tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87730634049521346062024-03-12T21:04:55.582-04:00Ycommunicate.comYcommunicate.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09454450982411117006noreply@blogger.comBlogger107125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773063404952134606.post-3459995067625638682018-10-11T10:26:00.000-04:002018-10-11T10:26:37.472-04:00ELearning: The “Testing Effect”<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: blue;">“2010 New York Times article reported on a scientific Study <br />that showed that students who read a passage of text and then<br /> took a test asking them to recall what they had read retained<br /> an astonishing 50% more of the information a week later than<br /> students who had not been tested.”</span></i></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US">The “Testing Effect” describes the power of
retrieval. Its most common application can be seen in testing in school exams;
to help measure learning and assign grades. In the corporate world, this
process is often shunned as a facile means of overcoming employee resistance or
circumventing policy & procedure issues. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Testing as a whole has come under fire in
recent years. Various elementary, secondary and post-secondary learners and
academic bodies have cited that testing in the traditional manor is not an
effective means of determining comprehension and this notion has carried over
into corporate learning to some extent. Testing has gotten a “bad rap” and it
is often related to memorization. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">In their book “<b>Make It Stick</b>”, authors
Peter C. Brown, Henry L Roediger III and Mark A. McDaniel cited that a “2010
New York Times article reported on a scientific Study that showed that students
who read a passage of text and then took a test asking them to recall what they
had read retained an astonishing 50% more of the information a week later than
students who had not been tested.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
book, <b>Make It Stick</b>, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>suggests that the
New York Times article would seem like good news, but here’s how it was greeted
in many online comments: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">“Once
again, another author confuses learning with recalling information.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">“I
personally would like to avoid as many tests as possible, especially with my
grades on the line,. Trying to learn in a stressful environment is no way to
help retain information.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">“Nobody
should care whether memorization is enhanced by practice testing or not. Our
children cannot do much of anything anymore.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>eLearning
can be an important component of learning new skills, enhancing product
knowledge, reinforcing policies and procedures or changing behaviour, but only
when a well-defined testing process is associated with any given topic or group
of topics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This process enhances
retrieval of information and can have an important influence on work practices;
but only when content is coupled with a well thought out testing process that
is extended over time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I suppose the next question is how? How
does the process of retrieval of information enhance memory?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The basic concept is this - the act of
retrieving information from memory makes it easier to retrieve later. We
retrieve information from memory every moment of every day; how to tie a knot, how
to start your car, how to program your remote (well maybe not this one), how to
add and subtract, etc. These may seem common and mundane but they are made thus
through the repetition of retrieving information repeatedly, thereby embedding
knowledge more permanently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I think many of us can bare witness to the
effects of retrieval strength in our daily lives, for example, if we go away for
an extended trip, our minds would be far away from the normal processes and
routines we follow daily. As a result, when we return, we have lost some
information, perhaps:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>passwords, log in
procedures, actions that we may undertake less frequently but typically would
recall when retrieved periodically. This can be described as the ebbing of retrieval
strength. We are not reminded of the information and gradually we forget.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">What does it all mean for eLearning? I
think we have to re-consider how we perceive testing, its frequency and the
veracity of the testing process. In designing learning programs within
corporate environments, we often view learning as a one-time event or a
one-time window. We tend to design testing around that event or window but do
not plan repeated opportunities to review content, refresh knowledge and
enhance retrieval strength through a more rigorous testing process over the
long term. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The process need not be onerous. We
recommend offering shorter and more persistent testing on information. Make
sure the information is prioritized, meaning focus on topics of greater
importance to your organization’s mission. For example you may evaluate your
learning calendar for a given year and consider reintroduction of key learning
principles along with repeated testing opportunities. This can be coupled with
the introduction of new content each calendar year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Making the process fun and “not boring” will
have an important effect on learning and embedding information making it easier
to retrieve, however and perhaps more importantly, designing an ongoing process
of presenting the prioritized information through multiple channels while reinforcing
the learning process with testing is essential to effecting change through
learning in your organization. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Paul Cormierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13191088925898297303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773063404952134606.post-47010704488915561732018-10-02T13:01:00.003-04:002018-10-02T13:01:46.554-04:00<br />
<h2>
<span lang="EN-US">White Space: Why do we need it?</span></h2>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: blue;">“But wait Mr. Advertiser, how can I use -<br />white space to create more effective ads?”</span></i></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US">I guess we need to start at the beginning;
what is white space? … and how is it used? The concept of white space in advertising
and communications revolves around the idea of creating space around important ideas
…either images or text, resulting in an island of focus. These areas can be
found in virtually any medium we are informed or entertained by; mobile
devices, desk top screens, newspapers, magazines, tablets, billboards, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The idea of white space evolved from early magazine
and newsprint layouts, where advertisers sought to highlight ideas and cater to
emotional responses by creating negative space with no content or design in it.
But today the concept of “white space” applies to any medium since most
use white as the default background. While “white” is the baseline, the concept
applies to any solid background colour that will serve to hold visual content. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The idea of white space has been around in advertising
since its inception and in the early days; using ads designs which made great
use of white space was considered elegant. We often revisit ad layouts from the early years and marvel
at their unique and interesting lines and use of colour.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">As time has progressed and the medium(s)
and the message(s) have become more complex and audiences more fragmented, owners and executives of businesses large and small have decided to get
more involved in deciding what goes into advertising content and layout without a clear understanding of design and layout principles. With
this increase in the number of people involved, more advertising messages in
general, the perceived need to get more information into messages and a lack of
understanding about how messages are absorbed by audiences, has resulted in advertising becoming a more crowded and less effective medium for some.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Now I am sure you are saying to yourself,
right this minute “But wait Mr. Advertiser, how can I use white space create more effective
ads?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are a few ways to improve your communications by using white space more effectively.</span> </div>
<ol>
<li>Consider
more carefully the recommendations of your designer or agency – they have
your company’s or product’s interest at heart, and they have experience
and study data to support their recommendations</li>
<li>When you
develop copy for an ad – edit it to
a bare minimum and then cut your copy down by 50%</li>
<li>Try and
have “one” focus for your ad – one message – people scanning mediums, do
so quickly and will not stop to consider crowded and confusing content</li>
<li>Be consistent
with your message across all mediums – its noisy out there and you need to
be communicating the same message across all mediums to have impact</li>
<li>Create
real white space in your design – collages, and multiple images take white
space away by confusing the “audience eye”</li>
<li>If you
are considering adding a paragraph – make it a short sentence</li>
<li>If you
are considering adding a sentenced make it a short title</li>
<li>If you want
to include 10 bullets highlighting features- use 3 bullets instead</li>
<li>Try and
limit contact information – depending on your products and sales methods a
location may not be necessary</li>
<li> Use white space in your work environment as
well- keep a clear desk o help promote the application of white space in
your thinking</li>
<li>Keep you
communication short and to the point– business correspondence such as e-mails
are a form of advertising- your clients infer a lot about you in your correspondence</li>
</ol>
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<span lang="EN-US">While white space may seem like an
oxymoron- white space with no content helps focus visual and mental attention on
the content that is there!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Paul Cormierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13191088925898297303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773063404952134606.post-71514703564657233162018-04-20T08:32:00.002-04:002018-04-23T18:14:02.478-04:00Learning: Not A One-Time Event<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8nZEtnr5mp2wDg9YNoVpiQWarIp2CwJ7ZFbQ9CVYW2FyUIBKovSjqsDBcDczGmLDfmLy2HNMK7_-LtvmxNymiH8YTpVwqheYKBMdgkKz4DPVvf56EY130DF3GyjuwocQxo6x84NDGh5Sy/s1600/ELearning+One+Time+Event.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="450" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8nZEtnr5mp2wDg9YNoVpiQWarIp2CwJ7ZFbQ9CVYW2FyUIBKovSjqsDBcDczGmLDfmLy2HNMK7_-LtvmxNymiH8YTpVwqheYKBMdgkKz4DPVvf56EY130DF3GyjuwocQxo6x84NDGh5Sy/s320/ELearning+One+Time+Event.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: blue;"><b>The upshot of all this is that spaced out intervals of </b></span></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: blue;"><b>study reinforces learning and learned practices.</b></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
Learning in general, and eLearning in
particular are largely regarded as a onetime events in most organizational
settings today. The ever increasing pace of change, the avalanche of
information, the increased activity within any given job responsibility have created a need to develop an ever-green strategy for learning within an
organization.</div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The evergreen approach to learning should
result in a lifelong process of learning within an organization that
periodically reinforces existing information, along with new concepts and
skills that relate to a particular topic. Yes…it does demand additional
resources and funding to dedicate learning as a core concept within an
organization. This has not been particularly high on the list of budget items
for most organizations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Why do I make a case for an evergreen
approach? - well because through my experience in developing eLearning for
various organizations over the past 25 years I have found that most if not all
organizations I have worked with have tended to look at developing learning and eLearning
on a project by project basis? While costs have not increased dramatically, the
pace of change, the scope of content has – which leaves me wondering why new
and more strategic approach to learning have not been implemented.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Common sense tells us we are not doing a
very good at creating effective learning environments. When I refer to this I
am referring to learning outside the traditional school system. Research tells
us that spaced learning produces superior test scores. The question becomes for
developing any learning strategy, “What is the typical interval of spaced
learning that produces good storage and retrieval strength” (see my article on
How We Learn). There is no real handbook or definitive data on this but there
is some research that provides a pretty reliable guide to how we can space eLearning
and learning in general to improve retention, comprehension and application. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">In 2008, a research team led by Melony
Wiseheart a psychologist at York University, Toronto and Harold Pashler, a psychologist
at the University of California, San Diego, conducted a large study that
provided the first good answer to this question. The book “How We Learn”
explains that the team enrolled 1354 people from all ages from across the US.
The team had them study 32 obscure facts. The participants studied the facts at
different intervals –some only 10 minutes apart and others as much as 6 months
apart. In total there were 26 different study intervals. The researchers also
varied the timing of the final exam.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The study produced an optimal interval
chart to help us better understand the relationship between spaced learning and
remembering what you have learned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Time To Test<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">First Study Interval<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Week<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">1-2 days<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">1 Month<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">1 week<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">3 Months<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">2 weeks<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">6 Months<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">3 weeks<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">1 Year<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">1 month<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The further away the exam the more the time
you have to prepare - the larger the optimal between sessions one and two. This
study included a test to validate the learning process. In most organizational
learning (as opposed to traditional school learning) and even eLearning where
testing is relatively easy, testing is not always a part of the process. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">The upshot of all this is that spaced out
intervals of study reinforces learning and learned practices in eLearning. ELearning is usually implemented as a one
off and there is rarely follow up through eLearning or other learning
methods. This results in poor adoption of learned skills or practices.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">In a well-designed “evergreen learning
approach” the reintroduction of concepts will help under-write a spaced out
study process creating a continuum of learning. This will result in the better
application of learned skills and processes, while exposing the learner to new
information. In a planned approach to learning this might include spaced out
eLearning programs where existing concepts are reexamined and new or revised
content is added to create depth of knowledge. Testing is also an important
part of the process to ensure that learners take the process as seriously as
those who have planned out the learning program.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Finally, based on the previous article “How
We Learn” - using different delivery methods of knowledge will help improve
“storage and retrieval strength.” For example you may utilize eLearning as a
core component, offering<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>versions of the
same eLearning modules with new questions, which can then reinforce with
scheduled events, webinars, activities, and print based elements throughout a
one year learning cycle. Often, these are not costly; they just demand planning
an evergreen approach to learning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Paul Cormierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13191088925898297303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773063404952134606.post-781254886744817522018-03-30T09:54:00.001-04:002018-03-30T09:54:42.516-04:00Signal to Noise: What Cambridge Analytica Taught Us<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieSHN2sWyW245W9xP0-_UR0wSDtLY-ImKc6yA6x6mCnHA7-RrZvc1YyvB7GqlOb9ag3jhmU8ukPYYHhgIaWrXg0UOu30rsoG8uWfUzLMpHY03J_aMqK7PZdlAsQfJYikRZgXsUfZQU34Da/s1600/Signal+To+Noise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieSHN2sWyW245W9xP0-_UR0wSDtLY-ImKc6yA6x6mCnHA7-RrZvc1YyvB7GqlOb9ag3jhmU8ukPYYHhgIaWrXg0UOu30rsoG8uWfUzLMpHY03J_aMqK7PZdlAsQfJYikRZgXsUfZQU34Da/s320/Signal+To+Noise.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: blue;">When a company can be brought down through one indiscriminate</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: blue;"> act it becomes increasingly important to embed ethical behavior</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Ultimately, it is the individual (an employee at any level) who is responsible for assessing knowledge and how that may or may not affect business prospects, company credibility, industry disruption and ever changing customer preferences in any company. As businesses continue to flatten their hierarchy and employees are becoming more educated they have put decision making in more and varied hands within their organizations. <div>
<br />Gone are the days that senior management sat at the top of a company hierarchy and made decisions about the company’s future (of course - there are still a few dinosaurs out there that manage from the top down.)Today, resilient forward thinking companies empower all levels of employees to consider and evaluate potential agents of change. Employees are more educated, they tend to enter fields of work that drive their interests and as a result, they are able to research, identify and consider new and alternative strategies more readily.<br /><br />Take for example, the recent Facebook data leak engineered by Cambridge Analytica where Christopher Wylie claims, the company he worked for, improperly harvested Facebook data from some 50 million users in order to help seal victories for the Trump campaign. While Wylie was simply named as a contractor by Cambridge Analytica , he was still able to influence the direction and fortunes of this company without being integrated into the management hierarchy of the company. His research and unique viewpoint created a new means of utilizing data.<br /><br />This can be cautionary tale, really a tale of two possibilities depending on how you evaluate knowledge and the process you have in place. The first possibility, we have already covered but let’s look at another opportunity that presented itself to Mr. Wylie. He pitched his services to the Liberal caucus research office and the Liberals signed a contract with Wylie in 2016 and he launched a pilot project. After seeing what Wylie had to offer, the party chose not to proceed further with the project. We are assuming that the techniques are similar in both instances, with Cambridge Analytica and with the Liberal Party Caucus.<br /><br />I can’t provide a lot of insight into Cambridge Analytica’s process for evaluating knowledge, but one can guess that the evaluation parameters are far less onerous and opportunities are largely evaluated based on profitability rather than credibility, as was not the case with the Liberal Party Caucus. <br /><br />Most tool sets and strategies available to business in this relatively new category of assessing and evaluating new ideas and strategies use tools such as the Balanced Scoreboard which analyses profit, customer experience, goals and innovation - or alternatively, the Success Case Method that primarily promotes the use of a field trail to evaluate effectiveness and outcomes. Regardless of the process, most of these options are designed for companies with larger infrastructure. Small business has a much more difficult time of it given the lack of resources and the need to innovate.<br /><br />Embedding ethical culture in companies is becoming an increasingly important component of an organizations’ s life-cycle. When a company can be brought down through one indiscriminate act it becomes increasingly important to embed ethical behavior to ensure that all levels of management understand, promote and communicate ethical tenants and benefits when evaluating opportunities.<br /><br />An article in Financial Management Magazine provides us with some interesting insight into the process about how effective embedding ethical behavior is- in today's decisions making. This <a href="https://www.fm-magazine.com/news/2017/apr/supporting-ethical-behaviour-201716424.html">study</a> was conducted in 2017 and it explores the importance of upholding <a href="http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/EY-EMEIA-Fraud-Survey-2017/$FILE/EY-EMEIA-Fraud-Survey-2017.pdf">ethical standards</a>. The study indicates that there are differences in demographics in how fraud, corruptions and unethical behavior is viewed by differences age categories. <br /><br />While Christopher Wylie had a pang of quilt in the aftermath as he surveyed the damage his initiative wrought, clearly the management of Cambridge Analytica did not –even when they got caught with their hands in the cookie jar. If your company is built to succeed now and greed (the gentrified term of course is profit) is the defining architect of the company vision - then embedding ethical standards all levels is not your concern. But if you are building for long term growth you need to consider developing strategies that raise awareness among employees and their role in preventing financial, reputation, or regulatory damage to the organization when considering new and transformative business initiatives.<br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /></div>
Paul Cormierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13191088925898297303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773063404952134606.post-75389831168442122282018-03-06T16:03:00.000-05:002018-03-20T04:06:07.592-04:00How We Learn: Storage & Retrieval Strength<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlq-WftpI80J4HtkIKrbfAVP9AKnxM2J4YOwrA1_-ltOakhzWgBAg0UanbJWMYcu9BgxIyiwTIDH_aZWJXDcD0poZ6xUqbWnd8Z6X7Zj6qrJf2-UIM79J8_VGo0dYkdBmYBX7G4f9yUGw3/s1600/127015-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="214" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlq-WftpI80J4HtkIKrbfAVP9AKnxM2J4YOwrA1_-ltOakhzWgBAg0UanbJWMYcu9BgxIyiwTIDH_aZWJXDcD0poZ6xUqbWnd8Z6X7Zj6qrJf2-UIM79J8_VGo0dYkdBmYBX7G4f9yUGw3/s1600/127015-1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: blue;">" Learning is rooted very much in the mind’s ability to </span></i></div>
<i></i><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: blue;">extrapolate a broad range information linked to external stimulus..."</span></i></i></div>
<i>
</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">A common thread that
affects learning and our comprehension is “How We Learn”. Funny, isn’t it -
that this is perhaps the single most important factor in developing learning
programs –yet it is the least understood and often least considered aspect of
skill development and behavioural change. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"> Learning programs,
and in particular eLearning programs demand that an individual focus on a set
of learning objectives we have set out for that learner. We seek to entrench
comprehension and change behaviour through such learning programs. Most learning
strategies within organizations and corporations are based on cost and
availability of resources with little concern for long term implementation
strategies and a need to validate learning. Effective eLearning involves
understanding how our brain works to store, recall and apply knowledge. If we
don’t understand how that takes place and how we can best create an environment
that will allow this to happen, how can we hope people will apply what
they have learned. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Traditional classrooms and
their learning strategies are built on historical experiences in organized
learning regimens and do not create a connection between learning and
understanding. The foundational learning strategies we currently use in most of
our business learning environments date back to the 19th
century. Experiential learning or the classroom based learning in a one to
many environment is the primary means of teaching/learning. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">This strategy is entrenched
in teachers and learners who focus on a learning formula that suggests:
creating a link between memorization, repetition and application equals
comprehension and learned skills. It is my contention, based on the existing
data sets resulting from many learning studies, that there is significant
evidence that this is not the most effective way to teach or learn, however, it
may be the cheapest. I wonder of cheaper is better if nothing is learned? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Learning is rooted very
much in the mind’s ability to extrapolate a broad range information linked to
external stimulus, thus creating links in our ability to store, recall and
apply knowledge based on how that knowledge gets embedded. Creating
unique environments, delivering a message in a memorable way and allowing the
learner to learn in a way that suites their abilities and capacity to paramount
to learning. Check out the <a href="https://lca-psychology.weebly.com/godden--baddeleys-study-of-context-dependent-forgetting.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #0084bf; padding: 0in;">Godden & Baddeley study on
the </span></b><b><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #0084bf; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none;">effects of context cues on recall.</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Robert Bjork of UCLA and
his wife, Elizabeth Ligon Bjork also of UCLA can be said to have developed the
theory of “Forget To Learn” in the 80’s. The principle theory is this “Any
memory has two strengths, a storage strength and a retrieval strength.”
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">“<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19288640-how-we-learn" target="_blank"><b><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #0084bf; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none;">How We Learn”, </span></b></a>author,
Benedict Carey, tells us that storage strength is just that, a measure of how
well learned something is. It builds up steadily with studying and more sharply
with use.” He goes on to say, “According to Bjorks theory, storage
strength can increase but never decrease”…and, “The brain holds onto only what
is relevant, useful or interesting - or maybe so in the future.”
Casey tells us that “Retrieval strength…is a measure of how
easily a nugget of information comes to mind. It too, increases with studying
and with use.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Retrieval strength can be a
matter of how quickly we can bring things to mind, while storage strength is a
matter of how familiar something might be. ELearning is affected by this
learning philosophy. If an eLearning program, for example has 6 modules, and
each is about 45 minutes long which we take only once, than the storage
strength and retrieval strength are both low. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">How do we improve on
this? Each module can be followed up with questions. This serves as
repetition of content and improves retrieval. Adding case studies and
interactive scenarios helps improve storage strength as we apply and use the
knowledge. We can further improve storage and retrieval with follow up meetings
and one-on-one sessions that extend our learning of the concept, by creating a
series of demands on our memory that recall and apply the principles learned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Spreading out the learning
process over a longer period of time, changing the delivery medium and varying
the time and place in which we learn are all hall marks of eLearning. This
creates an environment where the knowledge can become more embedded in our
memory, improving our storage and retrieval strength and allowing us to recall
information more readily. This is especially true if we continue to follow up
and extend the learning process through a variety of additional learning
opportunities. These complementary learning opportunities that complement eLearning
can be simple and low cost including; group meetings, one-on-one simulations,
learner surveys, reading assignments, learner feedback, follow up evaluation of
implementation strategies, etc. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">ELearning is an ideal
medium for knowledge transfer, but on its own it’s is far less effective.
Learning strategies, that use eLearning as the primary learning medium,
delivered over longer periods while including multiple learning opportunities
and multiple mediums create the best outcomes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Paul Cormierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13191088925898297303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773063404952134606.post-5966467016160266682018-01-25T13:30:00.001-05:002018-01-25T13:30:10.976-05:00Not For Profit: A lesson Learned<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPPOasHTcr8PbNsxeAXzyk1OCiUybgYprkF5Yxnb5MAFXWiJvzf9UkxKuycu1nDlVp3d6YbPLC_g82SyeEcx0HXzI7vyXdKT3kMvrzskU77Xv8H95k2rvUem0RZ9ackL1sZUOyrYqPzWye/s1600/Not+For+Profit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPPOasHTcr8PbNsxeAXzyk1OCiUybgYprkF5Yxnb5MAFXWiJvzf9UkxKuycu1nDlVp3d6YbPLC_g82SyeEcx0HXzI7vyXdKT3kMvrzskU77Xv8H95k2rvUem0RZ9ackL1sZUOyrYqPzWye/s200/Not+For+Profit.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: blue;">He looked at me and said: “No, while those objectives<br /> are all admirable – your one most important objective<br /> is to – find your replacement.”</span><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;"> </span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I have served as senior decision maker
(president) for two “Not for Profit” organizations for a total of more than 10
years. For me, it was a way of giving back and contributing in my
community. While the rewards of
contributing, working with like-minded altruistic professionals and helping
change people lives was great – I learned a very important lesson that I would
like to pass along should you be considering participating in a not for profit
organization in any decision making capacity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">The situation unfolded some 8 years ago
when I chose to take on the position of president for a not for profit
organization. I really had no experience
but I wanted to find out more about what I was capable of and what I might be
able to contribute. After being elected
to the position one of Board of Directors approached me privately and asked
“What do you think your primary objective should be?” After a bit of thought I
regurgitated the usual objectives, including some “boiler plate” mission
statement objectives that the organization was committed to. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">My initial thoughts on the question,
suggested that perhaps this senior Board Member, who had a great deal of
experience on many prestigious Boards of Directors was not confident in my
abilities and was perhaps testing me in some way. After my response (and I am
paraphrasing here) he said quietly “No, while those objectives are all
admirable – your one most important objective is to – find your
replacement.” Now I was certain ….this
person did not have a lot of confidence in my leadership abilities. At that point he turned and walked away and
he did not say another word…nor did I have any chance to ask about what the
comment meant. I felt terrible…my first day as president of this Not For
Profit…and I was being asked to seek my replacement as quickly as possible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">At this point I decided to make the best of
it and keep a stiff upper lip and continue. Months passed and I attended a number of
in-person and teleconference meetings in my new position and did not have any occasion
to find out more about the comment. A year passed and I was asked to take on a
second Not for Profit senior decision making position – and in spite of my
misgivings I accepted this position; and now I was President of two
organizations. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"> In
the handling my responsibilities of this second more demanding positon I
gradually began to understand what the comment had meant. As I continued in my
responsibilities I oversaw many changes to both organizations and years passed
I began thinking about how I could relieve myself of at least one if not both
of these demanding positions. I was
working full time as an entrepreneur, our family was growing and changing,
responsibilities for each organization was becoming more intense and I needed
an exit strategy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="page-break-before: always;" />
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Now that comment began to make sense - and
I decided to put the question directly to the person who had originally posed
it to me, “What did you mean when you told me I had to focus on planning for my
replacement?” He smiled and he started by fist telling me what a great job I
was doing and then went on to tell me, on the many boards he had served on he
had learned one thing, that senior board positions are difficult to fill and if
I wanted someone to carry on with the strategic process I had started I needed
to find and put in place several people who I felt might one day be able to
step into my shoes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Suddenly it all made sense, for several
years I had been second guessing myself and I finally realized that this has just been a piece of advice from someone
who understand the burden of leadership and what it takes to carry on the
important work of not for profits. I
understood in that moment it takes time and effort to create a succession plan
that would allow for seamless transition in leadership. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I have since left both organizations and
passed on the mantle of leadership to capable leaders who have worked to
improve the reality for each of these organizations. I have not forgotten this important lesson
and I often see it play out in those I connect with in my everyday business
experience – leaders doing great work who have not thought ahead to the day
when they want to reduce their role and have a capable replacement to carry on the important work of their
organization. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Paul Cormierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13191088925898297303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773063404952134606.post-54488224001745714912017-11-13T10:26:00.000-05:002017-11-13T10:26:00.495-05:00E Learning Buy-in: Getting your staff Engaged<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9zElfga-XqtG_5bFiya3g5YUHgoncY9Ze5KoXpm_xtvPyfsBtYS5q4nqF1DNjavPZTxjPXgnNS5Xx5gFwwfYHGaxFKnNWRM7TJ3nkZ1c9Vi9NUB7NrktzhfN5vosP5I2jNIGjpf9hV1e8/s1600/Feedback.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9zElfga-XqtG_5bFiya3g5YUHgoncY9Ze5KoXpm_xtvPyfsBtYS5q4nqF1DNjavPZTxjPXgnNS5Xx5gFwwfYHGaxFKnNWRM7TJ3nkZ1c9Vi9NUB7NrktzhfN5vosP5I2jNIGjpf9hV1e8/s320/Feedback.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><i>Check out the 11 steps you can take to improve the <br />potential success of your eLearning implementation</i></b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">E-Learning like most training and knowledge
transfer initiatives demands planning and careful implementation. Often, the
audience is the last consideration in the process and few if any audience
marketing, achievement reward programs, audience feedback or engagement
tracking is implemented as part of the plan. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I have been witness to several
implementation programs within small and large organizations that have failed miserably.
In one case we developed a program that was launched to reach 10,000 employees.
There are few statistics (since organizations rarely share such information)
and developers are not asked to participate or offer any meaningful input into
the distribution process of eLearning within an organization. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Herein lies the problem; organizations form
management and administrative bodies across disciplines, departments and
regional divisions etc. The penchant for administrative protocol creates a lack
of communication so that these bodies focus more attention on process rather than on
results. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Since eLearning has been designed to by
accessed anywhere, anytime, understanding and catering to personal and
professional lives plays an important role in determining how we engage
learners. Management and administrative bodies do not consider this and assume
(wrongly) that if we create program learners will be forced to participate
since they are employees of the company or organization. . What they fail to understand is that learning
is not a forced exercise that automatically engages learners and creates
retention and the willingness to apply that learning in their work experience.
It is often seen as many company initiatives are a well-intentioned exercise
that is not really designed for “me”, the very person we are trying to reach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Creating and incentive and an understanding
of what the eLearning program hopes to achieve and how each employee (or better
yet “person”), if they play their part can contribute to the success and
rewarding that success both personal and organizationally are what can make the
difference between success and failure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Alright…so we have created a case for
incentivizing eLearning for employee buy in; so how do we go about doing it?
This is a complex topic that demands an understanding of the work environment,
the learner’s demographic profile, personal worker preferences and the
organization’s ability to commit to a longer term and a consistent implementation
process that seeks to respond to learner needs.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Having said this, I can provide a basic
bullet point list of issues to consider and steps to take, in no particular
order:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Think
about implementation in terms of advertising. Get the word out in a
creative and engaging way<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Involve
the learners in the process of advertising; coming up with creative ideas
for its implementation gives them ownership and they become invested in
the process<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Get third
party input. This could take the form of the eLearning developer, internal
communication resources, advertising agency, etc. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Repeat
the “getting the word out” process throughout the implementation and
distribution process. Before, during and after<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Promote
the reward process and how and how individuals and the organization have
benefited<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Tell
personal stories and provide statistical evidence on the program’s success
or “lack thereof” <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Track and
share engagement statistics. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Define
and beginning and an end to the implementation process. Leaving it open
ended suggests that it is not important<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">When as
organization meets organized resistance, i.e., unions, go back to more communications with
employees because you probably have
not created enough incentive for them to fully participate or understand
its value<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> Use learner surveys, feedback meetings,
webinars, etc., and follow up opportunities to get feedback on what worked and what didn’t<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Last but
not least, act on the feedback provided. You don’t have to act on every
suggestion but you do want to let
your learners know you are listening and genuinely want this to work<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol>
Paul Cormierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13191088925898297303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773063404952134606.post-46761406930440641682017-10-26T11:58:00.000-04:002017-10-26T11:58:29.543-04:00Wait!...to make Your Next Decision<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhasm42y8VY-k_NCTxnUtRVMf5mKLlqeGY18P0dd8nYeR0XzIfw5a6tmTwRJjN4y7p9q6W1JW9rVB0gqIdI0wZj60vqqKCEtDL5kXWDtrGM-HSmCawuuzmYm7HvRDaXqXhnTx-ugSaggPQ-/s1600/Waiting+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="801" data-original-width="1200" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhasm42y8VY-k_NCTxnUtRVMf5mKLlqeGY18P0dd8nYeR0XzIfw5a6tmTwRJjN4y7p9q6W1JW9rVB0gqIdI0wZj60vqqKCEtDL5kXWDtrGM-HSmCawuuzmYm7HvRDaXqXhnTx-ugSaggPQ-/s200/Waiting+1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: blue;">"Waiting often brings new ideas and<br /> solutions to the table when considering a<br /> problem in the decision making process."</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Decision making - “One guiding Principal
that Rules them All “ ( Lord of the Rings nod there is you didn’t get it). I don’t have 8 steps to being a more
effective leader, or 10 tips to becoming more successful – I use just one
simple idea in my decision making. Perhaps a little short sighted you might
say, even a little simplistic – but frankly this strategy has proven to be a
life saver and I am going to share it with you and you don’t even have to
attend a workshop, arrange for a free consultation or visit my website to get
this info!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">After all that…the idea is pretty simple –
wait, just wait longer to make your decision. People are driven to make
decisions sooner than necessary most of the time. In this fast paced and hectic
business world there is a need to get things done now – we are driven by
constant communication, short work cycles, management demands and competing
special interest groups to make immediate decisions. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">In many ways we have gradually contributed
greatly to the need to make decisions quickly for gen x and now gen y decision
makers because of technology and the
rise of more immediate communication - but we haven’t provided the mentoring and
insight necessary to understand the anatomy of decision making. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Scale is an important decisions when
applying the wait and see approach to decision making. Clearly you can’t wait
for weeks when a decision has to be made by tomorrow morning. I use a simple
understanding of the scale of decision making to inform the decision making
process. If the decision is considered an immediate demand, i.e., in the next
few minutes, hours or days, decisions if properly considered may take hours,
days or weeks given the same scale of decision making.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Of course the all-important question, why
wait? Waiting often brings new ideas and
solutions to the table when considering a problem in the decision making
process. Additionally, the loudest and most pressing solution is not always the
best path – often we need time and space to reflect on a decision and its implications.
And, of course many problems that demand immediate decision making often
resolve themselves given time; sometimes through innovation and other times
through the thoughtful solutions from team members and subordinates. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I am sorry I can’t think of a more common
analogy for the thought process around waiting to make a decision but the idea
of baseball, and the batter waiting
patiently in his batter’s box as a pitch arrives makes sense to me. In that moment
the batter must make an immediate decision. As decisions become more meaningful
late in games or important playoff situations batters are often said to wait on
the pitch longer, allowing it to travel further. They may not hit it as hard
but they are less likely to make an out. The batter stands back and tries to
create more space to give him or herself more time to decide to make contact or
not. This additional time in the
batter’s box makes the difference between average and great decision making.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Don’t get me wrong, you can still make
quick decisions and be successful, but this demands a greater degree of skill,
in my opinion, often demanding considerable experience. Waiting and taking more
time to make a thoughtful decision allows you to weigh more factors and consider
alternatives that are difficult to fathom in the short term.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Paul Cormierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13191088925898297303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773063404952134606.post-29791150835315535072017-08-10T09:12:00.000-04:002017-08-10T09:12:39.691-04:00Communicating Authentically<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvHHprcE6xl3yyKzftKbEPRb_tvP9UWEJJZM6_hHagXM-K5__7apwP3dL-ksZ2XEhUq8YDWbyDobJz4kSJymqKcztuRQObRhDDYc7HeqT81Iaglmz_vtuGewss1y5Irnbfgm-xj5FM1hMG/s1600/Authentic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvHHprcE6xl3yyKzftKbEPRb_tvP9UWEJJZM6_hHagXM-K5__7apwP3dL-ksZ2XEhUq8YDWbyDobJz4kSJymqKcztuRQObRhDDYc7HeqT81Iaglmz_vtuGewss1y5Irnbfgm-xj5FM1hMG/s320/Authentic.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: small; text-align: start;"><span style="color: blue;"><i>A million years of evolution has finely <br />honed our sensitivity to authenticity</i></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Authenticity helps us determine the validity of information in every moment of our lives, whether it’s listening and watching people, reading body language, talking to people or simply absorbing signage, radio, TV or internet impressions. We use our “authenticity filter” to determine the value of information we are absorbing. It is a subliminal, autonomic response that we do not consciously control.<br />
<br />
This automatic response provides us with clues about the authenticity of the source of these messages. A million years of evolution has finely honed our sensitivity to authenticity. While this authenticity filter applies to everything we experience, it is perhaps why and how some of us are more successful than others in life and business.<br />
<br />
As small business owners and decision makers, we tend to trust a more calculating approach to marketing and sales. We spend a great deal of time addressing a divergent series of issues relating to company growth which often including sales and marketing, shewing how our company is represented in the marketplace. Unfortunately, a calculated approach rarely contributes to the authenticity of your sales and marketing message. <br />
<br />
Often times, we settle on predictable sales messages and we pack them in so that customers can’t really identify our products or services as unique. Authenticity contributes greatly to our unique brand and they help differentiate us and allow customers to create an emotional attachment to our products. Time and effort factor greatly into the process of authenticity because we only have so much time and our attention is often pulled in many directions.<br />
<br />
Large businesses fare much better when creating authentic brands and messages, but only because they apply money, time and effort in the process. Small businesses tend to use the same decisions making process that has been successful in other areas of the business and authenticity is difficult to qualify and demands a significant investment in time and effort.<br />
<br />
Small to intermediate size businesses would fare much better if they give credence and a higher priority to authenticity in their marketing and communication message. We have all seen small or startup companies do very well when they have an authentic message to deliver, by creating an emotional link to their product through authenticity. We marvel at their innovation and ingenuity and then promptly ignore considering authentic messages when we create our own marketing messages?<br />
Another great characteristic of authenticity recognition is that it is common to all. It is not an attribute specific to any one demographic. If your message is authentic any audience can pick it up.<br />
<br />
Perhaps, understanding and learning how to use this innate ability offers small business owners a real benefit when trying to craft authentic messages and brands. As a starting point I recommend reading Malcolm Gladwell’s book, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blink:_The_Power_of_Thinking_Without_Thinking" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Blink</a>. It will help define this characteristic for you and provide evidence of its use and misuse. Among a number of theories he postulates, Malcolm talks about having too much information and how this can interfere with the clarity and authenticity of a message.<br />
<br />
As business owners we sift through a great deal of information as we wear our many hats. Cultivating a process that commits time and effort to filtering out irrelevant and confusing information is an important part of creating an authentic brand or message. Sometimes, collecting more information only reinforces our more practical judgment. Gladwell explains that messages can be more authentic when they are the result of simple and frugal information.<br />
<br />
The first step in making your message authentic, regardless of the medium, is to make it clear enough to make a decision on - without having to use a magnifying glass.Paul Cormierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13191088925898297303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773063404952134606.post-59228533953066617152017-02-20T08:44:00.000-05:002017-02-20T08:44:54.469-05:00A Learning Strategy: Changing Workforce Demographics<div class="prose" itemprop="articleBody">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9KaYN6Y7u7NfMTj1viZ4nwkcyMRfsmJEtNj97Dgc3cL70QvsMMD-lZKMbutRGD18iQWmsAoInAWHNgupQiYpIv2w6HAOuwom0BC3Ys2KZceKrn8vnDVScMfM_rdhaghibP2ioMnRhWepA/s1600/62.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9KaYN6Y7u7NfMTj1viZ4nwkcyMRfsmJEtNj97Dgc3cL70QvsMMD-lZKMbutRGD18iQWmsAoInAWHNgupQiYpIv2w6HAOuwom0BC3Ys2KZceKrn8vnDVScMfM_rdhaghibP2ioMnRhWepA/s320/62.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Organizations tend to plan short term based on cyclical budget demands, year to year strategic plans, and the response to changes in governing regulations and the economic landscape. Typically, its learning strategies are not synchronized with the demographic profile of its learner groups. This near-sighted approach in developing learning plans does not benefit an organization effectively or its need to have its employees, special interest groups and contractors understand its goals and objectives. Yes…you read correctly, each of these groups is the target of a well-planned learning strategy. Each group of learners within a learning strategy's audience may have unique learning styles, age differences, gender biases and ethnic makeup. The demographic makeup of our workforce is changing and we need to change our learning models to accommodate the changing face of workers.<br />
<br />
As a result of the broad impact a learning strategy can have on an organization, learning strategies are and will be increasingly important for organizations as the pace of change and updates in knowledge and technology quicken. Ensuring that an organization can filter down knowledge to each of these groups will have an ever increasing bearing on its fortunes. Organizations, need to consider long term learning planning demands by developing a multi-faceted strategy that responds to different cultural, ethnic, gender and task specific requirements of each unique learning group. Check out the labour force demographic makeup trend charts below to follow the changing workforce in the United States between 1976 and 2006. One can only assume that the pace of change has picked up in recent years and is more pronounced in Canada.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZNX6eZOCUZTycb7EqQuJ7sp7nUh8CzvhEanU1l-6VdR8KGrg7FjqfDjhr1-bnuElRIbhjE65LxpxeE2Kx12RWSOEZ7a-bZEpRohq3elaYsfm5fDca2S3tCVZgY9ILkVyX-K0RBO4vUc5-/s1600/Fiq.+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZNX6eZOCUZTycb7EqQuJ7sp7nUh8CzvhEanU1l-6VdR8KGrg7FjqfDjhr1-bnuElRIbhjE65LxpxeE2Kx12RWSOEZ7a-bZEpRohq3elaYsfm5fDca2S3tCVZgY9ILkVyX-K0RBO4vUc5-/s320/Fiq.+1.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
In Canada, as in most regions around the world today we are experiencing shifts in labour population age, ethnicity and gender. This inevitable shift in cultural norms among our workforce means that knowledge transfer, to be effective, has to consider this in the delivery of knowledge. The United States Department of Labor for example, in its report “<a href="https://www.dol.gov/oasam/programs/history/herman/reports/futurework/conference/trends/trendsi.htm" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Trends and Challenges for Work in the 21st Century</a>” show steady change in workforce makeup. Seniors, women and ethnic workers make up an increasingly larger portion of the workforce. This study has based on trend data captured between 1976 and 2006.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjku5sAL9hv9lnNrZ7dNkSxNaOGG8yEGT3NpsI91KU8LptBqWVqc0JofXxFliTPM9zh9dnT68ovKJXHusgcPOHjXFe5qxbUkufw0nf4c0SyoiQun_GHVQYaTjwSmxGgzyKdJYZHuMJ2sLAO/s1600/Fiq.+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjku5sAL9hv9lnNrZ7dNkSxNaOGG8yEGT3NpsI91KU8LptBqWVqc0JofXxFliTPM9zh9dnT68ovKJXHusgcPOHjXFe5qxbUkufw0nf4c0SyoiQun_GHVQYaTjwSmxGgzyKdJYZHuMJ2sLAO/s320/Fiq.+2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
How does this change long term planning strategies? I think that eLearning strategies must see the bigger picture. eLearning must be integrated into a process that considers different kinds of learning styles unique to each group based on their demographic makeup. I think it’s reasonably obvious that when you are planning learning, you must consider reflecting the nature of the group in the images and voices that are portrayed, but more than that the very nature of learning can sometimes be impacted by the medium.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVZXJj3BmJEFzsFk3kI8aHmbk2pdH8pNJXJr0iD8YEJ77YY0f50PbwqSgYQEW83WQ9Fo-IA43N2H_-1ee2xZLWo747Oy_abFchsz1tbGEUcDM4Rh_Sl152rMeoMWaJQzJCYXFAPsE1zzqn/s1600/Fiq.+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVZXJj3BmJEFzsFk3kI8aHmbk2pdH8pNJXJr0iD8YEJ77YY0f50PbwqSgYQEW83WQ9Fo-IA43N2H_-1ee2xZLWo747Oy_abFchsz1tbGEUcDM4Rh_Sl152rMeoMWaJQzJCYXFAPsE1zzqn/s320/Fiq.+3.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Some examples of this might include indigenous subject matter. Traditionally, Inuit and First Nations have a history of oral storytelling with a strong influence of imagery. Planning unique learning programs that respects and consider these issues in developing subject matter can be the difference between a successful program and failure. Another example might include delivering knowledge to a work population that is more ethnically oriented. Using images, offering language versions, reflecting the ethnic makeup in your imagery and offering scheduled live support and feedback may make the learning program much more effective.<br />
<br />
It is understandable that this kind of development cycle and the support it demands will affect budgets, but this is why a long term strategy works in an organizations benefit, as costs and planning can be amortized over a longer period as the programs are rolled out. Tracking the effectiveness of these programs and how they can impact the fortunes and bottom line of an organization can help build a case for the additional costs and resources required to develop and implement a long term learning strategy.</div>
Paul Cormierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13191088925898297303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773063404952134606.post-57378524937451021742017-02-15T15:45:00.001-05:002017-02-17T10:18:08.603-05:00Reality TV Killed Video<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdK1yEdYTYwpUWKODKvsEuBgxfO6S7w7iz4-ykKJGzh6EmD_HNACQzHfOO6ne0gKWZYzltfCisfx8tS3VLuiT_avIc6TH3j2_EJeVwuPPae2bBbwiVoEUq1ZpZFjo7AcnkZQ-HEJ5E69Et/s1600/marquee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdK1yEdYTYwpUWKODKvsEuBgxfO6S7w7iz4-ykKJGzh6EmD_HNACQzHfOO6ne0gKWZYzltfCisfx8tS3VLuiT_avIc6TH3j2_EJeVwuPPae2bBbwiVoEUq1ZpZFjo7AcnkZQ-HEJ5E69Et/s320/marquee.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;">This was Reality TV ( back in the day) before slick marketing<br />created a whole new industry and killed "good" video production</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Before we get into this …. I have something
to share...something that may not be obvious to everyone; reality TV is marketing
term developed by the television industry to capitalize on the idea of
authenticity. In “reality” (sorry for
the pun), reality TV is the same old TV we have been watching since the
invention of television, with slicker production packaging. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">“Reality TV” has been in the pipeline since
the 40’s. A couple of supposedly unscripted television show come to mind, how
about <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Funt" title="Allen Funt">Allen Funt</a>'s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidden_camera" title="Hidden camera">hidden
camera</a> show or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candid_Camera" title="Candid Camera">Candid
Camera</a> shows that were produced in the 40s and 50s., or Mutual of
Omaha's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Kingdom" title="Wild Kingdom">Wild Kingdom</a> which aired from 1963 through 1988
with Marlin Perkins. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">There are no television shows today that
are shot without planning or a production crew in attendance guiding all the action. No one would
spend the time and money to allow videotaping by setting up a scenario and
allowing us to “just see what happens”. A friend recently told me he watches “Alone’
purportedly a reality TV show that pits man or woman against nature in a
totally unscripted format. The show even claims “no television crew is present”
in the making of this show. The reality is a <u>cameraman </u>is present not a <u>crew; </u>clever wording to be sure that gulls the viewer into the “willing suspension of
disbelief”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Now, having set up this premise, what does
Realty TV have to do with modern video production for web sites, social media, corporate videos
and events? Well, I am glad you asked!
Planning is everything, when producing videos. Scripting, storyboards,
locations scouts, design, prepared on-camera talent, lighting and most recently
a firm grasp of how to use new technology are essential to producing great
video whether they are 10 seconds long or 10 minutes. Even someone shooting raw video has to plan, practice and prepare.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Reality TV has added a few tools to the
video production tool chest in recent years but it still takes a lot of
planning and creativity to allow a planned video to look authentic and
un-rehearsed. Just because you have a
camera doesn’t mean you can produce great video. Customers, especially corporate clients have
been increasingly expecting the costs of production to be reduced as the
proliferation of cameras and camera technology (such as drones) has increased. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">While advances in video technology has reduced
the cost of producing video there continues to be a significant cost for
experienced , creative talent. The cost
of producing a “corporate” 10 minute video in the 80’s might have reached $ 100,000
using professional crews and talent. Today that same video might only cost
$10,000 (but nobody is making 10 minute corporate videos today). The problem is that organizations are trying
to produce shorter videos today for next to nothing. In doing so they are
eliminating the very thing that makes videos motivate people to buy their product or create a positive feeling about their brand. Powerful, well thought
out video production that leverages creative talent and new technologies still
has a cost; unfortunately, finding the right production partner to produce your video with the right blend of creative talent and
technology is difficult to figure out when anybody can own a camera or a drone.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Paul Cormierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13191088925898297303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773063404952134606.post-47281697313816257812017-02-06T12:17:00.003-05:002017-02-10T10:49:08.185-05:00Building an eLearning Strategy<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNcXh9QQgFKmvckBjB3QpMH-dH9LzQZYEDoaVzSae7xPNWfVVPk2Eueqeu8krhLhqbDcDMkqTDVrcEhZW3B6bocvOadyLQsdOKg12VnRwAkksNTt29QLprfWf1YaAHUDk_k15TmeAPZTVx/s1600/FG5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNcXh9QQgFKmvckBjB3QpMH-dH9LzQZYEDoaVzSae7xPNWfVVPk2Eueqeu8krhLhqbDcDMkqTDVrcEhZW3B6bocvOadyLQsdOKg12VnRwAkksNTt29QLprfWf1YaAHUDk_k15TmeAPZTVx/s200/FG5.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: blue;">Develop strategies that deal<br />with contractors, unionized<br />workers and salaried staff.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Over the past several years, eLearning has
gradually been integrated into the knowledge transfer process of industry and
government. </span><span lang="EN-US"> </span>Unfortunately, the creation of most eLearning is usually based on a mix of existing internal programs originally developed as print, web and video; or they simply buy an available eLearning program from the open marketplace. Organizations simply take an existing program and, more often than not with some minor alterations, upload the content to an Learning Management System (LMS) with short term planning goals and budgetary restraints. In many cases they spend more time and money on selecting an LMS than they do on the actual content. <span style="font-family: "source serif pro" , serif;">Understanding how to build responsive and effective content is important when you consider asking employees to do some if not most of their training on personal time.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<br />
Additional resources, pre-testing, test quizzes;
access to mentoring, cohort knowledge sharing, program feedback and a commitment
to link outcomes to performance are all issues that typically are not addressed.
These eLearning considerations and learning program strategies affect the learner’s
ability to change behaviors or to incorporate knowledge into their practices
and planning processes.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">To be fair, budgets, union bargaining, lack
of long term strategies, lack of experience and unsupported eLearning
implementation provide some context for explaining why organizations simply
choose the path of least resistance. For example an organization might upload PDFs
with text and images; or existing PowerPoint presentations; or even use an interactive
web site. There are many solutions out there that can meet "budgeted" learning demands of
an organization but getting results requires more serious planning before eLearning content gets produced
and implemented, even when content already exists. Don’t get me wrong, content
that exists is important and a valuable asset that can be leveraged to reduce
overall development costs and support comprehension.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">The best way to address these and other considerations
in eLearning planning and implementation is to develop a two pronged strategy
before you ever consider content. First develop a long term plan (3 years) that
seeks to integrate unionized employees (where applicable), contractors, regular
hourly employees and salaried staff into the eLearning program incrementally. Three years to integrate unionized staff is
ambitious, when you consider the need to address concerns by their bargaining
unit. And second, create incentives in the program
to reward performance. This can be measured through peer review and annual performance
reviews that track and document the comprehension and application of knowledge in
day to day tasks. These two considerations are challenging to implement,
because they require all levels of management and employees or even contractors
to be invested in the process. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Once you have that plan documented and supported,
next comes the production of content that is linked to comprehension and
changes in behavior. Laying the planning foundation ensures you have the tools
to more effectively implement eLearning within your organization. Without it, we are simply spending a lot of
money to provide yet another way for learners to forget or ignore what they
have learned. Paul Cormierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13191088925898297303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773063404952134606.post-14747426975862486762016-06-23T09:59:00.000-04:002016-06-23T09:59:46.548-04:00Advertising: For Better or Worse<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5M9qJ5MaQta-Fx-z_9J_DgwpIjVnfeUazHIPmNjPfwmIiR-gUtj_LFg_oSzvY_sDC8lKsE30NMyk6Szdbg3mTZsWJM_NIdGmXQimNkeZloOo2LZBHMkYWUPLRd38vtYd3wuKNQVhKfGZf/s1600/Better+or+Worse.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5M9qJ5MaQta-Fx-z_9J_DgwpIjVnfeUazHIPmNjPfwmIiR-gUtj_LFg_oSzvY_sDC8lKsE30NMyk6Szdbg3mTZsWJM_NIdGmXQimNkeZloOo2LZBHMkYWUPLRd38vtYd3wuKNQVhKfGZf/s320/Better+or+Worse.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Good Seller" or " Bad Seller"?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I spend a lot of time watching and
listening to all kinds of ads while consciously and subconsciously evaluating them. I watch them through a lens of trying to understand their motivation and their
effectiveness; some on TV and radio, some on social networks and others in
print and on billboards. Let’s face it there are a lot of ads everywhere you
look. (it is estimated we receive up to 5,000 impressions a day). </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">In thinking about this and I have come up
with a theory that says basically this, there are basically two types of
advertising, advertising that is
designed to promote a product that is “selling well” and advertising that is
designed to promote product that is “not selling well,” or “certainly not as
well as hoped.” We can debate why a product is selling well (or not); if it is not selling well it may be
a new unknown product, or a recently updated product , one with new or previously
unknown benefits, a newly developed product and the list goes on. The reasons
are varied and many. For a product or service that sells well, the advertiser
is generally trying to leverage the existing goods sales and generate great
sales, “striking while the iron is hot” (so to speak). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"> One thing,
I have found true more often than not, the more advertisers (and this is an
important distinction between “advertising” and “advertisers”) promote a
specific product the more likely it is that it may have limited value for you
and generate great profit and margins for the advertiser.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">The frequency and shear number of media
channels used gets multiplied as advertisers try and climb on to the “gravy
train.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDlYiwEKgv5NBrQtxj5bAM7Qob7DPBim_nYMK0t9YKC27TxgValqKAoiI-AnShsRCrhT0kkwyP8y5C8Z_ll21TKP0FV2mq54f0_1AG1Ly63i74C2dkNGoDUqTkscXMD4s9hi4zsbezFfVG/s1600/Health.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDlYiwEKgv5NBrQtxj5bAM7Qob7DPBim_nYMK0t9YKC27TxgValqKAoiI-AnShsRCrhT0kkwyP8y5C8Z_ll21TKP0FV2mq54f0_1AG1Ly63i74C2dkNGoDUqTkscXMD4s9hi4zsbezFfVG/s320/Health.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Television Ad</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Take for example, Canadian extended health
care packages which are currently in heavy rotation in many media channels
including television and online advertising. In this category we see a rush of
companies and products, such as Flex care, Sure Health, Cover Me, Canada
Protection Plan, and the list goes on. These are companies who employ a legion
of actuarial accountants to recognize and capitalize on (gaps in healthcare no
doubt) as an opportunity to generate profits. This product would fall under the
category of a product that is “selling well” with companies climbing on board
to take advantage of the opportunity. The opportunity is the result of an aging,
fearful demographic that may not have planned well for retirement and a health
care system that has gaps. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Of course this does not apply to all
products in all categories at all times, this is simply a guide to help you
cast a critical eye towards ads and the products they promote to determine if
these have value, using this theory. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWjegicKglhasaWXt2U3Nam1Vor3J7njfajFzzfnJp5ls4-MD_mRPFlXu7ccuBao3qQjHXcHzr0ZM0V8n5k7dFROfLjMGB9tHzyy0GfVzKaGgISfqixjh6xD-0Ab3kBt4AEWoTEPN_L9ti/s1600/Zoolilly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWjegicKglhasaWXt2U3Nam1Vor3J7njfajFzzfnJp5ls4-MD_mRPFlXu7ccuBao3qQjHXcHzr0ZM0V8n5k7dFROfLjMGB9tHzyy0GfVzKaGgISfqixjh6xD-0Ab3kBt4AEWoTEPN_L9ti/s200/Zoolilly.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Direct Mail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Another, and a very different example aimed
at a different demographic would be online stores such as Zoolilly, a
completely online store that deals in clothing and home décor. They would fall
into the “not selling well” category. The fact that they do not sell well is the result of
the fact that they are an unknown quantity.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">An example of another “bad seller” might be an
impulse buy product whether that is on TV or online. The seller creates a need
for the product by fabricating a problem. The advertiser, through their
commercials then proceeds to promote the multi-uses for their product in addressing
the identified a problem and adds a few other uses just for good measure. It’s
a “bad seller” because there was no market for this product prior to adverting.
In most cases the manufacturer will try and have the product stocked on shelves
at major department store chains. The claim, only available through this
call-in commercial or online web site, immediately tells us that department
store chains have decided this is not a product they think will sell or has
real value for its customers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I could offer many examples all distilled
down to “good seller” or “bad seller” but I think I have made my point. I</span>t is important that as
buyers, we critically evaluate advertising from a motivation point of view.
Understanding a company’s motivation can help us understand the value
proposition being offered by the seller. It is also important as potential advertisers that focus on the "real" value a product offers in our advertising to differentiate ourselves whether we are advertising a good selling" product or a "bad selling" product.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you are a company trying to sell your
products; then understanding your own motivation for creating a marketing
message helps you develop more effective selling strategies and their
corresponding messages. I believe that most customers can differentiate between
good sellers and bad sellers and perceive value. This is especially important to small businesses who can not compete with huge advertising budgets that "good sellers" can often generate..</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Paul Cormierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13191088925898297303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773063404952134606.post-61748303192847569562016-03-29T15:48:00.000-04:002016-03-29T15:48:26.247-04:00Online Content: Two Purposes - One Process<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH4IvgipMhHCRR-X30ZhWgkYwjqhybSMg1gA4-b9wwnE1cQ6LtLzRoCcgvKBDF9iUbWdeos1M8-nOmpaXhGbUdXrcn_WwjapHMqKRQIPbTB_rkRTo0P30FDT0IIM9JQQzAys8QEIP3xhQu/s1600/shutterstock_109847006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH4IvgipMhHCRR-X30ZhWgkYwjqhybSMg1gA4-b9wwnE1cQ6LtLzRoCcgvKBDF9iUbWdeos1M8-nOmpaXhGbUdXrcn_WwjapHMqKRQIPbTB_rkRTo0P30FDT0IIM9JQQzAys8QEIP3xhQu/s320/shutterstock_109847006.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN-US">Content is always promoted as one the most
important aspect of an online presence, either to create an immediate arms-length
interaction or a more personal interaction. For some it simply represents their
brand and a means of qualifying them … at least that’s what customers say. An
example of a more personal interaction might be a new home real-estate web site,
which is designed to provide only the barest minimum of details about the new
homes (Why?) they want you to visit…they can only sell you a house when you
visit the sales office. On the other
hand, companies that sell products online must provide a lot of detail about a
product to help customers make immediate, impulse purchase decisions. In other
cases, such as special services or commercial services, a business may want to
provide significant content to qualify them as a capable provider, and this is
designed to result in a more personal contact or online inquiry as well. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><i>In a sound marketing strategy the goal of online content can have two very different purposes, depending on what type of business you operate. One may be the need to satisfy an immediate demand and or a transaction and/or another may seek to initiate
a more personal form of contact like a visit or a phone call. </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Clearly, different types of businesses
demand different content strategies for their web sites based on how they
stream potential buyers into the sales funnel. Not only does the type of business have an
effect on content, the size of business has some relevance in the process as
well. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Large businesses can afford to apply appropriate
resources to updating and maintaining all levels of content regardless of the type
of business they are in. Small business on the other hand is much less capable
of assigning resources from an often over-worked staff to maintaining the online
content. Small businesses are often caught up in the day to day process of
managing the enterprise and are overwhelmed with hiring and firing, managing
finance, sales, product development, and more. As a result, their most
important marketing medium is left to languish from lack of resources. Large
businesses can suffer from this same approach, but for different reasons, they may
just be indifferent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">This may seem like a simple problem to
solve, all it takes is more resources for small businesses and to focus on the
problem, right? Wrong…more often than not the content needs a skilled hand in
ensuring that the content reflects your business goals, is well worded, is
optimized for Search Engines and is consistent with your marketing strategy. Doing this on a consistent basis over time is
a considerable investment and must be carefully
managed to take advantage of buying cycles, seasonal products, changes in the economy,
competition, and changes in company direction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">We don’t have the scope in this article to
address all of the factors that can benefit your online presence as it relates
to your specific business demands and sales funnel, but we can provide some
simply rules for preparing content.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br clear="all" style="page-break-before: always;" />
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Research shows that visitors often scan
pages looking for relevant content. As a result, how you say it can almost be
as important as what you say. Using a
strategy that prizes scan-able text is essential to creating effective content.
Here are a few simple rules for updating and changing online content regardless
of the type or size of business you have.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<ol>
<li>Try highlighting important
words through bolding, increasing the font slightly or adding hypertext links to
serve as one form of highlighting</li>
<li>Insert
meaningful headings and subheading by pulling titles and terms from the
body copy. Try to make your headings simple and easy to understand.</li>
<li>Use bullet lists
from time to time but be judicious in their use. Too many will defeat their
purpose. While consistency is good in bullet throughout the site, more
than one list on a page can create a conflict in focus for a reader. If
two bullet lists are required on a page, try and use different means of
laying out that second list to create differentiation.</li>
<li>Focus on
one idea per segment or paragraph.</li>
<li>Avoid
compound sentences and industry jargon. Keep ideas short and easy to read.</li>
<li>Don’t
write in proposition style. This is where we create a need and then
present the conclusion as a result of a need. The conclusion often needs to go first
to create impact and grab the “scanning” reader. </li>
<li>White
space is the most valuable resource on a page; it helps readers focus their
attention. Don’t waste it by adding too much content!</li>
<li>Above the
fold (a newspaper term) defines the most important area in any web site.
It’s a bit of a moving target with today’s varying resolutions but suffice
it to say long scrolling pages should be avoided and your most important
content should be seeded at the top of the page. </li>
<li>Keep
online content clear, use simple language. Even the most sophisticated
reader will appreciate clarity and focus. Allow your content to be accessible. </li>
<li>Finally, don’t
ignore accessibility guidelines in the design of your online presence or
how you communicate with all of your customers. As
we are entering the “Baby Boomer “age, many of your aging customers may need
to be accommodated in some manner. You don’t have to have a physical or
mental disability to require accessibility accommodations.</li>
</ol>
Paul Cormierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13191088925898297303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773063404952134606.post-53285825818255561582016-03-17T14:32:00.000-04:002016-03-18T13:41:43.370-04:00eLearning: SME’s & the Creative Process<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmRg5ygIKSsQwiC4iExDvnxjk7GLsm-mNPJiLYjckgbCV_75j2gksRqHPeibig0UuEYPrLrO3IOFYCSOlyy6Gp9D-4wZQCKip8RA9Z7A8IOx2-lQmuhZjM9yQdzRD5ADS8PVq5LsNsJFZs/s1600/SME.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmRg5ygIKSsQwiC4iExDvnxjk7GLsm-mNPJiLYjckgbCV_75j2gksRqHPeibig0UuEYPrLrO3IOFYCSOlyy6Gp9D-4wZQCKip8RA9Z7A8IOx2-lQmuhZjM9yQdzRD5ADS8PVq5LsNsJFZs/s320/SME.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #073763; color: white;">Classroom training adds reoccurring commitment </span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: #073763;">of time, effort & <span style="background-color: #073763;">cost</span></span> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Instructional design and creative direction are essential to the creation of intuitive eLearning; they help empower the learner to explore content and they create a desire to engage. This becomes a difficult process when most interactive content and Subject Matter Experts are born in the crucible of the ivory tower learning paradigm. The Subject Matter Expert (SME), or teacher and the creative development team represent two very different sensibilities when trying to create an intuitive learning environment.<br />
<br />
For the SME, each topic is carefully detailed, researched and written down in a formalized text of some sort that can be agreed on and finalized, often by a peer committee review process. At least that’s the typical classroom style learning process we have grown up with. <br />
<br />
But this is changing as we go from classroom to virtually any place to learn online, without a teacher or instructor to guide us. Regardless of the source of the content the resulting “knowledge guide” used to develop eLearning is enshrined at some point in a traditional written form such as textbooks, subject matter expert content briefs, studies, instructions, guidelines and regulations. The content is often very specific, structured and unwavering in identifying the basic tenants of any topic to ensure that there is an agreed upon knowledge base.<span style="background-color: #073763; color: white;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLnzPpM5SGw7v-nybMWE85jnXT5uYDX5MaYmkJ_H_zCiPRZ9q9O13KHvp8H_ytcuatvU3HgdADNlYuV57RRwWC9k2i9RDVjIvKj-ZAiwoipSYPMri7SoA54Gof6rdHiINukOQoTi_ofx9/s1600/Creative.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLnzPpM5SGw7v-nybMWE85jnXT5uYDX5MaYmkJ_H_zCiPRZ9q9O13KHvp8H_ytcuatvU3HgdADNlYuV57RRwWC9k2i9RDVjIvKj-ZAiwoipSYPMri7SoA54Gof6rdHiINukOQoTi_ofx9/s320/Creative.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The ability to deliver this carefully defined information in a meaningful way has largely depended on the environment and the person delivering the information. The “classroom teacher” often chooses what to accentuate, when to emphasize certain content and how to best illustrate key elements of content to reinforce comprehension of the basic principles of a concept. With the advent of eLearning, both the environment and the teacher involved in delivery of learning have been changed, embedded or even eliminated for the most part. As learning delivery methods have moved to an online environment, so too has the medium moved to a different kind of learning development process. <br />
<br />
The question now becomes who or what has replaced the “on the ground” teacher’s role in this new method of learning? How is the textbook knowledge being delineated in online learning and how are we guiding the learner? The surprising answer to these questions is that much of the responsibility for interpreting content through the interactive process has fallen to the eLearning instructional designer and the creative director. They now fulfill the role of interpreting the information to create a learning environment that allows for intuitive comprehension. The overall benefit in this change is that, no longer is the learner at mercy of the teacher’s choices. The learner now has an expanded role in interacting with the content to choose to explore knowledge that reflects individual interest within a topic. <br />
<br />
In many ways this is a much more dynamic learning environment where learners can begin to explore the content in meaningful ways while still absorbing the basic principle designed into the learning programs content. The unfortunate pitfall in all of this, just as in the teacher enabled learning environment, the effectiveness of an online learning program is largely based on the skill of the interpreter, and in this case it is the interactive development team. Understanding adult learning, digital media production and interactive design are crucial if the Self-Paced eLearning or Blended learning is going to be successful.<br />
<br />
In the eLearning development cycle, unlike within classroom learning, the development pipeline from concept to delivery is much shorter and the subject matter expert can exert much more influence on the content, or so it would seem. However, in reality the typical subject matter expert has only the knowledge of the 2D representation of the information, i.e., books, documentation, practical application etc., while online learning is now representing the content in a more 3D format which cannot be effectively managed and directed by the subject matter expert. They must rely on the skill and ability of the design team to creatively interpret the information in an interactive form that engages and creates comprehension. The more a subject matter expert tries to impose structure on the content the less intuitive, creative and engaging the content becomes, ultimately subordinating comprehension to structure and minimizing the learner’s ability to control the learning experience.<br />
<br />
In thinking about this you may have noticed this process is not dissimilar to the video production cycle where there are many influencing factors and unknowns in the development process even though we have a clear understanding of what final product we would like to arrive at. Ultimately the production team including the instructional designer, writer, creative director, etc. must be trusted to influence the final production and achieve the aforementioned goals of the learning experience. Not surprisingly, like film and televisions production, subject matter experts can have a significant and positive influence on an eLearning production but not without great cost, time and effort.<br />
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In short if you want a great eLearning production and you want to manage time and cost effectively, you need to recognize your role in that process and make sure you have a great creative team that understands digital media production (often this kind of talent comes out of the television industry), adult learning and interactive design. A successful eLearning experience is less about a specific process that can be carefully managed, but more about an intuitive process that generates a creative understanding of the content that gives the learner the power to explore and the desire <span lang="EN-US">to engage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Paul Cormierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13191088925898297303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773063404952134606.post-65990459582672972652016-02-03T10:41:00.002-05:002016-03-18T13:50:38.452-04:00Business Assessment: Hiring Ability Instead of Skills<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpXex55PrewTemmz2AUTjqNj4h3xDbDscfrVchGRZWa2HtLIQ3mCY5Uu8rA8c6IU1JrJT2fAWy2l3Izqyd_AL7ziP63xj9-75hSyeIjDgnkeLFshd4yMGidO1BhFT9_RqZ2MdL9yk0AcRX/s1600/Work+Style.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpXex55PrewTemmz2AUTjqNj4h3xDbDscfrVchGRZWa2HtLIQ3mCY5Uu8rA8c6IU1JrJT2fAWy2l3Izqyd_AL7ziP63xj9-75hSyeIjDgnkeLFshd4yMGidO1BhFT9_RqZ2MdL9yk0AcRX/s320/Work+Style.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Ycommunicate.com Inc. has recently launched an affordable <strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://ycommunicate.com/index.php?page=UPSKILL" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #8c68cb; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Business Assessment</a></strong> process that helps small business realize growth potential, create a viable succession plan and improve productivity in a cost effective and shortened time frame. </div>
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Small businesses, under the burden of growth and productivity have been struggling to maximize the value of their employees while harnessing the potential for company growth. This new process, developed by <a href="http://ycommunicate.com/index.php?page=upskillmarket" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #8c68cb; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Ycommunicate.com Inc</a>., in partnership with <a href="http://titantraining.ca/" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #8c68cb; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Titan Training</a> is a game changer; it provides a tool set and a simple cost effective process for recognizing abilities in your existing workforce and new hires, while also recognizing opportunity gaps. </div>
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The Business Assessment is ideal for organizations that wish to more effectively manage their growth potential through improved productivity. The process provides guidance and recommendations to streamline operations, improve business process efficiency, focus employee productivity and create clear transition strategies for growing or preparing the company for sale. The Business Assessment is a low cost, process designed specifically for small businesses and utilizes a standardized model for investigating the business’s unique culture, organizational structure and marketplace. This is complemented by a series of online management and employee skills and abilities assessments, surveys, interviews and a review of current and historical organizational performance.</div>
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The Business Assessment identifies potential and gaps in skills and abilities within management teams, establishes benchmark qualifications and makes recommended changes to the organizational structure. The Business Assessment also results in a detailed implementation plan that addresses business transition objectives in a shortened time-frame.</div>
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While we utilize a <a href="http://www.prevuehr.com/" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #8c68cb; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">unique tool set</a> to reveal how individuals and teams work together and engage in the decision making process, the real value comes in the interpretation of results. The online tool set is complemented by a ground level investigation of the organization by undertaking a thorough review of structure and culture, growth history, hiring practices, skills and abilities, competitors, products & services, customer service strategies and short & long term goals. We then develop a sustainable transition plan to achieve goals by improving both individual and organizational performance. </div>
Paul Cormierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13191088925898297303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773063404952134606.post-81507029257826646972016-01-15T09:24:00.000-05:002016-01-15T12:11:24.253-05:00Misleading Advertising: The Subliminal Effect <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJleURtCOuMkMWAwUg8T6ud9IwE8rGMB0nv26qZo0V9enzM6in6iGP42T09BY2qsrsNfcop43v5xjAWgP77sE3tyKqz3PmVTNNYQpeL-EjbTDehu9GH3Gz2QYefV0uQSWvFaG-2tgocR1B/s1600/False+Advertising.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJleURtCOuMkMWAwUg8T6ud9IwE8rGMB0nv26qZo0V9enzM6in6iGP42T09BY2qsrsNfcop43v5xjAWgP77sE3tyKqz3PmVTNNYQpeL-EjbTDehu9GH3Gz2QYefV0uQSWvFaG-2tgocR1B/s320/False+Advertising.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">We often see a
variety of marketing terms on the packaging; in commercials, on billboards, in magazine
ads or in the content of web pages. These terms are used as activators or
modifiers, and are designed to reinforce the quality of a product and reinforce impulse buying without making
any direct claims that need to be supported through quantitative or qualitative
study results about the efficacy of the product. We see them so often and they
are so pervasive that they act on us in a subliminal or suggestive way. The carefully
chosen hypebole simply adds to the narrative about a product potentially creating
a false impression for unsuspecting consumers. Here are just a few that I have
observed in recent advertising. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Trusted, tested and recommended: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">who tested it? What were the results? Why is
it trusted? Who recommended it? On almost every occasion there is no statistical
evidence to support any such claims. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Superior, premium, select, prime, choice</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">: these words are adjectives that confer no
special class or quality to a product or service, other than an unsubstantiated
claim. These words are often used to “tell” a consumer about the quality
because the quality is not apparent and often not present. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">The letter ”Y”</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">: adding the letter “Y” to some words modifies them to
weaken their basis in fact. For example to say something is “cheesy” ,
buttery’, “fruity” or “meaty”, suggests that this product tastes like its more
wholesome counterpart but may not fact have any of the original ingredient in
it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Flavour:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> here is another modifier. Add it to Cheesy, or fruity and you now know
for sure that there are no original natural components in the product being
flogged. These two words together in marketing lingo mean “like “. Cheesy
flavour means packets of added flavours that can include just about anything
except the product being “likened to.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">“Gluten Free”</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">: used as “come on” to appeal to someone trying to eat
healthy. It feeds the myth that Gluten is the root of all evil in foods.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">“All natural”:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> It masks the need for any data to support the claim.
Stick the word “natural” on any product and you immediately have a healthy alternative
without the need to offer any evidence of its healthy nature. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Green: the colour
green has become an important packaging activator. It immediately confers environmental
conscious qualities to a product without any need to substantiate the claim. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">“Lower ***** than our regular brand”:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> lower than what? Often lower then there regular brand that was
fatter than just about any product you could consume. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">“Low Fat”:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> associated with healthy, nutritious options but usually means higher in carbohydrates and salt <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">“Are you feeling tired, and are your muscles sore?” </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Aimed at seniors, who as a matter of course
are tired and sore - because they are seniors! A come on deigned to hook you at
the beginning of the commercial by getting you to say “Yes…I feel like that.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">“Do you want to leave something behind for your
children?”</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> A “bean counter” exercise designed to take
money from seniors, who they feel are too dull witted to realize that this is
not a windfall – it will be paid for by each senior in full and generate very
limited pay out. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">“Car of the year!”</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> Usually indirectly paid for by the manufacturer
through magazine ads and special sponsorship. Manufactures tend to trade this
honor to promote new or revitalized brands <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">“24/7 customer service”:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> usually web chat or FAQs represent the lion’s share
of help and they often hide the phone number in the deepest bowls of the web
site or paperwork to make it difficult to call in. Another way of avoiding
actually talking to your customers because they have too many complaints about
their product<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">“Product of Canada” or “Made in Canada”:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> Often just food manufactured in other
countries and repackaged in warehouses in Canada. Most manufactures use the
Canadian Competition Bureau’s test definition for these labels; as long as it
meets the following it can use this label – “</span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">the last
substantial transformation of the good occurred in Canada” </span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">“Botanicals, essential oils and extracts”:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> often only an extremely small amount by
volume with few if any details on what botanicals… it all sounds healthy when
mentioned in anti-aging products but no statistical evidence is
provided….because none exists. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Free:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> there is no such thing as free …ever! All costs related to products
are calculated into its sale regardless of claims. You may pay the true cost in
other ways, shipping, or handling fees or through other business services
attached to a product, annual fees, licensing, etc. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Paul Cormierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13191088925898297303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773063404952134606.post-14355169508435599172015-12-15T13:22:00.000-05:002015-12-15T13:39:50.349-05:00elearning Wrong Thinking<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheVpsWKzfcQjLryai-XzxMA5BVJPhfsVNLlICbg5jo9xf7iC7BTmeXPOC4hietd2Sc19fHso-avaJVTTJM2x1n1G3sBvzZu2EjNnygVk6_OaGGhKN4abWjl-CMkmnyxr624iaybWIpKykh/s1600/Twenty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheVpsWKzfcQjLryai-XzxMA5BVJPhfsVNLlICbg5jo9xf7iC7BTmeXPOC4hietd2Sc19fHso-avaJVTTJM2x1n1G3sBvzZu2EjNnygVk6_OaGGhKN4abWjl-CMkmnyxr624iaybWIpKykh/s400/Twenty.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div>
Our company has been developing e Learning since the 90's, before it was ever thought to be "cool" or "effective" in training. During that time we have encountered many implementation strategies that bear close examination for their ineffectiveness and their inability to actually achieve any true measure of comprehension among learners. </div>
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Most e Learning administrators ignored or overlooked the important lessons taught by traditional learning. For example, you must have an administrative infrastructure in place with allocated resources, its OK to expect results from learners, its OK to set high achievement levels in testing, and adult learning is a shared enterprise that includes learners, teachers and administrators. </div>
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Here are a few e Learning thought processes that can potentially result in poor comprehension and boredom among learners.</div>
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, </div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Our first
priority is to try and buy the most seats for the lowest price</li>
<li> Let’s
focus on purchasing an LMS solution before we consider content </li>
<li> We’ll try
and use content we already have. PowerPoint is better than
nothing.</li>
<li> Let’s be
cost effective and buy off-the-shelf-content without evaluating its effectiveness</li>
<li> Don’t
bother involving learners in e Learning program design....that’s too
complicated</li>
<li> Isn’t
self-paced e Learning fully automated? … no need to develop a management
plan</li>
<li> Do not
make completion of the e Learning mandatory – people might complain</li>
<li> Don’t set
up a program to promote the idea of e Learning – it’s too much work and money</li>
<li> Don’t
include a firm completion date – I am sure it will be get done in due
course</li>
<li> I am
managing the e Learning program,….I don’t have to actually take it myself</li>
<li> Don’t
track and include e Learning results in employee records – it’s too hard to
put in place</li>
<li> Training
is important but it’s not core to our business or organization </li>
<li> Let's start our e Learning program with low cost mandatory learning </li>
<li> I’ll make
the e Learning optional – that way it won’t be difficult to implement</li>
<li> We already do workshops and
conferences…e Learning isn’t that different </li>
<li> Let’s
implement self-paced e Learning...and then we can set it up in a classroom</li>
<li> We want a
certificate e Learning program …but we should make it easy to get</li>
<li> We can
implement an e Learning program …no need to plan for any updates at this
point</li>
<li> Let’s
create an e Learning program…I’m sure learners will participate without
reward or encouragement </li>
<li>Content is expensive ...let's see of somebody else has the custom knowledge we need</li>
</ol>
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PS....fell free to respond with your own observations on e Learning implementation ....</div>
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Paul Cormierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13191088925898297303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773063404952134606.post-58803596051082549492015-12-08T11:38:00.000-05:002015-12-08T11:38:53.059-05:00eLearning;Making The Grade?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGzIF99dGxUT31-i4Ah68lf1XRRz4j1uNVVWvm6YmBEtcJCERy-Bi5RHVkKq0RR8lpSHNyLqRaZkZMhltnJzoICGkzBdyGBnmpP9bPUQE9wHfaFYiODdgtLsUMTFNVF9DEOC-BAyDXz1vx/s1600/Making+The+Grade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGzIF99dGxUT31-i4Ah68lf1XRRz4j1uNVVWvm6YmBEtcJCERy-Bi5RHVkKq0RR8lpSHNyLqRaZkZMhltnJzoICGkzBdyGBnmpP9bPUQE9wHfaFYiODdgtLsUMTFNVF9DEOC-BAyDXz1vx/s320/Making+The+Grade.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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As learning has spread beyond the classroom through new technologies into organizations, businesses and associations, each has had to take on the responsibility of creating their own unique learning environment and administrative implementation model. Self-paced eLearning, blended eLearning and online learning have created a demand within these organizations to commit resources to develop an learning strategy that incorporates program levels & descriptions, performance monitoring, content development, audience surveys, testing, tracking & reporting, promotions and budgeting.</div>
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Unfortunately, these demands have resulted in a very uneven and fragmented implementation process that has not benefited the organization or its employees. Here are a few examples of some of the incomplete and ineffective learning strategies that I have encountered in the marketplace, as organizations and companies try and implement a learning strategy. </div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Layered Approach</strong>: learning approaches are layered one on top of the other. The organization uses workshops, conferences, webinars, eLearning and teleconferences without assessing the effectiveness of each medium. No overarching strategic Learning plan has been developed that links effectiveness, audience demands, learning objectives to results and budgets.</div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">One-Off Solution</strong>: when an organization looks at an individual learning initiative in isolation and develops a onetime solution that addresses the issue in the short term. This can lead to a layered approach that creates higher costs and ineffective application of learning and/or poorly understood learning outcomes within companies. You can utilize multiple learning delivery mechanisms including eLearning and workshops if they are vetted through an overarching Learning strategy and budget rationalization process.</div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Off -The-Shelf Solution</strong>: this occurs when an organization lacks capacity to implement learning through its own resources yet has developed a learning strategy at a senior management level. This top down approach may not consider both short term and long term impact. Short term financial gains may blind a company to the demands of administrative oversight in the learning process - so the company hires a contractor to fulfill short term demands. </div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Technology Approach</strong>: when an organization seeks to fulfill its learning mandate by implementing some form of technology without a clear long term plan to utilize it effectively. An example might be an organization purchasing a Learning Management System (LMS) without content, or without a clear understanding of audience demands and or the need to allocate long term resources to administering the organizational learning process. </div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Do Nothing Plan</strong>: “if it works don’t fix it”, a common axiom that doesn’t ring true in this circumstance. Many organizations ignore the need for a learning strategy and simply opt to use the mediums and strategies that have been in place historically. They may lack the resources to deliver learning more efficiently through such mediums as eLearning and as a result they become less competitive and have greater employee turnover.</div>
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The reason for many of these fragmented and ineffective implementation strategies is that most organizations do not have the in-house knowledge and experience necessary to undertake a thorough learning review. A company does not commit the resources to help understand how they can create learning environments that make use of best practice across a variety of learning mediums to improve performance and capacity …and all within budget. They often rely on a mixed bag of external resources to guide them and when the process is complete the organization has not internalized the knowledge necessary to effectively implement a learning program that gets results. </div>
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When this organizational knowledge transfer does not take place there is no consistent administrative body or champion within most organizations that has the capacity to enforce learning objectives, make a case for learning and learning budgets and ensure that the learning has an impact on the effectiveness of both the employees and the organization. Most administrators are simply overwhelmed or simply unprepared to implement online learning and lack the tools and support to undertake the initiative.</div>
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In the final summation, what is the purpose of training, if not to improve both personal and organization performance and capacity?</div>
Paul Cormierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13191088925898297303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773063404952134606.post-51167683355127991722015-11-23T14:53:00.001-05:002015-11-23T14:53:48.972-05:00How The Age of Discovery Affects Modern Communications<div class="article-content" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHZbJBgUmNj1bsvErktHuoECYhiILf0EGZbi9tOofRRn06ZwS-ayhSVmFFHW_wuEU4Y50uRk-KksuMmG5LOYiY5fw-7-JsH_0hTYwa0x6lT64dyFNgYvxGnlYdv5Juc_ICHgvl0nTz_KeH/s1600/7add55dbba31fd230bd3f6dce900a574.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHZbJBgUmNj1bsvErktHuoECYhiILf0EGZbi9tOofRRn06ZwS-ayhSVmFFHW_wuEU4Y50uRk-KksuMmG5LOYiY5fw-7-JsH_0hTYwa0x6lT64dyFNgYvxGnlYdv5Juc_ICHgvl0nTz_KeH/s320/7add55dbba31fd230bd3f6dce900a574.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Language is an important part of communications, perhaps more so in business today since we have fewer opportunities to interact directly with people and absorb additional communication information through body language. What’s interesting is how our modern business language has adopted popular vernacular from history and in particular, the age of discovery when Britannia Ruled the Waves.</div>
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The British Empire, indeed the Commonwealth was established by Great Britain’s naval prowess reaching back to the 14th century and many phrases in today’s language are taken directly from the British sea faring experience more than 500 years ago. Take a moment to check out the etymology of these phrases and words we commonly use today, but, who have their origin s in the sea faring history of the British Empire.</div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Slush Fund:</strong> when the fat separated from slated meat it was stored and sold as a water-repellent by the cook to make a little extra money</div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Chewing the Fat</strong>: they would take their stored meat provisions out of slushy water and sit around talking while they tried to digest this food</div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Square Meals</strong>: food on ships was served on square plates</div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Grog or Groggy</strong>: this came from a waterproof fabric known as “grogram” a blend of silk, mohair and wool stiffened with gum</div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Learning the Ropes</strong>: clearly references to understand how ropes on ships were to be handled</div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Pipe Down</strong>: in the evening a bosom might sound the pipe to order the men below deck</div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Hand over Fist</strong>: this, of course would refer to pulling ropes as quickly as possible</div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sloppy</strong>: this was derived from the rough clothes that seaman wore when they hauled in the ropes</div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Hard and Fast</strong>: this was when a ship was safely beached on dry land</div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">By an Large</strong>: this is when ship makes progress against the wind</div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Get Under Way</strong>: this is comes from t a ship beginning to move forward</div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Taken Aback</strong>: the wind has changed and is blowing from the wrong side</div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Bearing Up:</strong> turning a ship into the wind</div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Edging Ahead</strong>: a ship’s gradual progress against the wind</div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Bitter End</strong>: this when an anchor rope was at its very end</div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 32px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Chock a Block:</strong> when all the blocks and tackles were used to hoist the sails</div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 32px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lark or Larking</strong>: when midshipmen learned the art of skilled top men as a form of recreation</div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 32px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
There are many others, almost too many to mention including: batten down the hatches, wide berth, high and dry, press gang, taking the wind out of your sails, loose cannon, close quarters, cut and run, fathom and many more. I wonder what words and phrases will survive into the future from the digital age?</div>
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Paul Cormierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13191088925898297303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773063404952134606.post-26025070508154377032015-11-05T12:23:00.000-05:002015-11-05T12:26:45.848-05:00Why Do Soft Skills Matter to Employers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAopqi-X9ADldEkdsdpE1vBXuQ5SilBMJgHg6aUiyMoKq_yaDIHiDqaEwYCo1nIGSqeqhaAadS8ma513nzaqmbDjQCrU_fH8HK6S_0kPleBBykI8BbtT4F7V_DCOnCRRh5Smfns4FxFixt/s1600/Soft+Skills.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAopqi-X9ADldEkdsdpE1vBXuQ5SilBMJgHg6aUiyMoKq_yaDIHiDqaEwYCo1nIGSqeqhaAadS8ma513nzaqmbDjQCrU_fH8HK6S_0kPleBBykI8BbtT4F7V_DCOnCRRh5Smfns4FxFixt/s320/Soft+Skills.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Why do many employers still view training as superfluous, dispensable or peripheral to success? In this modern age where we have a cohort of young, educated people entering the workforce, the need for strategic learning within companies and organizations is more important than ever.<br />
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Unorganized, on-the-job training remains the preferred method of preparing new hires and existing employees seeking to take on new responsibilities. Employers often cite the demands of day-to-day business as the primary reason that they just don’t have “time” and “money” to train and integrate employees into their workplace effectively. They rely on the availability of skills in the open marketplace, planning that new hires will be able to step directly into the workplace and perform specific tasks.<br />
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In a broad cross section or companies and organizations I am hearing more and more that employees able to take on specific tasks, undertake increasing responsibility, work independently and conduct themselves professionally are is short supply. Employers are finding it increasingly difficult to hire specific skills for increasingly complex jobs. While the marketplace is producing a well-educated workforce, the largest part of entry level employees remain unemployed or underemployed, and as such, are not gaining experience and a practical knowledge of <a href="http://ycommunicate.com/index.php?page=softskills" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Soft Skills</a> required in most workplaces today.<br />
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The anemic employment rate is partly to blame, given the fact that in Canada and around the world the <a href="http://www.tradingeconomics.com/canada/youth-unemployment-rate" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">employment among young people</a> is at epidemic levels. Current average unemployment levels in Canada are hovering around 7.1% while youth unemployment is at about 13.5%. This suggests that young people, and in particular, those new hires that employers are counting on to step right into their workplace are not getting the experience they need to transition their abilities into skills.<br />
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Developing Soft Skills within this new cohort of entry level employees is increasingly important. As an example, a regional <a href="http://edo.simcoe.ca/Shared%20Documents/LabourMarketPartnershipUpdatePresentation.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Labour Market Partnership Study ( Simcoe County) </a> has identified on-the job training and soft skills development as some of (over 2000, surveyed employer’s) the most important concerns of businesses in meeting businesses future competitive and economic growth challenges.<br />
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What are Soft Skills and why do they matter? Soft Skills encompass topics like <a href="http://ycommunicate.com/index.php?page=softskills" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">communications, leadership, problem solving and project management. </a> These skills provide a base of knowledge that allow employees to communicate effectively with co-workers, management and clients, understand their responsibilities in the life-cycle of projects, prepare to take on increasing responsibility and how to bring unique innovation and problem solving skills to everyday workplace challenges.<br />
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E Learning that teaches Soft Skills is designed to address many of these issues and provides learning in a way, at a time and through a medium that young learners can access readily and are familiar with. E Learning also addresses employer’s most pressing concerns by offering training programs that are flexible, accessible, cost effective and individual results can be tracked over time.<br />
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Most employers, whether they are willing to admit it or not, are not prepared to set up comprehensive learning in the workplace and often approach it with a patchwork of learning scenarios that may include costly meetings, presentations and workshops or poorly conceived eLearning that often amounts to nothing more than PowerPoint presentations.<br />
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Employers may not have the resources or commitment to understand the real value of learning in their organizations since the existing programs are cobbled together each year with no long term strategy and no clear understanding of the financial impact on their organization. Only when a high-risk event forces action, or government intervention in monitoring compliance with workplace learning does an organization of company respond in an organized fashion.<br />
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I believe that Soft Skills development and in particular eLearning Soft Skills development can be an important cornerstone in an organizations success. It sets the ground work for employees to understand what is expected of them and helps fulfill their desire to grow, learn and take on new responsibilities and roles.<br />
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“Fulfilling an employee’s desire to grow and learn” is essential in the retention of good employees. It offers employees an opportunity to fulfill their ambition by understanding that there are opportunities for growth and advancement and as an employer you are willing to support them in their personal growth as well as their professional growth. It is a “win - win “scenario”, where the employer gets a motivated and an increasingly capable employee, and perhaps an innovative thinker, a leader that will contribute in a meaningful way to an organization's success in the future.<br />
<br />
If you want to learn more about soft skills online training or gain access to our unique Soft Skills eLearning program on <strong>Communications, Leadership, Project management and Problem Solving</strong> you can visit our web site at <a href="http://www.ycommunicate.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.ycommunicate.com</a> or <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">contactus@ycommunicate.com</a> or simply call 416-271-5259.Paul Cormierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13191088925898297303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773063404952134606.post-90785236771991046712015-10-26T11:59:00.000-04:002016-01-25T19:11:31.814-05:00Misleading Advertising Claims<div class="MsoNormal">
When I watch TV, drive by billboards, read newspapers & magazines or
check out the internet, I look at all content though a marketing language lens.
I try and understand what an ad is really trying to sell me and how it’s trying
to deceive me. I spent a lifetime crafting words and advertising language so it’s
natural that “claims” stick out for me. It’s almost as if the language of an ad
should be translated to reveal the true value proposition of the ad. <o:p></o:p></div>
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While this comes as second nature to me…this is hard for most people because
ad content is designed to tap into our emotional desires and basic instincts. We
are already invested in viewing content such as drama, action, comedy, news or
romance so our critical thinking is disarmed. Some ads stick out like as sore thumb and most
people can recognize misleading ad language ...but most times...if you can recognize it..its been poorly constructed… most are cleverly written to disguise the “claim.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The following list of ten advertising claims,
written by Jeffrey Schrank, who teaches at the University of Mississippi. The list includes many real world examples that will help you use your critical thinking skills to uncover exaggerated or just plain false claims. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<h2>
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">1. The "</span><span style="font-size: 24px;">Weasel"</span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> Claim<o:p></o:p></span></b></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A weasel word is a modifier that practically negates the claim that
follows. Commonly used weasel words include "helps" (the champion weasel);
"like" (used in a comparative sense); "virtual" or
"virtually"; "acts" or "works"; "can
be"; "up to"; "as much as"; "refreshes";
"comforts"; "tackles"; "fights"; "come
on"; "the feel of"; "the look of"; "looks
like"; "fortified"; "enriched"; and
"strengthened."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Samples of Weasel Claims</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"<i>Helps</i> <i>control</i> dandruff <i>symptoms</i> with <i>regular
use</i>." The weasels include "helps control," and possibly even
"symptoms" and "regular use." The claim is not "stops
dandruff."<o:p></o:p></div>
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"Leaves dishes <i>virtually</i> spotless." We have
seen so many ad claims that we have learned to tune out weasels. You are
supposed to think "spotless," rather than "virtually" spotless.<o:p></o:p></div>
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"Only half the price of <i>many</i> color sets."
"Many" is the weasel. The claim is supposed to give the impression
that the set is inexpensive.<o:p></o:p></div>
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"Tests confirm one mouthwash <i>best</i> against mouth
odor."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Listerine <i>fights</i> bad breath."
"Fights," not "stops."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Lots of things have changed, but Hershey's <i>goodness</i> hasn't."
This claim does not say that Hershey's chocolate hasn't changed.<o:p></o:p></div>
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"Bacos, the crispy garnish that tastes just <i>like</i> its
name."<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h2>
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">2. The "Unfinished" Claim</span></b></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The unfinished claim is one in which the ad claims the product is
better, or has more of something, but does not finish the comparison.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Samples of Unfinished Claims</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Magnavox gives you more." More what?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Anacin: Twice as much of the pain reliever doctors recommend
most." This claim fits in a number of categories but it does not say twice
as much of what pain reliever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Supergloss does it with more color, more shine, more sizzle,
more!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Coffee-mate gives coffee more body, more flavor." Also note
that "body" and "flavor" are weasels.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"You can be sure if it's Westinghouse." Sure of what?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Scott makes it better for you."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Ford LTD--700% quieter."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">When the FTC asked Ford to substantiate this claim, Ford revealed that
they meant the inside of the Ford was 700% quieter than the outside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h2>
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">3.The "We're Different " Claim</span></b></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">This kind of claim states that there is nothing else quite like the
product being advertised. The uniqueness claim is supposed to be interpreted by readers as a claim to
superiority.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Samples of the "We're Different and Unique" Claim</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"There's no other mascara like it."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Only Doral has this unique filter system."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Cougar is like nobody else's car."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Either way, liquid or spray, there's nothing else like it."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"If it doesn't say Goodyear, it can't be polyglas."
"Polyglas" is a trade name copyrighted by Goodyear. Goodrich or
Firestone could make a tire exactly identical to the Goodyear one and yet
couldn't call it "polyglas"--a name for fiberglass belts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Only Zenith has chromacolor." Same as the
"polyglas" gambit. Admiral has solarcolor and RCA has accucolor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h2>
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">4. The "Water is Wet" Claim </span></b></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Water is wet" claims say something about the product that is
true for any brand in that product category, (for example, "Schrank's
water is really wet.") The claim is usually a statement of fact, but not a
real advantage over the competition.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Samples of the "Water is Wet" Claim</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Mobil: the Detergent Gasoline." Any gasoline acts as a
cleaning agent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Great Lash greatly increases the diameter of every lash."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Rheingold, the natural beer." Made from grains and water as
are other beers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"SKIN smells differently on everyone." As do many perfumes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h2>
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">5. The "So What" Claim</span></b></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">This is the kind of claim to which the careful reader will react by
saying "So What?" A claim is made which is true but which gives no
real advantage to the product. This is similar to the "water is wet"
claim except that it claims an advantage which is not shared by most of the
other brands in the product category.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Samples of the "So What" Claim</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Geritol has more than twice the iron of ordinary
supplements." But is twice as much beneficial to the body?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Campbell's gives you tasty pieces of chicken and not one but two
chicken stocks." Does the presence of two stocks improve the taste?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Strong enough for a man but made for a woman." This deodorant
claims says only that the product is aimed at the female market.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h2>
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">6. The "Vague" Claim</span></b></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The vague claim is simply not clear. This category often overlaps with
others. The key to the vague claim is the use of words that are colorful but
meaningless, as well as the use of subjective and emotional opinions that defy
verification. Most contain weasels.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Samples of the Vague Claim</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Lips have never looked so luscious." Can you imagine trying
to either prove or disprove such a claim?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Lipsavers are fun--they taste good, smell good and feel
good."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Its deep rich lather makes hair feel good again."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"For skin like peaches and cream."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"The end of meatloaf boredom."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Take a bite and you'll think you're eating on the Champs
Elysées."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Winston tastes good like a cigarette should."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"The perfect little portable for all around viewing with all the
features of higher priced sets."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Fleishman's makes sensible eating delicious."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h2>
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">7. The "Endoresement "</span></b></h2>
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A celebrity or authority appears in an ad to lend his or her stellar
qualities to the product. Sometimes the people will actually claim to use the
product, but very often they don't. There are agencies surviving on providing
products with testimonials.</span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Samples of Endorsements or Testimonials</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Joan Fontaine throws a shot-in-the-dark party and her friends
learn a thing or two."</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Darling, have you discovered Masterpiece? The most exciting men I
know are smoking it." (Eva Gabor)</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Vega is the best handling car in the U.S." This claim was
challenged by the FTC, but GM answered that the claim is only a direct quote
from <i>Road and Track</i> magazine.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h2>
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">8. The "Scientific or Statistical" Claim</span></b></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">This kind of ad uses some sort of scientific proof or experiment, very
specific numbers, or an impressive sounding mystery ingredient.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Samples of Scientific or Statistical Claims</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Wonder Break helps build strong bodies 12 ways." Even the weasel
"helps" did not prevent the FTC from demanding this ad be withdrawn.
But note that the use of the number 12 makes the claim far more believable than
if it were taken out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Easy-Off has 33% more cleaning power than another popular
brand." "Another popular brand" often translates as some other
kind of oven cleaner sold somewhere. Also the claim does not say Easy-Off works
33% better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Special Morning--33% more nutrition." Also an unfinished
claim.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Certs contains a sparkling drop of Retsyn."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"ESSO with HTA."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Sinarest. Created by a research scientist who actually gets sinus
headaches."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h2>
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">9. The "Complement the Consumer"Claim</span></b></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">This kind of claim butters up the consumer by some form of flattery.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Samples of the "Compliment the Consumer" Claim</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"We think a cigar smoker is someone special."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"If what you do is right for you, no matter what others do, then RC
Cola is right for you."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"You pride yourself on your good home cooking...."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"The lady has taste."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"You've come a long way, baby."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h2>
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">10. The "</span><span style="font-size: 24px;">Rhetorical</span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> or Question" Claim <o:p></o:p></span></b></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">This technique demands a response from the audience. A question is asked
and the viewer or listener is supposed to answer in such a way as to affirm the
product's goodness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Samples of the Rhetorical Question</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Plymouth--isn't that the kind of car America wants?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Shouldn't your family be drinking Hawaiian Punch?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"What do you want most from coffee? That's what you get most from
Hills."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Touch of Sweden: could your hands use a small miracle?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Paul Cormierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13191088925898297303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773063404952134606.post-88645248623825019292015-10-08T13:16:00.001-04:002015-10-08T13:19:46.534-04:00Infleuncers? Really....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRlJ1ORkH0GNbiqWKR4zke84pAKGYpgfZZWDQ9EtiSUfJs79n5U8PLQ3VT6PsbL9yy30XLURgP7iJAGhL-w2SyudymcDPweYRCLOxwnciY9uAiclo-96W-bhag8hU2e2RhzWTwx55S1jLv/s1600/Influencing.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRlJ1ORkH0GNbiqWKR4zke84pAKGYpgfZZWDQ9EtiSUfJs79n5U8PLQ3VT6PsbL9yy30XLURgP7iJAGhL-w2SyudymcDPweYRCLOxwnciY9uAiclo-96W-bhag8hU2e2RhzWTwx55S1jLv/s200/Influencing.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
I think I have come to the conclusion that I
am tired of being influenced…in reality I am not sure that I ever have ...been influenced
in any meaningful way. Rome, Greece, the Renaissance and the Magna Carta….now they
have influenced me in many ways…but Tony Robbins and what’s his name …ahhh…
Richard Branson ….I don’t think so.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">The very act of defining someone or
something as an influencer defies what influence is. I perceive influencing to mean persuading someone
to adopt a particular idea or engage in an action without actually putting any
pressure on them to do so. The process of influencing allows us all to arrive
at the same conclusion, from different points of view by examining the merits of their ideas. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Influences often encompass pervasive ideas that
seem to make common sense regardless of your ideological mind set and they tend
to serve as a paradigm shift…a change in the way society and sometimes all of
civilization thinks. Equally important is that the influence is
often not bound by its place and time in history. If you apply this kind of rationale to better understand what influencing is, I think, influencing as it is proposed or recommended by social networks is more hype than hack.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Having said that…sometimes my children influence the way I think….my
pets influence the way I think …as do my
friends and acquaintances….the books I read,…. the movies I see …they all contribute
to how I think but they do not serve to as societal influencers. They simply contribute to the overall
perspective and context of a thoughtful and meaningful understanding of ourselves
and our world. To highlight one
individual or idea and suggest that they offer some unique guidance not
available through other avenues is more like marketing than it is like influencing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Influencing, as it is described in Linked
In, Facebook or other mediums is more a sign of the times and a change in delivery
mediums than it is a sign or changing thinking. Tablets…I mean stone tablets and
scrolls …followed by books, were mediums that came before social networks. What these mediums could not capture was the “how
frequently”, and “by who” these ideas were being considered. Popularity does
not equal influence… no more than popularity somehow should be a measure of
influence. In this amped up age, where
things happen quicker and focus is shorter, following influencers in the modern age
is more a lazy person’s approach to thinking …it’s often shallow since the
thinking process that allows us to arrive at certain conclusions is forestalled
in the process. I believe that we should entertain “provocateurs” rather than “influencers”.
Hold high and praise the exploration of thoughts and ideas and be quicker to
questions than to acquiesce to influences. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US">Ultimately, a conclusion is presented through an overly simplistic process of examination. </span>Learn to think for yourself and explore
ideas that question who is influencing you and why.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Paul Cormierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13191088925898297303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773063404952134606.post-19856873145506100432015-09-11T08:49:00.000-04:002015-09-11T11:28:57.802-04:00Digital Strategy:Mobile vs Desktop?<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYG20EIjc1ZZJax9TECsOaGxV5toymh2AkOfobFU29OgmiFy9MQ7EVmElc9BiZKWj1SNR-sE38fyaVtr7luaqiRd6jM7Y2MIDVA9iHYoWid0r3lHekW9N8cahCW6b5RAEMvv0O-cLiT1XP/s1600/awm1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYG20EIjc1ZZJax9TECsOaGxV5toymh2AkOfobFU29OgmiFy9MQ7EVmElc9BiZKWj1SNR-sE38fyaVtr7luaqiRd6jM7Y2MIDVA9iHYoWid0r3lHekW9N8cahCW6b5RAEMvv0O-cLiT1XP/s320/awm1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Each device has a different screen resolution and orientation</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span>We spend a lot time talking to our
customers about the relative differences & benefits of mobile versus
desktop users, since we have our foot in both the development of web portals and eLearning. Most clients simply assume that desktop and mobile users are accessible
readily and that there are no additional costs in
communicating to both platforms. Not true ... as it stands today, digital communications are not ubiquitous across
both the desktop and mobile platforms; and as a result there are often hidden
costs in developing content. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Evolving and migrating technologies from one standard or
format to another has been with us for generations. Many of us have experienced
this in our lifetime, as we have moved from cassettes to USB storage devices and from simple gaming systems to tablets and smart phones. As technology evolves
and capacity expands we seem to straddle multiple technologies
simultaneously. Multiple media formats seem to co-exist in the marketplace at any one time; and this trend now appears to be some kind of
“law of evolving technology.” I think the cost of communicating to both
desktops and mobile devices has been obscured because of the similarity in the technology.
In the past it was pretty easy to spot the differences because of the dramatic
change in format, size and application.</div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"> </span>Hand held devices have
varying resolutions and screen orientation to enhance the user's visual
experience. This is at the heart of what is different about this evolution. It
is an incremental and simultaneously specific improvement. Adapting the visual look and feel of the
communication experience to the type of smart phone, desktop or
tablet is not a transparent process. Our online digital communications are designed to interrogate the device we are trying to communicate with to determine its resolution and deliver the format that best suits the device. This often means creating two versions of any web site, portal or eLearning experience,and each has to be tweaked to make sure its is delivering the intended experience in most formats.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJgFGJqQ92OokTVdnSvcPiQBDGeeLBvtstdJLGMvK74wLQt7Gf497tWIEFgiEKPvv5RcsZbtii3pfFrhCiriLP3Rfqi8LxXchpU71MF7gIlBIy1V55pTQcygiTYRZdWDuJlr2Jc2pVdz2L/s1600/Desktop+vs+mobile+users+wroldwide.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJgFGJqQ92OokTVdnSvcPiQBDGeeLBvtstdJLGMvK74wLQt7Gf497tWIEFgiEKPvv5RcsZbtii3pfFrhCiriLP3Rfqi8LxXchpU71MF7gIlBIy1V55pTQcygiTYRZdWDuJlr2Jc2pVdz2L/s320/Desktop+vs+mobile+users+wroldwide.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the
past we would have been eager to blame this on the manufacturer failing to
agree on a standard or format but in this instance we have to take some of the
blame. Each of us wants a personal experience, one that is unique and
responds to our needs and as a result it appears that a variety of resolutions
and orientation are going to be with us well into the future. I am sure that with time, these issues
will be resolved, where adaptive
design can deliver a common experience on a
very personal device using one communications, entertainment or advertising standard programming language. But, that is the future - and for now…there are
additional costs to developing for multiple formats.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Many organizations and business when
planning eLearning for example, automatically include
both mobile and desktop audiences. They do this because the media is awash in
stories, studies and statements heralding the advent of the mobile user and
their need to be included in any digital strategy. What is not being included or
understood by organizations is the cost of communicating to each audience,
including desktops or mobile, or both! I think organizations have to ask themselves, do you really want people sitting at Starbucks or riding the subway using their phones to try and learn complex ideas. There are some practical standards that must be considered in the learning process that place some of the learning responsibility on the leaner. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"> </span>I think we have to investigate the demographics
of each group to better understand - how each segment uses these technologies
and understand what value they place on the information provided - to help us
understand cost/benefit of an initiative. There are some circumstances where
designing for primarily a desktop audience is more cost effective for the type
of audience, the content and the way information is being consumed. This is often more cost effective when
detailed information must be delivered and comprehension of complex ideas may
be involved, especially when you consider that desktops still have a
significant presence in office settings and sales continue to be surprisingly
strong. Alternatively, retail web sites and broad product-driven web sites should be developed for both desktop and mobile platforms since customers demand convenience and a uniquely personal experience. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Don’t misunderstand me, mobile devices such
as tablets and smart phones are the future and they continue to be a growing segment
in market, statistics show they will surpass PC sales this year. But it will be
some time before PCs are no longer used in offices` and tablets are used as the
primary means of office productivity. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGuJw9V9E_YSczkhyphenhyphenvdDmgUAalum2XYKju0oHU2c4hjmRZskLrgm5YUL7L3z3k_UPATuCaRPa5-b1BLVLBQVScIbGyJy42ZHoTUGQXnt7K6gKEiKdP4oefeP6lBmCYq4dkhoL_d_-y8xe_/s1600/mobiole+vs+desktop+shipments.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGuJw9V9E_YSczkhyphenhyphenvdDmgUAalum2XYKju0oHU2c4hjmRZskLrgm5YUL7L3z3k_UPATuCaRPa5-b1BLVLBQVScIbGyJy42ZHoTUGQXnt7K6gKEiKdP4oefeP6lBmCYq4dkhoL_d_-y8xe_/s320/mobiole+vs+desktop+shipments.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, when you are planning an online
project, there are many circumstances where developing for all platforms makes
sense. But remember, it all comes at a cost, if you’re developing learning
strategies you may want to consider how delivering complex content on a mobile
device in a variety of settings may affect our understanding and appreciation of the content. </div>
Paul Cormierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13191088925898297303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773063404952134606.post-68754646584255193322015-07-20T15:01:00.002-04:002015-07-20T15:01:30.536-04:00Brands: The Slip between the Cup and the Lip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2OYer-fzMWDwfmEiDxeHdLTJEceJ1J-X8uce2gx9yGDO0fvWey1CIdV2IPOM4TS63zQA-HiOczIpltGr_LVXhA4Y2SBq2H8qF0tn-Hz3258qozeGKwxhZm5mzHgNGGUlNRsSs1kKWyKNV/s1600/Cup+%2526+Lip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2OYer-fzMWDwfmEiDxeHdLTJEceJ1J-X8uce2gx9yGDO0fvWey1CIdV2IPOM4TS63zQA-HiOczIpltGr_LVXhA4Y2SBq2H8qF0tn-Hz3258qozeGKwxhZm5mzHgNGGUlNRsSs1kKWyKNV/s320/Cup+%2526+Lip.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
Everybody seems to be in the business of
marketing these days. From personal brands to product brands to service brands,
almost every aspect of our lives are buffeted by some form of advertising that
features a brand. I remember reading a prediction a few years ago that
suggested that virtually every surface we interact with in the future will be a
delivery medium for advertising and ultimately brand awareness. This is becoming
increasingly true, as walls, sky, sidewalks, roadways, buildings, clothing,
bodies, every nook and cranny of the online experience and product placements
in movies and television, all increase the number of advertising impressions and
marketing opportunities we are exposed to every day.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">The baby boom generation, with its higher
education, its message of change and a more liberal outlook has created an
alphabet of echo generations that have taken “freedom of expression” to new
heights through pervasive marketing. The freedom to market to each other on a
global scale fulfills an unbridled desire for avarice that has been spawned by
this unique time in our history as a civilization. Having said all this, does
this suggest that this knowledge and sophistication - and this proliferation of
marketing mediums translates directly into a more savvy, focused society that can manipulate marketing and ultimately
each person, to their own benefit? I wonder if we are not both abuser and
abused in this new marketing-centric reality. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">A provocative concept if you think of
yourself as a marketer (which you probably are in one form or another.) </span>Unfocused marketing and advertising coupled
with the ever changing market forces can result in ineffective marketing
strategies. We often advertise to the individuals because we can, or to everybody
even though we shouldn’t, to gain immediate results, often at the cost of long
term growth and potential. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">What does it all mean? The main rule that governs
successful marketing plans and their advertising offspring remain effective.
“Design any marketing plan and advertising program around the wants and needs
of your customer.” Not around the message a marketer wants to deliver. </span>Here are some examples of marketing plans and
some insights on how advertising that results from those plans may not be
as effective as they should. See if you recognize these examples from your own experience?</div>
<ol>
<li>You have
invested in new technology and added some new features to your product, so
you develop an advertising campaign based on the benefits of the new
technology rather than the how the technology solves a problem for your
customer.</li>
<li> A marketing plan has defined a number of
unique advantages in your product or service. You develop an advertising
campaign that tries to highlight all of the benefits at once, creating
confusion for the customer. </li>
<li>You
develop a strategy that identifies a group of potential demographic
audiences. You then proceed to try and develop a single message that
reaches all of these audiences at once.
Audiences don’t connect with your message or your product because of lack of clarity.</li>
<li>You recognize that your product is only beneficial to a small group of
potential customers. You try and reach them by developing an advertising
campaign that seeks to talk directly to that group in a place and at a
time that they are not inclined to give consideration to your product or
service.</li>
<li>You fail
to create trust in your marketing campaign by delivering the marketing
message in a medium that does not engender trust in your audience. For
example your ad is placed on Facebook of Linked In and your customers are
business to business clients who get their industry information through
industry channels rather than social networks. </li>
<li>You are
in a very competitive marketplace and you need to differentiate yourself
from your competitors. Marketing
plans determine that you need to use price differentiation and volume to
help drive sales. You use tired and common advertising concepts and get no response from your ad campaign.</li>
<li>You fail
to connect your marketing campaign to great customer service. You make all the right moves, you create
a specific message, you reach customers with the right medium, you begin
getting good customer response but because of limited staff you don’t
answer the phone on a timely and friendly basis and end up loosing many of
the leads you create.</li>
<li>You are
an organization rather than a company and don’t really think you should
have a strong focus on marketing. Your organization is chiefly focused on
sharing knowledge and acting as a liaison with regulatory bodies. You don’t survey your members regularly
to help design programs that respond to their needs and you don’t bother
promoting the value of your services and begin loosing members.</li>
<li><span lang="EN-US"> </span>You are
retailer that buys media space such as newspaper, radio and television
because your product appeals to a broad demographic. You do not get any
response from your program because the media outlet you have chosen offers
to prepare an ad for you to help you to save money and put more money into
a media buy rather than a carefully crafted message aimed at your
audience.</li>
<li>You develop
an advertising strategy and then a corresponding advertising campaign and
you expect results as soon as possible. You spend a considerable amount on
it and now it is not preforming as you hoped. So you panic and change the
program and/or reduce funding budgets before you derive data about the
program that will lead you to sound decision making and success over the
long term. </li>
</ol>
<div>
<ol start="10" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
</ol>
</div>
Paul Cormierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13191088925898297303noreply@blogger.com0