At the center of every agile eLearning development project are the User Stories that underpin that initiative. Juxtapose those stories to the countless amounts of documents that you would create to describe the solution using other methodologies – like ADDIE. That’s not to say that User Stories completely replace all the requirements and design specifications. However, they (User Stories) give solution designers and developers a unique view of the solution from a users’ perspective. How to Frame User Stories Think of User Stories as individual features and functionality traits that users would like to see the solution deliver. These traits will differ/depend upon: The role <Type of User> the user plays when interacting with the solution The outcome <goals or objective> they are trying to produce in that role The value proposition <reason or benefit> they expect from accomplishing those goals Typically, here’s how you would frame a User Story: In … [Read more...] about Agile ELearning Development: Making the best of user stories
agile instructional design
Agile ELearning Development: Secrets of Agile meetings success
Meetings are an integral part of any corporate process, including developing eLearning content and courses. BUT…there’s a catch to meetings: They can be taxing on participants (mentally, physically and emotionally), and can be a drain on valuable resources. But there’s good news too: As an eLearning development professional, you can make meetings productive and yet not spend as much time as you currently do. Read on to learn how! The facts about meetings According to research cited by the Harvard Business Review, over the past 5-decades, the number of hours a week spent in meetings has increased by over 130%. Despite technological innovations that cut-down travel, improve communication and enhance collaboration, corporate America spends nearly 23-hours a week in meetings versus less than 10-hours back in the 1960s. In an eLearning development project context, you analyze requirements in meetings, firm up designs, develop learning content and interfaces, and … [Read more...] about Agile ELearning Development: Secrets of Agile meetings success
ELearning Development- The Agile Way!
Since the word "eLearning" was first used at a Computer Based Training (CBT) systems seminar back in 1999, a number of structured design methodologies (ADDIE, SAM) have been used to develop eLearning content. As far as methodologies go, you will be hard-pressed to find two eLearning project managers (PMs) who agree upon which methodology is "right" and which is "wrong". The fact is that many of those "iterative" models, where content is developed using a cycle of repeated processes, have proved immensely resilient over the years in projects that produced high-quality content. However, now, there is a new kid in town. "Agile" (has been around for several years!), and eLearning sponsors and PM's are taking notice of it! What Is Agile eLearning development? To really understand what Agile eLearning development is all about, let's have a brief primer of what an existing iterative model - ADDIE - does. Developed in 1975, at the Florida State University primarily for IT project … [Read more...] about ELearning Development- The Agile Way!
Agile ELearning Development: How to create awesome eLearning courses using the Agile methodology.
What is Agile eLearning development? Instructional Designers always look for the most efficient and productive ways to create courses. However, oftentimes, there is not enough time or resources to create the dream eLearning course. Nowadays, a lot of instructional designers and eLearning specialists turn to the Agile Methodology to help them design and develop their training courses. While recently there has been a lot of buzz about Agile, it hasn’t always been that way. In fact, not too long ago, instructional designers used ADDIE, the linear and traditional approach to designing training. However, as time went on, training professionals came to the realization that they needed a more flexible approach to help them stay on schedule, deliver on budget, and bring concrete outcomes. This is where the Agile methodology comes into play. Agile eLearning development means creating eLearning content in short iterations and delivering something meaningful that stakeholders can clearly see … [Read more...] about Agile ELearning Development: How to create awesome eLearning courses using the Agile methodology.
Training for Agility: Understanding the new paradigms in eLearning
Dell Technologies Inc, one of the largest technology manufactures in the world, said recently that “…around 85% of the jobs that today’s learners will be doing in 2030 haven’t been invented yet.”. The new world will be based on organizations “...becoming more agile and profitable”. This bold statement was made in a report titled “The Next Era of Human Machine Partnerships”. If this prediction is, in fact, true, it then introduces a brand-new paradigm for trainers and instructional designers alike: How do you train future workforces to embrace that leaner, more competitive, agile and profitable future? Agility in eLearning The challenge with future of workforces, as laid out in the report cited above, is that information and knowledge is expected to become redundant at a much faster pace than it is today. In the new paradigm, while employers have already mapped out a new business model, they won’t have a sizable enough trained workforce to implement their vision – unless they … [Read more...] about Training for Agility: Understanding the new paradigms in eLearning
The New Frontier Of Successive Approximation Model
The need for useful instructional design models has always been at the forefront of all types of the educational experience. Throughout the years, various instructional design formats have been introduced to assist with the process of creating curricula and course planning options that would prove successful in helping people learn. Although some of these models such as ADDIE have proven the test of time, currently the use of the Successive Approximation Model has become quite popular for its unique, flexible approach to producing learning modules that have proven quite successful in application. What is the Successive Approximation Model? Successive Approximation Model (SAM) is an agile development model created by Michael Allen, a recognized pioneer, and leader in the design of interactive multimedia learning tools and applications. SAM is a method that Allen applied to his instructional design models as a means of creating more effective and efficient ways to build quality training … [Read more...] about The New Frontier Of Successive Approximation Model