Human memory is very selective and highly emotional. Designing a course so that it has an impact requires generating some degree of introspection in the learner, facilitating experiences rather that presenting lectures and making sure that only the most relevant subjects and information make the cut.

Instructional designers especially feel the need to up their game and release training material that has the power to attract, engage and ultimately lead to information assimilation. Knowing a thing or two about neuroscience can help, since the attention span is not really the issue but rather how it is captured and held.

In the case of e-learning, users find it easier to go through if a lot of the material is either film or animation. Static screens with lots of text on them are something of the past. In the face of this increasing appetence for video, L&D professionals need to get up to speed and become competent in creating relevant content fast.

Gamification has already proved to be more than a fad. Organizations have to be constantly in tune with these developments and adjust to them in order to be able to attract and retain the right people. Learning is not all about fun and games but fun and games can surely be beneficial to learning.

Storytelling is a very powerful tool, one that can be used in organizations everywhere. The ways in which storytelling can help smooth integrations, transitions and changes within an organisation are unlimited. Storytelling is all about moving people emotionally whether it is so that they remember an important piece of information, adhere to an organisational value or behave in a certain desirable way.

SMEs are not that easy to come by. In a time when information is so easily accessed, everybody can find out the basics of any topic – since most of them also have a ‘for dummies’ version targeted at those who really don’t have the first clue about a subject. Those who take the time and put in the effort to know more, to understand intricate workings and gather an extensive experience in a certain field are very valuable and should be treated as such.

There may be several causes that lead to low interest in all the e-learning material that is available but the most common one is the design. So much effort goes into making sure the LMS has all the features that the L&D, HR and Financial departments want that not enough attention is given to the most important party at the table: the end user. They are the center around which it should all be evolving and not the other way around.

I have been a corporate trainer for over a decade and in my personal experience, teaching adults is more science than anything else. Same goes for e-learning. I suppose that as long as there is ‘the art of living”, “the art of baking the perfect muffin” and even “the art of electronics’, there is room on the bookshelf for “the art of training”. As long as inside you find the hard cold facts of how to do it.

It’s common sense that before you set out to do something for other people, you should get an idea of who they are and what they expect. Then, once the content is designed and delivered, it’s best to assess its impact as perceived by the attendee. All these can only happen with the use of polls and surveys. So check out these following best practices on how to ensure your L&D survey will get you the right answers.

Video ads have been around for a long time and they still manage to bring a lot of money to companies that chose to advertise that way. The workings of video publicity can easily be incorporated in e-learning for better engagement and information retention. Learning modules are aimed at driving behavior (just like publicity is) so there are quite a few things to be learned from those colorful interruptions of our favorite TV programs.