Hello - I am trying to come up with something to present to my VP that will outline when to use a job aid vs. developing an elearning course. I am getting a lot or request to build elearning courses and I don't always feel like its the best method. Does anyone have any data or reference material they could share with me?
You are really getting to the heart of a Training Manager role. Try and remember that each training option has pros & cons when viewed individually. And when viewed together there are additional advantages to varying the deployment methodology.
Step #1 - Starting separately, make a grid of all of the methods available to you/your team and create a pros/cons for that method. For example - E-learning module might mean long creation time (con), but easiest to track/report (pro), consistent deployment (pro), etc . In doing that exercise, think about the audience too and how they will consume the training...
When you do this, you start to see the advantages of Job Aids in that they be referenced as just-in-time support, faster to use, etc.
Step #2 - Now that you've identified what your team can produce and why they might produce each option, you can map that against the kinds of training requests you typically receive. This is another column on your grid that can be labeled "most applicable for" or some such. Remember this too will vary by organization.
Step #3 - Now remember that beyond using the right tool individually for the job, by utilizing a variety of methods you limit learner burnout and ensure that different learning styles are also addressed. Nothing is more boring than one size fits all.... or less effective. So build a true integrated training deployment strategy and effectiveness increases.
Finally.... Now you have at least a simple basis for starting to make decisions and/or advise stakeholders on deployment options for training. Sharing the grid and showing your VP that there is an actual thought process behind the choices to be made should provide you a bit more credibility than just a study or article.
2 Replies
Hi Meaghan, maybe Trina's article "10 Things You Could Create Instead of an E-Learning Course" has some ideas for you.
HI Meaghan,
You are really getting to the heart of a Training Manager role. Try and remember that each training option has pros & cons when viewed individually. And when viewed together there are additional advantages to varying the deployment methodology.
Step #1 - Starting separately, make a grid of all of the methods available to you/your team and create a pros/cons for that method. For example - E-learning module might mean long creation time (con), but easiest to track/report (pro), consistent deployment (pro), etc . In doing that exercise, think about the audience too and how they will consume the training...
When you do this, you start to see the advantages of Job Aids in that they be referenced as just-in-time support, faster to use, etc.
Step #2 - Now that you've identified what your team can produce and why they might produce each option, you can map that against the kinds of training requests you typically receive. This is another column on your grid that can be labeled "most applicable for" or some such. Remember this too will vary by organization.
Step #3 - Now remember that beyond using the right tool individually for the job, by utilizing a variety of methods you limit learner burnout and ensure that different learning styles are also addressed. Nothing is more boring than one size fits all.... or less effective. So build a true integrated training deployment strategy and effectiveness increases.
Finally.... Now you have at least a simple basis for starting to make decisions and/or advise stakeholders on deployment options for training. Sharing the grid and showing your VP that there is an actual thought process behind the choices to be made should provide you a bit more credibility than just a study or article.
Hope this helps and good luck!
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