- There's a tendency in traditional elearning
to cram everything into one module, which is happening
in the example I discussed in the last movie.
If you haven't checked it out,
I recommend you do so before moving on.
I'm going to start high level and talk about structure.
My suggestion would be to break that 40 minute module
into three micro learning modules,
one module on what a change order is and why it's important,
one on the required documentation
and software steps involved,
and one on communicating with a customer.
Since the company has a quality LMS,
I might create some spaced learning out of them
by releasing them a few days or maybe a week apart.
Now I'd like to dig into the content of the three sections
which we've turned into mini modules.
The audience is varied in terms of experience.
To honor that, I'd personalize the module
to the learner's wants and needs
by providing different levels of information.
For instance, at the beginning of the first mini module,
the one about what a change order is
and why it's important,
I'd ask how much learners already knew about change orders.
Do they know a lot, some, not much at all?
Then I'd provide a path with content
and activities commensurate with their experience.
Elearning is a great vehicle for delivering different paths,
different levels of information.
Too often, though, we just provide one generic path,
and we can do better than that.
Okay, now to the second short module,
the one about the required documentation
and the software steps involved.
The screen recording on the software steps is good,
but I wouldn't place it in the module itself.
I'd have it as a job aid.
That way the learner can initiate the learning,
access the job aid when they actually need it,
like just before they submit their first change order.
To the last module,
I suggest adding a social learning component.
De-escalating a customer is a big responsibility.
If the project manager does it well, it could save the deal.
If they botch it, the customer might cancel.
No doubt there are experienced project managers
at the company that excel in de-escalation,
and it would be really cool
if their expertise could become more visibile to everyone.
Here's one plan of attack.
Over a period of two weeks, I'd ask project managers
to track their successes and challenges, read failures,
at de-escalating customers.
I'd inform them that their successes will be celebrated
at the next team meeting.
Before the meeting, I'd create a space
on the company intranet for discussion on change orders
and de-escalating customers.
I'd also ask a project manager
who was good at de-escalation and whom people liked
to take part in the discussion group for a few weeks.
At the team meeting
after the de-escalations were celebrated,
I'd have the experienced project manager mention
that he or she's going to take part
in the discussion group around change orders
and that if anyone wanted to join, et cetera, et cetera.
Now, the discussion group
might very well die a quick death.
Then again, it might blossom
into something way more than you imagined.