Next time that you go to a business presentation, stop for a moment and take a look at how many people are typing away on smartphones or tablets whilst the speaker is talking. Is this evidence of a more active listener contribution and a higher level of efficiency, or of a short attention span? I’d suggest that this phenomenon isn’t because people are distracted by new technology, but instead that the audience participation in the group business presentation is changing. In my opinion, three of the main technologies responsible are:

• Twitter
• Smart Phones
• Tablets

It’s now possible to comment on #eventhashtags in real time, letting other people know what you’re listening to. But is this a good thing?

If my old head teacher were to give a talk during which devices were in constant use, he would probably complain about a device dependent society, and a lack of respect. The counter argument is that these devices actually increase learning by collating content more efficiently, allowing sharing with others and lead to a more active contribution than passive listening. Craig Taylor’s article (http://tayloringit.com/2011/09/i-got-it-wrong-or-did-i/) makes the point that somebody taking notes with a pen and paper would not be frowned upon, so why is an iPad any different? Personally, I think that the truth is that technology has evolved faster than presentation etiquette has allowed for. Some business people may have been giving talks for decades, but the use of mobile devices for learning is a fairly new trend, and the impression of a listener looking distracted by a screen rather than being attentive is hard to shake. So I’ve come up with some guidelines to help reconcile these conflicts, and ensure that everyone gets the most out of presentations. For this entry I suggest the following  tips for participants in talks, next week I will have tips for presenters!

Listeners:

• Remember why you went to the talk: Although new technologies have given an extra dimension to presentations, nothing beats the impact of fully engrossing yourself in what somebody is saying. You have taken your time to go and attend a talk, so try to only tweet and mind map when it’s necessary, and not just for the sake of it. If you wanted to follow the backchannel you could have stayed in the office!
• Respect the speaker: There is a degree of trust involved with letting these devices become a part of a presentation. Although a tablet is great for making notes, it’s up to the listener to make sure they don’t distract themselves with that quick game, email, app etc. Set a good example!

• Sometimes you just have to listen: I believe there are some times when you have to focus 100% on what somebody is saying. Devices divert some of your brain power, even if it’s only a fraction. So sometimes you need to put them away. I challenge anybody to absorb a lecture on quantum physics whilst paying anything less than full attention … It would also be difficult to grasp an emotive video clip, a tough question from the audience or a new concept without using your full concentration. Recognise these moments.
• Use technology to police your own behaviour: Think about how you can get the most out of your device whilst still listening. For example, just because it’s a “device down” period doesn’t mean you can’t set up a voice record on your phone before putting it down! (And no, that isn’t cheating, that’s being innovative). Or what about a tab on your phone with just the essential apps for presentations so you aren’t tempted to get side tracked? You could also use privacy and time locks on certain contacts to avoid the impulse to message friends -  the options are endless.
• Moderation: Think about whether or not the contributions that you are making through your device are meaningful. If 5 people have already updated the #hashtag with a new speaker do you really need to do it as well? Also, if the presentation is available afterwards make notes that are relevant to you but don’t just copy content – this is a waste of time and attention.

What are people’s thoughts on this? Have behaviours really changed? Are people on the whole becoming bad listeners? Be sure to visit the Spicy Learning Blog next week for my top tips for presenters.

An inaccessible e-learning course risks non compliance, frustration, anxiety and lost productivity. Our top ten tips will help you avoid all that and build something accessible, usable and ultimately more effective.

1. Revise your definition of ‘accessibility’
Yes, accessibility is about catering for users with disabilities. But it pays to take a broader view: accessibility is about usability. Everyone benefits from easy to use interactions, intuitive navigation, clear language and a considered design.

2. Build accessibility into your plans
A lot of people believe an accessible course is an expensive course, but this doesn’t have to be the case. Consider accessibility from the outset, plan how you’ll build it into your design, and you’ll find that the investment pays off.

3. Aim for accessibility, not perfection
It’s worth finding some guidelines, like the W3C standards. They apply to websites rather than e-learning, so create your own test plans that tick as many of the boxes as possible and find alternatives if you can’t meet a particular requirement.

4. Don’t be tempted to build two versions
Creating a separate version of an e-learning course isn’t inclusive, so it opens you up to equivalence issues. It also adds to your workload, which impacts on the timescales and bottom line, and it can compromise testing procedures.

5. Be aware of the common mistakes
Don’t create interactions that require intricate mouse control. Don’t design a course that relies on an awareness of the visual layout. Don’t use descriptions that will be lost on visually impaired users (‘click on the green box on the right…’).

6. Offer alternatives to multimedia elements
Audio and video are commonplace in e-learning these days, but not everyone can benefit from them (and not everybody wants to). Give your users options, such as audio they can turn on or off, or captions and transcripts of videos.

7. Create a user friendly design
When designing your course, think about font size, scroll bars (and how to avoid them) and colour blind users. Summarise graphs, charts and tables so nobody loses out, and make sure your design is consistent and intuitive.

8. Speak in plain English
Accessibility isn’t all about technical features; the language used is equally important. Content that is complex, full of jargon or out of context can put off any user, regardless of disability – including those whose first language isn’t English.

9. Don’t assume ‘accessible’ means ‘limited’
As designers, we’re creative within the parameters of brand guidelines, corporate voice and technical constraints every day. Accessibility’s no different – a good designer can create something attractive, exciting and accessible.

10. Test, test and test some more
By all means make use of the accessibility testing tools available, but don’t exclude human intervention. Ask a diverse pilot group to test thoroughly for accessibility and usability and, if possible, build more than one test into development.

Download:

Top ten tips for e-learning accessibility