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If you’re in L&D, a huge part of your role is solving problems. But are you solving the right problems in the right  way? That’s where design thinking  comes in.   Design thinking is a creative, human-centered approach to problem-solving. It doesn’t require fancy tools or a design background. What it does require is curiosity, empathy, and a willingness to test and learn.   This guide will walk you through the five non-linear stages of design thinking – empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test – PLUS we’ll share a detailed case study of how it can shape a leadership development program. But these steps can be applied to any other lerning program or in any type of organization – from the small startup to the global giant. Design Thinking Stages - The L&D Academy   1. Empathize: Understand the Human Side   Before you build anything, you need to understand who you’re building it for and why.   Let’s say you’ve been asked to “develop a leadership program for new managers.” Sounds clear enough, right? But before jumping into designing amazing presentations and handouts, take a pause. What’s really going on? This is the very first question you need to find an answer to. Here are some tips:   Start with listening and observing . What are people saying about their managers? What are managers in charge of, and what’s out of their control? Here are some things you can do: Talk to new managers. What challenges are they facing both in their day-to-day and long-term? Keep in mind that not every problem will be a learning problem . Shadow a few in their daily work. This may be tricky but can be crucial. Ask their team members, peers, and line managers what’s working—and what’s not. This kind of feedback  can be eye-opening both for you and the new managers. If you’re not sure how to approach these conversations, here are some questions to ask : “What’s surprised you most about becoming a manager?” “When do you feel most unsure in your role?” “What support do you wish you had in your first few months?” Push back gently. Not everything you see and hear will be objective. If someone says, “They just need a training on feedback,” ask, “How do you know that’s the main challenge? What’s happening when they try to give feedback now?” Go beyond the symptom . You might find that the real issue isn’t “feedback skills,” but lack of confidence, unclear expectations, or fear of upsetting the team. This is where pushing back can come in handy.   2. Define: Pinpoint the Right Problem   Now that you’ve gathered insights, it’s time to define the problem. This is where you sort through the noise and find a clear focus.   Instead of:  “We need to teach new managers how to lead.”   Try:  “New managers struggle to have honest performance conversations because they fear damaging relationships.”   How to drill down: Look for patterns in the interviews. Cluster related challenges. Identify what’s most painful  and most common .   How do you know you’re on the right track?  When you define the problem clearly, solutions become obvious—or at least easier to spot. Let’s say during the empathy stage, you uncover that new managers are struggling with team motivation. It’s tempting to define the problem as: “Managers need to learn how to motivate their teams.”   But that’s too broad. So, you dig deeper. From all the research you’ve done in the previous step, you start to see some patterns, like: They aren’t setting clear goals. They avoid giving feedback—positive or negative. Their teams feel unsure about priorities.   This allows you to reframe the problem as:   “New managers lack the skills and confidence to set clear expectations and give consistent feedback, which leads to low team motivation.”   That’s the moment you know you’re on the right track. What’s more, this reframed problem allows you to come up with relevant, targeted, and practical learning solutions. For example, you now know you need to include a feedback framework they can use in one-on-ones, some role-play practices for setting expectations, and maybe even a short video series featuring experienced managers sharing what worked for them.   Revert back if needed.  If your definition is too broad or vague, go back to your empathy notes. Ask, “What are they really trying to do, and what’s getting in the way?”   3. Ideate: Explore Bold Ideas   Now comes the fun part—brainstorming. This isn’t about finding one  solution. It’s about finding many . Or as many as possible, anyway!   One thing to do here is to  involve others.  Pull in stakeholders, a few learners, maybe even a facilitator or two. Set a timer and go wide with ideas. The more, the better. This isn’t about finding the right one but getting as many of them out in the open as possible.   Prompt with “How might we…”. For example, “How might we help new managers feel more confident giving tough feedback?” or “How might we simulate tricky team situations in a safe way?”   Don’t be afraid to push the team. If the first 10 ideas feel too safe, ask, “What’s the weirdest way we could solve this?” That’s where the gold often is. For example, instead of a regular role-play in a classroom, why not set up a custom AI chat where managers can practice giving feedback to a virtual team member with attitude problems or low performance? Or a podcast series where long-time leaders share mistakes they have made as new managers back in the day?   4. Prototype: Make It Real (Fast)   Some might be tempted to build a full course at this point. Don’t! Pick one idea from the ideation stage and create a rough version—a pilot session, a mock-up, a quick video, or even a Miro board. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s learning. Fast.   Let’s say you choose the idea of a virtual team member chatbot—a custom AI scenario built with ChatGPT where managers can practice giving feedback to a difficult employee.   Start scrappy.  You don’t need a polished tech solution right away. Use ChatGPT (or another tool) to create a character: let’s call her “Tina.” Tina is underperforming and defensive when questioned. You give the new manager a simple prompt: “Start a conversation with Tina about her recent missed deadlines.” Let them type their message and have ChatGPT respond in character.   Observe the results . There are some things you want to watch out for. For example, are learners engaging with it or freezing up? Do they know what to say—or ask for help? Are they reflecting on what worked and what didn’t? And, of course, did “Tina” perform as expected, or do you need to adjust her parameters?   To make sure you’re capturing everything, add a reflection step: “After your conversation with Tina, jot down what felt easy, what was tricky, and what you’d do differently in a real conversation.”   Real feedback > perfect delivery.  This kind of low-fi prototype will give you more insights than a fully developed e-learning module ever could. And it’s fast to tweak if needed.   Important prototyping tip:  If it flops? That’s not failure. That’s data. You just saved yourself weeks (and budget) by learning early. As mentioned earlier, design thinking isn’t a linear process. This means that at this point, you may decide you need more data or that the problem you had defined isn’t quite acurate or that your idea simply cannot be scaled up or down. Not to worry, that’s why you have the ideation stage – to throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks.   5. Test: Learn and Improve   Once your prototype has run, gather feedback. Not just surveys—real conversations with the users (or learners in case of L&D).   Ask both the new and experienced managers: “What was useful?” “What didn’t land?” “What will you actually use going forward?”   Look for patterns again. Did they apply what they learned? Did it stick?   Make conclusions—but keep iterating. Maybe the virtual team member idea worked, but it needs stronger kickoff training. Or maybe the podcast idea tested better in parallel. You’re building your program with learners, not just for  them.   Testing is not the end. It’s part of the cycle.     Wrap-Up   Design thinking gives learning professionals a fresh lens. Instead of “What should we teach?”, the better question is “What do our learners really need?”   It’s not about being a designer. It’s about being deeply learner-focused, open to trying new things, and brave enough to test ideas before scaling them.   Start small. Try just the Empathize + Define stages on your next project. Or run a low-stakes Ideation session with your team. With practice, this approach will transform how you design learning—and how learners experience it.   Because when learning starts with people, it actually works for people.

Social learning is simple: we learn by watching others, talking things through, and sharing experiences. Albert Bandura made this famous decades ago, but today, it’s more relevant than ever—especially in the workplace.   Why? Because learning isn’t just about reading slides or watching videos. It’s about connection. When people learn together, they remember more, apply it faster, and enjoy the process. The good news? You don’t need a fancy platform or big budget to use social learning. You just need a few smart ideas.   Here are five ways to bring social learning into your training—starting right now.   1. Peer Learning Groups   People learn better when they don’t feel alone.  Peer learning groups create space for learners to talk, ask questions, and reflect together.   Keep it simple. After a module or workshop (or in-between modules in case of multi-module program), ask learners to meet in small groups (on- or offline). Give them a prompt or two to get the conversation rolling and just let them chat. The less supervision, the better as it invites organic dicussions with little to no restrictions.   In a customer service program, for example, learners can share real calls they’ve handled. They can swap tips, offer feedback, and learn from each other’s wins—and mistakes.   2. Collaborative Projects   Working with others helps people connect the dots faster.  It makes learning feel real because what’s discussed comes from the real-world, rather than theory and books. It also builds teamwork as members are put in a situation where they need to find a solution to a common problem.   Design a task that requires learners to create something together. It could be a checklist, a presentation, a how-to guide. Anything that gets them talking and solving problems together.   In a leadership course, learners might build a mini-guide on how to give tough feedback. They’ll debate ideas, share stories, and walk away with something useful—and memorable.   3. User-Generated Content   Here’s a secret: people remember more when they teach others . That’s why user-generated content can be so powerful.   Ask learners to create something that shows what they’ve learned. It could be a short video, a one-page cheat sheet, a visual, a tweet or even a quick voice note.   Say you’re running a time management course. Ask each learner to share their top time-saving tip in a short video. Then, share these in your next session or on your platform. It’s low effort, high impact.   4. Social Platforms and Communities   Not all learning happens in sessions. A lot of it happens between them—during chats, quick questions, and idea swaps.   Use what people already love: conversation. Create a space for learners to share, ask, and explore. It could be a Slack channel, a Teams group, or a private LinkedIn space .   Try a “What I tried this week” thread. Learners can post one thing they applied from training and what happened. It’s quick. It’s real. And it builds momentum.   5. Mentoring and Buddy Systems   Everyone needs someone to learn from. Mentoring is a classic— and it works . It makes learning personal and it builds confidence.   Pair new learners with experienced peers. They don’t need to meet often – sometimes a once-a-month meeting can be a lifechanger or even a 30-minute chat each week can make a big difference.   In a new manager program, for example, buddy participants up with a more experienced leader from the organization. They can talk through real challenges, share tools, and help each other grow.   Wrap-Up   Social learning doesn’t need big budgets or complex tech. It just needs intention.   Start small. Pick one of these five ideas and test it. See what clicks. Then build from there. And remember: people learn best with people. Give them that chance, and you’ll see the difference.   Sources: Eby, L. T., Allen, T. D., Evans, S. C., Ng, T., & DuBois, D. (2008). Does Mentoring Matter? A Multidisciplinary Meta-Analysis Comparing Mentored and Non-Mentored Individuals. Journal of Vocational Behavior , 72 (2), 254–267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2007.04.005 Fiorella, L., & Mayer, R. E. (2013). The relative benefits of learning by teaching and teaching expectancy. Contemporary Educational Psychology , 38 (4), 281–288. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2013.06.001 Gitinabard, N., Xue, L., Lynch, C. F., Heckman, S., & Barnes, T. (2017). A social network analysis on blended courses. arXiv preprint arXiv:1709.10215 . Gokhale, A. A. (1995). Collaborative Learning Enhances Critical Thinking. Journal of Technology Education , 7 (1), 22-30. https://doi.org/10.21061/jte.v7i1.a.2

If you look through any of the popular training providers’ websites, sooner or later you will find the infamous word “experiential”. And it’s no surprise! After all, an experiential learning event carries a promise of a fun, interactive, relevant, and applicable experience that goes beyond theory and builds real-world skills. So, we thought we’d take you on a journey through experiential learning and help you apply it to your own L&D interventions.   What is experiential learning? To answer this question, we need to go back to the 1970’s and visit David Kolb and Ron Fry, who first developed the model. It says that people learn best when they go through 4 stages in a continuous cycle of experience , reflection , thinking,  and action . Here they are in more details:   Concrete Experience : doing something, having an actual experience. Reflective Observation : stepping back and thinking about what just happened. Abstract Conceptualization : the “What if?” phase, forming hypotheses and ideas based on your reflections. Active Experimentation : testing the ideas and hypothesis.     Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle - The L&D Academy Pros and Cons Experiential learning isn’t just another training buzzword—it actually works. It keeps people engaged and makes learning stick . Instead of just listening, participants do things , which makes the experience more interactive  and memorable . Plus, it pushes people to reflect  on what happened, helping them connect the dots  and learn from real situations . And the best part? It’s super practical . What you learn isn’t just theory—it’s something you can take straight to work and use right away.   Of course, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Experiential learning takes time . You can’t just throw people into an activity and expect magic to happen—it needs planning and debriefing . It can also be pricey , especially if you need special tools, props, or environments. And sometimes, you may need highly skilled facilitators  to guide the experience properly. If not done right, it can turn into just another fun activity with no real learning.   How to use it in L&D? + Example   To truly master experiential learning, it takes two things: understanding David Kolb’s experiential learning cycle and practicing it over and over again.   Stage 1: Concrete Experience The first step – the action – is the foundation upon which learners build their observations, reflections, and insights. For example, I once ran a training session for a customer service outsourcing center. We were working on profiling customers, and I designed a role-playing exercise, in which participants had to respond to complaints from customers with different personality types. Through this, they experienced firsthand the importance of empathy, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness. They also learned practical skills like complaint handling and effective communication strategies. The exercise wasn’t just theoretical, I didn’t have to walk them through each step or deliver a lengthy lecture. It was something they could experience and feel , something that mirrored the challenges they faced in their daily work.   Stage 2: Reflective Observation This is when learners step back and analyze what happened, comparing it to their previous experiences and knowledge. Reflection can be facilitated in a group, directed by a trainer, or done individually. In the role-play I mentioned above, I encouraged participants to re-evaluate their actions and emotions during the exercise. I asked questions like, “How did you feel when the customer pushed back?” or “What emotions would help you reach a better outcome?” Reflection allows learners to connect the dots between what they’ve done and what they know, setting the stage for deeper understanding.   Stage 3: Abstract Conceptualization This is where learners need to start forming new ideas or adapting their behavior based on the insights they gained. It’s about creating strategies they can apply in real-world settings. For instance, during the same role-play exercise, I asked participants to compare their actions in the exercise to their actual customer interactions. I asked “What would do differently to reach a better outcome?” or “What could you take from this experience and apply to your next interaction with a difficult customer?” These questions pushed them to think critically and begin forming actionable strategies.   Stage 4: Active Experimentation Finally, in the active experimentation phase, is where theory meets practice. Learners take the ideas they’ve formed and test them in real-world scenarios. If immediate testing isn’t possible, they create a plan for when and how they’ll experiment in the future. In our example, each participant created a cheat sheet outlining key strategies for handling different personality types. They left the session with a plan they could put into action the very next time they dealt with a complaint. This stage turns learning into doing, which is where the real growth happens.   Tip on using Kolb’s cycle What makes Kolb’s cycle so versatile is that it doesn’t always have to start with a Concrete Experience.  For instance, when coaching a first-time manager, they might come to you with a situation they’ve already encountered. Instead of re-creating the experience, you can start at the Reflective Observation  stage by asking, “What happened? How did it happen? How did you feel about it?” Then, guide them into Abstract Conceptualization  by exploring the “why” behind the event and brainstorming alternative approaches. Finally, help them plan for Active Experimentation by asking, “What will you do differently next time? What steps will you take? What resources do you need?”   Conclusion Experiential learning isn’t just a trend—it’s how we naturally grow and improve. Whether you’re designing a training session, coaching a team, or just looking for better ways to help people learn Kolb’s cycle gives you a solid framework to make it happen. So, why not put it to the test? Try incorporating one of these stages into your next session and see the difference for yourself.

While there are many different roles in Learning and Development (and we’re not just saying that, we’ve actually counted !), one thing remains true for all of them – they all need the basics. And what can be more foundational than the adult learning principles? Enter Andragogy! What is Andragogy? Developed over many years and finally refined by Malcolm Knowles in 1968, andragogy is the art and science of adult learning, as opposed to pedagogy, which focuses on educating children.     Originally Knowles outlined four  principles of adult learning in his early work. Later, he expanded his theory to include six key principles.  They are as follows: Andragogy: the 6 principles of adult learning Need to Know  – Adults need to understand why  they are learning something and how it can benefit them. Moreover, the reason needs to be deeply relevant to them and their context. Self-Concept  – Adults want to be self-directed  in their learning, not just passive recipients of information. They need to be in control of the learning experience and make their own decisions. Experience  – The prior knowledge and experience of adults is the foundation upon which new learning can occur. Effective learning connects with and builds on this experience. Readiness to Learn  – Adults are most ready to learn when they see a direct application to their real-life roles, tasks, or challenges.  In other words, they want to know if it can help them solve an immediate problem or a need. Orientation to Learning  – Adults are problem-centered rather than content-centered.  They prefer learning that helps them solve real-world problems  rather than just acquiring abstract knowledge. Motivation to Learn  – While external motivators (like promotions or incentives) can play a role, adults are mostly driven by intrinsic motivation —the desire for self-improvement, mastery, and growth.   Is it just us or are there a lot of overlaps in these principles? Pros and Cons There are some fairly obvious pros to applying andragogy in the workplace: Learners can take ownership of their learning and therefore be more engaged with it They can make the process more meaningful and relevant to their needs The focus is on real-world application back on the job Learner motivation is usually increased when people are invested in the learning process The learning experience can be quite flexible and adaptable so that it can fit different people, industries, and both organizational and personal needs.   But this does come with some cons too: Not everyone is ready to be self-directed It can be hard to implement such learning in an environment that requires structure The design and delivery of such learning requires very skilled instructional designers and/or facilitators Because of the assumption that adults have some prior experience, it can be less effective for learners who lack foundational knowledge   How can you use it in L&D? Andragogy is less concerned with what people learn and more with how  they do it. If L&D were to follow the principles, we would need to: Make Learning Relevant Tie learning events directly to workplace challenges and goals. This can be done by carefully crafting and communicating the learning objectives, using relevant examples and case studies that learners can related to, using the same language and jargon learners use, etc. Encourage Self-Direction Let learners choose topics, set learning goals, and control their pace. Set up an environment where people can access and choose what learning they consume. This could be done online via a Learning Management System that curates relevant learning content, a SharePoint page with a clever use of tags or a simple learning calendar with all planned events. Use Experiential Learning Replace long lectures with case studies, real-world projects, and problem-solving activities. We often learn more by doing the work than by listening to someone else talk about it. Facilitate Peer Learning Create environments where employees can learn from each other through discussions and collaboration. These types of spaces can be both online (Slack, Discord, Teams, etc.) and offline (brown bag lunches, internal TED-style conferences, networking events, etc.) Apply Learning Immediately Provide opportunities for hands-on practice and reflection. At the end of each learning event have clear calls to action, something learners can do immediately and have a quick win to give them enough momentum to keep going. Make it as easy as possible to apply what they are learning. Example To design and deliver an effective leadership program for middle managers, you could: Ask participants what are the actual challenges  they face in their day-to-day via surveys, interviews, and focus groups. Look for issues around performance management, conflict resolution, delegation, time management, people development, team engagement, motivating others, and so on. Then, design learning interventions that address those challenges specifically. Allow participants to choose what learning events and content  to engage in. Offer them a wide variety, including workshops, peer learning, coaching, mentoring, reading materials (books and articles), videos, project work, networking events, problem-solving activities, etc. For each, have a clear list of objectives that help learners connect the event or content to their challenges and understand what they will gain by engaging with it. For each learning event or content, give them a list of actions  they can take to apply what they’ve learned. For example, “delegate a task to one of your direct reports”, “write a list of learning opportunities you can offer your team members” or “book a meeting with your manager to discuss your career progression”. It needs to be a low-hanging fruit to give them the boost they need to continue applying what they’re learning.   Conclusion Andragogy isn’t just a learning theory—it’s a mindset shift  that changes how we approach corporate learning. When we move away from information overload and toward self-directed, experience-based learning , we can create learning that sticks.   Here’s your call to action: If you could change one thing  about workplace learning to make it more andragogical, what would it be?

Whether you just started doing learning presentations or that has been a part of your L&D responsibilities for a long time, there is a simple truth you may have learned – visuals dominate our world. We have all experienced bad presentations. But what is the secret to phenomenal visuals that help create engaging and memorable learning experiences? You don’t have to be a graphic designer to create great visuals. You may be a seasoned webinar host or a beginner trainer dipping your toes into the world of presentations (online or not). Either way, this article will equip you with practical tips on creating compelling visuals for any learning experience (like a training, workshop, webinar and so on). Let's unravel the art of visual communication, one slide at a time! Table of contents : Presentation Structure Tip 1. Use a Visual Hierarchy Tip 2. Keep It Simple Tip 3. Use Consistent Design Elements Tip 4. Less Text, More Visuals Tip 5. Use Typography to Your Advantage Tip 6. Use Color and Contrast Wisely Tip 7. Use High-Quality, Relevant Images Tip 8. Use Icons and Symbols Tip 9. Incorporate Data Visualization Tip 10. Use Animations and Transitions Sparingly Conclusion Presentation Structure First things first – we need to be clear on the structure of the presentation. Here are the slides you always need to consider: Starting Slide : This is the initial visual your audience sees as they log in. Make it inviting and relevant to your webinar topic. Title Slide : Introduce yourself and the webinar topic. This sets the stage for what's to come. Agenda Slide : Tell your audience what they can expect from the webinar. This keeps them tuned in and anticipating what's next. Navigation/Sub-Heading Slide : Helps guide your audience through your presentation journey by displaying where in the presentation you are at. Content Slides : This is where the magic happens! These are the main slides in your presentation where you deliver your information. There are several sub-types within this category, such as: Text Slides : These slides might feature bullet points, numbered lists, or key quotes. We have a lot to say about these slides, so read on. Image Slides : These slides primarily use visuals like photos, diagrams, or infographics to convey information. Data Slides : These slides present data in the form of graphs, charts, or tables. Process or Flowchart Slides : These slides illustrate a process or sequence of steps, often using arrows and diagrams. Interactive Slide : A great way to keep your audience engaged. These include a single word on a slide, quotes, conceptual images, video clips (max of 2-3 min long, otherwise you risk losing the audience), questions, quizzes, or prompts for discussion to engage your audience and encourage participation. Check out some examples below. Recap/Summary Slide : Reinforce the key points from your webinar, ensuring the audience retains the crucial takeaways. Q&A Slide : Invite your audience to ask questions or provide feedback. This slide often comes towards the end and fosters a sense of interaction and community. Conclusion/Call to Action Slide : Summarize your main message and encourage your audience to take some action, like trying out a new strategy or visiting a website. Contact Information/Thank You Slide : Conclude your webinar by thanking your audience for their time, and providing your contact information for further engagement. Tip 1. Use a Visual Hierarchy Your slides should follow a certain visual hierarchy – that is, guide the viewer’s eye to the most important elements first. The rule of thumb is to follow a “Z” pattern that our eyes follow naturally – start at top left corner, proceed to the top right corner, move diagonally to the bottom left corner and finish at the bottom right corner. For maximum impact, place your information on this path. This is not the only way to guide the viewer’s eye though. You can also use varying sizes, shapes, colors, and positions of the elements on your slide. Tip 2. Keep It Simple When it comes to visuals – less is more. Your audience should focus on what you are saying, not what’s written/displayed on the slide. That’s why any visual clutter (of images, text or shapes) can take away meaning from your slides because they turn into distractions. It’s a good practice to stick to a single idea or concept per slide. This will ensure your message is heard, it is clear, and easily digestible. Instead of having multiple elements together on a single slide, separate them. You don’t need a graph, bullet points, an image, and a block of text. Specifically for this last one – you should never have a big block of text on your slides! If you’re tempted to put it there, put it in the notes where people won’t see it. The only exception would be a quote. But even then, try to shorten it as much as possible. Tip 3. Use Consistent Design Elements When your visuals are consistent in color, fonts, image style and design layouts, your presentation looks cohesive and professional. Follow a consistent approach not only in the big things (like colors and fonts) but in the little one as well – titles, headlines, sentence capitalization and so on. If your company uses specific brand colors or has its own presentation template, use those. If you’re not restricted by a company template, we recommend our favorite template library – SlidesGo . They have both free and paid templates and infographics, so there is something for everyone. Tip 4. Less Text, More Visuals This tip is fairly simple – use as little text as possible. Instead, you can use visual elements such as images, graphs, charts, and infographics to communicate your message. Curious how to turn text into graphs? Head over to our other favorite library – PresentationGo . They have graphs for anything you can think of – charts and diagrams, text and tables, timelines and planning, graphics and metaphors, maps – you name it. Best of all – it’s completely free (though we strongly encourage you to donate as much as you can so the good folks at PresentationGo can keep running the website). Here's an additional tip – we like to remove all default placeholders on a slide and start with a blank slate. This way, we are not tied down to the default design layout. And we should be extra careful when we add different elements because we need to carefully think what value they add. For example, should the company logo be on every slide? Do we need a title everywhere? Can this bullet list be turned into something more engaging, like a graph? But what happens if you have to have some text on your slide? Then make sure it’s readable even on a mobile device – make sure the font is at least 16pt; even better if it’s 22pt. And stick to no more than 5 to 6 bullet points per slide. Anything above this number turns into clutter and makes it less memorable. White space Speaking of less is more, we have to talk about white space – that is all the space on your slide that is not occupied by an image, text or a graph, it’s the empty space without any content. White space allows your design to “breath”, to feel more spacious. A clean, uncluttered slide helps your audience focus on the key message. Some advertisers have even stated that white space “creates higher perceived value and imparts a feeling of luxury, it sharpens the viewer’s focus by isolating elements” (Duarte, 2012). Use whitespace effectively to create a balance between the elements on your slide. Simplicity often leads to greater clarity and understanding. Tip 5. Use Typography to Your Advantage The fonts you use can make or break your presentation, they communicate beyond the words they form. Did you know that over half a million fonts exist in the world? So how do you pick the right ones? For one, try to use 1 or 2 fonts for the entire deck. It might be tempting to use those fancy fonts your computer comes with or download one of the many free fonts online. But the simple truth is that your presentation doesn’t need it. Choose fonts that reflect the tone of your presentation. When it comes to choosing the font (or font combinations), stick to sans serif fonts (those without the little lines on top and bottoms of letters) because they are easier to read on screen. Examples of these are Arial and Calibri. Where sans serif fonts are more modern and fun, you can use serif fonts (like Palatino and Garamond) for when you need your text to look more elegant and or classy. You can also use script fonts for when you want to be more personal and show a more human side. We’ll let you explore those by yourself. Overall, combine different fronts sparingly and thoughtfully. What if you want to emphasize something? Use bold text, rather than underlining. It’s cleaner and draws the eye enough without overwhelming the viewer. Tip 6. Use Color and Contrast Wisely Color and contrast can be used to highlight important points and guide your audience’s attention. Stick to a limited color palette. Just like before, we err on the side of consistency – use the same 1 or 2 primary colors and no more than 1 or 2 complimentary colors throughout your deck. We recommend using colors that best align with your brand’s visual identity. You need to have a healthy contrast between the text and the background. The default white background and black text are a cliché for a reason – it’s easy to read and doesn’t strain the eyes. Contrast is key for anyone with visual impairments, so use light-dark contrast to help them as much as possible. When it comes to text and background, there are also some combinations you want to avoid, like red and green, red and blue and orange and blue. These colors interfere with each other and can seem to shake on the screen. Tip 7. Use High-Quality, Relevant Images Seeing a low-quality, pixelated image with a watermark or an outdated clipart on a presentation slide makes the presentation look unprofessional. That’s why if you want to use images, make sure they are high-quality. And to elevate your visual game to the next level, ensure all the images you use are in a similar style and color palette. They should look like the same photographer took all pictures, even if that’s not actually the case. VS. VS. Source: Freepik The same is true for any graphics you use. A great source of similar-looking illustrations can be found on Storyset . Just pick a style, change the color, and download the graphic(s) you need. And remember – less is more. Do you really need all 4 or 5 graphics on the same slide? Are they connected to each other and tell a story or do they distract and take away from your message? VS. Source: Storyset and Freepik Finally, while it can be tempting to pick the first image that pops into your search results, it’s much better to spend time and go for images that are relevant and not as cliché (for example, instead of using a bullseye to illustrate a goal, why not go for something less obvious?). Your images should be there to trigger emotions, illustrate a point or provide context. At the end of the day, an image's relevance is more important than its aesthetic appeal. VS. Tip 8. Use Icons and Symbols Icons and symbols can simplify complex ideas, making them quick to understand. They're great for summarizing information or drawing attention to key points. Make sure they're uniformly designed and large enough to be easily discerned. VS. Tip 9. Incorporate Data Visualization We often need to present data. And the simplest way is to just paste the graph that represents our data. But there is a better way. Any graph (like a pie chart or a bar graph) represents the “What” of the data. You need to find the “Why” and the “How” and spin a narrative from that. What made the numbers go up or down? How will people (learners, customers, end-users, etc.) be affected by that? VS. Having said that, keep in mind that sometimes the best chart is no chart at all. If there is a single number that conveys the message loud and strong – make it loud and strong on the slide as well. You can show this number as big as possible on the screen. If you want to share several elements related to the same thing (for example, tips on how to design compelling images for a webinar), consider displaying a diagram that shows how parts of a whole work together. All visual aids like graphs, charts, and infographics should be used whenever you want to simplify complex information and data. But you need to be careful too. Any visual elements you use in your slide deck need to be well-designed, easy to understand, and accurately labeled. Tip 10. Use Animations and Transitions Sparingly Movements draw the eye. Both great film directors and popular YouTubers know this. This is what animations allow you to do – add movement to your visuals. But just like everything we’ve discussed so far, less is more. Think of it this way – if you add every kind of animation, it would be like seasoning your dish with every spice available in the pantry. So let’s untangle animation. You should use animation when you want to: Reveal content gradually Emphasize key points Visualize data, like a step-by-step process, graph, a chart or reveal how things are put together Tell a story Comparing and contrasting Show direction If you are adding an animation and it doesn’t tick either of the boxes above, then remove it. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should! Let’s assume that you’ve determined a proper need for the animation. Which one should you choose? There are just so many! The rule of thumb is to use natural animations, not busy, flashy, or frantic ones. Our favorite animations are: appear, fade, wipe and the occasional motion path (this is where you control the movement of an object on the screen). Also, if you’re going to use animation throughout your deck, make sure it’s the same one on all slides. Having multiple different animations can be very distracting. Conclusion You may have deduced by now that you don’t need to be a graphic design wizard to create compelling visuals. Stick to some basics: structure your presentation, keep your slides simple and visually consistent, limit your text and use more visual elements. Harness the power of typography, leverage color and contrast, and use high-quality images that resonate with your message. Icons and symbols can distill complex ideas into easily digestible nuggets of information, while data visualization can simplify complex data and make it more palatable. And, of course, remember to use animations and transitions judiciously to enhance your message, not distract from it. From captivating starting slides to engaging interactive slides, every image you use, every color you choose, and every word you write can make a world of difference in creating an unforgettable learning experience. One slide at a time, you have the power to transform your webinar from a mundane monologue into an immersive visual journey that leaves your audience yearning for more. How to you design compelling visuals for your learning interventions? Let us know in the comments down below. Source: Duarte, N. (2012) HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations (HBR Guide series) . Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press.

Finding ways for employees to bond or interact socially with their coworkers can be difficult when they are not in the same space. Luckily, there are lots of ways to build their team spirit virtually! In this article, we share 7 ideas for teambuilding activities you and your colleagues can do while working remotely. Table of Contents: 1: Trivia Games 2. Scavenger Hunt 3. Problem-solving Workshops 4. Campfire 5. Escape Rooms 6. Talent Show 7. Improv Session Idea 1. Trivia Games In trivia games, you create your own questions and share them with your team so they can answer (in groups or individually). Virtual trivia is great for team building because it allows people to have fun together, even if they are not physically present. It also allows them to learn more about each other by asking questions that require more than 'yes' or 'no' answers. The benefits of virtual trivia include: The ability to customize games according to your needs and preferences. Increased team spirit as everyone takes part in creating a shared experience. A customizable game that can be used repeatedly with minimal preparation—no need to have multiple people create new content each time! It is low cost and can be done anywhere with internet access. One drawback to keep in mind is that if everyone on your team has already answered all of the questions before (and therefore knows them), they will become bored. If you're interested in creating a virtual trivia game for your next team building event, here's how it works: Decide on the theme of your game . What kind of questions will your players be answering? Do they have to answer questions about their coworkers? About their favorite movie stars? About other teams they work with? Choose the number of rounds you want to include in the game. Do you want each round to last for three minutes? Five minutes? Ten minutes? And how many rounds should there be? Create a list of trivia questions that will go along with the theme and round length you've chosen. Don't worry too much about making them perfect—you can always tweak them later! Select your technology. There's no need to develop an app yourself. Plenty of websites and platforms allow you to create a custom game without having to learn how to code or design anything yourself. It can be as simple as using Google Forms, Kahoot or Quizlet. Idea 2. Scanger Hunt Virtual scavenger hunts are a fun and easy way to get people working together. This game can be played with any group of people. Here's how it works: Set up the game . Create clues that lead from one location to another. The locations can be a virtual space or the physical space team members occupy at the time. Each clue should be something that will help guide players through their journey. They should also be specific enough to figure out what direction they need to go next without getting lost along the way! For example, participants need to collect items from a list you provide. The items should be found around the house. The first member to return to the webcam and show the collected item scores some points. Or the first person to collect all the items wins the game! Decide the players . You'll want to decide on how many people you'd like in your scavenger hunt teams and how long you'd like them to work on it (15 to 45 minutes is usually sufficient). If you're working with a smaller group, you can also have each person play for themselves. Run the game : Give the instructions (either verbally or via email) and let everyone run off. Make sure you're available at all times - you need to keep track of the score and answer any questions the teams might have. When the time's up, you also could run a small ceremony to award the winners and give out some (virtual) rewards for participation. If the scavenger hunt is themed (perhaps as part of a larger training initiative or a department strategy meeting), do a debrief session to: find parallels to the topic (ask, "how is this similar/different to how we normally work?") or draw some conclusions (like people's takeaways, next action steps, accountabilities, etc.) The best part about virtual scavenger hunts is there are no limitations; anyone around the world can play! If someone wants an excuse for a coffee break during work hours, then this would do just fine 😉 Idea 3. Problem-Solving Workshops Familiar with the 'The Desert Island Scenario'? Let's make it virtual too! In this activity, you can give your team a scenario where they are stranded on a deserted island and a list of items they need to choose from to survive. Players must work together to select the items they believe will be most appropriate. You can substitute the deserted island for a post-apocalyptic world or a pandemic lockdown. This activity drives participants to work together, collaborate and use critical thinking skills. And the best part - most of these games don't have a correct answer. They rely on team members' participation, communication, and problem-solving abilities. Idea 4. Campfire Missed the outdoor teambuilding experience? How about running a virtual campfire. This is a great way to get your team together, even if it's not feasible for everyone on the team to meet in person. You can do this in a virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) environment. Or you can use video conferencing software to share your screen with others. The more senses are involved, the better! Activities vary from scary storytelling to icebreakers and other camp activities. Either way, the goal is to create an environment where people are encouraged to share stories and ideas—and this can happen whether you're all in one physical space or across the globe. For extra flavor, send your team tiny campfire kits before the event with a small tealight candle (for the feel of a campfire), marshmallows and crackers, and bags of your favorite tea. Idea 5. Escape Rooms A virtual escape room is an interactive game in which players are 'locked' in a room with a series of puzzles and clues. The goal is to solve all the puzzles and find the way out within the set time (30 to 60 minutes is best for a virtual setting). To set up a virtual escape room, you need three things: A theme for the room - You can use any real or fake location as long as it's clear what kind of space you're trying to represent. You can choose any theme imaginable for this part: anything from ancient Egypt to outer space; pirates vs. ninjas; dinosaurs vs. robots—anything goes! Other ideas include escaping from jail, uncovering treasure in the jungle, finding your way out of a creepy carnival, or running from a zombie apocalypse. You can use some great (and free) platforms to set up your room. Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and KumoSpace come to mind. Share your appropriately decorated screen or use a virtual background for your camera to transport your participants to the location. Puzzles and clues - devise some fun and challenging (but not too difficult) puzzles your team needs to solve. Relate the clues to what is happening in this room. For example, if the theme is "hacker's den", ask participants to find an error in a code or a connection between two devices. Check out Hogwart's Digital Escape Room by Sydney Krawiec or the Midnight Express by Escape the Crate if you want to see a great example of a virtual escape room. Both of these are free and super fun! Idea 6. Talent Show A talent show is a fun way to get your team members to interact with each other and bond. There are many ways to make your talent show more interactive and engaging: Ask everyone what they're good at doing in their spare time. This will give you some good ideas about what types of talents are represented on your team. Not everyone is a singer or a dancer. Some people like cooking or playing video games. You might find that certain people don't usually share their skills because they haven't been asked before. If given the opportunity to share, people will feel more connected with those around them on a more personal level! Give everyone five minutes between rounds so they can practice beforehand. If possible, ask people to use props (like stationery, cutlery, or costumes). Keep the performances short, but make sure they are memorable. Ask performers to share their cameras so everyone can see them. For extra flavor, you can have a jury to select the winner. Or prepare some categories and ask everyone to vote on their favorite performances. A word of caution: although this method of teambuilding is very entertaining, it can be hard on people who are not very good at performing. In this case, carefully group people in teams with a mixture of different personalities. This way, everyone will get involved, and more bashful people won't feel left out. Idea 7. Improv Session Improv is a fantastic way to get your team members working together and thinking on their feet. The idea of improv, which is short for "improvise", is that you don't know what's going to happen next, and you have to make up the conversation as it goes along. Improv is a great way to get your team to think on their feet. It's also an excellent way to get them comfortable with each other. The benefits of improv are numerous - it can help the team learn how to trust one another, be more open and honest, and communicate effectively. Improvising can be challenging for some people who aren't used to being thrown into situations where they have no idea what's going on or how things are supposed to go. So keep that in mind when running improv sessions. Here's a simple improv activity you can try. Give the group a start of a story (usually just 1 sentence). Then everyone has to take turns adding their own sentences to the narrative. For extra flavor, make the story relatable to the team's reality (i.e., a difficult customer they had to deal with or software that always acts up). But you can also let them run with it completely amock. Though it is essential to instruct the group that the story must have a start, middle, and end. And that they need to introduce the hero(s), the obstacle to overcome, and the resolution. For more storytelling tips, check out our Storytelling for Training article. This fun and interactive activity will keep participants' energy high. And that's it! We hope our list of virtual teambuilding ideas will inspire you to create your next event! Share your success stories with us in the comments below or tag us on social media.

It is commonplace for business leaders and company owners to constantly ask, “What’s next for us?”. Yet this isn’t a question we often hear in Learning & Development. It’s hard to say for certain how L&D needs to adapt, even though a lot of organizations try (see the sources list at the bottom). But predicting the future can be hard, especially when we are constantly surrounded by rapid change. It seems the best we can hope for is to make an educated guess about the emerging roles in Learning and Development. Which is exactly what we will do in this article.   Considerations for L&D   What L&D will do depends on what the organization and its employees need. According to the different research and our experience in the past few years, we can make several assumptions: There is a shift towards work from home and hybrid ( 41% ), yet the majority of people ( 59% ) still work from an office or on location. Aligning to business objectives  is still the top priority for L&D. Which often comes down to “let’s make more money with fewer costs”. Learning is deemed valuable  for career development but it needs to be approachable and meaningful. Everyone has a unique career journey, and therefore, their learning experience needs to be personalized. AI and other new technologies are here to stay. It is often cheaper to promote someone internally (aka internal mobility) than to hire someone from outside and train them. Employees need to be equipped with the necessary competencies to help them make vertical or lateral career moves internally.     Emerging roles in L&D With all of the above in mind, what are the roles that will help organizations gain and/or keep their competitive advantage? Let’s explore the 3 roles we believe will become popular in the near future.   Personal Learning Experience Designer   Personal Learning Experience Designers will focus on crafting tailored learning pathways that cater to the unique needs and career goals of individual employees. The role might also be called Personal Career Consultant. They will work closely with employees to identify their strengths, areas for improvement, and aspirations, then design personalized development plans that incorporate various learning methods and tools.   For example, imagine a marketing assistant who aspires to become a digital marketing strategist. The designer might create a custom curriculum that includes online courses, mentoring sessions, and practical projects to help the assistant acquire the necessary skills and knowledge.   Learning AI Specialist   You can really go nuts with this role! A Learning AI Specialist will leverage artificial intelligence to enhance and streamline the learning process within organizations. They might develop and implement AI-driven tools that can analyze personal learning data, predict training needs, and offer personalized content recommendations.   For instance, imagine there is an internal system that can spit out a personalized learning path based on your career goals. Want to become a senior? Here’s what you need to do. Want to step into a leadership role? Check out these activities you can do to get ready. And everything you do is tracked and analyzed (why not even gamified?) to help you see your progress and maintain your motivation… especially when the going get tough!   Hybrid L&D Facilitator   This is something a lot of use currently do, even if we don’t use a fancy name for it. Hybrid L&D Facilitators will play a crucial role in bridging the gap between remote and in-person training and development. They will design and deliver learning experiences that are effective and engaging for both remote and on-site employees, ensuring that everyone has access to high-quality training regardless of their location.   Here’s a fun example – the facilitator organizes a blended learning workshop where remote participants join via a virtual platform while in-person attendees participate on-site. The first group has to do something (i.e., solve a puzzle or discuss a case study) that can be used by the in-person group to then go on a scavenger hunt or do a role play. They use interactive tools like virtual breakout rooms and collaborative whiteboards to foster engagement and collaboration among all participants.   What’s next?   While this exercise in creativity is certainly fun, we need to remember that that’s all it is for now. Time will tell if any of these will become mainstream. And if they do, remember – you heard it here first, folks! J    The future of L&D is brimming with potential, but it must adapt and align with business priorities to survive. If it does not, it risks losing its value and relevance, and business leaders will stop seeking its support. The emerging roles we highlight here promise to revolutionize professional development. But are you ready to embrace the change?  How can you ensure L&D remains a value-adding function in our organizations? Let us know your comments down below.   ----   Sources : Barrero, J.M., Bloom, N. and Davis, S.J., 2021. Why working from home will stick. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper 28731. [pdf] Available at: https://wfhresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/WFHResearch_updates_June2024.pdf [Accessed June 2024]. CIPD, 2023. Learning at work 2023. [online] Available at: https://www.cipd.org/en/knowledge/reports/learning-at-work/ [Accessed June 2024]. Erickson, R., Moulton, D., Cleary, B., 2018. Are you overlooking your greatest source of talent?. [online] Available at: https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/deloitte-review/issue-23/unlocking-hidden-talent-internal-mobility.html [Accessed June 2024]. Haan, K., 2023. Remote Work Statistics And Trends In 2024. [online] Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/remote-work-statistics/ [Accessed June 2024]. Kotter, J., 2023. What’s next for learning and development: The past, present, and future of training in a hybrid world. [online] Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkotter/2023/04/24/whats-next-for-learning-and-development-the-past-present-and-future-of-training-in-a-hybrid-world/ [Accessed June 2024]. LinkedIn, 2024. LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report 2024. [pdf] Available at: https://learning.linkedin.com/content/dam/me/business/en-us/amp/learning-solutions/images/wlr-2024/LinkedIn-Workplace-Learning-Report-2024.pdf [Accessed June 2024]. Taylor, D.H., Vinauskaite, E., 2024. AI in L&D: From talk to action. [online] Available at: https://donaldhtaylor.co.uk/research_base/focus02-talk-to-action/ [Accessed June 2024].

When I was a kid, my dad used to take me and my sister on long road trips to the beach. It was a 5-hour drive where we would need to cross half the country to get to our destination. My dad challenged us to remember, in the correct order, the towns and rivers we would be crossing to arrive at the beach. He had previously designed an amazing scoring and reward scheme (peanut M&Ms) to keep tabs on the ‘game’. To this day, I am proud to say that I know my country’s geography better than any of my friends. It was knowledge acquired inadvertently while having a great time! I enjoyed the stories about the towns, discovering new things, and cared little about winning. My sister was all about winning! Both personality traits ( gamer types – keep reading for more on this!) were very well catered to by my dad’s game dynamics. Without knowing Gamification theory, my father designed a learning system for us to be engaged, to share, be challenged, and have fun and secure knowledge for life. Today, we know a lot more about how to design long-lasting learning experiences by using Gamification elements in the classroom. Let’s start from the beginning. What is ‘gamification’? Gamification is to use game-design elements in non-game contexts. It's adding a ‘play flavor’ to any context. In adult learning processes, gamification has proven to be an element that allows adults to fuel their imagination, boost their creativity and problem-solving abilities. It basically makes the ‘hard stuff more fun’ motivating learners and making them more engaged with the learning matter. Gamification theory in education is that people learn best when they are having fun. Gamification involves game-based elements like: Leaderboards and other progress indicators (badges, points) Competition Social connection and collaboration Player (learner) control Immediate feedback In our L&D world, gamification can be used in many learning scenarios such as: Onboarding Sales training Leadership training Compliance training Team building and engagement activities Now, let’s touch on the most important part of the process: the learner, aka The Gamer . Personality types in gaming According to Richard Bartle, gamers are divided into 4 different personalities that we will surely encounter within our learning scenarios: Killers Focus on winning, rank, and competition. They connect by leaderboards and ranks. In the context of L&D, you may find more ‘killers’ in areas such as sales teams. (Remember my sister?) Achievers Focus on reaching status and achieving goals. They are motivated by being recognized for their achievements. In organizations these are the people who seek to be promoted. Explorers Focus on curiosity, exploration, and discovery. They are curious about reaching less obvious conclusions or results. In the work environment, these people tend to be interested in ‘extracurricular’ activities like clubs, volunteering, and others. (to this day, this is me!) Socialites The friendly ones! They are all about networking and meeting new friends. They enjoy one-on-one activities, making new contacts, and ‘weaver’ their network. 10 ideas to gamify your training The exciting challenge for the L&D practitioner is to design engaging learning experiences that will ignite the playfulness in all 4 gamer personalities. Now, inspired by my dad’s simplicity and spontaneity; I want to share 10 ideas on how to infuse gamification in your training sessions: Idea 1. Scavenger adventures or employee onboarding missions These work great for boosting teamwork, collaboration, creative thinking, and fun competition. There are platforms to carry out this session in virtual environments or you can get creative and make great use of space in live sessions. Idea 2. Artwork, creative-crafty contests Get participants involved in artwork or creating crafty articles with materials they can easily find in their homes (for remote training) or in the surroundings of the training class. Idea 3. Bonus points for stellar participation Award points for different categories of participation during the class. (Best question, craziest idea, thought-provoking opinion). Idea 4. Track and reward learning streaks This would work very well for compliance and onboarding training seasons where multiple sessions must be completed. Idea 5. Debates and friendly battles One of the cornerstones of adult learning is making the process social. So give opportunities to your learners to discuss what they are learning or debate controversial topics, so they can discover different perspectives organically. Idea 6. Collectibles (and trading) Encourage negotiation skills with small rewards that can be collected and traded among participants. Idea 7. Find a word/image Hide words or images throughout the session (around the classroom if ‘live’ or in the virtual learning material) for students to find and earn rewards. Idea 8. Unlock your course Design a city map where each area has different tasks and objectives. Choose a known city with its landmarks (like New York) or get creative and create a new city for your students to discover. Idea 9. Create a range of distinctive rewards desirable to different gamers Remember some may like tangible things and others may want more subtle things, like a longer recess. Idea 10. Monitor, assess , and don’t be afraid to change Or adjust the ‘games’ as your learning journey develops. Give gamification a try! It has proven to encourage active and continuous learning, create more enjoyable and lasting education experiences, and is also a great way for scoring many peanut M&Ms!

If you're a facilitator, you probably have experience in both virtual and face-to-face settings. Traditional facilitation skills, such as questioning, listening, and observing non-verbal communication, are still critical in the virtual world. However, there are some extra components to consider when facilitating virtually. Below are some areas we've found helpful to consider and the 5 tools we use for our own events. Table of Contents: What to Consider Tool 1. Miro Tool 2. Sli.do Tool 3. Kumospace Tool 4. Kahoot Tool 5. Padlet Bonus tools What to Consider Virtual facilitation is a great way to connect with remote teams. It can help people visualize their work or build trust between team members. Whether you are new to virtual facilitation or have been doing it for a while, you need to consider these tools to bring your sessions to life: Virtual boards. A board is a visual tool that allows you to organize and share information. You can use it to track projects or visualize workflows, collaborate with others, and prioritize tasks. Sticky notes in various shapes and colors Voting tools Ability to draw on the screen with lines and arrows Adding icons, images, circles/ovals, text boxes, etc. Multiple boards in one workspace 5 Apps for Virtual Facilitation Tool 1. Miro Miro is a free tool that allows you to create custom boards and invite people to collaborate on them. You can share the board, add notes, shapes, text, emojis, attachments, and more. Miro allows participants to vote on all items on a board or specific areas. They have an extensive library of templates you can use, like Meeting minutes, Kanban boards, and brainstorming. How we use Miro: brainstorming ideas with team members breakout room exercises (i.e. prepare a presentation in a smaller group, read through materials, create a visual map, etc.) scenario-based case studies voting on ideas and concepts icebreakers and energizers Tool 2. Sli.do Sli.do is a free, easy-to-use audience response tool that allows participants to interact with presenters by submitting questions in real-time. Participants can use their mobile phones or computers during presentations and team-building activities. Sli.do also has a variety of other features, including polls and surveys, which allow you to gather information from your audience on the fly; it's great for remote meetings and large groups who aren't all sitting together in the same room or online meeting space. This virtual facilitator tool makes it easy to collect information without bogging down the presentation—or driving those taking notes crazy! How we use Sli.do: collect questions during an event get audiences' reactions (through polling) interacting with hundreds of participants Tool 3. Kumospace KumoSpace is a virtual meeting room that allows you to conduct collaborative meetings, trainings, and workshops with your colleagues or peers. You can also hold webinars and events as well as provide technical assistance to teams in real-time (though the large events features do not come with a free account). How we use Kumospace: 1-on-1 meeting rooms - A private chat space with one person at a time. Group sessions - an open virtual space where everyone joins in and can freely discuss any topics, just like in a physical room Whiteboard - A blank canvas where you can draw on with markers and share your ideas visually in real-time with other participants in the meeting room. Tool 4. Kahoot Kahoot! is a gamified response system that can be used with remote teams for presentations, team-building activities, and icebreakers. It's free to use, but you'll need to register with Kahoot! Before getting started. Your virtual session attendees will use their own devices during the meeting to follow along on their screen as you facilitate the event remotely or in person. How we use Kahoot: check understanding of a particular topic (through a quiz) check comprehension after a complex problem (through a quiz) gamifying learning content icebreakers and energizers Tool 5. Padlet Padlet is a free tool that allows teams to collaborate on virtual boards that are both creative and visually pleasing. It's great for virtual facilitation because you can create colorful, exciting boards that will help your audience better engage with the content you're presenting. Padlet also allows you to add links, videos, and images throughout your board. This provides additional resources for participants as they work through the process of creating their own group projects or presentations. How we use Padlet: ask participants to put a pin of where they are right now on a Google map brainstorm answers to case studies vote or comment on other people's contributions energizers during breaks (we ask participants to find a specific object - blue, round, frames, etc. - take a picture and post it on a board) Bonus tools The world of virtual facilitation tools is HUGE! Here is a list of additional tools you may want to try: Mentimeter : another audience-response tool, similar to Sli.do. It has a free plan and is easy to use, making it an excellent option for small teams or individuals who want to get started with virtual facilitation but aren't ready to commit to a paid plan just yet. Groupmap : A simple tool that allows anyone to make sense of information by placing items onto a shared digital whiteboard. It's visual voting - where everyone has a voice! Mural : another great virtual whiteboard for teams. Share boards, notes, documents, and links with ease. It's important to remember that virtual facilitation is a skill you can develop over time with practice. Each tool mentioned has its own unique features and benefits, so feel free to test them out and figure out which one works best for you and your team. You'll definitely find the right tool or combination of tools—and the right mix of introspection, brainstorming, collaboration, and creativity—to help your meeting be more impactful.

As a Learning and Development professional, you understand the importance of creating effective learning programs that meet the needs of your target audience. However, even the most well-designed learning initiative can fail if it’s not marketed effectively. That's why crafting an L&D marketing message that resonates with your audience is crucial to ensuring the success of your programs. In this article, we'll explore 7 key strategies for developing a marketing message that engages and motivates your audience to take action. Table of contents: 1. Know your audience 2. Focus on benefits 3. Use Clear and Simple Language 4. Make it Engaging 5. Highlight Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) 6. Provide Social Proof 7. Chose the right channel Conclusion 1. Know your audience The first step in creating a marketing message that resonates with your audience is to understand who they are. This means identifying their needs, goals, and pain points so that you can tailor your message to meet those needs. For example, if you're creating a training program for a sales team, you'll want to focus on how the program will help them close more deals and increase revenue. Conduct Market research The first step in getting to know your audience is to conduct market research for the employees in your organization. This can involve gathering data from a variety of sources, mostly HR reports and surveys. By analyzing this data, you can gain insights into your audience's demographics, behaviors, and preferences. For example, you may discover that your audience is primarily made up of millennial professionals who are interested in career advancement opportunities. Create Learner Personas Another important strategy is to create learner personas. These are fictional representations of your ideal customers, based on real data and research. A learner persona should include information such as age, gender, job title, interests, pain points, and goals. By creating these personas, you can better understand your audience's motivations and develop a marketing message that speaks directly to them. Use social listening tools In addition to gathering data, you can also use social listening tools to monitor conversations and trends in employees' behaviors. By monitoring internal social media platforms, online forums, and other online communities, you can gain valuable insights into your audience's interests, concerns, and opinions. This information can then be used to create a marketing message that resonates with them and addresses their needs and pain points. Test your marketing message Finally, it's important to test your marketing message with your target audience before launching it. This can involve conducting A/B testing on your Learning Management System (LMS) or internal social media platforms or even conducting a pilot program for your learning initiative. By testing your message, you can get feedback from your audience and make adjustments to ensure that it resonates with them and motivates them to take action. 2. Focus on benefits The next tip is to focus on benefits. People are more likely to be interested in something if they see the benefits it can provide them with. By highlighting the benefits of your program, you can persuade your audience to take action and enroll in your learning program. What аre some of the benefits employees may want? How about improved job performance, increased productivity, or career advancement? What are some other benefits you’d expect? Identify the learning program advantages The first step in focusing on benefits is to identify the specific advantages your learning program offers. For example, does your program help employees learn new skills, increase their productivity, or improve their job performance? Once you have identified the benefits, you can start to highlight them in your marketing message. Be specific and provide examples When highlighting benefits, it's important to be specific and provide concrete examples. Instead of saying that your program can improve job performance, you could say that employees who complete the program can expect to increase their sales by 25% or reduce their error rates by 50%. Providing specific examples helps your audience imagine the tangible benefits applied to their lives directly and, hopefully, motivates them to take action. Emphasize the value In addition to highlighting the benefits of your program, it's also important to emphasize the value it offers. People are more likely to enroll in a program if they feel that they are getting a good deal. This could include offering things like access to additional resources and support (i.e. one-on-one coaching or mentoring) or highlighting how the program will help advance their career in the future. 3. Use Clear and Simple Language Avoid using technical jargon or complicated language that may confuse your audience. Instead, use clear and simple language that everyone can understand. This will help ensure that your message is accessible to everyone and that they can easily grasp the key points. Audience level of familiarity When creating your marketing message, consider the audience's level of familiarity with the subject matter. For example, if you're marketing a data analytics training program to employees who are not familiar with the subject, you'll need to use language that is easy to understand. This could include using analogies or real-life examples to explain complex concepts. Use visuals Another effective strategy is to use visuals to support your message. This could include using diagrams or flowcharts to illustrate a process or concept. Visuals can help make your message more engaging and easier to understand, particularly for those who are visual learners. Keep it concise When crafting a marketing message, it is important to strike a balance between being clear and concise, while also providing enough information to persuade your audience to take action. A concise and compelling message is more likely to resonate with your audience and motivate them to enroll in your training programs. Here are some examples: Concise language: "Learn new skills to advance your career." "Improve productivity with our time management training." "Get personalized coaching for better results." Verbose language: "Our training programs offer a comprehensive range of courses that provide the opportunity to acquire new skills and knowledge to help you advance your career to the next level." "Our time management training is designed to assist individuals in increasing their productivity by teaching them how to effectively manage their time and prioritize tasks in order to meet their goals and deadlines." "Our coaching program offers a unique opportunity to receive individualized attention and guidance in order to achieve optimal results." Use tools When creating your marketing message, consider using plain language tools or software to simplify your language. These tools can help you identify complicated phrases or jargon and suggest simpler alternatives. One of our favorite tools is QuillBot , it can paraphrase text to make it easier for the reader to understand. Another one is, of course, ChatGPT . This tool can suggest simpler alternatives to complex or technical language, help you edit your marketing message to ensure it is clear, concise and easy to understand, and assist in analyzing your audience based on their preferences and characteristics. 4. Make it Engaging Your message should be engaging and capture the attention of your audience. By using a variety of formats and storytelling techniques , you can capture the attention of your audience and connect with them on an emotional level. Use different formats One effective strategy for making your message engaging is to use a variety of formats, such as video, graphics, or animations. These formats can help make your message more visually appealing and interesting, particularly for those who are visual learners. For example, you could create a short animated video that explains the benefits of your learning program or use infographics to illustrate key concepts. Storytelling Another effective strategy is to use storytelling techniques to create a narrative that resonates with your audience. This could involve sharing success stories from previous program participants or creating a fictional story that illustrates the benefits of your training program. By creating a story that connects with your audience's emotions, you can help them see the value in your program and motivate them to take action. Create interactive content In addition to using storytelling techniques, you can also make your message more engaging by creating interactive content. This could include quizzes, polls, or games that allow your audience to interact with your message and actively engage with the content. Use humor Another effective strategy for making your message engaging is to use humor or other attention-grabbing tactics. For example, you could use a humorous meme or gif to grab your audience's attention and make them more likely to engage with your message. However, it's important to use these tactics in moderation – make sure it’s appropriate and relevant to your audience. 5. Highlight Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) The Unique Selling Proposition (USP) should answer 1 question – What makes your learning program stand out from others in the market? The USP is there to differentiate your offering and make it more appealing to your target audience. Conduct a competitive analysis One effective strategy for highlighting your USP is to conduct a competitive analysis to identify what makes your program unique. This could involve researching other (internal or external) training programs in your industry and identifying the features and benefits that they offer. By understanding what other companies are offering, you can identify gaps in the market and highlight the features that make your program stand out. Highlight the benefits of your USP Another effective strategy is to focus on the benefits of your USP. For example, if your program offers personalized coaching, emphasize how this feature can help employees achieve their goals and improve their job performance. Another example – the program is facilitated by leaders within the business, which is great opportunity not only to learn from them, but get to know them in a different setting. 6. Provide Social Proof Social proof can be a powerful tool in convincing people to take action. Highlight success stories and testimonials from people who have benefited from your training programs to demonstrate their effectiveness and build trust with your audience. Get testimonials One effective strategy for providing social proof is to gather testimonials from previous program participants. This could involve reaching out to alumni of your program and asking them to share their experiences and how the program has helped them. By sharing these testimonials on your Learning Management System, internal social media, intranet or marketing materials, you can demonstrate the real-world impact of your training program and persuade others to enroll. Use case studies Another effective strategy is to use case studies. They involve analyzing the success of a specific program participant or group of participants and demonstrating how they have benefited from the program. By sharing these case studies with your audience, you can illustrate the impact of your training program and provide tangible evidence of its effectiveness. Make it relevant It's also important to use social proof that is relevant to your audience. For example, if you're marketing a leadership development program to mid-level managers, you'll want to share testimonials and case studies from other mid-level managers who have benefited from the program. This will help your audience see themselves in the success stories and feel more motivated to enroll in the program. Use influencers Another effective strategy is to use social proof from internal learning champions or (formal or informal) leaders. This could involve sharing endorsements from popular company leaders or featuring quotes from learning champions. This builds credibility and trust with your audience. 7. Choose the right channel Last but not least, let’s talk about selecting the right internal communication channel. This is critical for delivering your L&D marketing message to your target audience effectively. There are a variety of communication channels that you can use, including the intranet, SharePoint, learning management system (LMS), email, internal social media, and more. Let’s take a deeper dive. Intranet One effective channel for delivering your L&D marketing message is the intranet. It is a central hub for internal communication and can be used to share information and updates about your training programs. By posting updates, testimonials, success stories, and other relevant content on the intranet, you can ensure that your message reaches a wide audience and is easily accessible to everyone in the organization. LMS Another effective channel is the learning management system (LMS). The LMS is designed specifically for delivering and managing training programs, making it an ideal channel for marketing your L&D offerings. By including marketing messages and promotional materials within the LMS, you can ensure that your message is seen by those who are actively engaged in learning and development. Email Email is another effective communication channel for delivering your L&D marketing messages. It allows you to reach a large audience quickly and easily, and can be customized to target specific groups or individuals within the organization. By using email to promote your training programs, you can ensure that your message is seen by those who are most likely to be interested in your offerings. Internal social media Internal social media is also an effective communication channel for delivering your L&D marketing message. By using internal social media platforms such as Yammer, Workplace by Facebook, or Slack, you can share updates, testimonials, and other promotional materials in a more casual and engaging way. This can help increase engagement and generate interest in your training programs among employees. Conclusion Crafting an L&D marketing message that resonates with your audience is critical for the success of you L&D programs. By understanding your audience, focusing on benefits, using clear and simple language, making it engaging, highlighting your unique selling proposition, and providing social proof, you can create a compelling message that motivates people to take action and enroll in your programs. How do you market your L&D programs? Let us know in the comments below.

As a Learning and Development professional, you're asked to do more with less. In addition, you have to shift from in-person experiences to online and remote learning. You might be struggling with this new reality, wondering how you're going to deliver the same level of quality learning without access to the usual offline techniques. But all is not lost! There are many practical ways to design engaging and interactive virtual learning experiences for your learners—without breaking the bank. In this article, we'll share some tips on how to do this. Table of contents: 1. Connect to the big picture 2. Build a personal connection 3. Make it hands-on 4. Use multimedia to guide the experience 5. Tie it to real-life 6. End with an opportunity for reflection and action planning Conclusion 1. Connect to the big picture If you want to engage your remote learners, you'll have to connect their learning to the big picture. That means you should help them understand: How does the current learning fit into the overall program plan? How the courses they're taking will lead them toward their personal goals and aspirations? How will what they learn in this course affect them personally? The best way to go about it is to set clear and meaningful learning objectives. It's not enough to say, "By the end of this course, you will improve your communication skills." The objectives need to truly embody your learner's reality: "By the end of this course, you will be able to create a dialogue with your key stakeholders and get their buy-in every time." Moreover, when you want to engage remote learners, you need to help them see how what they are learning is relevant to their lives. Give them answers to these questions: How will this course improve your job performance? What kind of knowledge or skills do you need to achieve your personal goals? How does this course relate to other classes you have taken in the past or are currently taking? 2. Build a personal connection Be sure to build a personal connection with your students. The easiest way to do this is by getting to know them. This will make all the difference in helping them feel connected and invest themselves in the learning initiative. Some of the things you can try are to: ask your learners about their work, challenges, interest, and hobbies before the learning experience during the interaction, use their names, and ask them to share their challenges prepare a photo challenge people can participate in before, during, or after the learning is taking place Make your learners feel special, rather than just another student or a statistic in your dashboard. You can even ask about their personal life if it's relevant to your subject matter! Just make sure you respect any boundaries they set for themselves before doing so. 3. Make it hands-on The best way to engage remote learners is by making your content hands-on and interactive. Use interactive activities : Interactive activities will help your students learn through their individual actions rather than just listening or watching others. These types of exercises also have the potential to break down communication barriers and allow for more participation from remote students who may be shy or nervous about speaking up in class. Make it active : An activity that requires students to move around is a great way for them to get involved in the lesson. Especially if there's a physical component involved, like building something out of available objects around the house or using their bodies as instruments. If you want this kind of activity but don't want them moving too much, try adding some movement into your presentation through technology. For example, have some PowerPoint slides with built-in movement (or even better yet, with advanced animation. Just be careful not to overdo it!) Use collaboration tools : Collaboration tools allow students who aren't in the same room to work together on projects remotely using computers, tablets, and smartphones. Collaborating via technology can often feel more personal than working with someone next to you. Online you don't have any distractions like eye contact or body language to account for. Instead, you can focus on what needs to be done. Check out our post on the 5 apps for virtual facilitation . Use simulations: this gives learners a chance to practice hard skills, like coding, basic grammar, and working with software. Use mobile learning apps: there are apps out there that offer gamification elements to motivate users while learning new things. Learn more about Gamifying your training on our blog. 4. Use multimedia to guide the experience The key to successful remote learning is the use of multimedia. Use multimedia to help learners understand the content, context, skills, concepts, and application of the material. The following are a few examples: Content : Use video or audio recordings that introduce new concepts and provide instructions on carrying out procedures or completing tasks. This can be done by an instructor or pre-recorded by a subject matter expert. Any additional media you use will liven up your session and break the monotony of listening to only one person. Context : If your course has a virtual room set up in which participants can interact with each other during lessons (such as KumoSpace ), consider having the instructor hold periodic "office hours" where participants can ask questions and get their issues resolved. You could also establish an official hashtag for this purpose so that everyone knows where all questions should go! Explanation and Demonstration : Use video tutorials for conceptual explanations and demonstrations of how a skill is done. This is especially helpful for visual learners who need to see things in action before they understand them. This helps them develop their own mental models of how something works without having to memorize step-by-step instructions from a book or manual. Different perspectives: For complex topics or ideas with multiple layers of meaning or interpretation—for example, leadership—add audio recordings that offer different perspectives on those same concepts. This way, learners can actively interpret what they read rather than having it interpreted for them by an instructor or textbook author. 5. Tie it to real-life A great way to engage your remote learners is to tie the learning you provide with real-life examples. For example, if your company has a mission statement that includes being "A company that makes a difference in people's lives," then tie your course material into how each individual can make their own unique difference. If you are teaching a class on leadership skills, then show them how they can use those skills on their current projects or in their current roles at work. It's essential to make the content you are presenting relevant to your learners' lives. This can be done in several ways: by tying what they're learning to their company strategy and mission, using real-life examples, or giving them some kind of work that they can do on their own (like a case study or a project). 6. End with an opportunity for reflection and action planning We've mentioned how important it is that your learners understand the learning goals and objectives. But you also need to ensure they know what they are supposed to do next and how they will be evaluated. For this, you may want your learners to: take a quiz or test, reflect on their learning, or come up with an action plan for the future. Whatever the case, provide clear instructions at the end of the learning intervention so that everyone leaves with an understanding of what's expected. Be sure to give your learners some opportunity for reflection and action planning by asking them questions like, "How does this relate to what we've done before? How does it help us reach our goals?" This way, even if they can't see how everything ties together at first glance, they'll start thinking about ways in which each piece fits into a bigger picture, as well as how each piece relates back to their own personal goals and/or interests. How can you give your learners an opportunity to apply what they learn and make their learning experiences more engaging? Here are some ideas: Teach your learners how to connect their learning with their work by sharing examples and stories from the business. Teach your learners how to connect their learning with the team/group they work in so that they can share knowledge, experience, and perspectives across teams. Encourage them to book some time and talk to their team members about their key takeaways. Help learners understand the big picture and show how everything connects together over time (e.g., future workplace). Involve their managers, encourage conversations on how things might change in the future, and follow up sometime after the end of the learning program. Conclusion I always tell my learners that we need to agree on a definition before we can have a conversation about an issue. So let's define engaging learning as when learners use their heads and their hands to do something meaningful. And that's what I'm asking you to do right now! Think about your own remote learning and development approach—what one strategy will make it more engaging? Pick one idea from this article or think of the best thing you saw someone else do in the past year and write it down. How can you apply it in your next remote course or learning program?

As someone who has spent the last 12 years in the Learning & Development (L&D) field, I can tell you that it's both a rewarding and challenging career. But if you've ever thought that maybe L&D is for you and aren't sure how to start moving in this direction, here are seven easy steps for turning your dream job into a reality: Table of contents: Step 1: Build foundational L&D knowledge Step 2: Improve your technology expertise Step 3: Get some practice Step 4: Develop soft skills Step 5: Join an L&D community Step 6: Get an entry job in L&D Step 7: Keep learning Step 1: Build foundational L&D knowledge As a learning and development professional, your job is to help employees learn and develop. This means that you need a good understanding of learning and development, why it's important for companies success, and what you should be doing to support that learning. The first step in becoming a Learning & Development professional is building foundational knowledge—i.e., the basic concepts that underlie all learning programs. These concepts include things like "knowledge acquisition" (the process by which people acquire new information), "learning theory" (the study of how we learn), and "behavioral change" (changing people's behavior). If you'd like to get an introduction to the topic of Learning and Development , make sure you watch What is L&D in our free Start a Career in L&D guide. And for more in-depth knowledge, we suggest you take a look at our course "Learning & Development Fundamentals: Practitioner's Guide". Step 2: Improve your technology expertise Let's face it: you can't be an effective L&D professional if you don't know how to use technology. This includes staple programs like M.S. Powerpoint, Excel, and Word, but also more specific technologies, like eLearning and video creation software, as well as Learning Management Systems (LMS). There are many ways to learn about new technologies and apply them to your work. Which ones will be critical for you to know depends on the type of L&D role you are in. It is a good idea to seek ways to improve your technical expertise constantly. Here are some ways to do that: Read books and blogs about learning technologies. (You can review a curated list by EdTech Books here ) Attend conferences where people discuss new technology in the field of L&D. (For example, several conferences focus on learning technologies: by Learning Technologies and eLearning Industry , to name a few) Join online communities dedicated to specific types of technology or other topics related to your work as an L&D professional (e.g., LinkedIn groups or communities). Participate in conversations with other professionals who specialize in similar areas (e.g., through Facebook Messenger chats or groups). Step 3: Get some practice It's cliche, but practice makes perfect. You can only become an expert if you spend time doing the work. To learn the ropes, you need to get some practice under your belt by gaining experience through internships or training programs. If that's not an option for you, find someone who has done what you want to do and ask them for advice on how they got started. I sometimes get approached by aspiring L&D practitioners on LinkedIn , and I'm always happy to share some advice from my personal experience. Another option is volunteering for a relevant organization; many companies look for volunteers with skills that could be helpful for their cause. Think of youth organizations or the Red Cross. If there aren't any volunteer opportunities available in your area, consider offering a completely free digital or in-person presentation or class on a topic of your choice and promote it through Facebook or other social media platforms. Even if just 5 people show up, it's still a great experience and will teach you a lot. Step 4: Develop soft skills Soft skills are the competencies that help you work with other people. They include things like communication, teamwork, leadership and more. In L&D, we often emphasize soft skills because they're important for our day-to-day functioning and foster a culture of learning in our organizations. But guess what? Soft skills are important for all jobs! You can't be successful at your job if you don't have good interpersonal competencies —and it doesn't matter if you're an accountant or an aerospace engineer; you’d still need to work well with others, or you won't get far on the career ladder. So how do we develop these essential soft skills? The first step is realizing that developing them will take time. Not everything comes naturally—you'll need practice and get feedback from others. There are plenty of courses online , many even free, so pick up a topic and start learning. Another great way to learn is through books, but remember that it's not enough to just read about something - you also need to carve out time to practice that skill. Step 5: Join an L&D community An L&D community is a group of people with similar interests in the field of learning. These communities come in all shapes and sizes, from informal Slack channels to more formal LinkedIn groups. Joining one can be a great way to learn new things, connect with other professionals in your field, and get your foot in the door. Some L&D communities even help their members land jobs! Joining an L&D community is easy: look for one online or ask around at conferences or meetups to find out which ones are active in your area. Here are some of the groups I'm part of: L&D Connect Organization Development, Learning Development and Human Resources TrainingZone - training, learning & development P.S. The L&D Academy has its own private community on LinkedIn . Make sure to check it out! Step 6: Get an entry-level job in L&D If you're going to make it into L&D, you need to start somewhere. But before you apply for L&D positions left and right, make sure you're clear on what type of role you want. Yes, surprise, surprise! There is more than one L&D role ! And each role may require a different set of competencies . So, if you'd like to be prepared for that first interview, make sure you first spend some time learning about your desired role and career path and develop a few of the critical competencies required for it. Once you feel you've done all the prep you need, start applying. LinkedIn is a great place to search for L&D jobs, stay up-to-date with industry news, and make meaningful work relationships. Some other places you can look up: Glassdoor Indeed MonsterJobs Step 7: Keep learning! You might be thinking, "Gee, that's a lot of work—and how am I going to fit it all in?" The good news is that you don't have to do all this at once; you can spread out the learning and development process over time. The important thing is to keep learning new skills and acquiring knowledge to continue progressing in your career. Here are some ways: Keep up with technology changes—Learn about new tech products, software programs, and devices as they come out and what they mean for your industry or team. For example: What does augmented reality mean for H.R. professionals? How could VR/AR help training programs? Learn from others—Listen to podcasts like The eLearning Coach and L&D+ for Learning and Development topics. Also, check out TED Talks , with more than 2 million talks on topics ranging from science & technology to design & architecture. These are great resources full of valuable information! Becoming a Learning & Development professional can be challenging, but it's also a great career opportunity. Take it one step at a time, and don't overwhelm yourself. As an aspiring L&D professional, you should know that learning doesn't happen overnight. 😉