Just the nuggets, please…
The longer I spend in the instructional design world, the more I realize that rapid e-learning really means honing your craft to include a few key questions for SMEs, a few key shapes for your design, and a few key tricks for your creative process. Check out Tom Kuhlmann’s Rapid E-Learning Blog for some proof.
So, what are your key questions for SMEs? What two shapes might you choose to thread throughout your next e-learning interface design? And, what new tricks have you added to your repertoire of e-learning magic?
Share the knowledge wealth!
Susan Hendrich
Susan E. Hendrich 
I enjoy Tom Kuhlman’s blog, too. He is practicing what we all preach—breaking down important information into relevant, manageable, and interesting chunks.
Thank you, Susan, for the links and discussion. I’ll add my 2 cents and refer you to another good blog filled with these types of discussions: http://karlkapp.blogspot.com/.
Bridget.
LikeLike
Thanks for the plug. Good links in the comments. I’ll affirm Ray’s presentation. It’s similar to the approach I’ve adopted over the years.
He makes a good point near the end about working with upper level decision makers. I’ve found the difficulties are in applying a rapid approach strategically and getting buy-in.
LikeLike
Here’s an inspiring lesson on designing powerpoints that reminds me of your style, Susan. It’s a slideshare presentation called, “Taking Your Slide Deck to the Next Level,” by Scott Elias.
He has a great design blog, too:
http://blog.scottjelias.net/2007/11/presenting_about_presenting.html.
Thank you,
Mishka
LikeLike
Anna Gershen,
Thanks for your question. Here is an example of “one or two shapes” that are threaded througout an e-learning design: Notice how in Death by PowerPoint (and how to fight it), Alexei Kapterev uses a single semi-transparent rounded box throughout his entire presentation. Simple, effective design.
Susan
“Tell me, and I will forget. Show me, and I may remember. Involve me, and I will understand.” — Confucius
LikeLike
Ray Jimenez,
Your presentation on Rapid e-Learning Deployment is terrific. The ideas you present affirm the direction that e-learning seems to be heading…upward!
Upward? Yes, upward—using higher-level concepts to tap higher-order thinking through hierarchical presentation of material.
I love the notion that users can select the level and depth of learning that they need in order to perform the job well.
Brilliant and Simple (which I believe is a definition of Elegant)!
Susan
LikeLike
Susan,
You are absolutely right … with regard to working with SMEs. My experience tells me that many e-learning developers do not provide SMEs alternative ways to re-think their content presentation, hence, SMEs follow the path of least resistance.
Please see a presentation on Rapid e-Learning last week. https://admin.adobe.acrobat.com/_a227210/p18857080/
Click to access RapidDeployment_RayJimenez_follow-up.pdf
You can also find several entries on Rapid e-Learning from my blog. http://vignettestraining.blogspot.com/
Please let me know what you think.
Ray
LikeLike
Susan
I like your “keep it simple” mantra for e-learning. Can you give an example of “one or two shapes” that you reference?
Also, I like this blog—Rupa is collecting some interesting examples of rapid instructional design: http://writersgateway.wordpress.com/.
Thanks, and keep up the good blogging!
Anna Gershen
LikeLike