In this special episode I'm joined by Kevin Thorn, Karl Kapp and Deborah Thomas to talk about the value of getting in touch with your creative side! More notes to follow - currently just trying to get the new episode up! Reserve your seat, or learn more about the Step Away: Innovate and Play event happening in September 2020 here. Connect with our guests here: Deborah Thomas on Twitter and LinkedIn Karl Kapp on Twitter and LinkedIn Kevin Thorn on Twitter and LinkedIn   We here at the Lounge Podcast hope that you and your family are healthy and adjusting to the new normal that comes with the pandemic we are experiencing. As a result, we've been a little busier than normal and have had to put the podcast on hold. BUT things are looking up for us here and I enlisted some help to get this episode edited. So hopefully I'll be getting the episodes out a little more regularly!

In this episode, Learning Professional of the Year nominee, and my friend, John Hinchliffe joins me to discuss his L&D journey from the UK to the UAE. He shares information about how he prepared for success in the UAE, how he came to be nominated for a prestigious learning award, and provides some advise for new, emerging and senior learning professionals alike. Due to Internet Issues, I am having difficulty loading the transcript and images, so I'll update this with all the information for John as soon as I can. I wanted to get this out prior to John's Awards banquet.  

In this episode, I'm joined by my friend Mike Simmons, founder of Catalyst Sale and host of the Catalyst Sale podcast. Mike joins me today to talk about analysis skills and how proper analysis and communication can help persuade, engage and guide our clients away from learning failures! Get the transcript 26 - Mike Simmons_transcript. Covered in this episode: Why is analysis important? Mike's process for analysis We covered some of the following Write it down, Get the data you need to make a decision Find gaps in info Questions we can ask to understand the problem (who, what, why, where, when, how) Conduct research (public information or interviews with people) Understand the boundaries you are working in Define the objective Recognize what "good" looks like when the problem is solved How do you get to the story? There isn't just ONE way! Find YOUR way Simplify questions so you don't create objections Getting information from SMEs Selling the analysis phase when someone doesn't support it Flat tires and learning analysis Create a plan Set timelines to avoid analysis paralysis Leverage "good enough" Mindmap as a tool The value of deconstructing the learner journey Using OneNote, technology and, yes, paper note cards Mike's details: More than 20 years of operations, customer success, sales and sales leadership experience, 15 in the EdTech space. Life long learner, creative, analytical, and driven to achieve results. Mike has built, lead, and optimized sales organizations leveraging both direct and indirect teams. Husband, father, and jeep enthusiast. Arizona State University B.A. Psychology. LinkedIn * remember to let him know you heard him on The Lounge Podcast www.Catalystsale.com Twitter Podcast Episode 1, Episode 2

When was your last Subject Matter Expert (SME) meeting? How did it go? Was it a painful experience for both of you? If so, this episode is for you! What's Happening in The Lounge today? I'm excited to bring you this impromptu chat with my new friend Sean Hickey. Sean is a master at working with people. He's incredibly personable and a joy to spend time with. I've had the privilege of spending time with him at two separate conferences, the Ohio ATD Tech days last September and the March 2019 Learning Solutions conference where he and my friend Cara North presented a fun and engaging session - and where they won BEST OF SHOW at DemoFest for their fun game on question pitfalls and the mayhem that comes from ill prepared multiple choice questions. Sean and Cara win Best of Show at Learning Solutions 19 DemoFest This episode isn't about assessment or evaluation - instead we're going to dive deep into the tips that Sean has for working effectively with your SMEs to help you and them get the most of your often limited time together. It's a fun conversation - I had to cut out a lot of my giggles because Sean makes me big belly laugh to the point I sounded like I might need emergency medical attention. So what did we talk about ? Here's a little list. In this episode: What is a subject matter expert (SME)Sharing the importance of your workAre SMEs critical to our project success?How to build rapport with SMEsIdeas to deal with conflict between various groupsUsing humour / humorWorking from a state of agreementIdeas to reduce stress when SMEs time is “side of the desk”Sean’s process for engagement, formal and informal communicationDealing with the “unnecessary” Things you can do to motivate attendance (I’m not ashamed to admit to bribing folks with food!)Understand the small picture (how their actions impact the new employee)Sean’s process for continuous relationship buildingProbing questionsImpostor syndrome and SMEsGiving the SMEs value to take awayThe 3-Ps of service About Sean Hickey Sean Hickey Sean Hickey is Lead Curriculum Developer and an instructional designer at Ohio State’s Center on Education and Training for Employment (CETE). As part of his role, he facilitates item-writing workshops for statewide career-tech end-of-course tests and industry credentialing exams, and develops eLearning materials for teachers and subject-matter experts. Sean was previously an instructional designer at McGraw-Hill Education, where he partnered with Apple in the creation of the first-generation of interactive iPad textbooks. He has taught educational technology courses and is actively involved in several instructional design groups and associations at both the state and national level. Find Sean on Social You can find Sean on twitter @mshEducation, as well as at various edtech or learning and development conferences throughout the country.

Today’s episode explores something I’m not overly familiar with, and I admit, it can be a little scary when you don’t know much about it. AI and Machine learning and not new but for some of us, it’s a bit scary to talk about something we only know about formally through Hollywood blockbusters. In today’s show I’m chatting with Anna Leach, a Graduate Associate and PHD student at the University of Arizona. Anna shares some interesting information about the AI Circle and some other things we should think about at a deeper level! In this Episode: What is AI and how it impacts usTaking the scariness out of AIAn introduction into AI and Algorithms The Grand CircleThe differences between machine learning and AI and Deep LearningPeanut Butter sandwiches and step by step processesData impacts Bias in learningIt’s not “IF” it’s “WHEN” we should start understanding AI and Machine Learning for future inclusion in our toolbox. About Anna Leach Anna is a PhD student and graduate associate at the School of Information at the University of Arizona.  The iSchool focuses on the intersection of people, technology, and information.  Her studies are focused educational technology and the information it produces or consumes and how it can or does impact humans.  She is working to understand the value of the data collected and how it can empower learners and elevate learning.  She is researching what data is collected in our LMSes and how much we understand about data privacy. Anna is a PhD student and graduate associate at the School of Information at the University of Arizona.  The iSchool focuses on the intersection of people, technology, and information.  Her studies are focused educational technology and the information it produces or consumes and how it can or does impact humans.  She is working to understand the value of the data collected and how it can empower learners and elevate learning.  She is researching what data is collected in our LMSes and how much we understand about data privacy. Prior to the PhD program, Anna worked as a data analyst at the Ohio State University.  She also completed her Masters in Learning Technologies in the Fall of 2016 through the Ohio State University online program.  She has discussed her data analysis journey in a TEDxPSU talk titled Beyond the Numbers: A Data Analyst Journey - https://youtu.be/t2oOFs4WgI0  In her free time, she spends time with her family and pug Skully or hiking or crocheting.  Anna's Links: Joy Link:  https://www.ted.com/speakers/joy_buolamwini  Machine Learning: https://www.coursera.org/learn/machine-learning  Here is an image Anna really likes:  https://wordstream-files-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/machine-learning.png  It is what is considered Artificial Intelligence.   Anna sent me this in respect to the discussion of PB&J sandwiches. She uses it to prompt discussions about what an algorithm is. https://youtu.be/FN2RM-CHkuI Want to learn Articulate Storyline? Learn Storyline from two of my favourite Storyline guys! http://masterstoryline.com is your place to go! Get Storyline video training courses at MasterStoryline.com. Learn fundamentals, and build your skills including design, interactions, gamification, tips, tricks, and best practices through our courses and just-in-time video library. As a Lounge Podcast listener you get a 10% Discount off your first year subscription when you use the code " lounge " when you sign up. This code is valid until December 31, 2019 - so don't delay! And don't miss an episode of their podcast: https://www.theelearningguys.com/

If you listened in last week, you heard Hadiya and I discussing quality control and quality assurance, as well as feedback cycles.  I wanted to continue the conversation with you this week but talking about the life-cycle of a learning object. Sometimes, our learning content needs to be updated to reflect new ideals, practices, organization goals and direction, new performance problems and of course, updated government legislation. In this episode: what is a review cycle and why are they importantwho should be involvedwhat do I do in a review cyclereview a real exampletalk about how freelancers and contractors can implement review cycles My example review cycle: set up review cycle in advanceperform cursory reviewrun relevant reportsshare contentagree to next review I'd love to hear what you are doing - you can leave a commont below, email me host @ theloungepodcast.com, or you tweet me with the hashtag #theloungepodcast and let me know what you do to ensure you are keeping your content current.

So many of us fell into training, learning and development - it wasn't a selected career path for most of my friends and colleagues in the industry. This week's guest is no different. Hadiya Nuriddin started much like I did, supporting peers with hardware and software questions, being the most knowledgeable and being able to clearly communicate the "how-to" and "why" of training. Hadiya and I bonded over a previous conversation chatting about quality assurance, quality control and review cycles for learning projects and I knew that this conversation should be not only shared between the two of us, but with ALL of us, our clients and our projects. We want the best output for our projects. We want our clients to be happy. Part of this is ensuring quality output in our learning programs, whether it's an instructor led experience (presentation, student guide, facilitator guide), job aids and support materials, or eLearning! We want things to work, to be accurate, to be almost perfect. I've had my share of projects the client has seen before quality assurance testing was completed, and I can't tell you the number of time's I've cringed because a button doesn't work, I forgot the trigger, or it goes to the wrong place. It happens, especially when I look after my own reviews, which I don't recommend. The value of a defined QA process is important to delivering a high quality end product. Hadiya Nuriddin, Owner of Focus Learning Solutions, and Author In This Episode: review cycles for learning programs, what it is and why you need onequality assurance as a disciplinethe importance of adding QA into a project planhow to get started putting QA into practiceconsiderations for what you need in a QA processthe importance of consistency in reviewthe value of investing in the right person for the jobfeedback loopsVerb - Current State - Recommended StateImportance of a single point of contactConsequence Management (my fav term from this chat!)tools for capturing feedbackversion controlwriting a bookthe hero's journey About Hadiya: Hadiya Nuriddin has two decades of experience in learning strategy, instructional design, elearning development, and facilitation. She worked in corporate learning before choosing to found her firm Focus Learning Solutions where she's worked with a wide array of companies on a variety of topics. She speaks at events and industry conferences and travels teaching courses for the Association for Talent Development (ATD). Hadiya holds an M.Ed. in curriculum studies, an M.A. in writing, and the Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP) designation. She is the author of the book StoryTraining: Selecting and Shaping Stories That Connect, published by ATD. Links: Story Training Book (no affiliate link)Story Training Companion WebsiteHadiya on LinkedInHadiya on TwitterFocus Learning Solutions Website

I was an early adopter of online learning. I provided training on Microsoft products to insurance industry professionals around North America using a precursor to WebEx, a product Called Centra99. That was 20 years ago - and while some of the technologies have changed, the foundation needed to provide virtual training in a virtual classroom hasn't! This episode is here to help you determine if you are ready to implement virtual training into YOUR development roadmap for your staff. It's an amazing chat with loads of value for you when you look to implement or improve your virtual learning opportunities. Cindy Huggett In today's episode: What is virtual training (Cindy has the BEST definition I've heard to date!)How virtual training fits into a blended learning approach to curriculumWhat does it take to be successful with virtual learning?Change management considerationsSet our learners and instructors up for successFinancial impact implementing virtual training - the costs to investing in virtual trainingWhy do organizations invest in virtual training?How to convert classroom content for a blended experienceCultural considerations for geographically dispersed audiencesFacilitator preparation Engagement in virtual training events ONE easy action you can take to get started!Things to consider when evaluating virtual training/meeting environments ABOUT CINDY HUGGETT, CPLP Cindy is a pioneer in the field of virtual training. She’s been providing virtual training solutions since the early 2000s, and is a recognized industry expert in teaching training professionals how to design and deliver interactive online classes. Cindy is the author of four books on virtual training: Virtual Training Tools and Templates: An Action Guide to Live Online Learning (2017), The Virtual Training Guidebook: How to Design, Deliver, and Implement Live Online Learning (2014), Virtual Training Basics (1st edition 2010 and 2nd edition 2018). She’s coauthored two ASTD Press Infolines, “Simple, Effective Online Learning” and “Designing for the Virtual Classroom”, has contributed to many compilations, including the ASTD Handbook: The Definitive Reference for Training & Development and 101 Ways to Make Learning Active Beyond the Classroom, and written several articles for T+D magazine. Cindy partners with her clients to help them transition from the face-to-face to the virtual classroom, and works with them to design online and blended learning solutions. Her clients include global organizations of all sizes, including several in the Fortune 100 list. She is a sought after speaker at learning and development conferences and I was privileged to meet her at DevLearn18 and sit in on her amazing session on virtual training. How to connect with Cindy: www.cindyhuggett.comCindy on TwitterCindy on LinkedInDON'T MISS THE RESOURCE!!! Click here to get the amazing handout from Cindy just for The Lounge Podcast listeners!

Join me in this first episode of 2019 as my friend Lance Healy joins me to discus how he collaborated with a learning partner to implement a learning management system for a very short-term project:   the 2015 Toronto Pan Am and Para Pan Am Games.I met Lance 10 years ago at a Lectora Conference - and we've been friends ever since! I love chatting with him every opportunity I get and I suggest you take a look at his social and connect with him!  In this episode:  Thinking a bit outside the norm helped solve a big business problem and contribute to the amazing success of these games. When was the last time you got to contribute and solve a business problem that wasn't necessarily learning related? As training, learning and development professionals we can offer so much more than a training session, webinar or eLearning course - if only we are given an opportunity. Seek out YOUR opportunity to contribute and make a difference in your organization or your community! If you aren't familiar with the games, they are some of the most amazing amateur sports competitions - if you can't make it to the Olympics, the Pan Am Games are just as exciting. The next games will be held in Lima, Peru in 2019. About Lance: Lance is a sales and marketing leader with expertise in eLearning solutions, global business development and international channel market cultivation. Over the past 14 years, Lance built a wildly successful network of channel partners across the globe and assisted thousands of organizations with enhancing their eLearning programs.  Lance on Social: LinkedInTwitter

I am super-duper excited to bring you this awesome lounge conversation with Bryan Jones, my authority for cut-out people, images and backgrounds for elearning projects. I am privileged to have been an early adopter of the amazing items Bryan offered up through is business eLearningart.com. Bryan has been working in elearning for a while now, and about 10 years ago he recognized a need, a shortcoming in the industry - he needed great images for scenarios and interactions in his elearning projects, but he had a hard time finding what he needed. I was there too! Between my needs for safety related images and a more diverse workforce, Bryan was my go-to guy. He readily responded and helped me and my best friend Jenn get the images we needed for our projects. No questions asked except what does it need to look like and when do you need it. Now he's branching out to offer other amazing products like templates and presentation aids and a much needed course on building a portfolio. About Bryan Jones and his company eLearningArt.com eLearningArt  is the leading provider of eLearning images and templates for the eLearning industry. Through its people picture images, background images, templates, and other stock photos, eLearningArt empowers eLearning developers to build better training, faster. With the largest library of eLearning assets on the web, eLearningArt offers trainers not only a wide selection to choose from, but all of the assets are developed specifically to meet the needs of an eLearning developer. I can't recommend Bryan's library of images enough! Head on over there - and as a valued listener, and to thank you for your ears in this episode, Bryan offered us a special Lounge package FREE to download! Take a look at this special download he's put together just for Lounge listeners! In this episode: how Bryan got started how to use images why a repository is a great way to build out your scenarios legalities of using purchased images why you need to know your terms of use and licensing for images you purchase how images can help you build out a portfolio Bryan's Portfolio Course   Portfolio Building I am one of those folks that never really had a portfolio. I've been lucky to be referred business and to be included with some really amazing companies as an outsourced developer, but I really want a portfolio to help me build out my own client base. I also know I'm one of those people who needs to have some "skin in the game" in order to DO something. I need to be held accountable. So - because I know me, I joined Bryan's latest cohort and let me tell you the value I've had in the first two sessions is incredible! His knowledge and ideas are amazing and he is just so authentic and real. I am well on my way to building out a portfolio that my clients will find both interesting and valuable in making the decisions to work with me. I know you will find great value in this too. If you don't have a portfolio, take a moment to get on the list to be notified of the next cohort. It will really help you target your portfolio and get started! This Reminds me of a pain in my back! I spend so much time every day sitting at my desk, trying to keep caught up on all the things that need to be done, and trying to meet all my deadlines. I work a lot - I'm usually at my desk from just after 6 am until between 3:30 and 4:30. If I'm lucky, I remember to have lunch - I forgot today, but there was a lot going on - like trying to get this episode out, a call with Bryan about the portfolio cohort, my new kitten Mac knocked over my teacup and I had a bit of a tea disaster...so many things, so little time to get stuff done. But I feel creaky and my knees and back get achy. It doesn't help that I have degenerative disc disease, disc compression and a bulge, which I relieve by using my inversion table and spinal decompression therapy. During the day though, I discovered an amazing tool that I easily add...

Check back - notes to follow - just needed to get this up and loaded as I was a bit late today! Thanks for your patience!

Marketing and L&D When I say, "Marketing", what do you think of?   Learning?  Have you ever thought about how marketing and the marketing department are related to instructional design? What's the story? If you never have this episode is an important one for you! Today, my guest Bianca Baumann makes the connection for us, as well, she discusses what she likes to call "digital education success" and so much more in this episode. Time few by and I was so excited to chat with Bianca that I TOTALLY neglected to get her to introduce herself at the start of the chat - that's how excited I was to dig into the content, and the connections between marketing and learning. Don't miss this chat! It's packed with fun and inspiring ideas for reaching your learners on a deeper level. About Bianca: Bianca Baumann, CTDP focuses on digital education success, combining L&D, digital marketing and customer success to create outstanding learning experiences that stick. She spearheaded multiple projects in the marketing, financial and events industry and created award-winning programs along the way. She shares her expertise in her blog and at global conferences, highlighting the importance of including disciplines outside L&D to map out a learner journey that helps drive performance. Bianca is a certified training and development professional and is currently working as Director, Learning Experience Design at GP Strategies. In this episode: The Canadian eLearning Conference Bianca’s DevLearn workshop and presentation Marketing and e-learning Learner profiles Learning campaigns Bianca on Social: Bianca Baumann on LinkedIn Bianca on Twitter Follow the Show: Twitter Website Itunes Email We referred to Mike Taylor's episode as well - you can revisit his chat here. If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe, share with your friends, and please consider giving us a 5-star rating.

"What's the hubbub about scenarios?", you ask. Listen in to this episode and you'll find out! I'm so happy to have been able to speak with Christy Tucker in this episode about Learning Scenarios and storytelling. To me, she is a leader in designing single point scenarios or branching scenarios. Christy is a wealth of knowledge about eLearning as well. I know you'll find some amazing information there so be sure to pop over and read up on her thoughts, ideas and experiences. My drink of choice today was an Iced Frozen Raspberry loose leaf tea from David's tea - and Christy let me know she was enjoying a Lemon Basil Oolong - and now I need to try that! Why Scenarios? I've been a big fan of branching scenarios and including scenarios, storytelling and simulations into the learning experience. I believe that it is important we ensure learners can think through decisions, without being spoon-fed. Scenarios let the learner make choices, see and feel the consequences of their actions, even when that means the most extreme outcomes, because these are the moments when they learn.  It's not always just about following a process, it's about ensuring our learning participants are prepared to perform in real life, on the job, in the moment. A great scenario can do that (and a poorly crafted scenario can be a disaster). Who is Christy Christy Tucker is a learning design consultant with over fifteen years of experience helping people learn. She specializes in using scenario-based learning to engage audiences and promote transfer of skills to real-world environments. She has created courses for clients including the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity, Cisco, and The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. Christy has been blogging about instructional design and eLearning for over ten years. What's in this episode What is a scenario When are scenarios useful Branching Scenarios versus simple one question scenario Getting started with a simple scenario Process for designing a scenario How to determine when to use a scenario Working with SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) How long does it take to design different scenarios Manage the complexity of the scenario Christy's Social Connect Christy on Twitter Christy on LinkedIn   - don't forget your intro message! Syniad Learning Christy's Blog - Filtered for Storytelling and Scenarios Christy mentioned TWINE for building out a scenario Broken CoWorker scenario by eLearnignEngaged (Anna and Ryan) TheLab example Transitioning From Teaching to Instructional Design I'd love to hear your big take-a-ways from this episode, and to hear success stories, or those times when it didn't go as planned and you learned more than your "learners". Tweet me or drop me an email host at theloungepodcast.com  AND don't forget - one more week to the draw for Tim Slade's book and companion course! Recommendations You may also like the following episodes, which compliment the design and development of scenarios: https://www.theloungepodcast.com/001-content-curation/ https://www.theloungepodcast.com/010-learning-that-fits/ https://www.theloungepodcast.com/building-adaptive-learning-experiences/ https://www.theloungepodcast.com/014-elearning-for-new-ids-and-teams/

I took a vacation from the podcast last week - busy with a cool project that has me designing and developing some medical focused eLearning as well as creating some cool animated explainer videos.  My passion project sometimes has to take a back seat - but I'm back this week with an awesome conversation with my friend Jayne Davids. Jayne is a superstar when it comes to creating screen-capture training and training videos for software and software simulations. We talk about all kinds of goodies, and I'll come back soon and update this with all our links - but right now, I just really want to get this up for you to listen. So here she is - my friend, and soon to be yours, Jayne Davids, chatting with me over tea and coffee about video, best practices for capturing your screens and using them in learning, simulations, new to me term - PADCASTING and how to get comfortable being on video (live action versus what we are both used to in screen capture, screen casting and software simulations). About Jayne Jayne has 20 years experience in Learning and Development specializing in software training, spending much of her career in the travel industry. Her roles have included designing and delivering classroom and webinar training, writing Help Guides and job aids, designing & developing elearning courses with Captivate and for the past several years making screencasts with Camtasia. She is a TechSmith Recommended Training Provider and manages the Camtasia UK User group on LinkedIn. Owner of Raiveon Ltd, a training company who provide Camtasia and video training in the UK and is a TechSmith & Padcaster Authorized Reseller. Jayne enjoys helping others develop new video skills and seeks to learn something new every day. An active member of the TechSmith community, attendee of TLDChats and various L&D Twitter chats & Slack channels. She loves connecting people and building communities. Jayne is currently organizing a Camtasia UK User meet-up. Jayne on Social Twitter LinkedIn   Don't Forget the contest to win a copy of Tim Slades book for new elearning designers, and the bonus he's offering to win a license to his course! for details check out Episode 14 where I chat with Tim about life in eLearning! And don't forget - we'd love for you to give us a 5 star rating and a quick review on iTunes.

Being a newbie in an industry can be challenging, no matter if you are a new instructional designer (ID), developer or team lead/manager. I've got a glass of iced lemon water today (it's still pretty hot here) and it's so refreshing! What's in your cup? I'm really excited to share this conversation with Tim and I really hope you find as much value in this conversation as I did. About Tim Tim Slade is a manager, speaker, author, and award-winning eLearning designer.With nearly a decade working to help others elevate their eLearning and visual communications content, Tim has become one of the go-to resources for new instructional designers and elearning developers. Tim has been recognized within the eLearning industry multiple times for my creative and innovative design aesthetics. He speaks at national eLearning conferences, and he is an Articulate Super Hero and co-author of the popular E-Learning Uncovered book series and the new release The eLearning Designer's Handbook, A practical guide to the eLearning development process for New! eLearning designers. In this Episode Tim's book Speaking the same language Benefits of an eLearning intervention Choosing your path and your passion Impostor Syndrome Supporting your team Visual design and storyboards Creating video trailers Links for Newbies and Pros alike Tim on Twitter, Linkedin Tim's blog and website The eLearning Designer's Handbook on Amazon Tim's companion e-Course Amy Cuddy's TedTalk Fake it Til You Make UPDATE: Tim has released TWO new courses designed to help new users of Articulate Storyline to get from start to finish. I've reviewed the courses and the content is fantastic and just what new elearning dev's need! https://courses.timslade.com/collections The Contest That's right - it's contest time! The contest will close September 4, 2018. We'll announce the winner - you'll receive a copy of Tim's book AND - this is amazing! Access to Tim's 40 lesson companion course. This is amazing for new developers If you listened to the episode you know what to do with this: #theloungegiveaway #IwantTimselearningbook #eLearning Sharing is Caring Do you know a new Instructional Designer, a new developer, new manager? Please share this episode and let them know you care about them (and that you enjoyed listening).  If you enjoyed this episode we'd love it if you would leave us a rating and review on iTunes.  And we also want to mention that we're also on Spotify and Google Podcasts. I'd love to hear from you on Twitter, just use the hashtag #theloungepodcast Connect with Me, your Host - Jac Hutchinson You can connect with me on Twitter or LinkedIn    (please drop me a note and let me know you find me through The Lounge Podcast) or if you prefer, you can send me an email at Host @ theloungepodcast.com - I'm always happy to hear from you. If you enjoyed this episode we'd love it if you would leave us a rating and review on iTunes.  And we also want to mention that we're also on Spotify and Google Podcasts.

Today on the podcast we have Brent Schlenker joining me to discuss building learning communities. Brent has been in L&D/T&D for a while now, and he's participated in many communities over the years. Seeing a need for a different kind of professional network for training and learning practitioners, Brent set about creating a casual, yet professional community where sharing knowledge and laughing with each other is a daily practice. Brent chats about his journey building the TLDC community, how he got here and the lessons he has learned and changes he has made along the way. I've got my iced Chai Latte and I'm ready to go! Episode Links Brent on Twitter Brent on LinkedIN the Training, Learning and Development Community (TLDC) Weekday TLDCast on CrowdCast - 11 am Eastern time The Elearning Guild We mentioned Cara North who chatted with me in Episode 3, you can check out our conversation here In my solo episode about Professional Development I chat about TLDC About Brent Brent Schlenker is a training, learning and development strategy consultant, entrepreneur, and community builder. As the Community Manager/Strategist for dominKnow.com he is currently building a strong product user community to support company growth with a weekly live streaming broadcast, LinkedIn Group, and community outreach efforts. And as co-founder of the Training Learning and Development Community, TLDC.us, Brent has created a global learning community for learning professionals leveraging 21st century internet technologies to create the first daily interactive live streaming collaborative broadcast. The community is also supported by TLDChat (24/7 messaging/sharing), live conferences like TLDC19.com, and regional meet ups like TLDC-UK. Brent has a history of engaging with new technologies and experimenting with their usefulness in the learning process. Early content can be found at eLearndev.blogspot.com. He’s built training teams from the ground up, produced VR training solutions in the late ‘90s, and transformed many enterprise classroom training experiences into more efficient and effective technology-based learning solutions. His experiences are shared with others through his consultancy, keynotes, blogs, live streaming videos, and within the communities he’s built. He has a master’s degree in Educational Technologies from Arizona State University, and a BA in Media Arts from the University of Arizona. Connect with Me, your Host - Jac Hutchinson You can connect with me on Twitter or LinkedIn   or if you prefer, you can send me an email at Host @ theloungepodcast.com - I'm always happy to hear from you. If you enjoyed this episode we'd love it if you would leave us a rating and review on iTunes.  And we also want to mention that we're also on Spotify and Google Podcasts. Special Shout-out If you haven't yet, please check out the DIY Narrator Podcast hosted by my buddy Josh Risser.  If you are a designer and developer responsible for your own course narration, Josh offers some great tips to get the best you can from what you've got! You won't be disappointed.  You can access Josh's episode of the Lounge Podcast here.

Adaptive learning experiences can be a game-changer for employee engagement in your elearning courses. What's adaptive learning you ask? Grab your favourite beverage and join us for a chat. I've got mine - it's a tasty cup of decaf Earl Grey tea. In today's episode my friend and "episode partner-in-crime" Simon Blair and I talk about his experience building an adaptive learning experience for a workshop he presented at DevLearn17. What's in this Episode We discuss: What adaptive learning is Why and how you can use adaptive learning Basics of designing an adaptive experience using Storyline (or for me, Lectora) The difference between adaptive and responsive (and how to stop referring to "responsive" out of context) Perils of country living in a digital world Who is Simon? Simon is an evil genius and all-around great guy. He's also funny as heck, and if you don't follow him on Twitter you NEED to! Go do it now! As an eLearning specialist, he has developed eLearning and associated apps, spearheaded quality and efficiency initiatives, and is a go-to source for all things LMS and eLearning technology, supporting colleagues around the globe. At various points, he has also been a software developer, a teaching assistant on back-country camping courses, a technical trainer, and a facilitator of virtual and in-person training across North America.  He also facilitated a hands-on session on building an adaptive course in Storyline at DevLearn 2017 (the eLearning Guild's premier industry conference).  In the next few weeks he'll be appearing on the TLDCast as well, so keep an eye out for that. Links from this Episode Simon on Twitter Simon on LinkedIn The Files for this project (Thank you so much for freely sharing your project with us Simon - available in Storyline and Storyline 360 formats) the Canadian eLearning Conference My big take-away from today was not to be afraid to try something new and outside the box - sometimes, the only way we can get to a conference is to have a speaking submission accepted. Conferences are an expensive investment, but always worth it. If conferences aren't in your budget, maybe you should do what Simon did - lose the fear, create a great proposal for an amazing talk (we all have something we can share) and share your knowledge, skill and expertise.   Connecting this idea of adaptive learning to another concept, like that of confidence based assessments can elevate the experience for your learners, add more of a true "learner at the centre" focus, and also provide you with some statistics to help you design and build future learning experiences. So much to think about - I'd love to hear how you are using adaptive learning approaches to solve your business problems. I'd also love it if you would kindly subscribe on iTunes and if you liked this episode, please give it a rating and review, and share it with your friends and colleagues. You can also share it on Twitter and LinkedIn, just use the hashtag #theloungepodcast.

Learning data - it's a huge topic. How do you collect and use information generated by the employees/students taking your courses? There is no "one-size-fits-all" approach to collecting and using learning data, but in today's episode we talk about some things to consider. You may be wondering how motorcycles and learning data connect - listen in today as my guest Anthony Altieri talks us through this burning question. Anthony is a proud IDIoT - instructional developer for the Internet of Things, xAPI enthusiast, LMS guy and all round tech geek - so you know I enjoyed talking with him. More bio to be updated shortly. During our conversation, a major thunder storm rolled through and interrupted our conversation, but we rescued it and were able to finish up. Good think I had my Monk's Prayer tea to keep me calm, cool and collected! (Did I mention it is delicious? And, I think you should consider trying it) What's in this Episode: what is xAPI our role as a cost centre in the business who is responsible for xAPI and learning data why care about learning data how to get started LMS versus LRS is the LMS dead? Links: xAPI Cohort - Torrance Learning - get involved and learn by doing Anthony on Twitter Anthony on LinkedIn Learn more about xAPI - the what, why and how high-level overview Learn to Code at Canada Learning Code    

Microlearning (or Micro learning) means many things to many people. When asked to define what micro learning is, every learning practitioner will answer with their own twist. I have to say the best answer to the question "what is micro learning?" came in this conversation - learning that fits. Learning that fits the learner, the job, the task, the organization, the time, the needs.... and when you listen in, you'll hear great ideas about how to create learning that fits and solves your business problem. Today I've made a lovely iced raspberry oolong tea. It's the perfect refreshing beverage to accompany my chat with JD Dillon. What's in this episode What is micro learning? What myths we hear about learning? Who are the people you can work with to fill gaps? Should corporate learning own learning in the organization? Curating learning content ideas About our Guest JD Dillon is one of the most prolific writers and speakers in the workplace learning space. With his practical approach and unique ability to integrate science, technology, storytelling and pure common sense, JD designs solutions that enable employees, improve organizational performance and drive business results. In his role as the Principal Learning Strategist with Axonify, JD works with an award-winning team to boost employee knowledge, organizational capability and business results for leading organizations through the application of modern learning practices and cutting-edge technology. JD has spent also spent portions of his 20-year career designing and implementing learning and performance strategies for respected global organizations, including The Walt Disney Company, Kaplan, Brambles, and AMC Theatres. He is the founder of LearnGeek, an independent practice that provides hands-on consultative and educational services to organizations that want to provide better learning and support for their employees. JD shares ongoing insights on his LearnGeek Blog and writes a monthly column for Learning Solutions Magazine titled ‘In Real Life.  You can find JD on Twitter via @JD_Dillon or online at learngeek.co.  

Short-notice projects. We've all been there. That moment when your client or leader drops an urgent project in your lap and you need to produce a great learning solution in an incredibly short amount of time. You know it's next to impossible to meet the milestones and project delieverables. You know you need to have the dreaded talk about what Mark calls "what's possible" and you are sweating and feeling a lot of stress, and you'd love to find a hole to hide in. Grab your favourite beverage, I've got mine! and let's jump into a great discussion about short-notice projects with fellow Canadian , instructional designer, former member of the Canadian Military and current awesome-guy, Mark Sheppard. Mark joins me today to discuss the learning moments that came from an incredible short-notice project he dealt with as a contract instructional designer for the Royal Canadian Air Force school.  This is a not-to-be-missed event where we talk about the request from the client, the process to deliver, the product and the organizational impact this had. So many great lessons and stories! What you don't know, is that Mark and I did a video call, and he had me laughing! I know you are surprised right? So I did have to cut out some of my laughter, but just know, I had an amazing chat and I look forward to having him back on The Lounge Podcast again to talk about another awesome topic! In this Episode what is a short-notice project best practices in responding to a short-notice project high-level PM tips for dealing with short-notice projects how staff and contractor/freelancers may deal with these requests differently About Mark Sheppard Mark is a long-time learning practitioner from the Toronto area. He has worked as a technical instructor, Education Manager, Instructional Designer, and learning consultant across a variety of industries having got his start as an instructor during his service in the Army Reserve. More recently, he worked for eHealth Ontario for 4.5 years where he implemented their Learning Management System and the new hire on-boarding program. He also spent 3.5 years on contract with the RCAF at the School of Aerospace Technology & Engineering, in their Training Innovations Group, where he was responsible for designing new online learning assets as well as the full curriculum for apprentice maintainers.  He currently works as a Sr. Consultant for Leadership & Learning for a major hospital in Toronto. Mark is a frequent conference speaker and has presented to audiences in Canada, the US, and Australia. He has a Certificate in Adult Training & Development from U of T, a Masters in Learning & Technology from Royal Roads, and is a Certified Human Resources Professional. He can be found on Twitter as @marklearns.

Professional development is important and should be added to your list of things to do - ASAP.  As training, learning and development professionals our role is to ensure we create, instruct and provide engaging educational opportunities for those who will be participating in our courses or using our job aids, checklists, videos and simulations. We do this every day, providing others with development opportunities. BUT when do we invest in ourselves? When do we set aside time to learn something new, or put a new technique to the test? For most of us, our time at the office is dedicated to everyone else in our organization - to helping them solve problems, train them on new tools and techniques, and often lunches and breaks are donated back to helping resolve an immediate issue or provide a quick solution to a problem. Most days we don't have time to dedicate to our own professional development. In this solo episode I talk about a few things I'm doing to ensure I get back to being at the top of my game, to keep informed and up to date with what's going on in L&D, ed tech, elearning and instructional design. Resources from this Episode *does NOT contain affiliate links Books: Design for How People Learn Map It:  The Hands-on Guide to Strategic Training Design Show your Work Game Thinking Documenting Learning Podcasts: Instructional Redesign Podcast Good Practice IDIODC Learning Uncut - Australian podcast about L&D Episode 3 of The Lounge Podcast Episode 8 of The Lounge Podcast Challenges Matt Guyan's post about Design Challenge #ID6WC Articulate eLearning Heroes Weekly Challenges Communities TLDC - weekday presentations by learning professionals FOR learning professionals - an amazing community! Articulate What are you doing to move your development forward? (PS: did you notice the visitors who came to see me when they heard my screen door? The neighbour's chickens, headed by Leroy the Rooster came to see if I'd give them a snack. Never a dull moment around here!)

I found some inspiration last week - it really sparked a desire to look differently at my daily interactions and experiences and to let loose and just enjoy! And as a result, this episode is a little different. It's my first solo episode. It's been really hot the last couple of days, but what a difference a day makes. Yesterday, when I recorded this episode it was super warm in my house, we don't have central air (don't really need it for the few days a year it's scorching) but believe me, I've waited for this warm weather so I am NOT complaining. But it's too hot for a warm beverage, so I'm enjoying a homemade lemonade. What's in your cup today? My First Solo Episode This episode is about finding inspiration and rediscovering your creativity. I think we've all been there - a place when we felt we were lacking in creativity and maybe we put off a project because we just couldn't imagine a way to complete it. I know I've been there once or twice. But what did you do about it? How did you get inspired to create something amazing? I took a few days off last week and my husband and I rode our motorcycles 1600 KM from our home in Ontario to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to meet up with my best friend Jenn and her hubby. While we were there we did a bunch of touristy things, historic sites, the liberty bell, Independence Hall, the Rocky stairs (because you just have to). We visited City Hall and right near it is a super game piece filled terrace- with Monopoly pieces, Sorry pieces, chess, dominoes, bingo - it was really cool. We had a great time walking around and getting the US perspective on the US declaration of Independence and the US Constitution. We had only our Canadian history books, so hearing the American telling was interesting.   The Franklin Institute One of my favourite things was the museum mostly geared towards science and education for children - the Franklin Institute.  There was a special Game Masters exhibit that we went to and learned about some of the great game designers and  developers from all over the world. It was neat to see and play some of the early video games again and being game enthusiasts, we really enjoyed the experience and seeing the evolution of arcade games and gaming systems. We also experienced some really cool hands on play. I gave myself permission to be a kid again, to get my hands wet in the sand, to climb through a heart, to build a building that could withstand an earthquake (of the four of us, mine was the only one left intact!). It was super fun.  Playing these games and some of the engaging interactive screen scenarios really helped me find some new inspiration and creative thinking on techniques and examples I could include in something for adults. Your Summer Inspiration Challenge Go do something fun, document some neat new ideas, concepts and . Links Mentioned this Episode Franklin Institute Episode 003 - Personal Learning Networks with Cara North  

Today we talk about virtual teams with my amazing friend Shelli Warren! Many instructional designers and learning developers work freelance, and often for more than one company at a time. This also means they may be virtual members of a learning project team. As a manager you may not need to hire permanent learning professionals for your projects. Instead, you may require a virtual learning team, or you may want to know how to find awesome virtual learning team members! As a designer and developer working from home, you may want to get some tips on how to be a better teammate. This episode has it all. We talk about how to get started, the challenges, how to make it all work and how to be the most successful virtual team participant you can be. There's a lot in this episode, and Shelli brings a wealth of leadership and team building experience to table. It was a real pleasure to speak with her and I know you'll enjoy this episode too! About Shelli Warren Shelli Warren joins us to talk about stacking your virtual team with amazing people, being an effective leader of a virtual team and the keys to making it work for all parties involved. You don't want to miss this episode! As a former Procter & Gamble leader with 25 years’ experience leading technical teams to deliver multimillion dollar projects, she now is a Team and Leadership coach serving high performing female entrepreneurs to curate their dream team. She recently joined the executive team of BizChix, a US based that serves thousands of female entrepreneurs around the globe to launch and scale their businesses. As the Chief People Officer at BizChix she leads Masterminds, Strategy Sessions, and community for business women just like you. Shelli is also the host of the BizChix Stacking Your Team Podcast. email: shelli@bizchix.com website: http://bizchix.com/ Shelli-s Stacking Your Team Podcast If you enjoyed this episode I'd be honoured if you would share it with a friend or colleague! Wishing you a fantastic day - see you next time, in the lounge!

Personal brand...you've likely heard or seen the phrase, but may not realize the impact it can have on both your personal life and your professional career. Taking care of your personal brand, and nurturing it can make the difference in getting that next promotion or new job. My friend Diane Diaz joins me to discuss the impact your personal brand can have on you and why we need to care about how we use social media. In this episode What is a personal brand the 3-C's of personal branding what your brand says about you how to "show up" as an expert what to do if personal and corporate brands don't align it's A-OK to shift your personal brand as you navigate your career how an archetype assessment can help you build your brand story .... and so much more I had a lot of fun talking with Diane and I hope you'll tune in and see how you can shape your own brand story and be the best brand ambassador for yourself! Diane Diaz is a self-proclaimed brand geek, Certified Personal Brand Strategist and Social Branding Analyst, and a CultureTalk Certified Partner in using Archetypes in personal branding and team building. She uses her two decades of combined branding and teaching experience to teach professionals and entrepreneurs how to unleash the power of their personal brands. Her passion for branding is combined with 15 years working in the corporate world, 9 years of which was spent leading the marketing and branding efforts for two award-winning residential communities, and supported by a BS in marketing from University of West Florida and an MBA from University of Central Florida. In addition to running her business, The Brand Teacher, Diane has been teaching branding and marketing classes at Full Sail University for the past nine years. Diane works with her clients to help them define their unique personal brands so that their online presence matches their in person presence and helps them attract their right fit jobs or clients. She also leads workshops with companies and organizations in using Archetypes to better understand each team member’s drivers, motivators, work style, and more to develop stronger employees and better functioning teams. Connecting with Diane The Brand Teacher where you can find out more about her archetype assessments and personal branding workshops on Diane's LinkedIn Profile Diane on Twitter We also mentioned Episode 001 with Mike Taylor, so if you haven't had a listen in - we suggest you do! I'd be honoured if you liked this episode, if you would be kind enough to like and share the episode with your friends and colleagues. We use the hashtag #theloungepodcast on all LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. I'd also appreciate a rating and review over on iTunes. You can subscribe there as well and make it easy to get every episode as they are released. Subscribe on iTunes.

 Well here we are, It's time for the second full episode of The Lounge Podcast about the academic world of adult learning. I'm so glad you decided to join me, and to listen in on this conversation. I've got a cup of tea in my "SHHH...there's WINE in here!" mug. I put wine in it one time. If you see me with it, you can bet it will really be my old stand-by Canadian Breakfast tea. The mug is great though, isn't it? I picked this little gem up at Caroline Cellars Family Estate Winery. I visited Niagara on the Lake with my best friend Jenn and our husbands last summer. It was their first visit to the Canadian side of the falls and although it rained, the view was spectacular. Now, the real reason for being here. This episode is the reason I created a podcast. Adult learning, educational technologies and employee performance, excites me. The realization that this is my passion happened in 2008. Dr. Julie Dixon was professor for two of the courses in my BEd,AE,  She encouraged me through a tough transition from being a teacher of adults, to being an official adult scholar. She helped me find and define my passion for academic research in adult learning. What's in this episode: There are a lot of really great tidbits about all things academics in the world of adult learning and education, including: The changes  in the academic world of adult learning and development The challenges facing adult educators today (are they different than they were 10-20 years ago? ) Where do professionals go when they do not have access to all the fancy journals and want to get the low-down and most recent research on L&D and Adult Learning The next steps for someone out there who may be interested in the academic side or adult learning, or interested in a BEd.,AE, Master's or PhD program. Let me know how you like the episode, and join the conversation in the Lounge Podcast Community - a place to continue discussions from the episodes and to learn with each other. Reach out if you would like to suggest a discussion to have in the Lounge, host@theloungepodcast.com. I'd really appreciate if you could share this episode with a friend, colleague or anyone interested in or actively working with adults in an educational capacity. If you share this on Twitter or LinkedIn, use the hashtag #theloungepodcast to join the conversation string. Hope you enjoy this chat. See you next time!

Welcome to the very first episode of The Lounge Podcast with Jacqueline Hutchinson. I've got a tasty cup of coffee thanks to my Bestie Jenn, so I'm ready to jump right in. In this discussion, we chat about content curation. Content curation is a key to helping you collect, organize, use and share resources.  Let's listen in to hear how you can elevate your content curation skills, and help your team with theirs. Jacqueline is pleased to chat with Mike Taylor. Mike specializes in crafting digital and social media learning. Jacqueline has followed Mike Taylor on Twitter for quite some time and has found his feed to be a wellspring of educational knowledge. In today’s episode, Jacqueline and Mike chat about content curation. With all the available online resources including articles, videos, and images, saving them in an efficient way can prove to be quite and challenge. Mike shares his curation strategies including his top 3 digital tools. I've got a tasty cup of coffee thanks to my Bestie Jenn. What's in your cup today? Mike has a lifelong passion for learning which can be summed up by his personal tagline “Ask. Learn. Share.” He shares his passion and wealth of knowledge through speaking engagements and presentations, on his website and in his newsletter.   Mike’s Top 3 Content Curation Resources: Feedly A feed reader available on Android and iOs devices Efficient way to keep up in your areas of interest across news sources Follow your favourite sites in one place by subscribing to their RSS feeds Create boards through tagging Boards are shareable with others Several ways to save using extensions and bookmarklets across devices Free for limited access or $5.41 per month for premium services Pocket A bookmarking app that saves articles, video, images and more Available across several platforms Once saved you can view the content offline Content is shareable to social media such as Twitter and Facebook Also connects to Feedly, use the same tag to keep information organized As you save articles, recommended articles will be tailored to your interests Free version available or premium options ($4.99/mo. Or $44.99/yr.) Diigo A social bookmarking website that allows you to bookmark, tag, highlight and use sticky notes on webpages Can be used privately, with a group or shared Keep bookmarks offline so they are saved if your computer dies Useful to collect information for a course, you can use tags and share the link to your learners, as content is added it is automatically added to that link Use RSS Feed can connect to Feedly Free or a range of premium options (starting at $40/year for an individual) Other Links from the discussion Short Video from Mike: Illustrating my PKM process My "Steal from Marketing" Deck and Related Resources Harold Jarche's Seek-Sense-Share Framework The eLearning Guild DevLearn 2018 Conference and Expo Who is Mike Taylor? With over two decades of real-life, in-the-trenches experience, designing and delivering learning experiences, Mike Taylor understands that effective learning isn’t about the latest fad or trendy new tools. Known for his practical, street-savvy style; Mike is a regular and highly rated speaker at industry events and directs learning technology and online learning at Mindset Digital in Columbus, Ohio. He also has an MBA from Ohio University and a Master's in Educational Technology from San Diego State.