{"id":64,"date":"2018-10-08T08:26:26","date_gmt":"2018-10-08T08:26:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.easyauthoring.com\/blog\/?p=64"},"modified":"2021-11-15T09:14:08","modified_gmt":"2021-11-15T03:44:08","slug":"learning-design-tip-1-its-all-about-performance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.easyauthoring.com\/blog\/learning-design-tip-1-its-all-about-performance\/","title":{"rendered":"Learning Design Tip #1 – It\u2019s all about performance"},"content":{"rendered":"

‘In this module you will learn \u2026’<\/strong><\/p>\n

Snoozefest. Forget learning outcomes. Wait. Don\u2019t completely forget learning outcomes but make sure that something much more important is driving the learning solutions that you design \u2013 performance improvement.<\/p>\n

Learning designers have long been wondering how they can get a ‘seat at the table\u2019. It\u2019s easy. Consider the people at the table \u2013 CEO, COO, CFO, HR \u2013 all people who have a whole-of-business mindset. People who view every decision, every action, every choice through the filter of \u2018what impact or benefit will this bring to the organisation?\u2019 When learning designers view what they do through this same filter, the consequence is inevitable \u2013 design for performance improvement, for measurable, observable behaviour change. When we approach what we do with this mindset, we begin to earn that seat at that table.<\/p>\n

A laser-sharp focus on performance improvement will shape the design solutions that you create. How can you create this focus? Here are five tips that we use at easy<\/em>A<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

1<\/strong>. Ask good questions.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Good questions make people pause and think before answering. They\u2019re open. They align directly to organisational outcomes. They don\u2019t assume that training is the answer to every problem.<\/p>\n

\u2018If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

Abraham Maslow.<\/strong><\/p>\n

2<\/strong>. Start with the end in mind.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Think ahead into the future and imagine that this project is a huge success. What will people be telling you about the outcomes from what you\u2019ve designed? What are they going to be talking about?<\/p>\n

\u2018Don\u2019t think about the start of the race, think about the ending.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

Usain Bolt.<\/strong><\/p>\n

3. Mind the gaps.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Explore the space between the current state and the desired future. How will you help move people towards that desired future success? What knowledge, skills, attributes and environments do people need to get there?<\/p>\n

\u2018The best way to predict the future is to create it.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

Peter Drucker.<\/strong><\/p>\n

4. Find your metrics.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Are the gaps being made visible by any current metrics? Make some friends in the finance and HR teams to get visibility of what is happening through existing data. Work out what metrics you will use to see the desired behaviour change.<\/p>\n

\u2018In God we trust. All others must bring data.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

W. Edwards Deming.<\/strong><\/p>\n

5. Write performance, not learning outcomes.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Reframe your learning outcomes as performance or behaviour outcomes. Move away from describe or explain objectives to actions that people will take.<\/p>\n

\u2018Do or do not. There is no try\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

Yoda.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Interested in a deep dive?<\/strong><\/p>\n