Hate to Rework?

What is your attitude toward rework? How often have you heard or said 'I already changed that! You want me to work on that again?' Rework can really demotivate you, especially when you are new to the field. You will see rework as you not getting it right the first time or reviewer not appreciating the effort you put in. Rework can also be very mechanical. You just need to add a line here, replace an image or remove word there.

When is it ok to rework several times?

a. When you are exploring a new approach: When you are trying something new, be prepared to rework. You are bound to realize that there are loose ends; things you had not thought of earlier; newer ideas that you think will work better; that old ideas do not have the necessary impact and so on.

How to tackle: Ensure that you are working in a group. Extra heads help identify the issues at an earlier stage. Have smaller milestones and frequent reviews.

b. When you have time to improve the quality: You know that your design is good but not great. The reviewer points out relevant value adds that can make your design great. Be open to this.

c. When you want to ensure you get it right: When is it important to get it 100% right? It is important to get it right when:

• the training is in line with a primary role/skill
• you want to being a attitudinal/behavioral change
• you need solutions to bring about a mind shit
  
• you have promised results

d. When the reviewer is adding value: It is important to allow the reviewer to add value to your work. If it can be improved, then why not? Be open to newer ideas.


When is rework frustrating?

a. When you don't see eye to eye with person giving the feedback: The person giving you feedback may be a client, an authority, a SME and so on. But, never fix something because you are being told to do so. Ensure that you are convinced that the change is a value add and will aid learning further.

How to tackle: Have long drawn discussions about why this change needs to be made. Share your concerns. Ensure you reach a consensus.

b: When there is no clarity on what the reviewer is thinking: This can be very frustratedly. If you continue blindly fixing, you will have several version before things are clear in the head of the reviewer.

How to tackle: Have detailed discussions to understand what the reviewer is trying to say. Ask the right questions to ensure that the reviewer thinks further. Do some research and share information with reviewer. Also, double check by restating what you have understood and what you are going to change.

c. When new things creep up at every round of review: This happens to most of us. Where the reviewer is pressed for time and therefore, scans through the storyboards and shares a top level feedback. This never gets over till they actually sit down and go through it.

How to tackle: If possible, arrange a meeting with the reviewer. Take them through the storyboard and fix issues in front of them.

d. When you are pressed for time: If you are pressed for time and the review cycles are just not getting over, there is a major problem. The possible reasons:

• Time-effort allocation for this project was incorrect.
  
• The reviewer has great expectations.
  
• You are just not cut out for this work.
  

Attitude to Rework

Why did I feel the urge to blog on such a topic? This is because I used to hate rework myself. But, over the years, I would like to believe that I have checked this attitude. Two months back, I worked on a project that required extensive rework at several phases. I realized that (though I was frustrated at times) every time I reworked the product looked better. It is highly satisfying when you look at rework from this point of view.

Rework is probably as important as writing the storyboard for the first time. Be open to it. Respect the people you work with. Remember most people want to ensure that we have a good product. Your goal should also be aligned to this. It will help if you reduce obvious errors while storyboarding/fixing. The more challenging the project, the more the chances of rework. Follow this and it will help reduce rework:

1. Ensure you understand what is required clearly before attempting to do it.
   
2. Ask the right questions so that you have all the answers.
   
3. Ensure that you are totally convinced about what you have done. If you are not, the reviewer is surely not going to be.
4. Be proactive. Do some research to get a clearer understanding if you are unable to get it from the reviewer.
   
5. Bounce ideas off peer if you are stuck.
   

8 Tips for the Training Department

Given below are two views on training:

Jaya: I have a list of courses that I am supposed to take. Most of them are irrelevant as I know most of what is covered. These elearning courses are updated regularly. But this typically means that that they change the names in the scenarios and then ask us to take the course all over again. There are a few courses that we are required to take every year because of some rules set by the U.S Government. It seems pointless to go over the same course over and over again.

Ravi: I attending a classroom training when I joined. This session was on product knowledge. I found it very useful as it helped me understand the products we were dealing with. I am sure I will benefit from any other training my organization wishes me to attend. I would like training on communication skills.

Here, we have two individuals with completely differing viewpoints on training. Interesting, isn't it? The first individual works for a big software company and the other works as a shop floor marketing personnel. Most software professionals will give you a similar response. Why are the viewpoints so different? Jaya hates training, while Ravi is open to it.

Let us look at the reasons why Jaya is against training.

1. Learn About Everything Under the Sun
The training/HR department has about 200 courses on their LMS. A huge list of courses is shared with an employee and they are asked to take it in their own pace. This is mandatory. A person will check if employees are completing the course. Therefore, Jaya clicks next on most of the courses and therefore, manages to finish her list of courses. Does the training department do any research at all? Do they know they know how their employees feel about training? Do they have any clue as to what their employees need and what they don't? Do they consider the employees motivations? Employee says: Why do I have to learn about communication skills? I don't interact with clients anyway! Having employees take courses that are not relevant does not help the cause. It does more harm actually.

2. I have enough work, Thanks!
Most employees (and not necessarily software professionals) will tell you this when you ask them whether they have time for training. This is because:
a. They do not see value in training. They do not feel the need to invest time in training as they are sure they know all there is to know.
b. They do have lots of work. They have pressing deadlines, but the training department insists that they complete specific courses within a given period of time. They are distracted as they are more concerned about a deadline looming over their heads.

3. It is just sooo boring...yawn!
Most software employees will tell you how boring the eLearning sessions are and how they click them away! The course do not interest them and therefore, they do not give it a moment's thought. An hour long course is over in a matter of minutes. What is worse is that they would have done extremely well in assessment section. Therefore, they feel confident that they know everything.

Let us look at the reasons why Ravi is pro training.

1. I benefited from it last time!
Simple! Ravi has a positive attitude towards training because he very clearly benefited from it the last time. He feels confident that any training that his management suggests will help him work better.

2. Thirst for Knowledge
Ravi feels he will benefit from a course on communication skills. He obviously realizes that he has lots to learn in this area and that a training program may be a great idea.

I have already blogged about How to tackle a demotivated learner? So, now I am going to share a few tips for the training department.

STOP churning out courses because you have to!
The training department has a budget allotted for training. That's great! But, please do not churn out unnecessary courses! Stop trying to fill in your employees' calenders just because you HAVE to! Most employees in the corporate world are over exposed to training. Remember Ravi? Another reason he likes training was because it was new to him. Try newer ways of teaching. Avoid stuffing eLearning/ILTs down the employees throats! Avoid packing their days with unnecessary training.

START investing time in research
The training department (especially of software companies) has no excuse for not trying to understand their employee's needs. Do some research. Understand the skills sets required for a particular role, map the competencies of employees, and suggest courses. Understand what your learner's motivation and attitudes are. Use this valuable information to design a powerful course that will make a difference.

PLAN well for training
Ensure that your employees do not feel the need to balance work and learning. Ensure that you have their deadlines, schedules, and time in mind when you plan training. This way neither work nor learning gets affected. DO NOT make them choose between the two. The employee will always choose work. If it is a core skill, give them time off work to take it. Ensure that you make their training as smooth as your possibly can.

DESIGN a powerful course
How? The learner is taking an hour or so from his/her work to learn. Give them something that excites them and makes them think. After a full day's work, it is extremely tiring to go through boring training. Give them a breath of fresh air. Make their learning experience a memorable one. Ensure that they do not feel like they are putting in extra effort to take and finish the course. Do not make them regret the time they have invested in this.

STOP ruining it for others
There are so may demotivated learners and the main reason for this is lack of respect for learners. Value their time and treat them with respect. Please do not hold a gun to their heads and say LEARN! Encourage a climate of knowledge sharing. Make them want to learn. Bad training programs poisons the employee's mind against learning itself. A job of a trainer/ID is tough as it. The job is made twice as hard with bad experiences with training.

START exploring newer ways of teaching
See what works for your employees. Avoid resorting to tried and tested modes of delivering learning. Try newer ways of teaching things. Explore how you can encourage social learning at your workplace. How can you get people to learn from each other? Use effective combination of solutions to deploy learning.

DO NOT insist on employees taking the same course over and over
The learner should have the option of revisiting a course if he/she wishes to do so. Do not impose this on them. If you have a rule saying certain courses have to be taken every year, use different ways of refreshing their memories. This could be in the form of handouts, discussion, quick games/scenario-based checks, and so on.

CUSTOMIZE your courses
Most training departments buy off-the-shelf products for soft skills and for technical training, they arrange classroom sessions. If soft skill such as communication is a core skill, then no off-the-shelf is going to cater to the needs of your learner. If soft skill is not a core skill but a concern, no off-the-shelf is going to help! Why? If your employee does not communicate with client face-to-face but only over emails and audio conference, the scenarios in off-the-shelf course may be very general and may not cover these. You need a course that will include scenarios that the learners face in their day-to-day lives. Therefore, off-the-shelf is anyway a bad idea. If you are buying a ready made course, ensure that you have it customized for your needs. Technical training, on the other hand, can be very dull. Ensure that you decide a mode of delivery that will allow active participation. Also, ensure that it is not theoretical and you give information that the employees can actually use.

Think about the effect your courses are having on the learner's psyche. If it is a negative one, stop what you are doing immediately and rethink your approach. Please do not ruin it for other who are trying to do their jobs right. If it is positive, pat yourself on your back and continue to change lives for the better.

Getting Information Gathering Right

Have you noticed that most clients hate the information gathering stage? You may want to do detailed research and have answers to all your queries before you propose a solution, but several clients wonder "Why are they over doing it?" Have you experienced this? What could be the reasons for this?

1. The information we ask is common sense to them and therefore, they wonder why you haven't figured it out yourself.
   
2. They wonder how certain information is going to help you design the training program and therefore, they feel that you are asking way too many irrelevant questions.
   
3. They have sent you all the documents but they feel you have not read them and that you continue to ask the same questions.
   
4. My previous vendor did not bother me with a third degree. Why are these people wasting my time?
   

Why is information gathering important?

• Anyone can design a training program based on documents shared by the client, but getting the right information will help you design a training program that will make a difference. You are expected to deliver an effective training program. How are you going to do so without understanding the organization and its employees?
• This stage also plays a crucial role in building credibility, trust, and rapport with the client. This is the instance where your team gets to interact and make an impression with the client.
  
• It helps clearly understand the reality. All misconception, ambiguity is discarded right at the beginning.
  

On some accounts the client are right. What can you do to ensure that information gathering stage is effective.

1. Ensure that you keep it short. If this stage takes too long to close, it is bound to test the client's patience. They want to see solutions and results. The faster you propose a solution the better. Avoid long breaks between meetings. Ensure that you get the information you need over a short span of time. Also, ensure that you make good use of the time allotted to you by the client.
2. Fix an agenda for the meeting. Ensure that the client knows in advance what the goal of the meeting is. This will give them time to prepare for the meeting. They will be able to answer your queries immediately.
   
3. Ask the right questions. Do not have a standard list of questions and ask all your clients the same questions. Each project is different. You need to modify your questions as per the need. Remove the irrelevant questions and stick to the ones that will provide you valuable information to move ahead.
   
4. Ensure that you read all the documents shared by the client. It is a bad idea to think that you can get the information directly from the client and therefore, avoid reading the documents. Clients will be offended if they realize that you have not read the information they shared.
   
5. Do not ask the same questions over and over again. Get your question right and record the answer.
   
6. Do not introduce new team members halfway through the information gathering stage. If you do, ensure that they are briefed well. Else, they are going to ask the same questions and it may be difficult for them to catch up.
7. Explain the rationale for the questions. This will help clients understand why you need this information. It will help them see that you are not over doing it but just doing your job right.
   

Grab Your Learner's Attention

Why are gain attention strategies important? Within the first few minutes of the training program, the learner decides whether this course is worth his/her time or not. An effective gain attention strategy has the power to increase the motivational level of your learner.

Using this, you can:

• Arouse their curiosity.
• Make them think about a particular concept.
  
• Make them laugh or break the ice.
  
• Help them grasp what is going to be covered in the course.
  
• Build expectations.
  

Basically, it will make your learner want to see what comes ahead. Imagine! The learner is actually interested in learning. He/she is going to give you and your training program a chance. What qualifies as a gain attention strategy?

1. A pre-test that tells them where they stand at the beginning of the course
For example: Before we begin this module, let us attempt a brief questionnaire to identify your personality trait.

2. A challenge thrown their way
For example: You are a customer care executive at a call center. You have several customer calling you for information. You need to provide them with the information they require and close the close quickly to take the next call. How many calls can you close by end of day?

3. A problem-solution approach
For example: You have been appointed as the manager at SimCom. You manage a team of six smart and talented people. Your teams performance has been very poor over the past few months. You need to motivate your team and ensure that each person gives his/her best to this project. Your boss is keeping a close eye on you. Good luck!

4. A statistical report
For example: Attrition rates are within the range of 30-60% in the BPO industry. The typical reasons for attrition are salary, work timings, better jobs, and so on.

5. Did you know?
Did you know that The Big Five is a group of animals of Africa: cape buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion and rhino. This term was coined by hunters because of the challenge of hunting these wild ferocious animals when cornered.

6. A comic strip

7. A story/drama
You are a detective. Weird things have been happening at Reth City. Reports show that the number of males have been accelerating rapidly and no one seems to know the reason behind this. You have been offered this case. You need to go to the city to understand what is happening. You can talk to the city dwellers. If they seem secretive, you can look around the city for clues. Your assistant, Shweta, will hand out reports, newspaper clippings to help you crack the case. Hurry!

You can think of several innovative ways to design grab attention screens. If you have come across any, share them.

Enviornment: Key to Identifying Learning Solutions?

Learning environment plays a vital role in a training program. Before designing the training, you need to understand the learner's environment or more specifically, the environment in which learning will take place.

Why the fuss?

Imagine this scenario. Your learner is a shop floor manager who will take the course on the computer which is positioned at the reception. He is basically in the middle of the shop floor. He is surrounded by his executives. He may be interrupted every now and then to attend to a customer.

If you design a course that is one hour long, he may not be able to take it at one go. This scenario shows how your design solution should consider all these points. When you analyze the learning environment, you find out the following:

1. What kind of technology is accessible to my learner?
2. What factors in the learning environment may distract my learner during the training?
3. How much time in a day can he/she devote to the training?
4. Can any factors be used to our advantage during training?
   
5. What activities fill my learner's day? Which of these are linked to the training?
   
6. Will a mentor (if required) be available at the learning environment?
7. Is there scope for group-based learning?
   

If the learning environment is really noisy, it may be a better idea to have a course with little or no audio. If the learner is interrupted every ten to twenty minutes, the design solution can involve either learning nuggets for 5-10 minute duration or a workshop can be conducted in a controlled learning environment.

Pros and Cons of conducting training in the leaner's actual work environment:

Pros

• The learner may be able to relate to the training better when it is in his/her work environment.
  
• The learner will have full control over learning. He/she has to take the responsibility of completing the training.
  
• Learners may be more comfortable in their own turf.
  

Cons

• If the course is not designed well, the learner may not finish the course because of work pressures and distractions.
  
• It is left to the learner to balance work and learning.
  

Pros and Cons of conducting training in a controlled learning environment:

Pros

• The learner's attention is focused on the training. He/she has no other option but to learn.
  
• The baggage of work is left behind. Mind is free of all work-related worries.
  

Cons

• Out of sight, Out of mind syndrome: There is a big chance that learner will see this as a 'vacation' from work. Attend session and forget about it.
  
• It may seem like we are keeping a gun to their heads and saying LEARN!
  
• Learners may be uncomfortable with an alien learning environment.
• When the learner is sent somewhere (even if it is the conference room) to learn, they may question 'Why?, I am fine where I am.' They may get on the defensive.
  

Tailor-made Courses

Do you buy clothes that are three times your size? Do you buy shoes that are twice as big as your feet? Why not? I guess the logical explanation is that we prefer to buy things that are made for us. At school, why do we begin at the 1^st standard and proceed to higher classes? Why are all children not put in the same class? This is because each learner is at a different level and their learning needs are different. Right.

Wondering where I am going with this? The objective of this article is to stress the importance of designing courses that are tailor-made for the learner’s needs. Let me share an incident with you. As part of our LCM process, we conduct learner evaluation. In this phase, we ask our learners to take the course and we observe the learner. During one such learner testing, we found some interesting truths. Before I proceed, let me give you some information about the course. A training company had conducted a two-day workshop and this had to be converted into a refresher emodule (that’s where we came in) for managers who had attended the workshop. Seven learners volunteered to help test the course. 3 out of the 7 learners had not attended this workshop. The results showed that these three learners were lost and very confused. The other four learners were extremely comfortable and were motivated to complete the course. This was because they remembered the cues provided during the workshop and therefore, found the course interesting. Why the discrepancy you ask? This course was meant to be a refresher course and catered to a very specific audience. It is therefore effective only for that audience. Most learners claimed that this was the most effective elearning program that they ever taken. Now, that’s something...

Each learner is at a different level and their learning needs are different. It is extremely important to ensure that we chunk similar learners together and design a course that caters to their common need. For example, when designing a course on how to use a software application, we will design this keeping in mind the primary learners/users and not the secondary and tertiary learners/users. This way we are ensuring that we make this course effective for the learners who interact with the software more frequently. If you really have to make the course for everyone coming in contact with that software, there is a way out. Have three learning paths, one for the primary, another for the secondary and third for the tertiary audience. This will ensure that the learner goes through only that information that is relevant to him/her.

Why is it so important to create courses for a specific audience?

• Maintain motivation: Most elearning courses do not meet the ‘What’s in it for me’ criteria. Learners want to know how the content you teach can be applied in their jobs. Learning can not be forced. The learner has to see value in the course. Show them the value and the battle is have won.
• Provide relevant information: Imagine this scenario. Your learner is working in a software company. He/she comes in at 9:15 in the morning and leaves at 8:30 in the evening. He/she dedicates half an hour everyday to a training course. Do you actually think he/she will have the patience to go through a course and search for information relevant to him/her? Don’t give a sea of information and ask them to find what they want. Give them exactly what they want. Do some research to identify this.
  
• Effective learning: The course is definitely more effective when it is specific. For example, you are teaching learners to deal with conflict situations at the workplace. We know that conflict situations can occur at any level in the organization. If the learner is a middle level manager, the conflicts situations he/she is likely to face and the power he/she has to tackle such situation will be different for a senior manager and or an executive staff. Conflicts could be between manager-employee, manager-manager, and employee-employee. The employee need not (and should not) have to learn how manager-manager conflicts are tackled. Another interesting thing is that when designing a course for an employee, the content for manager-employee will be different as opposed to that designed for a manager.
• Cognitive overload: Excess information or detailed information will cause cognitive overload. Designers (or should I say SMEs) end up stuffing everything (to be safe) in a one hour module. Trust me, nothing will register in the learner’s mind. He/she will click the pages away. Stick to the learning objectives and the Bloom’s levels.
• Increase completion rates: By giving the learner what he/she wants, you are going to ensure that dropouts decrease. If the learner sees benefit in taking a course, why wouldn’t they complete it?
• Transfer of learning: The chances of bringing about a behavioral change are higher when the course is designed for a specific audience. Retention of concepts will be higher. Therefore, transfer of learning at the workplace will be higher.

Remember that you wouldn’t finish a book or a movie if it did not interest you. It would interest you only if you can relate to it.