Sneak Peek! "Leaving ADDIE for SAM Field Guide"

FUN!

Just finished a review of an ASTD Press pre-publication copy of the "Leaving ADDIE for SAM Field Guide" scheduled for release in May 2014!

Written by Richard Sites and Angel Green, both instructional learning strategists extraordinaire (and long-time seasoned SAM implementers) , the Field Guide follows Michael Allen's 20+ years approach for developing real-world learning solutions that drive business results.

The Field Guide contains oodles of checklists, exercises, and performance support tools for getting started with kick-off meetings and a Savvy Start, so you can socialize SAM with your stakeholders, and get into the iterations of an adaptable and flexible instructional design process focused on outcomes.

Here's the endorsement I wrote for the "Leaving ADDIE for SAM Field Guide":

"Translating training into meaningful, memorable, and motivational learning can seem like a daunting task, but in this time of high performance under circumstances of fast paced, accelerated change, leveraging real learning is no longer a luxury - it's mission critical to organizational success. This field guide, organized and written by two seasoned professionals with direct experience implementing this approach at client sites in varying countries & industries, provides training pros with the specific step-by-step tools they need to get out of the overwhelm and take the leap of faith into delivering learning outcomes and business results. No more excuses! Time to leave the "test & tells" by the wayside and take up these tools for learning transformation!"

- Trish Uhl, PMP, CPLP (CEO & Founder, Owl's Ledge LLC)

If you're interested, the Field Guide won't be out until May, but I highly recommend picking up a copy of "Leaving ADDIE for SAM" first so you have the details of the Succession Approximation Model (SAM) which sets the stage for then leveraging the tools presented in the Field Guide.

Yay cake!

We're creating a world that works better!

~ trish

Employee Learning Week - Day 3: Leaving ADDIE for SAM (Instructional Design)

Employee Learning Week - Celebrating Day 3!

It was one year ago this week that I had the great pleasure of meeting Richard Sites, Vice President - Training and Marketing, Allen Interactions and co-author of "Leaving ADDIE for SAM." 

We had the good fortune of each presenting at last year's Memphis ASTD Employee Learning Week Conference and had the rare treat of participating as audience members in each others' sessions.

Afterwards, Richard and I started dishin' (okay, ranting) on all things learning (in cahoots with the FABULOUS Project Management Queen, Lou Russell, who was also a Memphis ASTD conference presenter) and we've kept the conversation going in a series of discussions across the globe ever since.

It was happy happy, joy joy from the moment Leonard Cochran made the introduction.

You see, I've been kind of an Allen Interactions nerd and Michael Allen fan since the mid 1990s. 

Yep. I roll geek like that - back then, I was the Production Manager for the only Macromedia Authorized Training Center in the USA Midwest - and an avid Authorware user. (Michael Allen created Authorware in 1987.)

I designed, storyboarded, and authored my first CBT and e-learning projects 20 years ago. I cut my tech training teeth on Authorware.

I've seen a lot of technology and tools change; I've experienced first hand how much the workplace has evolved. 

Unfortunately, in 20 years, despite technology and dramatic workplace shifts, I haven't seen much in the way of change or evolution in how we, as a profession, design and develop learning - especially when leveraging learning technologies.

Seems we're still designing, developing, and delivering using the same old approaches from decades ago, and continuing to get the same under performing, lackluster, boring page turners as a result.

Richard calls them "tell and tests." 

I laughed out loud when I first heard him say it!

Rebel-rouser! 

You know that moment when you discover you're in the presence of a kindred spirit?

Yeah. THAT.

Richard and I both agree that it's imperative for us - as a profession, and as professionals - to change our ways.

Time to evolve, to up our game - to transform!

So we've been staging a series of interventions and Calls to Action.

It started with Michael and Richard's book, "Leaving ADDIE for SAM"...

Everywhere I go, working with learning pros around the world, that's the #1 question I'm asked - "Have you read Leaving ADDIE for SAM?"

Followed closely by, "What do you think...?" 

Which has fueled a lot of discussions and inspired a blog post (and a firestorm of Twitter tweets!)...

CLICK HERE to read the What Got Us Here Won't Get Us There blog and post your comments!

Which led to a radio show...

Richard Sites and I were invited by TrainingPros to be interviewed by Business RadioX co-hosts Lee Kantor and Stone Payton LIVE! on the floor of the EXPO Hall at the 2013 ASTD International Conference and Exposition at the Dallas Convention Center.

Topic of choice? The CRITICAL need for a shift in Instructional Design models from content-centric to learner-centric and performance focused.

CLICK HERE to listen to Richard and I share our thoughts on the high cost of under performance and the call for change to Instructional Design in the 21st century.

All in efforts to inspire dialogue and energy within the global learning community to move toward transformation - transforming ourselves and the profession we are passionate about!


So mark this week as a milestone of disruption and quiet mayhem. 

The "Leaving ADDIE for SAM" fieldbook is out and the "Leaving ADDIE for SAM" workshop launches its inaugural program right here in Chicago next week (December 16-17, 2013).

The Cracken is about to be unleashed! 

DOOM! DOOM! To soulless, empty e-learning! DOOM! DOOM! To strictly "sage on stage" instructor-led!

There's no going back - only forward!

Richard and I are on a mission -  as is the case with many of our peers - to create a world that works better!

It's the absolute BEST way to CELEBRATE Employee Learning Week - by keeping the employees - the LEARNERS - in mind and in full focus as we design, develop, and deliver meaningful, memorable, motivational learning experiences to help them improve their performance!

Join us! :-)

To your success!

~ trish

ELW Day 2: Performance Conversations for Trainers & Other Learning Professionals

Celebrating ASTD Employee Learning Week - Day 2!

Long-time friend, colleague, and fellow CPLP Alwyn Klein recently facilitated an OUTSTANDING Webinar on the need for training professionals to develop and implement a performance mindset within the organizations they serve.

What does Alwyn know about making the shift from training & development to learning & performance?

Plenty.

After more than 15 years at his organization, Alwyn is currently Senior Manager for Learning & Performance at a large African mobile phone company based in Johannesburg, South Africa. 

Alwyn has a Master's Degree in Psychology,  and is one of only a very few people in the world to hold both the ISPI Certified Performance Technologist (CPT) and ASTD Certified Professional in Learning & Performance (CPLP) professional certifications. 

He has been instrumental in the support and development of his team - now boasting the largest population of ISPI CPTs outside of North America - and leading the very first cohort of delegates to take the CPLP Knowledge Exam on the continent of Africa.
Alwyn and his team deal with performance issues on a daily basis that, not only impact business results and "the bottom line," but also provide a lifeline of support to some of the poorest and most rural people on the planet.

The learning team's work environment is such that their ability to equip and empower others to performance is visibly vital to entire South African communities; where they can see - every day - that what they do as learning professionals matters.

But I'm jumping ahead! You'll just have to see for yourself in Alwyn's Webinar presentation entitled Finding our Personality: Getting to the ROOT of Workplace Learning AND Performance, featured below.  

From the Webinar organizer - Central Florida ASTD Chapter Web site:

"You will gain some ideas (should you embark upon the journey to Performance thinking) to spark critical thinking; enhance engagement in your organization and with customers;
and some effective planning, too.

You will also get a sense of how one training manager is far down the line in converting his training team to a learning and performance team.
We will explore the potential barriers and traps, the quick wins and benefits.

Most of all, you will get a view of some of the challenges facing the emerging markets and how Performance Improvement has assisted us to improve how we develop people.

At best - a roadmap towards Performance thinking; at worst - a fascinating glimpse into learning and performance in Africa.

WARNING! You cannot 'un-hear' the Performance Messages, so this session may change the way you see performance gaps forever."

Note: Adobe Flash Player is required to view the recording.


 
CLICK HERE to launch the Webinar recording Full Screen in a separate window.

SHOUT OUT to Nick Elkins at Artisan E-Learning for providing the Adobe Connect platform and to the Central Florida and Suncoast ASTD chapters for partnering to host the event! 

YOU ROCK! :-D

Don't you wish you could learn more from Alwyn about how he and his learning pro team made the transition from "order taker" to strategic partner?

You can! Just leave your questions & feedback below! 

I'll be sure to bring them to Alwyn's attention and post his replies.

Perhaps we can even persuade him to write a guest blog post... ;-)

To your success!

~ trish

ELW Day 1: Celebrating ASTD Employee Learning Week!

Celebrating ASTD Employee Learning Week - Day 1!

What is Employee Learning Week (ELW)?

Established by the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD), and celebrated annually during the first week of December, Employee Learning Week aims to raise awareness about the direct correlation between learning and organizations achieving their strategic goals. 

As Tony Bingham, ASTD President and CEO, observed, “Increasingly business leaders realize that the most important asset in our knowledge economy is talent, and a skilled workforce is key to realizing results. We encourage all organizations to demonstrate their commitment to learning by recognizing Employee Learning Week.”

State of Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel have taken this message to heart and officially proclaimed December 2-6, 2013 Employee Learning Week!

ASTD Employee Learning Week - Proclamation from Governor Quinn, State of Illinois

SHOUT OUT to Sarah Jeffcoat and the team at Heart of Illinois ASTD (HOI ASTD) for securing Governor Quinn's proclamation for the State of Illinois and to Katelind Hays and the team at the Chicagoland Chapter ASTD (CCASTD) for securing Mayor Emanuel's proclamation in Chicago!

ASTD Employee Learning Week- Proclamation from Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel

LOTS of FABULOUS events taking place this week around the US and around the world as ASTD local chapters and global networks CELEBRATE!

Join the fun at the CCASTD Holiday Party scheduled for Thursday, December 5th at the Hyatt Lodge on campus at McDonald's Corporate Headquarters in Oak Brook where CCASTD will announce the 2013 winner of the Dr. Deborah Colky Workplace Learning & Performance Student Award (including a $1,000.00 scholarship!) and present its 2013 Volunteer of the Year Award!

Jump in on CREATIVITY at the Heart of Illinois ASTD (HOI ASTD) Employee Learning Conference "Think Differently" Friday, December 6th at the Professional Development Institute in Peoria, IL.

Here at Owl's Ledge we'll also CELEBRATE Employee Learning Week and all things learning by listing additional resources and opportunities for you to attend to your own professional development and focus on improving your performance!

Stay tuned for more - all week long!

To your success!

~ trish

2012 CIASTD Fall Conference Participants Join the Chase!

We're EXCITED to welcome participants from the 2012 CIASTD Fall Conference to the ASTD Employee Learning Week Scavenger Hunt using the GooseChase app!

Here's how conference participants can get in the game, start completing missions, earning points, and winning prizes!

1. Download the free GooseChase app on your Apple iOS or Android device.
2. Login.
3. Search for ASTD
4. Select ASTD Employee Learning Week Goose Chase from the search results.
5. Solve your first mission - Who are you?
6. Solve conference specific missions starting with #CIASTD to win on-site prizes! (Visit keynote Lou Russell at the RMA booth for prize details!)
7. Keep playing beyond the conference! Solve industry related missions and learn about the competencies outlined in the ASTD Workplace Learning & Performance (WLP) Competency Model!
8. Sign up to receive weekly communications about the Sponsor Spotlight - for a chance to win weekly prizes!
9. Final prizes go to highest score winners to be announced the last day of ASTD Employee Learning Week on December 7, 2012!

GAME ON!

#ELWHUNT Sponsor Spotlight & Round 2 LAUNCH!

Hello all!

Here's hoping you're all having a FABULOUS! time #EWLHUNT-ing! Here at Owl's Ledge, we're very excited about how things are going so far - the pictures you've submitted as you complete missions are (as Trish would say) YAY CAKE!

Matter of fact, the hunt has gone so well, we're ready to launch Round 2!

Round 2 includes:

• opening up game play to learning professionals all over the world; 
• new missions (based on the ASTD Workplace Learning & Performance Competency Model); 
• addition of weekly prizes as part of the Sponsor Spotlight;
• a chance for the Top 3 highest scoring participants (as of December 7, 2012) to win a suite of end-of-game prizes!

Weekly Prizes - Part of the Sponsor Spotlight 

Each week, we'll shine a spotlight on a new Sponsor who's donated special WEEKLY PRIZES - to be given away based on missions completed that week!





Here's how the Sponsor Spotlight works: 

• What? Special Sponsor missions are posted to #ELWHUNT on GooseChase. These missions are not only good for overall points, but solving specific missions will earn some participants weekly prizes!
  
• When? We'll spotlight a new Sponsor with new missions every Saturday (through December 1st).
• Who? Participants must complete specific missions for a chance to win the weekly prizes. Remember! Even if you are not one of the week's winners, you will still earn and add the points associated with the mission to your point total and overall standing - AND (if you pay attention!) you'll have a new chance to win the following week!
• Where? How do you know which missions and what prizes? Use the form below to sign-up to receive weekly tips & tricks for identifying - and completing! - the Sponsor Spotlight missions, along with details about the Sponsor's prizes!
• How? Weekly prize winners will be listed here on this blog and on our #ELWHUNT Pinterest pinboard

Here at Owl's Ledge we're dedicated to modeling the use of gamification, game play, and game mechanics to show learning professionals worldwide how you can take a whole lot of content - like the ASTD WLP Competency Model - and make it fun and engaging to explore and discover!

Keep learning!

Ready to discover who this week's Sponsor is and what special missions you need to complete for a chance to win the weekly prize? Use the sign-up form below to find out!

GAME ON! 

[Review our previous blog post - here! - for details on how to get started playing the game!]

Using Gamification to Engage, Learn & Grow - ASTD Employee Learning Week Scavenger Hunt

In his book, The No Excuse Guide to Success, Jim Smith Jr says:

"Own Your Choices: Accountability is about owning your role, no matter what. "

This statement is true for us as learning professionals and for those of us who volunteer our time as ASTD Chapter Leaders - we need to quit making excuses and fully step into our roles!

In this era of technology and hyper-connectivity - always  on availability - there's simply no excuse for any of us not to tap into the resources and expertise found in our personal and professional networks.

The tools are at our finger tips!

Many times the answers we seek are a LinkedIn group, Facebook post, Twitter tweet - or (let's go old school!) - only a phone call away.

We need to quit re-creating the proverbial wheel and recognize that the answers we seek to the challenges we're trying to solve are often available from the people we know directly, or indirectly - as we leverage the relationships that connect us to each other.

It's time for us to move past our excuses and get off our 'BUTS' to become the learning professionals and chapter leaders we most want to be!

How to get started connecting to community and contributing your own expertise?

Let's start with a game...  :-D

Check out the SlideShare.net presentation below which outlines one way - via a Scavenger Hunt - you can use gameplay, game mechanics, and gamification to learn from and connect with others - worldwide! 

It's an opportunity for us to model - and for all of us to experience - what 'good' looks like.

ASTD Employee Learning Week Scavenger Hunt from Trish Uhl

Whether you play the game or not, I encourage you to consider how you can connect, contribute and build community around the areas you're most passionate about.

The time is now!

I look forward to collaborating with you. :-)


~ trish


****
~ Trish Uhl, PMP, CPLP
The CPLP Certification Expert
Coach, Facilitator, Author, Speaker, ASTD Chapter Leader, Mentor
trishuhl at owls-ledge dot com
@trishuhl

#ASTD2012 Social Media Back Channel Chat Tools

EXCITED as the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD) International Conference & Exposition kicks off in Denver, Colorado this Sunday, May 6th thru Wednesday, May 9th 2012!

Over the years, it's become an AMAZING networking and educational event where I've had the good fortune to participate in-person, on-site at the Convention Center during the live event - but it's become additional FUN to participate via the social media "back channel chat" tools as well.


All sorts of ways to connect with friends and colleagues - old and new. :-)


The social media back channel is also a GREAT way to learn, discuss & digest if you can't be here.


How?


Check out these FAB tools:


Start with this "How to Learn from a Conference You're Not Attending" primer from David Kelly @LnDDave:


http://www.mindflash.com/blog/2012/05/how-to-learn-from-a-conference-you-arent-attending/

Then check out these cool #ASTD2012 Twitter tools put together by Ben Wilkoff @bhwilkoff:

Visual Representation of Twitter

bit.ly/astd2012visualize

TAGS - Twitter Archive
bit.ly/astd2012archive 

If you're in Denver, let's connect! and if you're not - then meet me in the Twitterverse! 

Find me at: @trishuhl

See you on the flipside!  


~ trish


****
~ Trish Uhl, PMP, CPLP
The CPLP Certification Expert
Coach, Facilitator, Author, Speaker, ASTD Chapter Leader, Mentor
trishuhl at owls-ledge dot com
@trishuhl

SchreckTeck - Technology for Connectedness, Happiness?

I recently spent a morning participating in the #SchreckTeck discussion with Rick Zanotti and Gina Schreck to explore the use of technology for human connectedness and happiness.

Now, to be fair, Gina and Rick appear on film - but there was a lively backchannel chat going on as well - with many #Twitter peeps - which hugely contributed to the conversation.

I *live* for these kinds of mornings! Totally immersed and connected with people I consider to be my tribe!

What's my take? As Rick and Gina discuss, I have established real relationships with real people all over the real world; some of those relationships started in-person and went virtual. Others, started virtual and have yet to be explored in-person.

[Just ask Rick - who I met on Second Life and have yet to meet in-person. :-P ]

To me, there's no distinction between them - my relationships with friends, colleagues, peers are the same, regardless if I see them in-person on a regular basis, or connect with them through Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.

What does it have to do with learning? I've learned LOTS from many of my learning peers via technology - @LarryStraining taught me about QR codes; @DawnJMahoney has taught me how to use Twitter to solve problems using impromptu design jams; I use @RickZanotti 's Adobe Captivate materials all the time; I follow @GinaSchreck 's lead on technology and social media - just to name a few.

Technology is also how I tap into the wealth of knowledge and talent in two of my very favourite "tribes"- ASTD Chapter Leaders and those certified as ASTD CPLP. :-D

What's your experience? How do you use technology to connect with the world, with the people around you?

Where are on the continuum are you? Are you like Gina and me - constantly using your smartphone to process & document the wonder of the world around you? or closer on the continuum to Rick, who as all bah-humbug?

[So much fun watching Rick's antisocial nature play counterpoint to Gina's infectious, bubbly nature. Like watching Eeyore take on Tigger!]


Watch the video and comment below!

SchreckTeck 33: Happiness is Social Gina and Anti-Social Rick... from RELATECORP on Vimeo

BTW - I enjoyed participating so much, that --

I'm making a guest appearance on #SchreckTeck at 10:00am CST on November 15th, 2011!

See you then!

~ trish

~ Trish Uhl, PMP, CPLP

CEO, Owl's Ledge LLC

http://www.cplpcoach.com/

Twitter: @trishuhl | @cplpcoach