Does a good-looking course qualify as good quality? What about an ordinary course that brings about great behavioural change? I’m sure the argument can be extended to both sides. But my argument is to take the middle-path (very Buddha-like indeed, except I see no chance of Nirvana!).

As instructional designers, our primary responsibility is to bring about behavioural change, thereby, hopefully, also providing sufficient return on investment for our clients. At the same time, most of us are also looking to maximize our profits. So we need to strike a perfect balance between a good product that does not exceed budgets and a product that gets the job done: in short, the minimum we can do to get the maximum.

Where does that leave quality? Out in the open, in some cases, I’m afraid. If the client is happy, and we get our money, we seem to think of it as a job well done. Now, here comes the middle-path bit (let it not be said I didn’t warn you!)… that’s not enough! As conscientious professionals, it is our responsibility to ensure that we provide a learning experience that the learner can enjoy.

Top Tips:

• Quality is not about quantity: more interactions do not make for better quality
• Visually stimulating products need to be backed up by well-thought out content chunks

A patient walks into the doctor’s chamber and advises the doctor on what line of treatment he would prefer. Alternatively, if you prefer scenario two, the farm owner walks into the office of the investment banker and advises him where he should invest the firm’s money.

If you think both are perfectly normal, then you may as well stop reading here – I’ve failed to make a point and there’s nothing more in this blog for you. However, if these two instances do strike you as a tad out of the ordinary, then I have a question for you: When it comes to instructional design, why is it that the clients often decide on what’s best?

Some instructional designers are quite happy to let a course go the way it is provided the client is happy. What’s wrong with that? Well, I’ve seen screens with visuals that make no sense, interactive screens with over 50 clicks that do not make one iota of difference to the outcome of the course, screens with amounts of text that would make even the great Leo Tolstoy cringe, and sentences that are longer and even more convoluted than this one!

In my last blog I discussed the increasing conflict between the long established listen and learn styles of presenting and the ever increasing use of mobile devices by participants during talks. In the first part of my blog I looked at how listeners can ensure these devices don’t disrupt their learning experience. This week we come to the bit everybody has been waiting for. How can presenters ensure they get the most engagement out of those people tapping away on iPhones, iPads and a range of other devices?

Here are my top tips!

• Don’t be put off: Everyone has their own way of learning – don’t take people’s engagement with these devices as a sign of not listening to what you’re saying.
• Recognise and embrace the existence of these tools: Even if you would rather that people didn’t tweet during your talk, the chances are that they will! Rather than seeing this as an inconvenience, use it to get an idea of how your content was received and how you could improve in the future. Providing an official #hashtag will allow you to keep track of what was said. Have you ever wished that there were more questions at the end of your talk? Why not use your #hashtag to respond to comments and queries?

• Make your information available: Many people take lots of notes and don’t participate in discussions during talks because they are afraid of missing things. If you can direct people to an area where they can download hard copies of slides and case studies you remove this concern, leaving them free to participate.
• Structure your talks with these devices in mind: Nobody has really been trained yet in how to deal with the inclusion of these devices in their talks, so innovate! If you feel there is a 5 or 10 minute period where you need 100% attention, try saying something like “For the next 10 minutes we need devices down”. However, you should use this sparingly and explain why it’s necessary. 

• Be as engaging as possible: I admit, I’ve fiddled with my iPhone in some talks not to collate information, but simply because I found the speaker boring! The art of being a good presenter could fill a whole new article, but I will share one great technique I was taught at Reuters; ask one question to the audience for every 3 bullet points on your slide. This stops their attention slipping and can take the presentation in interesting new directions. If you keep your listeners on their toes they are less likely to become immersed in Twitter and more likely to be engaged in what you want to talk about.

Interestingly the future might have presenters using features like Siri (a new set of voice activated functions on iPhone 4s) to give "shout outs" from the speaker. A certain word or phrase could trigger a response from the device instructing it to interact with other devices in the room without the presenter having to do anything other than carry on talking.  I would add as I have been working rather than queuing to get the new iPhone (as well as being stuck on a 2 year contract) this is pure speculation but I think it illustrates the point that that there is a lot of scope to further innovate in this area. QR codes also have great potential to encourage participation in talks via mobile devices. For example the polltogo tool uses QR codes to let presenters ask a question and poll their audience for answers, ratings and comments further enhancing engagement and giving valuable feedback.

If you have any tips or examples on clever ways to incorporate mobile devices and resources like Twitter into presentations I would be interested in hearing about them – please use the comment feature below this blog to share your thoughts so that we can also get input from the community at large. In the meantime, I’m off to play angry birds and check out the app store …

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.

After weeks of sharing, discussing and deliberating, earlier this week we announced the winners of our ‘Shoot to Share’ experiment.

The quality of the videos was fantastic, and everyone has their favourite. The number of views alone shows just how valuable our video library is – despite its ‘social learning on a shoestring’ nature. But, as every L&D professional knows, true evaluation relies on more than just stats. We spoke to colleagues, customers, friends and associates to find out what they thought and which videos they found most useful or valuable.

So, without further ado, here are our top three video contributors with a little bit about why we loved what they had to say.

• In third place: Craig Taylor, Urenco

Despite Craig’s role as a learning technologist, his video is actually about combining on-screen activity with real-world tasks away from the computer. We asked Craig what his favourite e-learning interaction is and why. He earned his first brownie point by considering his answer from the perspective of a learner as well as a designer – putting yourself in the learner’s shoes is one of our ID mantras. Craig went on to explain that, for him, the best interactions are those that encourage learners to get up and do something to put the e-learning into context or into practice. Free-text responses need a bit of clever thinking in terms of constructive evaluation and feedback, but we’re big advocates of blended learning and so Craig’s preference for thinking beyond the confines of the computer when designing a self-paced e-learning course gets a thumbs-up from us!

• In second place: Jack Beaman, Fusion Universal

Fusion Universal certainly made a big impact at Learning Technologies, what with their bright pink stand and their exciting new social learning platform – so who better to provide a succinct summary of what’s important about social learning? Jack hits the nail on the head when he recommends transferring practices from our home lives into our work lives. If we need to find something out at home, we don’t book ourselves onto a course or seek out an expert; we turn to Google, YouTube, or whoever happens to be in the room at the time. This, for Jack, is exactly what social learning in the workplace is all about: capturing knowledge across the organisation, and sharing it as widely as possible. We wholeheartedly agree with Jack’s top three tips for doing this effectively: make it short, instantly accessible, and searchable. We couldn’t have said it better ourselves, Jack!

• In first place (drum roll please…): Matt Brewer, Chubb Insurance

Lots of people are able to talk about the things that are wrong with compliance e-learning but struggle to provide tips for how to do it right. Matt is not one of these people! Instead, he makes great use of his 88 seconds to tackle the question of what we can do to make compliance training more effective. What we love about Matt’s video is that he doesn’t just throw out the true-but-tired adjectives (‘practical’, ‘interesting’, ‘realistic’) – instead, he provides some concrete ideas that you can go away and try for yourself. We’re big fans of these top tips from Matt: identify the desired outcomes and select the content accordingly, rather than just chucking everything in; explain why as well as what – provide links to background information or real-life supporting evidence on the topic; and show the consequences of non-compliance, not just for the company, but for individuals. We urge you to keep Matt’s tips in mind when designing your next compliance course – he knows his stuff!

Matt is now the proud new owner of a Flip video camera (the same equipment we used to film all our contributors) – no doubt this fabulous prize will come in handy at family gatherings, but we hope Matt will also use it at work to start developing his own ‘shoot to share’ culture. Congrats Matt, and let us know how you get on!

So, there you have it. Thanks to everyone who contributed to our video library, and to everyone who shared and provided feedback on the clips. If you haven’t yet seen these videos, they and the rest of the library can still be watched on our YouTube channel. Whether you’re looking for tips on making the most of social media, want to find out exactly what a QR code is, or need some ideas for evaluating your e-learning, there’s a video for you!

Clarity and legibility are essential in e-learning. Here are Saffron’s top tips on how to use some of the basic principles of typography not only to achieve legibility but also to bring interest and energy to your e-learning projects.

1. Create contrast
Always ensure that there’s a good contrast between the text and the background; never sacrifice legibility for aesthetic reasons. Contrast is also necessary to emphasise key points and focus the learner’s attention. This article describes the key principle of typographic contrast that every designer should know.

2. Build a hierarchy
Use typography to indicate the importance of the elements on the page. Have a strong and clear focal point and ensure that all other elements are arranged accordingly. Items that are logically connected should be grouped together, whereas elements that are not directly related should be arranged as separate entities.

3. Use a grid
Avoid random layouts by using a grid. This helps you to visually connect items with each other and achieve a more logical and structured layout. Mark Boulton describes how to use grid systems for web layouts in this article and although e-learning screens may require a simpler grid, similar principles can still be applied.

4. Allow space to breathe
Do not overcrowd the area with unnecessary elements. The blank area (‘white space’) is necessary to draw the learner’s attention to the key content and make the text easier to read. Create white space by increasing the leading (line height) and by maintaining clear margins around text and graphics.

5. Be consistent
Make sure your use of typography is consistent across all screens and if you are using a grid then make sure you use the same one throughout. Each screen of your course should provide a look that flows together as a clearly defined single project, and not as an autonomous entity with an individual layout.

Check back soon for a downloadable version of these tips, and don’t forget to visit regularly for top tips on all things learning and technology related!

A storyboard review stage is crucial as it’s hard to be objective when you’re the one who’s written the content. Here are our top ten questions to ask yourself if you’re the one reviewing someone else’s storyboard.

1. Are the basics in place?
Before you even start reviewing the content of a course, check the obvious (but easy to miss) things like headers and footers, dates and page numbers. Are these clear and consistent throughout?

2. Does the format support the right focus?
Our instructional designers storyboard in Microsoft Word which places a valuable emphasis on the most important aspect of any e-learning course – the text content. This enables reviewers to focus on the words without distraction.

3. Is it reader-friendly?
The layout of a storyboard can either help or hinder a review. Notes should inform you of what to focus on along with clear instructions explaining each screen. Requests for further information should also be clear and prominent.

4. Does it answer the learner’s questions?
Review the storyboard as if you’re the learner – what do you already know about the subject and what are you hoping this training will enable you to do? During the review, check if your questions are being answered and if not, why not?

5. Are you convinced?
It’s often very obvious if the storyboard author hasn’t completely understood the business need and subject matter. Can you spot any gaps in information, or any sections that raise more questions than they answer?

6. Does it fit in with the company’s culture?
Many companies have a particular identity and tone of voice. The learner is much more likely to be engaged and alter their behaviour if the course reflects this, and if it’s written in plain English with a conversational tone.

7. Are you actively involved – in the right things?
All good training is interactive – most people will switch off if they’re just reading, or listening, not actually doing anything. Are you being actively included in the most valuable learning points and are these conveyed effectively?

8. Can you transfer the learning to real life?
The best way to change behaviour is to use scenarios that put the learner in a realistic situation. Are they being asked to make a decision, identify a problem or suggest a solution? If so, then they’ll be able to do the right thing in real life.

9. Do you always know where you are?
A logical and clear structure will help the content flow, which will naturally aid the learner’s understanding. As you review the training, bear this in mind and identify any areas where you think better signposting could be used.

10. Are you being made to think for yourself?
Telling someone something and testing them on it afterwards tests memory, not understanding. Does the training that you’re reviewing ask the learner to think for themselves and draw on their own experiences to reach the right answer?

Download:

Top ten tips for reviewing a storyboard

With their apparent ubiquity amongst office staff, their ease of use, and their mobile connectivity, BlackBerry phones make an attractive platform for e-learning. Here’s our list of things to consider when designing training for this new and different learning environment.

1. Choose the right development model
BlackBerry offers different ways of developing programs for use on its phones. You can use their Web Development approach to create light weight web based tools that users access via their mobile internet. Alternatively you can use BlackBerry’s Java Development environment for fully functional applications that can be installed on the user’s phone.

2. Keep things simple
Remember users will be viewing a small screen and will have to scroll to see more than a dozen lines of text. Reading through lengthy text can be dull and disorientating. Keep text short and pertinent. Equally, keep interactions effective, but fuss free. This doesn’t mean things have to be boring; in fact brevity can lead to more engaging content.

3. Use what BlackBerry gives you
There are many controls that are native to a BlackBerry that you can use for free. Things like drop down menus, buttons, gauges and sliders are part of the development toolkit and it makes sense to use these rather than reinventing the wheel. This will make your application intuitive to use and ensure much of your testing is already done for you.

4. Utilise images smartly
Size and space may be limited, but by using images smartly you can still produce good looking programs. Use slim headers and footers to frame the page and lift content. Produce images with gradients and transparency which can seamlessly merge into static background colours. Design images that can be reused by resizing gracefully.

5. Test it everywhere
Testing on BlackBerrys has its own challenges, but can be managed successfully using the tools that are available. Even within the BlackBerry product range there are big differences in the nature of the phones. Luckily BlackBerry provides emulators for all its phones, so you can test your application on any device just by using your PC.

Download:

Top ten tips for designing training for BlackBerrys

Compliance training has a bad reputation for being little more than a box-ticking exercise. But here at Saffron we believe it’s absolutely possible to create effective, engaging training that achieves both competence and compliance. Read on for our top five tips for breaking the mould and delivering gold standard compliance training every time.

1. Keep it positive
Avoid the temptation to instruct your learners in what they must and must not do. Try to minimise the number of ‘horror stories’ about the dire consequences of breaking the law. Training that’s driven by fear, or by an organisation’s need to cover its back, is unlikely to really make a difference.

2. Make it relevant
When it comes to compliance, what you do is more important than what you know. So don’t focus on legislative detail; focus instead on what the law means in practice to each individual learner in their day to day work. This is a great step towards achieving enhanced awareness and competence as well as meeting regulatory requirements.

3. Keep it real
One way to achieve that relevance and engage your learners is to use scenarios: create recognisable, everyday situations and get learners to identify the issues and make recommendations. This clearly demonstrates to them what they need to know (and do) and why. It also means they’re more likely to apply this knowledge in the workplace.

4. Make it varied
If learners are engaged in and enjoy a course they’re more likely to learn from it. Use a variety of interactions and media to cater to different learning styles and keep them interested. For example, consider photo or video scenarios, handy downloadable tips, news reports or articles, real life case studies and easy to access dictionaries.

5. Keep it conversational
We’ve had user feedback confirming what we already believed: a plain English, conversational tone of voice contributes to keeping learners engaged and therefore to the effectiveness of the training. Something as simple as this is a change from the norm of compliance training and offers learners a breath of fresh air as well as delivering results.

Download:

Top ten tips for writing an effective, engaging compliance course

Click here or here to find out more about our approach to compliance training. We’ve also recently won an IT Training Award for a compliance training project!

Evaluating the effectiveness of a learning intervention is often where projects fall down – it can be hard to know how to prove a return on investment. But isn’t it about time we had some common methods to evaluate and measure the value of learning? Here are Saffron’s top five tips for measuring that all important ROI.

1. Define what success looks like
To measure the right thing, you need to first know what the learning aims to do. Is it about mitigating risk or improving productivity, for example? Are you trying to reduce the number of security breaches or are you attempting to improve performance relating to targets or sales metrics? What does success look like for your organisation?

2. Align the metrics to the business needs
When identifying ways to measure success, keep them simple but try to think beyond typical LMS measures such as completion and assessment data. Make sure you know what the business needs are, and how the training is intended to address those needs, and align the measures of success to this.

3. Set the baseline
Ensure you have robust baseline data at the start of the project so that you can assess the performance impact of the learning. Capture results over agreed time periods and against pre-determined success factors. Then turn this on its head and ask how the business would be performing without the training. What would happen if you didn’t do anything?

4. Look beyond average scores
Use a variety of qualitative and quantitative evaluation tools and techniques. Compare the performance of a group of training users against a control group who didn’t take the training. Complement this with happy sheets, feedback forms and gathering verbatim comment. And get line managers reporting on behavioural change on the ground.

5. Consider what’s appropriate
Proving ROI from social learning is our next challenge. There is no LMS to draw data from and you can’t test learners. Instead, have polls to determine the usefulness of information, rate and rank posts, and measure the learning outcome rather than the ROI because perhaps this should be more about the individual learning process than the organisation’s return. Our advice is to trust the learner!

Download:

Top ten tips for measuring the value of learning

It doesn’t take a genius to make a presentation look great. All you need is a set of well designed master slides. Now read on for five top tips to help you get the most out of your master slides.

1. Use a single slide master for simple presentations

Formatting presentations in PowerPoint can be a painstaking process, especially if there are number of elements on each slide. But if all these elements are common to each slide, you can make sure that all the slides look the same by creating a single slide master.

2. Use multiple slide masters for complex presentations

If you’re working on a complex piece of work such as a storyboard, you might find it best to create multiple slide masters, each one representing a specific screen type. This saves time and effort and ensures that the screen types are consistent across your storyboards.

3. Reduce the file size of your presentations Presentations can become quite large, especially if you are using a lot of images. Creating master slides not only saves time but also minimises the file size. For example, if you are using a 1MB image five times, instead of adding it to five slides just add it to one slide master and reuse it as often as you like.

4. Remember: not everything is ruled by master slidesEven if you are using master slides, you can still make changes to individual slides. And if you edit a slide master, you won’t lose those changes. However, if you delete a slide master, the formatting will change so make sure you either create a new slide master or apply another appropriate one that already exists.

5. Save master slides for later

PowerPoint often automatically deletes a slide master if it’s not being used in a presentation. So, if you’ve created a slide master which you’re not using in your current presentation, make sure you preserve it by right-clicking on the slide and selecting the Preserve Master option. That way you know you can use it another time.

Download:

Top ten tips for making effective use of master slides

We’ve all heard stories of or witnessed the powers of social media, so why not create your own success stories by embracing these technologies and embedding them in your learning strategy? Often, the problem is how to get buy in from the business. So here are Saffron’s top five tips for taking the first steps towards winning support in your organisation:

1. Build a solid, measurable plan

Ask yourself what your learning and development goals and objectives are for engaging in social media. This will give you ammunition for building the case in the first place.

2. Do your research and put it to the test

There are so many social media apps out there so decide what features you’re looking to utilise and seek ‘business friendly’ alternatives to these. Then, once you’ve found out all you need to know, why not try it yourself? Write a blog, post on a wiki… start with the simple things.

3. Choose your words carefully

There are still reservations surrounding social media, so try to stick to more familiar terms. For instance, instead of ‘social networking’, consider replacing it with ‘online forum’. Also, present social media in the context of building capabilities, collaborating and exchanging knowledge within your organisation - this will be far more persuasive!

4. Blitz the stigma

Social media apps are worthy tools for enhancing learning – it’s not all fun, fun, fun. Yes, people use them for dating and socialising but they can also be applied for embedding and retaining learning more effectively, consequently shifting the learning culture in your organisation.

5. Educate the decision makers

Show them how social networks can be used in business and learning, and iron out any myths and misconceptions. Explain your plans to create a community of practice and develop members’ capabilities through sharing knowledge.

Download:

How to gain buy in for learning with social media

Videos can be a great addition to e-learning packages – but only if they’re used in the right way. Here are Saffron’s top ten tips for making sure videos are adding value to your e-learning rather than just adding megabytes to your course.

1. Keep videos short and to the point
Unless you’re making the video interactive, keep it short and focused so your learner doesn’t switch off. This is especially true for monologues given by company executives: keep the learner engaged by keeping it short and sweet.

2. Use videos for emphasis
Don’t overuse video. Always ask yourself ‘is this is the best way to illustrate the learning?’ Video can be more memorable than text so use it for emphasising and reinforcing key learning points.

3. Make videos interactive
If you’re considering including a longer video then make it interactive, for example by pausing it intermittently to ask the learner questions. This keeps them involved and focuses their attention on the learning points you want to emphasise.

4. Follow up with questions or a summary
If you don’t make the video interactive in any way then make sure you follow it up with a brief summary of the key points covered. This should help to prevent any key learning points slipping through the net.

5. Use videos to demonstrate how to, or how not to, do something
A video can be a great way of illustrating how not to do something and then getting the learners to spot the mistakes. Depending on time, you can then follow up by showing them the correct way of completing the task.

6. Use actors not real employees
Your video will only be as good as the people in it and employees may be nervous or forget their lines. Use professional actors but make sure you send scripts through in advance, giving clear instructions on character and costume.

7. Be creative
Think about how television programmes are filmed and consider whether you can mimic their style. For example, try using different camera angles to break up long speeches or reinforcing key points by having text appear on screen.

8. Include a transcript
Providing a transcript makes a video accessible to everyone, such as learners with hearing difficulties or those without headphones or sound cards. It also enables learners to refer back to the content without watching it again.

9. Be technically clever
Compress video files as much as possible to avoid learner frustration whilst waiting for them to load. Consider creating a low bandwidth version for slower internet connections, perhaps using photos rather than video, or lower quality video.

10. Make videos downloadable elsewhere
Get the most out of your video by including it as a downloadable resource, either in the course or from an intranet site. That way, the learner can refresh their memory of the key learning points without completing the whole course again.

Download:

Top ten tips for using video effectively in e-learning

Design work for a new client can be exciting and difficult at the same time. The novelty of working with a new brand and identity comes hand in hand with the challenge of unfamiliar ground. We’ve found the steps below really worthwhile at the start of the design process for a new client, so read on for our top tips for success!

1. Get to know them
It is crucial, before deciding on the approach for a specific project, to get to know the client’s ‘world’. Ask them to provide all the material they have got about their company brand and identity. Any brand guidelines or libraries are obviously fundamental. Also don’t forget to ask for any custom font and brand elements – at the highest possible quality.

2. Do your research
After you have analysed the client material, do some extra internet investigation. Take a look at the company website and see if there are any other country versions. See what images or webpages appear when typing the client’s name in Google. It can also often be really interesting and worthwhile to take a look at their direct competitors’ websites.

3. Hold a discovery meeting
Now you’re ready to meet the client! Hold a workshop to gather any extra information you need and get to grips with the client’s needs and project objectives. Come prepared with a list of questions, listen to what they have to say and don’t hesitate to ask about anything else that comes to mind. This is your chance to discover whatever you need to know.

4. Don’t start too soon
Before cracking on with the design work, you need to do a bit more computerless thinking. Organise a discussion with the key stakeholders to share information and ideas – about the requirements, goals, challenges and technical boundaries. At this point, you should be able to use this to finally agree the field of action your design will tackle.

5. Remember, your client is your partner
It’s design time! From this point on the client is your closer partner. Set up regular checkpoints to show them progress; it doesn’t matter whether it is ‘presentable’ and ‘polished’ or not. Involving them and making them feel part of the process will set up the trust and participation that is needed for the success of the project and for any further collaboration.

Download:

Top ten tips for creating a look and feel for a new client

Whether it’s a new client or one you’ve worked with before, the way you begin a project sets the tone for the rest of the project. Here are our top tips for ensuring every project starts with a bang!

1. Research your client before you meet them
Make a good impression by researching the client, their company culture and history, their competitors and the industry before you meet with them.

2. Arrange the kick off at the client’s offices
Kicking off the project at the client’s offices allows you to get a feel for their culture and also offers the chance to meet everyone who’ll be involved, even if they can’t all attend the meeting.

3. Confirm information before the meeting
Send out a questionnaire in advance to gather basic information such as contact details. The meeting can then focus on discussions about project aims, learning objectives and timescales.

4. Invite the right people
As well as the project managers and senior stakeholders, invite the technical manager and any SMEs. Discussing their motivation and work schedules allows you to mitigate risks early on.

5. Ask the SMEs to bring relevant materials
Discussing content and agreeing learning objectives at the meeting gives you a good understanding of the subject matter and ensures that everyone is on the same wavelength.

6. Explain the project lifecycle
Take the time to explain exactly how you will run and manage the project, clearly highlighting your expectations of client stakeholders, risks and the impact of missed deadlines or scope changes.

7. Set up weekly progress calls
Agree a time for weekly conference calls about project progress. Even if the time sometimes has to change, a placeholder helps to maintain momentum and keeps the project on everyone’s radar. Developments in teleconferencing technology facilitate this possibility.

8. Establish a project timeline
Following the meeting set up a timeline of deliverables and face to face meetings, noting any periods of unavailability. Highlighting key dates lets people plan ahead and schedule review times.

9. Create a project definition document
After kick off, write a project definition setting out the approach, learning outcomes and content. Get client sign off to confirm that everyone agrees before beginning any instructional design.

10. Don’t assume anything!
Even if you’ve worked together before, confirm everything as if it were the first project. Getting the small details right from the very start will minimise hiccups throughout the rest of the project.

Download:

Top ten tips for kicking off a project

Effective project management is often the deciding factor when it comes to e-learning project success. Here are our top ten tips for making sure that you always deliver!

1. Have a formal project kick off
Before you start the project, make sure you understand the learning objectives, the client’s expectations, the timelines and the risks. Also make sure that the client understands the approach that you are going to take.

2. Start with the end in mind
Define the end goal and end date first and then plan backwards from this point. If you have to deliver a working course by 20 March, when do you need the pilot? If the pilot is needed by 12 February, when do you need the first build?

3. Keep it simple
Your instinct may be to use a Microsoft project plan – resist this at all costs. Create a simple table of deliverables and feedback dates – something that is easy to maintain and easy to understand.

4. Take an ‘it’s either done or it’s not done’ approach
Track your project using milestones – tangible deliverables which are either done or not done. Avoid using percentage complete. Ask yourself what 80% complete means, when the other 20% will be done and how much effort it will take.

5. Manage risks
The key to risk management is to ask: what could go (horribly) wrong? Once you have a list, don’t leave it in your desk draw. Actively manage it and try to mitigate the risk.

6. Communicate, communicate, communicate!
The biggest reason for project failure is lack of communication. Often people on projects just don’t talk enough, becoming overly reliant on emails, plans and reports. As a minimum, arrange weekly team conference calls or meetings.

7. Manage the subject matter experts
Subject matter experts, who are balancing their role with their day jobs, can cause delays to your project and need to be managed. Communicate the process to them and make your expectations clear. Put your project dates in their diaries.

8. Don’t forget prototypes and pilots
Your stakeholders will really understand what you are proposing when they see it. This is a good thing and helps to narrow requirements. Therefore you should build prototypes and you should always have a pilot.

9. Don’t be shackled by the plan
Project management is a people business. Don’t spend all your time updating the plan and documenting the process. Spend your time working with your team, understanding their issues and managing the risks

10. Watch your optimism
It’s natural to be optimistic and to believe that everything will go right. Try to keep a lid on this and keep asking yourself, what could go horribly wrong and how will I manage the situation if this happens?

Download:

Download our top ten tips for managing an e-learning project

Part of the secret behind Saffron’s success is that we go beyond simple client and supplier relationships and instead build lasting partnerships. Here are our top ten tips for building relationships that last.

1. Be prepared
Before the project initiation meeting, find out all there is to know about the client and why they want to use e-learning. Familiarise yourself with any material provided, prepare some key questions and greet the client with a smile!

2. Listen and learn
Whilst you may have some great ideas, take the time to listen to what your client wants. By really understanding why they think a particular solution will benefit their company, you’ll be showing them that you’re someone they can trust.

3. Remember, it’s good to talk
Frequent communication is the key to a strong client relationship. Hold weekly calls to catch up on the project’s progress and try to meet face to face as often as possible – we’ve found it’s invaluable in forging trust and confidence.

4. Don’t forget – your clients have day jobs too!
It’s easy to forget that your client may not be focused on your project nine ‘til five, five days a week. Bear this in mind when planning timelines, and work with the stakeholders to build in realistic review times that work for them.

5. Blitz the jargon
A confused client is a concerned client. Always explain terms and concepts associated with e-learning and make sure that the client fully understands the processes you will be using throughout the project’s lifespan.

6. Go back to basics
Your client may never have seen a storyboard before and may have no idea how a static PowerPoint slide or Word document translates into interactive material. Explain everything and guide them through your vision of the course.

7. Provide iterative releases
An interim storyboard or Flash release of one unit not only helps the client to see how the content is being brought to life at an early stage but also offers them the chance to make changes without causing delays to the overall project.

8. Involve the right people at the right time
The technology behind an e-learning course can seem daunting for non technical people. Contact the LMS team directly to arrange early testing and try to resolve any technical issues without involving the entire client team.

9. Be close at hand
One of the most frustrating things about project management is not having contact details at your finger tips. Help your clients out by always including yours in your email signature – not only is it useful but it looks professional too.

10. Look to the future
The client relationship shouldn’t end when the project is completed. By keeping in touch to monitor how the course performs you’re also keeping the door open for any future opportunities to work together again.

Download:

Top ten tips for building lasting client relationships

Creating original graphics for an e-learning course can be a challenging task, particularly when anything that’s created has to comply with strict branding guidelines. An engaging graphic environment is essential for an interesting and successful learning experience. Read on for our top five tips for achieving this.

1. Work on the concept
A strong concept is a must for any design. An interesting theme that runs throughout the course can help keep learners focused and engaged in the content. While the idea should be based around the subject matter, using metaphors and indirect associations can often provide the most attention grabbing results.

2. Explore different technologies
Advances in technology have created new opportunities in every field of design, including e-learning. Subscribe to blogs, magazines and training websites like www.lynda.com to make sure you stay up to date with new software and techniques. If the budget is tight, using free software like Google SketchUp can help add new elements to your work.

3. Never stop experimenting
It is easy to get comfortable with a proven style or concept that you know has always worked in the past. Attempting something new might not always be as successful as your proven techniques but exploring new creative methods can lead to improved and more exciting graphic solutions.

4. Do not decorate – communicate
Each visual element should serve a purpose – it should help to communicate the message (the content of the course) and contribute to the overall design concept. Check your work carefully to ensure there are no elements that serve a purely decorative purpose as they can be distracting for the learner.

5. Make it unique
While stock photography can be useful, relying on it entirely can often result in dry and unoriginal work. Use your own photographs to assemble interesting compositions. Ask a colleague to be a model for a photo that can then be used as a reference for an illustration. Include scanned and hand drawn elements to add a personal touch to your work.

Download:

Top five tips for designing engaging graphics for e-learning

If it’s not your day job, setting up and running a photography session can seem daunting, but it’s not as difficult as you might think. A few pieces of equipment, the appropriate preparation and a small dose of confidence are the keys for success. Here are our top five tips to make your next photo shoot go swimmingly.

1. Do your preparation

Before the shoot, list and gather all the props you need and, if you are hiring models, ask them to come with a specific wardrobe of clothes (watch out for white shirts on white backdrops!). On the day, arrive early to set up your set, lighting and backdrop. Ask someone to stand in for the model if you can, so you can test and experiment with different setups.

2. Plan the poses

During the shoot you need to get your models in several poses. It’s good to have a checklist of those poses and movements, including a series of different facial expressions to secure the whole range of shots you will need. And, if you have the time, why not add some extra ‘generic’ poses for stock photos that might be useful for further projects?

3. Get the lighting right

Light kits come cheaply nowadays and we suggest 200w/s strobes for their flexibility. You need at least one main light or flash, a fill light to cut out shadows and ideally a third backlight to light the backdrop and isolate the subject. Proper umbrellas help soften the light, and don’t forget to turn the lights off a while before packing so they can cool down.

4. Invest in the right camera

Digital cameras have increased their capability to produce high quality images, therefore a digital SLR camera should suit your purpose. The main players here are Canon, Nikon, Sony and Pentax. If you have extra budget to spend then spend it here – a good camera is worth the investment. A tripod is also a necessity to support and stabilise the camera.

5. Shoot too many pictures, not too few

Shoot as many images as you need (if not more) without fear. Memory cards can store up to 500 high resolution photos and most digital cameras can also be plugged directly into a laptop, which permits you to view the high-quality photos straight away and make the required adjustments on the next round of shots.

Download:

Top five tips for running a successful photo shoot

Many clients want to include video in their e-learning courses meaning that we need to become film directors as part of our day job too. But it’s not just about having a director’s chair with your name on the back. Follow these tips to ensure your video shoot runs like clockwork.

1. Get sign-off from your client
If your client can’t attend the shoot then make sure you send them recent photos of the actors you’re using and ask the actor to call them before the shoot to check voices and accents. Make sure to get your video scripts signed off by your client at least one week before the shoot.

2. Be specific about requirements
Be explicit about the hair, make-up and costume requirements for each actor. Ask them to bring along several changes of clothes just in case some of them aren’t suitable. Get them to change costume between scenes set on different days as this makes it more realistic.

3. Create your schedule carefully
Allow extra time in between scenes for costume, sound and lighting checks and changes. If you can, set up the equipment the night before to save time. This also lets you think through potential technical problems in advance, such as having enough power sockets for the equipment.

4. Choose your location wisely
Film in a location where you can maintain consistent sound and lighting throughout the day so that editing cuts within scenes will be seamless. Ensure none of the furniture is fixed in place as this gives you the option to move it around to adapt the location as required.

5. Be picky when you’re filming
Don’t be afraid to film several takes of a scene if you’re not happy with something, such as the way an actor says their lines or the intrusion of background noises. When it comes to editing it’s better to have too much footage than not enough.

Download:

Top five tips for running a successful video shoot

XML can be a great tool when used correctly, but it does sometimes suffer from being a development buzzword. The trick to understanding how best to use XML is to remember that its focus is to provide an independent structure for a collection of data. What happens with that data is a problem for other programming languages that need to work with it.

1. Create a stylesheet
XML can be viewed in many different formats but creating a stylesheet is a great way to ensure that the data is displayed in a readable way. Using tools like Microsoft InfoPath it’s possible to create a customisable view that will allow users to make updates to your XML document using familiar form based controls like textboxes and dropdown menus.

2. Group data
When using elements that belong in a group it’s best to create an element to represent that group. For example, if you wanted to create an XML document to show information on a series of books, you would want to create an element labelled “books”, then create sub-elements within the group to hold the information on each specific book.

3. Use elements and attributes appropriately
When choosing between elements and attributes, try to remember that elements should be used to group or hold data and attributes should be used to store meta-information for a specific element. Also try to avoid starting any names in your document with the letters XML or any punctuation characters.

4. Ensure compatibility
There are various ways to encode XML, such as ASCII and ISO/IEC 8859, but to ensure greater compatibility it’s generally best to make sure your documents are saved encoded as UTF-8. You can usually see how your document is encoded by opening your XML document in a simple text editor and checking the encoding attribute on the first line.

5. Experiment with your software
You don’t always have to have expensive dedicated software to edit your XML documents correctly. Programs like Microsoft Word are capable of transforming an XML document directly into a familiar looking editable document that you can save onto your PC.

Download:

Top five tips for writing XML for beginners