People Process Technology Blog

IT, Change Management and Training: They MUST Work Together for Successful EMR Implementation

Posted by:  Jonena Relth, President and Leadership Evangelist of TBD Consulting.

 

Ok, so we know that electronic medical records systems (EMRs) are designed to transform traditional, paper-based medical records into cutting-edge, electronic records that provide entire clinical teams with a more complete picture of their patients' needs and more tools to continue delivering superior healthcare.

 

What many leaders don't understand is why our best efforts to implement EMR systems fall on deaf ears and our medical professionals are struggling to make the change from paper to paper-lite. After all, we've done our best to build new and improved workflows and customized the system to meet the needs of our users. Well, my experience has been with EMR implementation is that leaders don't understand that the most important component of an EMR implementation is related to change management – the people side of integrating new processes and technology.

 

IT professionals aren't change management experts, nor are they training professionals. Without the three disciplines working together during the entire life of the project, all the "I's" won't get dotted and the "T's" won't get crossed.  In other words, you'll have a software system installed but the people you want to use it won't be communicated with in a way that allows them to accept and adopt the changes, nor will they be trained in a way that meets their learning style.

 

Effective EMR training requires a comprehensive change management initiative that informs and involves the intended users. Changes shouldn't be just "told" to people.  Everyone needs the opportunity to assimilate information about the changes coming and be able to ask questions, etc.  Just putting a positive spin won't work.  Allow people the opportunity to accept, embrace and adopt the changes - which will result in their integrating the system in their daily tasks once the system goes live. This takes time and serious effort by the change management experts who will determine various methods to ensure change options such as live meetings, newsletters, interactive webinars, website, posters and other media, etc.  Oh yeah, and don't forget the food. Tip to remember: "If we feed them, they will come."  (Sounds like a move, huh?)

 

That leads me to my next pet peeve: One-size-fits-all training.  Just because the IT folks learn best with hands-off WBT or that the training folks prefer face-to-face instruction, doesn't mean that all the audience will fit into one of those categories.  People have different learning styles and learning requirements.  For instance, it's going to be a VERY hard sell to get physician to stop seeing patients in order to sit through a day of un-paid training.  Let's face it; physicians make their living by seeing patients.  For this reason, we need to provide just-in-time training with super users or short e-Learning modules that the physicians can take during their breaks.  And depending on their roles and learning styles, clinical staff could be trained with a combo of e-Learning and Day-in-the-Life, Face- to-Face training.

 

In any event, the training should be carefully designed using a systematic approach that builds on the organizations stable foundation of processes.  Only by doing this will the training meet the needs of both the users and the different departments.  And don't forget that the training plan should include assessment so you will know if the users are able to apply the new skills, knowledge and information they learned.  Last, but not least, be sure to implement some sort of easily accessed, online reference and/or learning management system where current users can go for refresher information and new users can take training and read up on what they missed during go-live training.

 

Sounds like a lot, I know; but without all three - - IT, Change Management and Training, EMR implementations will not succeed to the level our organizations need.  With these professionals working together, we can achieve:

• Increased adoption of the many changes from paper to paper-lite
• Increased project ROI
• Improved patient safety and patient satisfaction due to greater accuracy by users
• Improved employee satisfaction because they can provide quality patient care
• Comprehensive, user-friendly, training that is designed and delivered before go-live to everyone who will use the EMR
• Validated transfer of knowledge via learning assessments in the training
• Refresher and ongoing training available for future employees and contractors
• Shortened user time to efficiency
• User-friendly online reference tools and/or learning management system

As always, I love to get comments from my readers.  Please let me know if your experience with EMR implementations and training are in alignment with mine.

 

Jonena

 

TBD Consulting has a 19-year, proven track record for ensuring employee performance improvement which translates to EMR usage and patient care success.  Organizations interested in ensuring true ROI for an EMR implementation, please contact our Corporate office at 602-263-1961.

 

TBD Consulting, Inc. Solutions…Not Just Strategies!

The Training Brand is Back! - Good news for HRD

Posted by: Jonena Relth, President and Leadership Evangelist, TBD Consulting

Training Magazine and Conferences are back! This is very good news for the performance improvment industry.  Jonena

******************************

Reposted from Google Alerts

In case you haven't already heard through the grapevine, the Training brand is back! It's been acquired by Minneapolis-based Lakewood Media Group, led by a group of former Lakewood Publications executives, including Phil Jones one of the first Training editors and later VP of Conferences. Lakewood Media Group is the perfect fit as Training was the flagship brand at Lakewood Publications.

 

The acquisition of the Training brand includes its print and digital products, online and face-to-face events, and the prestigious Training Top 125 awards program. What's more, we're both back on board with Lakewood Media Group and we'll continue to work with all of you to develop the best in conference content.

 

Training 2011 Conference & Expo will be held as scheduled February 7-9 in San Diego. Stay tuned for more info, including a Call For Presenters for this event. We look forward to working with you all again!

 

Julie Groshens and Leah Nelson
Training magazine Events
julie@trainingmag.com and leah@trainingmag.com

 

Why We Sold Our Building and Went Totally Virtual

Posted by: Jonena Relth, President and Leadership Evangelist

 

Ok so that was fun!  I’ll let you know when the podcast is available.  If you ever have the opportunity to record a podcast while in Second Life, give it a shot.  Caleb Booker and Tweet.tv were great.  They helped me feel comfortable and set the stage. 

To view the presentation: http://api.treet.tv/media/vwk_001_15feb10_169c.mp4

 

So here's a plug for the program, “Virtual Worlds Keynote” with Caleb Booker. http://www.calebbooker.com/blog/  This young man has potential and I know he can help you with your Second Life needs.  I’m hooked!  Jonena

 

My Personal Journey into Web 2.0 and Second Life

Second Life Keynote Series starts 2/15/2010 with Jonena Relth

Please join me and Caleb Booker as we debut his new video series devoted to, and filmed entirely inside, virtual worlds. The program, “Virtual Worlds Keynote,” is filmed in Second Life in front of a live studio audience. Well, virtually live.  http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tropical%20Treet/67/223/23    Thanks! Jonena

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Today At 4PM Pacific Time: Why We Sold Our Real Building and Went Totally Virtual

(Caleb Booker)

Clear a half-hour of your schedule at 4pm SLT and join us in Second Life http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tropical%20Treet/67/223/23 as our guest Jonena Relth, President of TBD Consulting, gives a 15 minute presentation entitled: “Why We Sold Our Real Building and Went Totally Virtual”. We’ll be recording and broadcasting live through http://treet.tv/.

If tough economic times have driven your business to look for new cost-cutting measures, or if you’re at risk of losing highly skilled employees due to a long commute, do not miss this! Extending well beyond virtual environments, Jonena will cover how her company has combined a variety of Web 2.0 technologies and old-fashioned spreadsheets to get the job done right.

After the presentation we’ll be holding a Q&A that will not be recorded, so be sure to arrive on time to secure your seat!

To join us in Second Life, you’ll need to do the following:

1. Go to SecondLife.com, create an account, and install the software.
2. Log in through the Second Life software using your user name.
3. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tropical%20Treet/67/223/2 to be teleported to our studio before 4pm Pacific.

Please join me and Caleb Booker as we debut his new video series devoted to, and filmed entirely inside, virtual worlds. The program, “Virtual Worlds Keynote,” is filmed in Second Life in front of a live studio audience. Well, virtually live.  http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tropical%20Treet/67/223/23    Thanks! Jonena

*******************************************************************************************************

Today At 4PM Pacific Time: Why We Sold Our Real Building and Went Totally Virtual

(Caleb Booker)

Clear a half-hour of your schedule at 4pm SLT and join us in Second Life http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tropical%20Treet/67/223/23 as our guest Jonena Relth, President of TBD Consulting, gives a 15 minute presentation entitled: “Why We Sold Our Real Building and Went Totally Virtual”. We’ll be recording and broadcasting live through http://treet.tv/.

If tough economic times have driven your business to look for new cost-cutting measures, or if you’re at risk of losing highly skilled employees due to a long commute, do not miss this! Extending well beyond virtual environments, Jonena will cover how her company has combined a variety of Web 2.0 technologies and old-fashioned spreadsheets to get the job done right.

After the presentation we’ll be holding a Q&A that will not be recorded, so be sure to arrive on time to secure your seat!

To join us in Second Life, you’ll need to do the following:

1. Go to SecondLife.com, create an account, and install the software.
2. Log in through the Second Life software using your user name.
3. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tropical%20Treet/67/223/2 to be teleported to our studio before 4pm Pacific.

Why Experts Never Stop Learning

Please help me welcome our most recent guest blogger, Dr. Paul G. Schempp.  Paul has spent over a decade conducting award-winning research into the characteristics and development of expertise.  The author of six books, over 100 articles, and having delivered over 220 presentations in 21 countries makes Paul an internationally renowned speaker, scholar, and consultant.  Jonena

 

 

 

Posted by: Dr. Paul G. Schempp

Several years ago, we conducted a study analyzing the knowledge of professionals with 15 years or more of experience to those with less than a year of experience.  One of the questions we asked was this: “On a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 representing no knowledge at all and 10 being all there is to know about your field, where would you rate your level of knowledge?”

 

Now for this discussion, if I asked you that question, how would you answer? What would be your rating?  Keep that number in mind as I tell you what our research participants told us.  

 

The experienced professionals reported their knowledge, on average, at 4.5.  In other words, they saw themselves knowing about half of everything there was to know about their field.  The novices reported their knowledge at the 8.5 level.  They, in sharp contrast to their experienced colleagues, believed they pretty much knew everything there was to know about their field—and this was all with less than one year of experience! I found the results shocking—until I gave it some thought, and then it made sense for several reasons. 

 

First, experts make it a point to always be learning.  That is how they became experts in the first place. They are insatiable learners when it comes to their areas of expertise. And as long as they maintain this ‘always ready to learn’ perspective, they will remain at the forefront of their field. 

 

Second, because of their extensive knowledge and experience, experts know what they don’t know.  Novices don’t know enough to know how much they don’t know.  Perhaps in time these novices will begin discovering the gaps in their knowledge. Until then, they will remain comfortable knowing just what they need to know to minimally get their job done. 

 

Third, experts’ knowledge is specific to their area of expertise.  In other words, when one refers to an ‘expert’s knowledge’, that knowledge is largely confined to a single field of specialty.  Because you may be an expert in sales does not mean you will be expert in manufacturing or management.  Expertise favors the specialist and specialized skills, developed over many years of extensive training and deliberate practice. 

 

Finally, when you believe that you pretty much know all there is to know about your field, how motivated are you to attend conferences, participate in workshops, listen to colleagues, or read?  Not very.  But, if you believe you only know a percentage of all there is to know in your field and you aspire to a top performer, your motivation to learn skyrockets. 

Despite a common misconception, experts do not see themselves as ‘all knowing’ individuals.  They, therefore, continue to learn, regardless of any accomplishments or recognitions they have achieved.  Because they know that what got them where they are today will not necessarily keep or advance them tomorrow.  It was, after all, by learning all they could, whenever they could that helped make them expert in the first place.

   

For more information, or to subscribe to the free newsletter Promoting Performance, visit www.PerformanceMattersInc.com or call 800.277.1783.

Why Would Experienced CSR's Tell New Hires to Forget What They Learned in Training?

Posted by: Dr. Barb, aka Dr. Barbara Austin

Congratulations!  Your call center has terrific new-hire training using online procedures to help them learn their jobs.  So why aren’t they using the procedures?  Even worse, why do your experienced CSRs tell the new ones not to even bother with the published procedures? 

 

We spend a ton of money training new hires on online operational procedures. I once overheard an experienced rep tell a new hire, “Forget what you learned in that class, I’ll teach you what you need to know.” I could have screamed. Why would the experienced rep tell a new person this?

DR. BARB’S ADVICE

Procedures housed on an online reference (OLR) system can be very powerful performance and training tools, IF the user has confidence in the OLR. Your experienced rep may be telling the new hire that something is wrong with the procedures or the system doesn’t work well.  Let’s investigate your procedures.

Are the procedures correct?
Without question, the biggest reason CSRs fail to use online procedures is a lack of confidence in the accuracy of the procedure. For example, the CSR searches the OLR for a procedure. The search results in out-dated or inaccurate information. Just a few of these instances will guarantee that your CSRs will find alternative methods to locate information. Bad procedures on your OLR are the death knell for continued use. Generally these bad procedures are on your system for several reasons.

Old, out-dated procedures were uploaded just to have a procedure online – better to have something than nothing – right? In this case, having something, i.e., bad procedures, is worse than having nothing because users won’t waste their time searching for procedures they can’t use. No confidence = no search.

Someone has written the procedure without using a systematic subject matter expert (SME) review process. The procedure lacks “best-practice” perspective if only one person writes and reviews it. Also, the user does not buy in to the value of the OLR because they weren’t involved in the development process.  Procedures are rapidly changing, and rewrites are not keeping up. Now we’re back to the out-dated dilemma.

30,000 feet or ground level?
Six Sigma’s horizontal flowcharts turned into procedures depict a systematic flow of tasks, not steps within a task. While these maps are very valuable for evaluating overall processes, these flowcharts add extraneous information to procedures, such as which database information flows through. Frankly, users don’t care. CSRs need accurate, step-by-step procedures to complete the task at their level. They want to know which screen to use and what information to input. High-level flowcharts are useful for managers to view the overall flow of tasks, but procedures must be written with users’ needs in mind.

I'm a proponent of Lean over Six Sigma, but more about that in a later blog.

 

How to Conduct a Successful Online Workshop

Posted by:  Jonena Relth, President and Leadership Evangelist

Isn't it interesting that when we say online learning, we automatically think of WBT? Coming from the "old school," I'm a firm believer in face-to-face learning; however I've become an advocate of blended learning over the years. And the blend doesn't always have to be one size fits all (WBT +ILT).

 

For the past year, we've been facilitating our "COREformance Advanced Coaching for Leaders" workshop using four interactive webinar sessions instead of one day of ILT. What we've found is that our participants learn more and are able to apply the skills and knowledge more effectively because they have the opportunity between sessions to complete homework which includes actual coaching sessions. And one eye-opener: People prefer actual practice instead of role play, which has been one of our only options in a one-day ILT class.

 

To conduct a successful online workshop, you might want to take these things into account:

· Email or Corporate Communication Tool:

o     Send session invitations should be sent more than once and followed up.

o     Send a Welcome Communication 

· Webinar Tool (There are many such as Live Meeting and GoToWebinar):

o     Take advantage of the online tools such as: Hand raising, Polls, White Board, Text Mark-up and Chat.

o     To make sure everyone participates, tell them that you will be calling on people.  To help you remember, jot down who participates in each activity.   

· Conference Line Tool (You can choose from free or paid services.):

o     Be sure to take advantage of breakout room within the system so participants can actively be involved in smaller groups that allow everyone to be involved.

· Online Collaboration Tool (Corporate Website, SharePoint, Blog):

o     Post homework assignments, participant materials, handouts, etc.

To learn more about this COREformance class and others, please download the promo sheets on our website: http://www.tbdconsulting.com.  To reach us directly, call 602-263-1961.

Happy Holidays! Jonena

They did what? Get them back into training NOW!

Posted by: Jonena Relth, President and Leadership Evangelist

 

A needs assessment can positively impact your return on investment (ROI).

As performance improvement professionals, we are naturally aproached with requests for training development and delivery.  These are two of TBD’s core competencies, but we would do our clients a huge disservice if we simply sprang into action to write curriculum without stopping to ask some important questions, such as:

 

©      What gives you the impression they do not know how to perform the job or task?

©      Have they already received training for this skill?

©      Is there anything else that might prevent or discourage them from doing the job?

©      How is their lack of performance in this area affecting your customers? Your bottom line?

Once we have answers to a few basic questions, we conduct a needs assessment to determine whether it is the training or some other factor that is impacting performance.  When you can effect a positive change in performance, you can increase your ROI.

 

Why ask an outside firm to conduct the needs assessment?

Although you can conduct a needs assessment yourself, there are several good reasons to engage an outside firm:

 

©      Experience.  An outside firm with extensive experience in conducting needs assessments can quickly identify the root cause of a performance issue and clearly define the problem.  This allows you to zero in on the right solutions and increase your ROI.

©      Objectivity.  The outside firm does not have preconceived ideas or a stake in a particular outcome.

©      Confidentiality.  Employees who participate in the data gathering phase feel “safer” that the information they provide to an outside party will not be linked to their names and impact their careers.

©      Efficiency.  An outside firm can quickly organize and execute the process with minimal disruption to your business.

 

How is a needs assessment conducted?

 

The questions we ask and the process we use will relate directly to the performance issue you have identified.

 

First, it's importatant to use a variety of methods to collect information from senior leaders, supervisors and front line employees.  Most often, we use questionnaires and focus groups, either in person or virtually.  We review existing training, reference systems and other resources.  Depending on the complexity of the issue, the needs assessment can be completed in just a few days.

 

Once you've gathered enough information, summarize the findings and your recommendations in a report.  The recommendations should outline performance improvement solutions that may include training.  Be sure to recommend next steps and estimate costs to implement the solutions.

 

If it’s not a training issue, what else could be preventing your employees from performing on the job?

 

©      Communication.  Your employees know how to do the work.  However, they are not clear about which tasks are the most important or where they should be spending the majority of their time.  Perhaps they do not have important information at their fingertips.

©      Empowerment.  Your employees know how to do the job but are discouraged from making important decisions on the spot.  One client wanted employees to hold firm in pricing discussions with customers, and even provided repeated training for their employees in this area.  However, supervisors were regularly reversing staff decisions if the customer complained.  The employees soon figured out that it wasn’t worth debating with customers only to be overruled by their supervisors. 

©      Incentives are disincentives.  Incentives can backfire if the wrong behavior is reinforced.  For example, if employees are incented to reduce the amount of time spent on the phone with each customer, they may rush through calls, thereby negatively impacting customer service goals and your ROI.

©      Environment.  Your employees have been trained to perform a task a certain way, but few people around them follow the “official” procedures.  When they ask for guidance, they receive conflicting answers.

 

Asking the right questions and analyzing the answers is the gateway to the right solutions.

If needs assessment is not a core competency in your organiation, involve outside consultants who have a proven track record of getting to the root causes of issues and who can recommend solid, "easy" to implement solutions.  Note: I've seen many pricy solutions recommneded by well-meaning consulting firms that simply add layers of work and no real solution.  The bottom line should be that the solution should ultimately save you time, money and energy while you focus on what you do best – running your business.

 

Mama aways says, "It's better to find the truth now than to solve a non-issue and leave the real issue left unresolved!"

Posted by: Jonena Relth, President and Leadership Evangelist

 

A needs assessment can positively impact your return on investment (ROI).

As performance improvement professionals, we are naturally aproached with requests for training development and delivery.  These are two of TBD’s core competencies, but we would do our clients a huge disservice if we simply sprang into action to write curriculum without stopping to ask some important questions, such as:

 

©      What gives you the impression they do not know how to perform the job or task?

©      Have they already received training for this skill?

©      Is there anything else that might prevent or discourage them from doing the job?

©      How is their lack of performance in this area affecting your customers? Your bottom line?

Once we have answers to a few basic questions, we conduct a needs assessment to determine whether it is the training or some other factor that is impacting performance.  When you can effect a positive change in performance, you can increase your ROI.

 

Why ask an outside firm to conduct the needs assessment?

Although you can conduct a needs assessment yourself, there are several good reasons to engage an outside firm:

 

©      Experience.  An outside firm with extensive experience in conducting needs assessments can quickly identify the root cause of a performance issue and clearly define the problem.  This allows you to zero in on the right solutions and increase your ROI.

©      Objectivity.  The outside firm does not have preconceived ideas or a stake in a particular outcome.

©      Confidentiality.  Employees who participate in the data gathering phase feel “safer” that the information they provide to an outside party will not be linked to their names and impact their careers.

©      Efficiency.  An outside firm can quickly organize and execute the process with minimal disruption to your business.

 

How is a needs assessment conducted?

 

The questions we ask and the process we use will relate directly to the performance issue you have identified.

 

First, it's importatant to use a variety of methods to collect information from senior leaders, supervisors and front line employees.  Most often, we use questionnaires and focus groups, either in person or virtually.  We review existing training, reference systems and other resources.  Depending on the complexity of the issue, the needs assessment can be completed in just a few days.

 

Once you've gathered enough information, summarize the findings and your recommendations in a report.  The recommendations should outline performance improvement solutions that may include training.  Be sure to recommend next steps and estimate costs to implement the solutions.

 

If it’s not a training issue, what else could be preventing your employees from performing on the job?

 

©      Communication.  Your employees know how to do the work.  However, they are not clear about which tasks are the most important or where they should be spending the majority of their time.  Perhaps they do not have important information at their fingertips.

©      Empowerment.  Your employees know how to do the job but are discouraged from making important decisions on the spot.  One client wanted employees to hold firm in pricing discussions with customers, and even provided repeated training for their employees in this area.  However, supervisors were regularly reversing staff decisions if the customer complained.  The employees soon figured out that it wasn’t worth debating with customers only to be overruled by their supervisors. 

©      Incentives are disincentives.  Incentives can backfire if the wrong behavior is reinforced.  For example, if employees are incented to reduce the amount of time spent on the phone with each customer, they may rush through calls, thereby negatively impacting customer service goals and your ROI.

©      Environment.  Your employees have been trained to perform a task a certain way, but few people around them follow the “official” procedures.  When they ask for guidance, they receive conflicting answers.

 

Asking the right questions and analyzing the answers is the gateway to the right solutions.

If needs assessment is not a core competency in your organiation, involve outside consultants who have a proven track record of getting to the root causes of issues and who can recommend solid, "easy" to implement solutions.  Note: I've seen many pricy solutions recommneded by well-meaning consulting firms that simply add layers of work and no real solution.  The bottom line should be that the solution should ultimately save you time, money and energy while you focus on what you do best – running your business.

 

Mama aways says, "It's better to find the truth now than to solve a non-issue and leave the real issue left unresolved!"

2009 Report: Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning

Posted by: Jonena Relth, President and Leadership Evangelist

 

For our readers looking for empirical evidence for the value of online learning, you might want to read the US Department of Education 2009 report: Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning, A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies

 

At TBD we are sold on blended learning and the advantages it has for individuals and organizations alike.  Learners of all ages desire options to meet their learning styles and busy schedules. The organizations who are going to succeed in the today's marketplace must embrace online learning and the many benefits it has to offer.

 

Please take a few minutes to read the report.  Its contents include:

·   Introduction

·   Methodology

·  Findings

·   Narrative Synthesis of Studies Comparing Variants of Online Learning

·   Discussion and Implications

·   References and

·   Exhibits

 

Here is the Abstract from page 8:

 

“A systematic search of the research literature from 1996 through July 2008 identified more than a thousand empirical studies of online learning. Analysts screened these studies to find those that (a) contrasted an online to a face-to-face condition, (b) measured student learning outcomes, (c) used a rigorous research design, and (d) provided adequate information to calculate an effect size.

 

As a result of this screening, 51 independent effects were identified that could be subjected to meta-analysis. The meta-analysis found that, on average, students in online learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face instruction. [bold added for emphasis] The difference between student outcomes for online and face-to-face classes—measured as the difference between treatment and control means, divided by the pooled standard deviation—was larger in those studies contrasting conditions that blended elements of online and face-to-face instruction with conditions taught entirely face-to-face. Analysts noted that these blended conditions often included additional learning time and instructional elements not received by students in control conditions.

 

This finding suggests that the positive effects associated with blended learning should not be attributed to the media, per se. An unexpected finding was the small number of rigorous published studies contrasting online and face-to-face learning conditions for K–12 students. In light of this small corpus, caution is required in generalizing to the K–12 population because the results are derived for the most part from studies in other settings (e.g., medical training, higher education).”

 

To read the entire report: Download Finalreport

 

Three Steps to Develop Scenario-Based Assessment Questions

Posted by: Karen Trog, TBD Consulting Director of Learning Services

 

We've been getting a lot of questions from clients on learning assessment design, so we're reposting this article from Sept. 2008 written by our guru of questions, Karen.

 

Information by itself is meaningless. It only holds value if the learner knows what to do with it. You want to know how the learner will use the information and then build your assessment scenarios around that.

 

These three questions provide a simple structure for developing scenario-based assessment questions. These steps can help you convert questions that might normally be presented in a typical format and put it in a context that is more like the learner’s real-world. The more the decisions are relevant to the learner’s world, the more likely they’ll be engaged with the assessment, meet your behavioral objectives, and actually improve their real-world job performance.

 

What situations require the learner to know this information?

Step away from just testing learners on facts or information and build a scenario. There’s a reason that the course content or communication is important to the learner. Create a circumstance where the learner gets to use the knowledge. The benefit to this is that for an experienced learner, this will help to confirm what they already know. For a novice learner, applying this information to a scenario will help them learn.

   

What choices could they be expected to make in that circumstance?

For each circumstance, figure out what types of choices a person would make. Use a subject matter expert to share different experiences and possible outcomes.

 

Make the choices real and not so obvious. Avoid offering an obvious or solid choice with other choices that are easy to weed out. Life isn’t like that. The real world requires making some decisions and then dealing with issues that come from those decisions.

 

For more complex content, it is not always necessary to have a single right answer and a set of wrong choices. Offer choices that are somewhat right and somewhat wrong and force the learner to pick from the best of the choices. The nuances can be addressed in the feedback.

   

What are the consequences of those choices?

Each choice can produce a consequence that generates feedback. This is an excellent opportunity to introduce some of the specific course content that learners may have clicked through in an online course or may have missed in a classroom. To support the learning, create a process that allows the learner to get the information needed to solve the problem. For example, you can:

•          Link to site resources

•          Link to training vignettes

Feedback can provide direct statements such as, “The current process requires….” allows reinforcement of some of the course content in small chunks. Or it can be created to flow more like real life with a set of follow-up situations that produce more choices.