcastFind out more NilesNolen Connect with Lori Niles-Hofmann The COVID-19 Learning Triage flow chartLori’s article on Crisis Tips for Learning Professionals

In this podcast Robin is talking with Patti Shank about blending learning design for live online sessions. Patti Shank focuses on transforming research into learning with tactics and practical approaches we can use in workplace learning. A lot of her recent focus has been on assessment and she uses examples in this podcast from her Writing Learning Assessments course. The rush to provide live learning often highlights what is wrong with our face-to-face session, as too often face-to-face is focused on content delivery. Patti and Robin start off by talking about what synchronous learning and asynchronous learning is best suited from a learning design perspective. Asynchronous learning is better for content, synchronous learning is great for aiding learners with their deep mental processing. Links from the podcastConnect with Patti Shank Find out more about Patti ShankPatti’s online course on Writing Learning AssessmentsPatti’s eLearning Industry articles on (The Right) Learning Modalities To Deliver Digital Learning: Part 1, Part 2 , Part 3, Part 4Bridging (Neuro)Science & Education - Efrat Furst

This is another podcast in our series on live online teaching and facilitation. In this podcast Robin and Ben Faranda explore what is safe online and what it means to be human in online sessions. Ben is an experienced face-to-face and online facilitator who has worked with some of the biggest tech companies in the world. Robin and Ben talk about what safety means online and then move into talking about strategies which can be used to help with building safety online. The conversation then goes into what it means to be human online. Links from the podcastConnect with Ben Faranda

In this podcast Robin is talking with Cheryle Walker on the future of live online learning. Cheryle is an experienced online facilitator who helped get Sprout Labs’ webinar program up and running. The title of the podcast is the future of live online learning but that is not where the discussion started, Robin and Cheryle started with exploring how live online learning can reach more people and then they moved onto how the COVID-19 crisis has accelerated the move towards more live online sessions and how organisations are going to become a hybrid of remote and physical workplaces. In the hybrid workplace digital learning is key. Links from the podcastFind out more about Cheryle Walker on her websiteConnect with Cheryle Walker on LinkedIn

In this podcast Robin is talking with Michael Gwyther about pivoting to online training. Michael often works with Sprout Labs on online facilitation; he was the host of one room for our first virtual conference. Michael has been helping a number of training providers in the Australian vocational education system to pivot rapidly to live online learning. The discussion is an insight to what is happening in the training sector at the moment and Michael shares a number of ‘learning hacks’. The interview finishes with effective suggestions from Michael about assessing what your strengths are in face-to-face teaching and then thinking about how to bring those to live teaching experiences. Links from the podcastFind out more Yum StudioConnect with Michael Gwyther

This is another podcast in our series on live online teaching and facilitation. In the podcast, Robin is talking with Jo Cook about designing interactive virtual sessions. They start with what an interactive virtual classroom session looks like and then move into how to design engaging, interactive virtual sessions. This podcast is full of practical tips and ideas about designing more interactive sessions and how to become a better facilitator. Links from the podcastFind out more about Lightbulb MomentConnect with Jo CookJo’s Webinar and virtual classroom podcastLightbulb Moment Community for virtual classroom and webinar discussions

This podcast is the start of our series of podcasts on live online teaching and facilitation. Sprout Labs has been busy helping organisations rapidly move from face-to-face learning to live online learning during the COVID-19 crisis. Virtual facilitation has always been in the background of what we do at Sprout Labs. Virtual classrooms are often a core feature of the learning ecosystems we design. Our own development programs for L&D people focus on live sessions, and we also have our regular webinars and our virtual conference. Sprout Labs is now helping organisations design and manage virtual conferences. This first podcast was recorded at a stage when restrictions were gradually being lifted in Australia; this doesn't automatically mean we are going back to our offices. Many offices don't have the space to allow for social distancing and commuting is going to be hard. A hybrid remote and physical workplace is emerging where digital learning is core. There has been a rush to live online learning, it feels fast and simple but it's not always the best solution. In many of these interviews the discussion and thinking has moved to what is the potential ‘right mix’ of mediums to use for learning experiences. This might be live synchronous learning, asynchronous resources or social learning. In this first podcast Robin and Iona Dierich, one of the Sprout team members, are talking about what great live online teaching and facilitation looks like and how we approach online facilitation at Sprout Labs.

We are in the middle of the COVID-19 crisis; the world is full of uncertainty, organizations have rapidly moved workforces home, and we are isolated and distanced. Before this started, I talked with Beatrice Bekar and Juan Casasbuenas from Nesta about research they were doing on the future of learning. ‘The Make it FutureFit: Four ways to design better adult learning’ report focuses on preparing learners for the workforce, and it explores four core strategies via a series of case studies. The strategies the report explores are:Strategies that promote learner identityStrategies that drive motivation to learnStrategies that help learners master a new skill or topicStrategies to develop a community of practiceDuring the discussion, we focus on how these strategies apply to learning remotely.LinksDownload the Make it FutureFit: Four ways to design better adult learningFind out more about NestaFind out more about Nesta’s Digital Frontrunners and FutureFit programsConnect with Beatrice Bekar and Juan Casasbuenas

This podcast about agility for the internal people experience is a discussion between Robin and Dan Mottau from Zendesk at LearnX 2019. It’s also about placing what people need at the centre of an organisation's culture. If the agile principles are new to you there is a link to them in the notes.Links from the podcastFind out more about the Principles behind the Agile ManifestoFind out more about LearnXConnect with Dan on LinkedIn

This is the next in the series of podcasts from LearnX. The interview is with Jake Phillips, Senior Manager, People Capability, ANZ Bank NZ and Matt Proud and James Crosby from Immersive Solutions. The interview focus is a project where ANZ New Zealand has been using virtual reality to simulate interactions with an aggressive customer.The conversation focuses on the learning experience not on technology. One of the issues with face-to-face learning is often it’s talking about an experience, not having an experience. Using virtual reality in face-to-face sessions, as talked about in the podcast, means an actual experiential element is added to enhance the learning experience.Useful links from the podcastFind out more about Jake PhillipsFind out more about Immersive SolutionsFind out more about about LearnX

This is the first of a series of podcasts recorded at LearnX in October 2019. This podcast is an interview with Matthew Stephenson Design Manager from BUPA Health Insurance. The project Matthew talks about is a series of major reforms to a key process. He talks about the way they worked in a holistic, data-driven manner to achieve the reforms. The way they used data included robust learning checks after the learning experience and making changes to the learning experience based on the patterns revealed in the data. They also used the data to communicate to stakeholders how the program was working.Useful links from the podcastFind out more about MatthewFind out more about about LearnX

In this podcast Robin is talking with Danielle Wallace from Beyond the Sky about approaches that marketing uses to design engaging video experiences and how these approaches can be used to increase the impact of your learning video. One of the themes Robin often explores on the podcast is the link between marketing and learning. This conversation is a deep dive into how marketers use video and what L&D can learn from that. Danielle built a rich background in strategic marketing before she moved into L&D. Danielle talks about two key things that L&D can learn from the way marketers use video having a creative concept using drama One of the side topics that is explored in this podcast is creativity and L&D. Useful links from the podcast Find out more about Danielle Find out more about about Beyond the Sky Resource from Beyond the Sky on how make better learning videos The video Danielle talked about in podcast Kids bring their mental wellness issues with them

In this podcast Robin talks with Yishan Chan about the idea of personal talent stacks and how to develop your own talent stack. Often on the Learning While Working podcast we focus on designing learning and an organisational viewpoint on learning. This conversation with Yishan is a switch to focusing on how individuals learn. Yishan has a great podcast called Digital Learner where she talks with people about making career shifts and learning at work. Some of the topics we talk about include learning from peers, podcasting and side projects as a way of learning. **Useful links from the podcast ** Connect with Yishan Chan on LinkedIn Find out more building your talent stack Listen to Yishan’s Digital Learner podcast

In this interview, Bianca Baumann talks about how marketers design engaging experiences and what L&D can learn from these strategies. She summarises the key strategies as being: focusing on emotional impact communicating visually engaging writing The interview explores each of these strategies in more depth. Useful links on marketing and learning Find out more about Bianca Download Bianca Baumann’s Little Black Book of Marketing and L&D The two sites Bianca suggests as a way to learn more about marketing are Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs

As workplaces and work are changing rapidly, people need to be more in control of their own learning and learn while working. Self-directed learning is a key skill for the future of work. In this podcast Robin talks with Catherine Lombardozzi about fostering self-directed learners in your organisation. Catherine’s approach to self-guided learning identifies 10 pillars organised into three different areas around individual qualities, learning skills and environmental characteristics. The podcast finishes with Catherine talking about some powerful tactics to help your learners develop these skills. Useful links Connect with Catherine Lombardozzi on LinkedIn Find out more about Learning 4 Learning Professionals Download Catherine's presentation “Cultivating a Self-Directed Learning Culture” from Learning Solutions 2019 Catherine’s guide to Scaffolding self directed learning at work and Tactics for scaffolding self direction

This podcast is an exploration of measuring the impact of learning ecosystems with Steven Foreman, the President of InfoMedia Designs. The podcast starts with Steve outlining his ecosystem model and then he talks about measuring impact. Steve talks about the strategic work that L&D need to be working on and how it leads to a layered approach to measurement. The layers are: the business metrics, then the performance metrics and then learning metrics. These layers form a framework for learning dashboards. Useful links Connect with Steve Foreman on LinkedIn Find out more about InfoMedia Designs Download Steve 's presentation “Evidence of Impact: How Metrics Drive a Learning and Performance Ecosystem”

This podcast is with Jeremy Roberts from Infinitude Creative Group on using the Fogg Behaviour Change Model for designing learning solutions that are easier to use and more engaging. The model takes into account your audiences’ motivation, their abilities and prompts to engage them. Jeremy uses some great examples of the model in action. He encourages L&D professionals to go beyond looking at the way other organisations are designing learning solutions to thinking why the marketing is working and how new services are being designed. Useful links Find more about the Fogg Behavior model Connect with Jeremy Roberts on LinkedIn Find out more about Infinitude Creative Group Download Jeremy's presentation “4 Ways to Eliminate Friction in Your Learning Ecosystem” from Learning Solutions 2019

This the start of a series of interviews with the speakers from Learning Solutions 2019. This podcast is with Jenny Saucerman on what is broken with assessment in eLearning. L&D is more becoming focused on performance based learning, but the missing element is often assessment. There is often a gap between learning and on the job performance. Jenny has some great thoughts about this challenge and how can simulations be used in assessment, particularly branching scenarios. The podcast will help you to rethink your assessments in your eLearning modules beyond multiple choice questions. Useful links Connect with Jenny Saucerman on LinkedIn Download Jenny's presentation on "Show Me What You Got: Simulation as Assessment" from Learning Solutions 2019 Access the transcript on the Sprout Labs website.