Inspire Blog
08-03-2010
This week we’re going to introduce you to the newest member of our Inspire Group team AJ.
BR: What do you do at Inspire?
AJ: I’m an instructional designer and project manager, which is really just a flash way of saying “I design cool training stuff for grownups and I if I’m not designing it myself I am organising the people in my team to do it instead.”
BR: What was your journey to working at Inspire Group (education, experience etc)?
My work over the last 12 years has involved developing people in some shape or form: from corporate training facilitation, instructional design, team leadership, and contact centre coaching to life guarding, swim instructing, outdoor instructing, and personal training.
I have worked in government, banking, research, and non-government organisations. To satisfy my creative side I have even worked as a radio DJ and am an almost qualified architectural draughtsperson).
BR: What do you like about your job?
The cool thing about my current role is I get to combine creativity and design with people development. I love watching a light go on in people’s heads when they learn something new.
BR: So what made you want to work at Inspire Group?
I worked with Inspire Group as a client when I was an instructional designer at ANZ. I loved the team’s straight up, genuine, and dynamic approach to training design. They have an amazing pool of talent and I knew by working with them they would push me to continue to grow.
BR: Give us three tips for someone who wants to become an instructional designer?
- Talk to people who are doing it!
Every course you have ever been on was designed by someone, so there are ‘instructional designers’ everywhere. Revert back to your two- year old self and keep asking the ‘but why?’ question. Why has the training been designed and delivered a certain way? How will they know if what they have designed will work? - Get some facilitator experience
Getting hands on experience will help you to identify how adults learn, how to convey instructions clearly and concisely , and will give you a feel for what works and what doesn’t. You don’t have to start working in the corporate world as a classroom trainer. Being a sports team coach, or buddying up with a new staff member is training delivery too. - Research, read, and research some more
There is always new information coming out about adult learning. Keep on top of it by reading blogs and forums. Get familiar with instructional design models like ADDIE and use every opportunity you can to apply them practically.
BR: When you’re not working, what do you like to do?
I LOVE travelling and have just got back from doing an 18 month trip though 18 countries, and I plan to keep adding more to the list! I’m a complete water baby so I surf (pretty badly), and body board, and recently got my advanced open water Scuba certification in Egypt’s famous Blue Hole. Because I’m a bit of an adrenalin junkie I try to balance out my more adventurous fun by doing do a bit of creative painting too.
11-12-2009
As a child I remember going to the local shopping centre, sitting on Santa’s knee and having a photo. Then Santa would ask me, “What would you like for Christmas?” I would rattle off a long list of the latest action figures, a skateboard, a basketball hoop and of course lollies and chocolates. I bet you’ve done that at least once before, right?
Now, imagine that instead of delivering gifts under your Christmas tree, Santa was designing your latest training programme. There you are sitting on his knee and he asks you, “What do you want your training programme to be like?” How would you respond?
You could start by listing every possible thing you want your staff to know just in case they ever need to know it. Your list might include everything from the history of your industry and where all your offices are located down to how your product works, what to do if it breaks and what the logo means.
Alternatively, you could think of all the jingle bells and whistles you’d like to see. “Some roll overs, a couple of pop-ups, a multi-choice quiz, and then they can click a button and a spaceship appears and blows up all the frequently asked questions!”
Yes there is some knowledge that your staff need so they can do their job and when it comes to e-learning there will be some interactivity. But, the problem with both these approaches is that neither of them is what you really want from Santa (or your training programme).
So what do you really want?
You want learning that works, for you and your staff. How do you get that? Here are four things to ask your training Santa for this Christmas.
1. What’s your goal?
Your organisation has a need to fill for example, when there’s a new product staff need to sell. Or you have a problem to solve – your staff aren’t selling enough products. Fulfilling this need or solving this problem is what you really want to happen. That’s your goal. The knowledge staff will gain or the pop-ups in their module are only worth it if they help to achieve the goal.
2. What does great look like?
Next you should think about how you will know if you’ve achieved your goal. What will your new reality be? Will sales increase by 23% or will staff sell 8,000 units of your new product in the next six months? Set a goal and decide how you’ll measure it in terms of your business results.
3. What do people need to know and do?
Here is where information like the list of product features and the five steps to closing a sale come in. Don’t try to think of everything. Even Santa doesn’t bring everything on your list. What knowledge do people absolutely need to produce the business results that achieve your goal? What new skills do they need to develop and what behaviours do they need to display?
4. How will people learn?
At this point it is probably best if you hop off Santa’s knee and let your learner’s give their list. I bet they won’t say they want to read through pages and pages of text, or watch a trainer read bullet points from PowerPoint slides. What they might ask for is learning that is engaging and relevant to them, activities that challenge them to think and make decisions, chances to work in groups or alone and practical exercises that relate to their job in the real world.
There you have it!
- A business goal
- Results you can measure
- Only the things people need to learn
- People-friendly methods of learning
The ultimate Christmas list for learning that works.
So next time you’re asked what you want your training programme to be like, follow these four steps and o’er the field’s [you’ll] go, laughing all the way!
27-11-2009
Since its inception in 2001, Inspire Group has put its employees first and foremost during phenomenal growth and expansion. Now its dedication to the dirty “f” word in most work places - fun - has been recognised after being announced as one of 10 finalists in the JRA Best Workplaces Awards 2009. Winners were announced yesterday at the ceremony held at the Langham Hotel.
Dan Tohill, CEO of Inspire Group comments, “This is the fifth year we have taken part in the survey, and the third year we qualified for the Finals. We have fun, we love the people we work with and we have a strong work ethic. We believe a happy work place is one where our output will be best. Being a finalist recognises our efforts – as a team – to listen, act and change, and to offer our team a great place to work!”
16-10-2009
That's right Inspire has refreshed its look.
If learning works you can use it. You can apply it to whatever situation you’re in, as and when you need it. It's portable and looks different for everybody.
Or you can go away to a conference and eat disappointing club sandwiches and sausage rolls and terrify yourself 5 metres off the ground on a confidence course all the while wondering what this has to do with providing feedback.
