The A to Z of Microlearning with Shannon Tipton
Summary
TLDRIn this insightful interview, L&D professional Shannon Tipton discusses the evolution and impact of microlearning in the workplace. Highlighting its flexibility and ability to deliver targeted content, she emphasizes the importance of creating standalone learning modules that cater to specific outcomes. Tipton also addresses the role of AI in streamlining microlearning content creation and the shift towards community-based learning in the future of L&D. Her advice for effective microlearning? Focus on one topic at a time for maximum impact.
Takeaways
- ๐ Microlearning is defined as short bursts of focused, right-sized content aimed at achieving a specific outcome.
- ๐ซ The pandemic reshaped the microlearning landscape by accelerating the need for flexible and accessible training solutions that can reach people where they are.
- ๐ง AI has the potential to streamline the development of high-quality microlearning modules by assisting in content creation, brainstorming, and repurposing existing content.
- ๐ Microlearning should not just be chopped-up content but should have a clear beginning, middle, and definitive end to ensure standalone comprehension.
- ๐ฏ Microlearning can be effectively used for complex and technical training when integrated properly with other learning methods such as blended or flipped classroom approaches.
- ๐ Measuring the effectiveness of microlearning should focus on appropriate metrics that align with business goals, rather than just engagement numbers.
- ๐ฅ Microlearning appeals across generations and should be adapted to organizational culture and individual preferences for information consumption.
- ๐ ๏ธ AI can help in rapid content creation for microlearning, from generating outlines to producing graphics and video scripts, making the process quicker and potentially more efficient.
- ๐ The future of L&D may see a trend towards community-based and peer-to-peer learning, facilitated by technology that allows for easy community nurturing and user-generated content.
- ๐ Business acumen is a crucial skill for L&D professionals to understand and speak the language of business, ensuring their work aligns with and adds value to organizational goals.
- ๐ Shannon Tipton recommends 'Designed for How People Learn' by Julie Dirksen as a favorite book on Learning and Development, highlighting the importance of understanding learning processes.
Q & A
What is the definition of microlearning according to Shannon Tipton?
-Microlearning is defined as short bursts of focused, right-sized content to achieve a specific outcome.
How did Shannon Tipton's professional journey in L&D begin?
-Shannon started in the restaurant business and transitioned into training when she expressed interest in developing franchisees, which led her to explore and eventually become passionate about the L&D field.
What is the significance of the name 'Learning Rebels' for Shannon's consultancy?
-The name 'Learning Rebels' originated from a blog Shannon started with a friend. It reflects her philosophy of challenging traditional learning methods and aligns with her approach to L&D.
Why did Shannon decide to start her own independent consultancy?
-Shannon wanted to maintain her passion for L&D and not move with her company's headquarters from Chicago to Philadelphia. She took the opportunity to start her own business, embracing the philosophy of 'Learning Rebels'.
How does Shannon view the role of microlearning in complex and technical training?
-Shannon believes microlearning can be used for complex topics by being careful and using it as a tool within a larger learning initiative, such as reinforcement links in leadership development programs.
What is Shannon's perspective on measuring the effectiveness of microlearning?
-Shannon suggests that the effectiveness of microlearning should be measured in terms of its contribution to broader business goals, rather than just engagement metrics like views or downloads.
How does Shannon Tipton suggest adapting microlearning to cater to different generations in the workforce?
-Shannon believes microlearning appeals across generations and emphasizes the importance of aligning learning solutions with organizational culture rather than focusing solely on generational differences.
What are some alternative formats to video that Shannon mentions for microlearning content?
-Shannon mentions infographics, PDFs, and other formats as effective for microlearning in certain scenarios, emphasizing the importance of choosing the right format based on the content's needs.
How does Shannon see the potential of AI in streamlining the development of high-quality microlearning modules?
-Shannon sees AI as a tool that can significantly help in the brainstorming process, content creation, and even in generating graphics and video scripts, making the development of microlearning modules faster and more efficient.
What impact did the pandemic have on the microlearning landscape according to Shannon's observations?
-The pandemic reshaped the microlearning landscape by accelerating its adoption as organizations sought ways to deliver training remotely and efficiently. It highlighted microlearning's ability to reach people where they are without causing disruption.
What is Shannon's advice on implementing microlearning without just repurposing old content?
-Shannon advises creating microlearning with a clear beginning, middle, and definitive end, ensuring each piece is a standalone object that contributes to a larger learning objective, rather than simply chopping up existing content.
Outlines
๐ Introduction to Microlearning and Interview Start
The video script begins with a discussion on the components of learning and the potential of AI in developing microlearning modules. It transitions into the impact of the pandemic on microlearning and introduces the host, Aura, and her role at Animer. The interviewee, Shannon Tipton, is highlighted as an experienced L&D professional and the host sets the stage for an exploration of microlearning myths, misconceptions, and strategies.
๐ฉโ๐ผ Shannon's Journey from Restaurant Management to L&D
In this paragraph, Shannon Tipton recounts her unexpected journey into the field of Learning and Development. Starting in the restaurant business, she transitioned to training due to her skills in developing franchisees. Her curiosity and passion for learning led her to connect with others in the industry and delve into learning science, eventually shaping her career in L&D.
๐ The Origin and Philosophy of Learning Rebels
Shannon explains the background of her consultancy, Learning Rebels, which began as a blog co-founded with a friend. The name reflects her philosophy on learning, which was considered unconventional at the time. After deciding not to move with her corporate employer's headquarters, she took the leap to start her own business, continuing the rebellious spirit of challenging traditional learning methods.
๐ก Defining Microlearning and Avoiding Common Pitfalls
This section delves into the definition of microlearning as short bursts of focused, right-sized content aimed at achieving specific outcomes. Shannon emphasizes the importance of creating microlearning with a clear beginning, middle, and end, cautioning against simply chopping up existing content into smaller pieces, which can disrupt the learning process.
๐ Incorporating Microlearning into Complex Training
Shannon discusses the misconception that microlearning is only suitable for simple topics. She suggests that microlearning can be used for complex and technical training by integrating it with other learning methods such as blended or flipped classrooms. The key is to use microlearning as a tool within a larger learning strategy.
๐ Measuring the Effectiveness of Microlearning
In this paragraph, Shannon addresses the challenge of measuring microlearning effectiveness, advocating for metrics that align with business goals rather than generic engagement numbers. She stresses the importance of tracking behavioral changes and the outcomes of learning initiatives, rather than just the completion of microlearning modules.
๐ฅ Adapting Microlearning for Different Generations
Shannon considers the adaptability of microlearning across different generations, suggesting that it appeals to all ages due to its concise nature. She advises against focusing solely on generational differences and instead emphasizes the importance of aligning microlearning strategies with organizational culture and individual preferences.
๐จ Choosing the Right Format for Microlearning
The paragraph explores the various formats for microlearning content, such as videos, infographics, PDFs, and more. Shannon advises that the choice of format should depend on the content's requirements and the context in which it will be used, highlighting the need for empathy in understanding the learner's situation.
๐ค The Role of AI in Streamlining Microlearning Content Creation
Shannon discusses the potential of AI in the development of microlearning, from brainstorming to content creation. She sees AI as a tool that can save time and enhance productivity, allowing for rapid content generation that can be tailored to specific learning objectives.
๐ The Post-Pandemic Microlearning Landscape
Reflecting on the pandemic's impact, Shannon observes a shift in how organizations approach microlearning. The need for remote training led to an increased adoption of microlearning through apps and platforms like TikTok. The pandemic accelerated the acceptance and integration of microlearning as a standard practice.
๐ Success Stories of Microlearning Implementation
Shannon shares success stories of microlearning implementation, such as a sales company using chatbots for product knowledge and a medical device company utilizing email lessons. These examples demonstrate the effectiveness of microlearning in achieving business goals and improving sales outcomes.
๐ฎ Future of Learning and Development Trends
Looking ahead, Shannon predicts a focus on AI literacy and data analytics as key trends in L&D. She also foresees a move towards community-based and peer-to-peer learning, with a decreased reliance on traditional e-learning, as organizations seek more interactive and accessible learning experiences.
๐ฅ Rapid Fire Q&A with Shannon Tipton
In the rapid fire round, Shannon shares her favorite microlearning format, personal preferences, and insights on the future of L&D. She emphasizes the importance of business acumen for L&D professionals and suggests that community-based learning will play a significant role in the future of the field.
๐ Key Takeaway on Microlearning from the Interview
The final takeaway from Shannon is the principle of focusing on one topic at a time in microlearning. She advises against overloading learners with excessive information, instead advocating for concise, targeted learning experiences that directly address the learners' needs.
Mindmap
Keywords
๐กMicrolearning
๐กL&D Professional
๐กPandemic
๐กAI
๐กRapid Fire Session
๐กLearning Rebels
๐กSpaced Learning
๐กCommunity-Based Learning
๐กData Analytics
๐กInfrographics
๐กBusiness Acumen
Highlights
AI's potential to develop high-quality microlearning modules through capabilities in flowcharts, graphics, and video scripting.
The pandemic's impact on reshaping the microlearning landscape, emphasizing the need for quick and flexible training solutions.
Importance of microlearning in the current L&D professional's skill set, especially in adapting to changes in workplace learning.
Shannon Tipton's transition from the restaurant business to L&D, highlighting the shift from focusing on numbers to focusing on people.
The concept of microlearning as short bursts of focused, right-sized content for specific outcomes.
The misconception of microlearning being only for simple topics and how it can be effectively used for complex and technical training.
The strategy of repurposing existing content for microlearning by creating standalone, capstone pieces.
Measuring the effectiveness of microlearning through engagement and behavioral outcomes rather than just numbers.
Adapting microlearning to cater to different generations and organizational cultures.
The role of AI in streamlining the microlearning content creation process, from brainstorming to final production.
The use of AI in L&D for tasks beyond content creation, such as graphics and video scripting.
The evolution of microlearning from a trend to a standard practice in the post-pandemic world.
Case studies of successful microlearning implementation in sales and medical device companies.
The future of L&D with a focus on AI literacy and data analytics as key skills for professionals.
The potential for community-based and peer-to-peer learning to redefine the future of L&D.
Shannon's personal favorite microlearning format, infographics, for their versatility and non-dependence on language.
The importance of business acumen as a skill for L&D professionals to better connect and add value to their organizations.
The key takeaway for viewers: microlearning should focus on one topic at a time for maximum effectiveness.
Transcripts
learning has three parts to it right
it's got to be do you think AI holds the
potential to developing high quality
microlearning modules so now it can do
flowcharts it can do Graphics it can do
video script how has pandemic reshaped
the microlearning landscape I think pre
pandemic microlearning was just uh so I
think that's where the shift Happened
One skill that every L&D professional
must have we have got to be able to
learn
[Music]
hello everyone Welcome to our brand new
interview series uh genius talk where we
pick the brains of thought leaders from
the world of L&D I'm Aura the host for
tonight's session and uh I am an LD
marketer at animer for the people who
don't know animer uh it is a DIY
animation tool with uh over 30 million
users across acoss the globe uh recently
we have been uh ranked as the number one
design Tool uh by G2 review and in
tonight's session we have got Shannon
Tipton with us hey Shannon thank you for
joining us Shannon has been a prominent
name uh in the phase of end of phase of
L &d for the past uh nearly 30 years I
guess and she has been a learning
strategist and a specialist she uh is an
international speaker speaker and also
an advocate for uh change in workplace
learning she has her own consultancy
called learning Rebels where she helps
uh top companies with their learning
Solutions and she's also an expert in
microlearning so in today's topic we
will be exploring uh the world of
microlearning we'll be busting some of
the common myths and misconceptions
about microlearning and uh I have a lot
of thought-provoking questions that I
would like to ask to expand uh our view
on microlearning and finally we've got a
rapid fire session which I'm super
excited about so hi Shannon so happy to
have you with
us well thank you for having me I I
really appreciate the invite and I'm
always open to have a conversation about
microlearning it is something that I
feel passionate about so thank you for
having me the first part uh is called
genius Journey where we will be
exploring your professional Journey
let's get started with that
[Music]
first so Shon um nearly 30 years uh in
the field of uh L&D uh it is no small
feat right so at a time when people
wanted to become doctors lawyers and
Engineers how did you think that hm L &d
is going to be my thing so how did that
happen how did that happen um that's an
interesting way of phrasing that
question it's funny um yeah I did not
wake up one day going oh gee I want to
be an L&D professional this is my life's
passion that that didn't happen um I
actually started in the restaurant
business uh so I was on the operation
side of restaurants I was manager
district manager I was an international
regional manager so I I had all of these
different positions within the
restaurant
business but I really didn't find it to
be terribly fulfilling I I was tired of
just focusing on numbers I wanted to
focus on people and I really wasn't sure
what that path would look like so I went
to the leadership and I asked them what
can I do I have this skill for
developing franchisee and franchise
owners so what can I do with this skill
and they said oh we'll just put you in
training
like oh okay so so that's where it all
started and I I knew absolutely nothing
about the training field about L &d and
anything associated with it uh but
fortunately I was curious about it I
really wanted to learn more and so back
in those days you know you didn't have
the Google machine right there there
there was none of that so you had to
pick up a book and and you had to read
about learning science and you had to
try to connect with others through
conferences and you joined um membership
organizations and you just tried to
learn and the more that I learned the
more that I wanted to be a part of this
industry and that's where it all started
uh so you were dealing with front-end
people at restaurants basically so you
were training them like you were good at
it and you started training them as well
so
well right so my job at the time was to
go into uh franchised markets my last
territory was the Pacific Rim so I would
go into restaurants that were in uh
South Korea Japan New Zealand Etc and
help them set up their restaurants help
them set up their businesses so that
their businesses would be successful
right and uh I was also the person that
they would report all their numbers to
and all their sales to and all of that
and I would was really just interested
in how could I make this person be more
successful than they were yesterday
right and then that really became the
motto if you will of what I do is how
can I help people be smarter better
faster than they were the day
before right and that is just that's
really how I've I've taken my career oh
that's that's really inspiring so uh the
next question is uh learning Rebels it's
a very interesting name uh to be honest
so what is the thought behind the name
and uh why did you decide to uh start
your own independent
consultancy well I'll try to keep that
story short um it was uh learning Rebels
was a Blog at
first and it was a Blog that I had
started with a with a friend way back
when I was in Corporate America
and
then when I decided to stop working for
corporate America actually what happened
is that they moved their uh Main
Headquarters from Chicago to uh
Philadelphia and I didn't want to move
and I thought well if I don't want to
move and I I really feel passionate
about what I do and how I do it maybe I
should just open up my own business so I
went completely backwards from all of
the advice that everyone tells you to do
right they tell you have money saved up
and have a business plan and do this and
do that and I was like no not NOP not
going to do any of that I'm just going
to dive on in and see what happens and
so then when I was thinking about a
business name I'm like well I already
have this blog and so I went to my
friend I said can I use this blog as my
business name and she said yes and so
that was the beginning of it I thought
well the way that I look at learning is
really uh at the time it was different
you know the the philosophy was
different and so I thought well I think
learning Rebels is a good way that fits
into my philosophy so let's do that and
that's that's how that have happened all
always about breaking the path and
coming up with something new yeah I to
be the history yes that's a very
suitable name to be honest so uh we are
done with the first part of the
interview now we are going to the second
part of the interview this is called
picking the genius brain and we are
going to get into the topic of the day
[Music]
microlearning let's start with some
Basics so when it comes to microl
learning there are so many perspectives
around uh uh people right so some people
uh call it as short forces while there
are other people who say that uh when
you chop the lar larger pieces of
content into smaller chunks that's
called micr learning so if I had to ask
you in simple terms how would you define
microlearning well the definition that I
have always used and I have been working
in the microlearning space since about
early
2018 um maybe late 2017 I think and the
definition that I have always used for
microlearning has been microlearning is
short burst of focused right-sized
content to achieve a spefic specific
outcome and and so I realized that
that's kind of General but I I use that
definition on purpose one because it's
flexible but also because I wanted to
point people specifically to the idea
that it is short and it deals with
something very specific in order to get
a really specific outcome out of that
learning nugget if you will my second
question is actually a followup of the
first one so many organizations when
they start uh making microlearning
content uh they fall into this trap of
you know uh chopping up their already
existing pre-existing content into
smaller bites so but I have been reading
your blogs for some time and uh I have
uh seen that chopping is not necessarily
microlearning it is not going to give
the exact experience that your employees
should be given so uh the real question
is how can companies smoothly uh
smoothly add well-designed microlearning
pieces into their current uh curriculum
without just reusing their old content
uh into smaller pieces like how can they
transition
smoothly well I don't think it's it's
about not using already established
content they they can do that but it's
just a matter of reconfiguring that
content in a way that's appropriate for
microlearning and and so briefly when
you think about microlearning micro
learning has three parts to it right
it's got a beginning it's got a middle
and it's got a definitive end when we
think about chunking so this is where uh
L &d uh professionals get in trouble or
organizations get in trouble when you
said they chop it up right so when you
chop it up what happens is you have a
beginning you have a middle and you have
a to be
continued okay and so what that leads to
is if you had a 1eh hour let's say your
CEO gave a oneh hour lesson about
something and then you said well let's
chop that up into four 15minute parts
which is the natural
inclination and you know we really
should be chucking things down anyway
but let's think about it in micr
learning terms so we're going to chunk
it into 4 15 minute Parts what happens
with that is in order for me to
understand what is happening in part two
I need to watch part one
right yeah and then I also need to watch
part three in order to understand what
happened in part two and then in part
one so what they need to do is if you're
going to take and repurpose your content
is you need to create capstones so it's
you have a beginning some sort of
introduction this is what we're going to
do and then you have a conclusion that
says okay this is what we have done and
this is now how you are going to take
action on it if you want to learn more
more continue to watch the next piece
yeah each piece then becomes a
standalone object okay uh so it is
multi-purpose for right the piece
individually also makes sense and you
can put it up as a course and it will
still make sense it serves both the
purposes so that's great so the next
question is uh so there's a general
perception that uh microlearning
strategy is only for simple topics uh
like simple specific topic what's your
take on this and is it possible to use
microlearning for complex and Technical
Training sure you just have to be
careful
because microlearning is just another
tool in your toolbox right we we've got
multi different ways that we can go with
learning so then it's about what does
the content require you know can we
insert short pieces into larger complex
topics absolutely so if you think about
leadership
development right can we insert small
microlearning bits for somebody after
they've completed their or while they're
in the middle of their leadership
development training yeah you can do
that so you can use it as a
reinforcement link right nobody is going
to uh be able to take a leadership
development program successfully through
small incremental bites at that's just
not going to happen you you need to have
something to connect it with you need to
have some shared experiences Etc but you
can put microlearning elements into that
process and make it work so that's how
you would handle a larger more complex
topic okay okay got it so there's a
follow-up question for this which
answers what you actually told uh what
other the learning methods can be
effectively combined with uh the
microlearning to facilitate uh into the
complex training Solutions so basically
uh like you said you can add it uh to an
existing method as something as a as you
mentioned a tool inside the tool so what
you're doing then is you're taking your
blend you you're now blending your
content right so you're taking right so
you're taking Blended learning now right
and you are incorporating microlearning
bits into your Blended Learning
Classroom you could also do this with
flipped so if you think about a flipped
classroom
right which is we're putting all of the
lecture stuff up front so then you can
take all of that information you can put
that into microlearning content have
them go through that and then come to
the classroom and discuss what they've
learned through the microlearning
content so you can take and augment your
Blended or flipped courses with it
easily uh it's like a fun interactive
session also like like uh absolutely in
one of your interviews you mentioned
that uh I don't believe or like I don't
like to measure the effectiveness of
microlearning through numbers so why is
that so and if not numbers how else to
measure the effectiveness
otherwise it's not as though I don't
want to measure it through numbers it's
that a lot of times we we put
measurements behind a learning
process that really don't tell a
story and so if we're going to measure
micr learning we have to make sure that
what we're measuring is appropriate and
a lot of times we're not and so the way
that I think about microlearning is that
a lot of times most of the time it's
connected to a bigger learning
initiative okay so now let's go back to
our leadership development
program what was the business goal for
that leadership development program was
it to um improve
retention within the workforce was it to
create uh leadership that was more
Innovative or creative what were you
looking for when you put that leadership
development program okay so now that
you've established that just make sure
that the microlearning elements that
you've inserted into your learning
development course align with those
business goals so the micro learning
itself is not the Lynch pin to success
yes it's
everything now what you might measure
with microlearning in of itself
is uh were the PDF documents downloaded
was was the video watched if it was
watched for how long right did people
open up the course right so those are
the sorts of things where you can say
okay we have engagement but when you
think about actual learning outcomes
it's all about behavioral and that's
what you're going to see when people
conclude so are people behaving the way
that you had hoped that they would
behave at the conclusion of whatever
they took right do you see the business
Bas on that is that Effectiveness uh in
the training did they do the task that
they were supposed to do uh instead of
just measuring uh did they click on the
post did they open the file up there's
no human touch to it as well it's it's
more analytical based yeah oh absolutely
and you can put data analytics behind
this so if you're running an xapi for
example you can then see the progress of
of how people are going through the
microlearning but if you're using
microlearning as part of a drip feed
campaign so you're sending them emails
right maybe so within those emails you
have lessons so how do you measure that
well did they open the
email okay well let's start there you
know so if if they didn't open it then
you know that things aren't happening
the way they need to happen
but in general think about when you
watch a YouTube video so if you go to
YouTube and you watch a video um as in
like how to how to cook a
chicken uh at the end of that YouTube
video I guarantee they are not giving
you a
quiz they're saying here's here's what
we want you to be able to do at the
beginning and here's here's the result
so now look at your chicken does your
chicken look like this if so then you're
successful if not try again you know so
that's how that's how microlearning in
of itself can work when you think about
putting it inside the workflow is it
helping the person to get to the work uh
than you know measuring numbers that's
more important true right the next
question is how can microlearning be
adapted to catter the unique needs of
different Generations so we have got
genx Millennials and we are also seeing
jenzy enter the workforce so how what is
your thought about this I think
microring just appeals across
Generations so I try not to bring
different generational types into it
because everyone now let me restate no
one wants to sit through an hourong
e-learning course no one wants to do
that if you're 60 or if you're 16 no one
wants to do that so how can you then
just make the learning as appealing and
as engaging as you possibly can can and
then you can think well you know how
how how do people within my organization
like to receive information because
there's an organizational culture here
that you have to address so if the
organizational
culture um does not uh is not for chat
Bots they're like no that's not for us
well then even though uh a gen Z person
may want to talk with their phone if the
organizational culture doesn't support
that then we have to go back to what
will it support you cannot just take uh
the generations into consideration you
should also uh think about the company
and what are they uh doing uh what is
their form of working oh okay got it got
it right exactly exactly and sure you
can shift I'm always hey test it out so
your organizational culture may say oh
we don't want to do chat Bots well you
know what if you could do a an
experiment
with 10 people and see how that works
and if you see great success with it
then roll it out to 20 people then roll
it out to 40 people right then the next
thing you know it's part of your
organizational culture but that's how
you break through those barriers um so
the next question is in one of your
blogs you mentioned that uh videos aren
the only way to create microlearning
content infographics PDFs and other
formats are also highly effective for
specific scenarios so my question is in
what scenario iOS do you think videos
and animations are effective for
microlearning and uh when should one opt
for uh other content formats you that's
a really great question I and I get that
um my point has always been it's not
always about video because a lot of
times people think microlearning and
they automatically go to video it's like
okay what does the content require and
that's always my go home point it's look
at the content what does the content
require does the content require just a
checklist you know you don't need to do
a video just just give them a checklist
you know so if the content says you know
if it speaks to you and I know that
sounds um odd but you know when the when
you look at the content the content
speaks to you and it's not shouting
video then don't do video you can't shoe
horn it but there are times where it's
absolutely appropriate
so for example if I were going to you
know if I were going to teach you how to
tie your shoes I'm not going to send you
a podcast I'm going to send you a
video right so it's all about what what
will help the learner get the outcome
that you need to have achieved and then
think about the
modality you should also think about
where the like uh employees is working
under what AB
working this is something I learned from
one of your interviews only like I think
you it was a session in London where you
said uh it has to be appropriate for the
person to access the material or else
it's a flop you cannot uh really uh
things through them right it's it's
absolutely a waste if if they are and
I've worked with clients like this
before so they they will be in like a
clean room so it's technology so they'll
be in a clean room and they can't bring
their phones into a clean room so what
are you want to do you can make this
great video but they can't watch it same
thing if you got someone who's out like
on a construction field right they're
not going to stop what they're doing to
watch a video so or maybe they don't
have the bandwidth or maybe they don't
have a Wi-Fi connection so what are you
going to do so those are all of the
peripheral things that you have to think
about once you say oh I'm going to make
a video now you got to think about all
these other things to ensure that that's
possible I think it's easier to excite
to get excited with uh what kind of
content you want to make but you should
also be empathetic on the other end
there's a bias we have a bias as L &d
people with you know you got some people
who are really excited about creating
videos you have others that are really
excited about graphic design so we have
those things that we love to do but they
aren't always the right direction to go
in so um the next question is uh so in
uh your blogs have consistently
highlighted the the importance of Rapid
content creation for microlearning like
it has to be quick the making process
has to be quick so do you think AI holds
the potential to significantly
streamline the process of uh developing
high quality microlearning modules in a
shorter time spent oh absolutely for
sure if you think of just the the the
front end work so if you think about
microlearning there's a process right
you have content um we'll say uh
communication skills and communication
skills is a very Broad and big topic so
that means you got to go through all of
the brainstorming mechanisms you know to
decide where am I going to where am I
going to focus how do I chunk that down
how do I get to the smallest bit that I
need to get to AI can help you do all of
that you know so you can run your uh
communication outline or article or or
orse thesis through AI and you can have
it do the brainstorming for you and get
down to the smallest nugget and you can
boom go straight to work right so that's
a great help uh also I feel like uh AI
really helps you to at least get started
with the process it gives you a proper
outline and it's a very collaborative
process the more you give input to the
AI the better results you get out of it
uh the immediate thought that people
think about uh AI is content creation
yes that is true content creation but
there are other sectors where AI is
going to enter so please be vigilant of
that as well because right now if you
think about the emergence of Chachi BT
4.0 so now it can do flow charts it can
do Graphics it can do video scripts it
can do all of those things that used to
take
forever especially if you're not if a
creative mindset is not your comfort
zone so if you're very analytical for
example and now you need help from a
creative
perspective you know the the AI can help
you do that and that's really going to
not only just save you time because yeah
it is about productivity on certain
levels but it also can help you produce
something that's really good that maybe
you didn't think about yourself true
true true uh because I see a lot of
articles about time saving but what why
is the time being saved like what is the
need for uh the time save like uh come
up with the better content true and
there's a followup question for this as
well uh so have you seen some of the
interesting ways uh people are using AI
in L&D like uh have you been using in
interesting ways or have you seen others
uh use AI in interesting ways oh
definitely definitely I I just did a
workshop not too long ago about you know
how to do exactly what we just talked
about and it was here here's your
content here's your topic now from that
topic generate learning outcomes based
on Bloom's taxonomy and bl based on the
maker model of a three-part learning
objective now take that and create a
lesson outline now take that lesson
outline and using dog's nine events of
of uh learning create activities based
on those nine events right and so what
we did is we went through that whole
process and it took us less than an hour
to
do right so again yeah fast but people
were amazed at the
Quality so it's about what you ask it
you know so garbage in garbage out right
so it's like you got to ask quality
questions in order to get quality
responses but I've seen people who are
using it there's there's a number of
people online right now who are using it
to create fabulous Graphics you know but
as long as you say that your graphics
are AI generated that's the only thing
right you we've got to credit where
credit is due we got to say that it's AI
generated not generated by us or
somebody else you know and as long as
you're careful that the AI isn't
hallucinating content right so you're
still doing your
research then people out there are doing
some really fabulous things you you're
they're helping you write communication
pieces and I I use it to write emails
sometimes you know so it's when you
think about the marketing part of L
&d right so when you think about
marketing your department you can use AI
to help you Market your department and
you use it like that you know so there's
so many ways that people are using AI
right now the next question is you have
been an advocate of microlearning even
before the pre-pandemic days as you
mentioned from 2008 in the end of 2018
so having witnessed uh its Evolution
firsthand uh what was what was the most
striking differences you've observed uh
in the ways organizations approach
microlearning now compared to the
prepandemic times so in your view how
has pandemic reshaped the microlearning
landscape you know that's a really
interesting question
um I think pre pandemic microlearning
was just uh people were really just
figuring it out you know um and they
were still trying to figure out what was
the difference between microlearning and
chunking content etc
etc and then the pandemic hit and then
it became about how can we deliver
training to people who are in their
homes right without having to create a
bunch of e-learning courses that we
might have to scrape later on and and
then it was okay we we got people who
are sitting virtually so can we do
something virtually as well right so all
of these components were just circling
around and then microlearning came back
up and then you saw all of these
different apps engage by cell learning
Tik Tok right so you see all of these
Tik Tok for learning so you see all of
all of these apps start to flourish
because they realize that we can get to
where people are and I think that was
the biggest aha moment is that
microlearning can help Reach people
where they are at and not create
confusion or disruption in where they
sat and it became an easy way to do it
also a flexible way of doing it so we
can put out training really quickly
right now to adjust the need because we
had all of this instructor-led content
sitting on the shelf that we can't use
anymore so now we have to do something
really quickly and this this was an area
where it was like aha microlearning we
can do that and we can do that quickly
so I think that's where the shift
happened and I think that's where the
momentum still continues to build uh I
think it just lasted for quite a long
time till now we are talking about it I
think it's because of pandemic because
pandemic also
contributed uh for it to stay uh
relevant till today absolutely yeah it's
not a trend it's just
the way we work right when from being
prepandemic when I was doing my work on
it it was a fad and then it became a
trend and so now it's just how we
work people just got this is how this is
how it worked here afterwards they just
got used to
it the next question is um could you
share some of the case studies and
success stories where you have helped
organizations implement microlearning
activities uh initiatives effectively
sure um I can give you a couple without
giving away any names or any of that
sort of thing um there was a sales
company that I worked
with and they were having a new product
roll out
and sales the way that sales works is
that they bring all of their people in
they do a product launch right and then
they do product demos and then they send
everybody away and they hope that they
remember it and it costs a lot of money
and every company does it that way and
this company reached out because they
were looking for a different way to
approach that and what we what we did is
that we broke it up into more of a
blended solution where they had a
virtual roll out and then they still did
demos within their region but what we
did was we implemented chatbot so we
sent chat spots out to the sales team on
a regular
basis incrementally before the launch so
um six weeks before the launch they got
a chat bot about the product reminding
them about what it did and how it worked
Etc and we sent that out once every I
want to say once every 7 to 10 days and
then as the time got closer and closer
to the launch the chats became more and
more frequent so it went from once a
week to twice a week to three times a
week you know don't forget don't forget
do this do that you know uh go here
learn this especially being with product
knowledge things change and so we were
like okay you have to go to this slack
channel to receive this information
that's new right and so we continued to
roll that out and by the time they hit
the ground
running they saw almost a 20% increase
in sales and they had through any other
prior product knowledge so that
microlearning helped hit the goal but
also there was an interesting
serendipitous uh result from that they
had less
turnover so they didn't lose salespeople
during this process whereas before they
would lose salespeople because they
would become uh confused or overwhelmed
or what have you and they would quit so
they didn't lose anybody throughout this
whole launch so it was was a an
interesting serendipitous event now the
second way that we've handled this also
through a medical device company was we
created email lessons so we sent all of
the emails we sent all the lessons via
email in small bits so there was templa
sized so we sent the templates to the
business owners because the stakeholders
wanted to own that process so we rewrote
templates for them for each of the
different uh lessons that were going to
go out insert video here insert audio
here right so we created a catalog for
them to pull from insert and then send
to their people and again they were able
to short so they had a product laod on
the back end so they were able to
shorten the meeting time so usually it
was a full week because of this event
they were able to shorten it to 3 days
so they saved time and money and they
were still successful so so those were
some of the a couple that right off top
of my head that I could think of that
were really successful in using
microlearning to help them achieve their
goals I think when it comes to the sales
company that you work with it's more
like spaced learning right uh you're uh
you're giving them uh the needed
information uh that is required uh with
certain levels of you know like uh time
Gap so that they can process the
information and then start with
something fresh something that can sit
inside them for a longer period of time
that's great actually yeah and that's
exact so go back going back to your
question about measurement this is why
you you don't necess you don't measure
the chat bot you measure what the
ultimate outcome
is and that's so you connected to that
business goal and you see these things
happen uh we've got we've come to the
last question in the sessions L &d is
constantly evolving with the new
technologies and approaches emerging all
the time so looking for uh looking ahead
uh to the next 5 years what is the
biggest Trend you see coming to define
the future of Learning and Development
you know
that's I wish I had a crystal ball then
i' I'd be doing this interview from the
Bahamas
um I think the biggest thing that we
need to pay attention to for now and in
the future it's not just AI it's AI
literacy true you know so how how are we
learning about what it can do for us how
do we know all of the things that it can
do for us and then you couple that with
data
analytic so data analytics is going to
become increasingly important in what we
do and it's just to ensure that are we
doing the right things at the right time
with the right tools and you you can't
use the data if you don't
understand where the data is coming from
so the to me AI literacy is one of the
most important things that we need to be
paying attention to because not only
with data analytics but also when you
think about automation
bias when you think about all of the
things that go around AI right and then
from and then from a more L&D is
perspective I think um some of the
this the future holds for us more
community- based learning so I think
we're going to see a trend away from
e-learning not that e-learning is going
to die but I think that we're going to
see less of a dependence on that sort of
learning and we're going to go back to
community- based learning we're going to
be using more um peer-to-peer
learning so Community Based peer-to-peer
years are generated the old Trends are
coming back again p your
uh yeah right because now we can create
communities I I hesitate to use the word
create those communities are there so we
can nurture those communities we can
bring life to them you know through a
variety of different tools because we
realize now that we don't always have to
be in the same space right you're in
India I'm in Chicago we're having this
great conversation so uh uh organ
organizations can see this right there
happening and there's a lot of business
reasons to make that occur you know so
you think about communities you think
about peer-to peer people learning from
each other but also that user
generated right so so let the Learners
create the learning that they want to
learn from you know let them have a hand
in that it's like Community it's like
Reddit right they can share information
something like uh social media
experience basically
which is also something that I got from
your uh London session where you said
the uh the tools have to be in a way how
people use things in their day-to-day
life it has to work like Google it has
to work like YouTube and it has to work
like Facebook right so yeah yeah exactly
I mean because people
don't there's no need to recreate the
wheel here you know and so if you can
make it easy for people to use the tools
and the be in the communities and
they're going to do
that true yeah they will automatically
do it you don't there's no need to uh
force them or pressure them they would
uh like to do it uh for that try so now
we are going to enter into the third
part of the interview which is my
favorite rapid fire around I've got a
lot of questions so let's get started
[Music]
quickly what is your favorite to tool or
Tech recent favorite tool or Tech
chpt yeah it's my favorite too so yeah
it just been saving life so yeah so the
next question is um what is your
favorite microlearning format your
personal favorite micro learning format
infographics yeah because you can do you
can put a wealth of information in an
infographic and just send it out and I
also feel like it is not very dep on
language yeah videos okay I understand
English I'm able to watch it what about
the others who who don't understand
English I feel like infographics to an
extent they can communicate uh what it
is required to communicate it's what I
feel my example of that is when you
fly there's that thing that's in the
seat back pocket right the the how to
get off the plane and that's all in
pictures so if they can show me how to
get off the plane if the plane is in
dire need using pictures then I think
that I can teach somebody how to
communicate I think we're good uh if you
have chosen a different occupation what
would it
be
um
probably I would
probably I always love the movies but I
didn't want to be an actor I but I like
movie theaters so I think it would have
something to do with movie theaters
running one or having one or something
like that oh nice that would have been
interesting so yeah then um if you get a
magic wand and uh if you want to change
something uh what would it be it can be
anything if I had a magic one and could
change
anything
um oh well I suppose I could just go the
Miss America route and say World
Peace um
but uh but outside of that what would I
what would I change
um in my own life let's just say oh you
know what I would change I would I would
wave a wand and make sure that everybody
including myself had a more had a more
um focused view of work life
balance great really you know because I
think we all work way too hard and do
way too much and we don't take enough
time to take care of ourselves that
that's actually a very nice answer and
it's a nice use of the
wand so in your opinion what is one
skill that every L&D professional must
have business
Acumen um we have got to we have got to
be able to learn more about how
businesses operate in order for us to be
successful you know we don't talk the
language of business we we talk the
language of learning and our businesses
don't care about the language of
learning they care about the language of
business so in my opinion we need to do
more about business Acumen in order to
in order to further connect ourselves
and add value what is your favorite book
on Learning and Development designed for
how people learn by Julie durksen
designed for how people okay we'll
definitely check it out for
sure if you if your life is a movie what
would the title
be oh wow what would the title be of my
movie
um it would it would
be it was something it' be something
like stage one stage two stage three
you me the no divid into sections yeah
this this is this is what the first
phase of your life was going to be
here's what the second phase of your
life is going to be and here's what the
third phase of your life is going to be
none of which is
expected there we go the unexpected
journeys of your life that's the title
interesting movie
title so uh here is my uh F this is the
last question and uh this is my favorite
question out of all so today we discuss
discussed so many things about
microlearning but uh what is the one
piece of information that you would want
the viewers of this video not to forget
when they think of using microlearning
in their training one concept at a
time so microlearning one topic one
topic
only that's what I would ask them to
remember uh a lot of times in L&D when
we want to uh when we want to train
somebody to do things for for
example your team member only wants to
know how to tell
time yet we insist on giving them the
history of the
watch you know so microlearning is one
topic one topic only stay to that topic
makes sense makes sense because it's a
lot of time waste right I just wanted to
know uh that I just wanted to do
something simple oh right please don't I
don't need the history of the Apple
watch I just I want to know how how to
use the app Feature that's all I want to
know so just give them that so I think
this reminds me of the time when I was
doing uh I did a communication I'm a
basically a communication graduate so we
had a paper uh at that time called
Social Media communication so I really
thought that they would be they would be
teaching how to run ads or something
like that but they started with uh who
invent Ed
Facebook I can Google that I Google that
you could have literally ask me to you
know check this Wikipedia page I will
literally do that I really don't want to
know about the history of Mark
Zuckerberg till the end of the session
until the end of the course I didn't
really know how to run ads I just had to
learn it by myself so yeah perfect
example we are done with the interview
it was so fun thank you so much Shannon
thank you so much for Tak the time and
thank you so much for generously sharing
your expertise in the field of micr
learning with me um thank you so much oh
it was my pleasure it was a lot of fun I
enjoy having these conversations I'm
glad I'm glad you found it to be a chill
environment that makes me happy good as
the last part of the session uh we're
going to take a picture uh so it'll be
nice if you can strike a goofy pose or
something uh
goofy or something that is fun you
know so I'm going to hold my mug so you
can do something else if you want to you
hold your cup all mine how about that oh
yeah Okay
cool so yeah I think we are done with
the session thank you so
much you're welcome you're welcome it's
my pleasure thank you for having me it
was an honor I appreciate it
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