I’m Speaking at Learning Solutions 2019

I will be speaking twice at the Learning Solutions Conference in Orlando, both at a session and as part of a panel discussion. Watch the promo video to learn more.

Choosing Branching Scenarios When They Matter Most

Branching scenarios can engage learners and provide relevant decision-making practice. They can help learners become competent at skills faster than other training approaches. While branching scenarios can be very valuable, nothing is the right solution for every training problem. Branching scenarios can be challenging to design and time consuming to build. That might leave you wondering: When is it worth the time and effort to create a branching scenario? When do the benefits of branching scenarios outweigh the costs to create them? Are there any easier alternatives that could work, or might even work better in some situations?

In this session, you’ll learn how to evaluate training problems to decide when to use a branching scenario or another approach. You’ll review criteria for deciding when branching scenarios provide enough benefit to justify the effort required to create them. This will help you use branching scenarios when they matter most, saving you time and effort while creating quality learning experiences. You’ll also explore alternatives to branching scenarios such as limited branching and one-question scenarios. These alternatives use some elements of branching scenarios but are simpler to design and develop. You’ll also review the eight “learning domains” identified by Ruth Clark as good candidates for scenario-based eLearning.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to decide if a branching scenario is the best approach.
• What criteria can help you choose branching scenarios or other strategies.
• Why branching scenarios are an effective solution for certain types of training problems.
• How branching scenarios can be used in different learning domains and kinds of training.
• How to save time and effort by using alternatives like one-question scenarios and limited branching.

Panel: Where Is Instructional Design Heading?

Instructional design is a core component of L&D, but it’s not a topic that should be seen as stable and unchanging. Instructional design needs to evolve as s new technologies and approaches emerge, organizations’ goals for success shift, and views on what role L&D should have in supporting learning and performance support fluctuate.

In this session our panel will share their thoughts on where they foresee instructional design heading in the future. They’ll explore short-term factors that impact this world, as well as longer-term ones that may not show their full impact for years to come. They’ll also discuss what skills people need to develop now to be ready for how instructional design will transform over time.

In this session, you will learn:

• What technologies are likely to change our approaches to instructional design
• How shifts in the world outside L&D may affect our work, as well
• What new or evolved roles instructional design may play a part in at organizations
• What can best help you prepare for where instructional design may be heading

Let me know in the comments if you’ll be attending the conference! I’d love to see you there.