Live to Online: 3 Guidelines
Like you we’ve spent the last several months figuring out what to do with all the live training out there, and we’ve been reminded of a few things we strongly believe. Here is our advice when moving from live to online.
1. Instead of “converting” or “digitizing,” say “redesigning.”
This isn’t just semantics. The terminology we use shapes the way stakeholders view the effort, the way the project is scoped, and the choices the designers make.
Using the term “converting” or even “digitizing” suggests a sort of copy-paste from the facilitator guide to the online course. Obviously that’s not what we’re doing. We need to set ourselves up for success by accurately representing the effort and investment required.
Also, let’s acknowledge that live training is a totally different animal. To start, because you’ve managed to drag these people away from work for an hour, a half-day, maybe three days, the most common mistake with ILT is to (try to) teach them everything under the sun. You don’t see a lot of live trainings where they say “We’ll share just what you need to get started and have you out of here in 15 minutes.” But do participants retain everything they learn? No, they have pages of notes they may never look at again. Does it always translate into action on the job? Definitely not. And if we treat the project as a conversion, these poor design choices are more likely find their way into the digital training.
Designing a digital course is a chance to improve the learning approach and get the outcomes we need. Let’s go back to the drawing board and revisit the objectives. What does the learner need to be able to do differently? What do they already know that we can leverage? How can we craft a story-rich experience that is memorable and impactful? What should the flow and progression of learning be? You may end up with a radically different online design, and that’s probably good.
2. Be honest about the purpose of the live experience.
There are unique things about live training that will be impossible to re-create in an online format. It’s important to understand what learners appreciate about the existing experience and be clear about what will be different in the online version. Often this will be the social and networking aspect — time with colleagues and exposure to leadership. They may enjoy the break from their daily routine and the chance to be re-energized and rejuvenated. They may benefit from hearing others’ experiences and sharing their own.
A creative blended solution may also help you achieve some of the same goals moving forward. Maybe the kickoff or culminating experience can be a virtual event where everyone comes together for a specific purpose. There are also innovative digital platforms designed to facilitate cohort learning and collaboration — these are good solutions to consider if social learning is important in reaching the desired outcomes. It’s definitely possible to develop creative online experiences to build some/all of the same knowledge and skills and even the facilitate that mindset shift we want, but let’s remember that we’re working in a different medium.
3. Mourn the loss of the facilitator and move on.
A common mistake is to try to re-create the feeling of a live facilitator through the use of an online mentor. In a live setting, a good trainer can command attention and tell stories that resonate and engage learners, and an actor talking to camera is not going to give you the same result. There are many digital strategies for creating an effective and memorable experience that can influence behavior. And if your trainer was not particularly skilled or effective, this is definitely a chance to make some positive improvements.
Bottom line: If you’re already taking the time to develop a replacement for a live program, make sure you allow time and space to develop something impactful. This is a great chance to invest in a solution that will ultimately save the organization the time and money associated with live training and potentially deliver better results.