kineo product knowledge e-learning

Product knowledge e-learning: keeping pace with change

Stephen Walsh, PartnerCammy Bean, VP Learning Designwww.kineo.comtwitter: @kineolearning

Working with leading clients...

Your hosts

Stephen Walsh

Stephen.walsh@kineo.com

Twitter: @stephentwalsh

Cammy Bean

Cammy.bean@kineo.com

Twitter: @cammybean

•Product knowledge – the challenges

•3 steps to making product knowledge e-learning work

•Move fast •Build it right •Keep it agile

•Demos and examples

•Your questions

Today

What is product knowledge e-learning?

• Short, focused e-learning bits: 10-20 minutes

• The latest product offerings and updates

• Required in 3 weeks or less• Delivered to busy learners

(typically sales and retail)• Frequent updates

So why are you here?

So why are you here?

• Are you doing any product knowledge training?• What are the challenges?• How does it need to be better?

Products Change!

How many Blackberry models have there been since the 5810 launched in 2002?

Type your guess in the chat window.

Over 60: that’s an average of a new one every 5 weeks!

Key Challenges

• Keeping pace with change• Staff turnover• Fitting in training with their jobs• Keeping delivery costs low• Engaging the learner• Developing sales skills• Updating content

Product knowledge e-learning: How should we do it?

Step 1: Move fast!

Pop quiz…

•How long should it take to develop 20 minutes of product knowledge e-learning?

•What’s your experience?

•How could it go faster?

Rapid Prototypes

• Are fun!• Shorten the process – includes art

direction, design ideas, navigation, level of interaction, etc.

• Helps people talk more constructively

• Leads to more creative designs• Everyone has a view on a prototype,

can test with learners• Great way to work side-by-side –

often that’s how we do it

Product Knowledge Example 2 Day Prototype

Step 2: Build it right.

Please, not just the facts!

Knowing about a product’s features...

Knowing about a product’s features ...is not the same as...

•Understanding key benefits•Being able to deal with customer queries•Closing a sale

Please, not just the facts!

Put it into context.

• Recognize a problem and provide a solution

• Focus on questioning, listening and understanding

• Recall key product information and explain

• Operate independent of job aids• Keep focused in a busy, noisy

environment

Make it fun!

Challenge and reward.

Keep it short. No, really.

Show how it works.

Tell stories, share examples.

Put it into practice.

Let’s look at an example!

Describe the benefits.

Don’t forget the features!

But keep it simple.

Use scenarios to keep it real.

Use scenarios to keep it real.

Step 3: Keep it alive!

Because products change so often...you need to update the e-learning often!

What About You?

• How long does it currently take you to make text or image changes in e-Learning?

What About You?

• How long does it currently take you to make text or image changes in e-Learning?

(Operators are standing by in our chat window. Aren’t they?)

Maintenance & Updating

• Should be quick and easy with no technical skills– Text– Images

• Use old fashioned XML • Allows fast updating• No authoring tool required

Updating with XML

Updating with XML

Updating with XML

Updating with XML

Product Portals: Sustaining performance

• Moodle LMS gives you more for less• Include a range of options

– Product Wikis – Pod/vodcasts– Polls and surveys– Discussion and live chat – RSS feeds to keep people informed – Quizzes and feedback

Let’s Review!

Resources – you are what you share

www.kineo.com

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Resources – you are what you share

40 guides – including our product knowledge guide at http://www.kineo.com/elearning-reports/product-knowledge-e-learning.html

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Any questions?

Contact

Stephen Walsh

Stephen.walsh@kineo.com

Twitter: @stephentwalsh

Cammy Bean

Cammy.bean@kineo.com

Twitter: @cammybean

Let us know what you thought: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=dmYxmlZGq1cVhlPpd2pKag_3d_3d

Photo Credits (Thanks Flickr!)

Patriotic plume: http://www.flickr.com/people/jurvetson/Wall Detail: http://www.flickr.com/people/glennwilliamspdx/Kiddie Rollercoaster: http://www.flickr.com/people/brent_nashville/ *Time* ticking away: http://www.flickr.com/people/mike9alive/Storyteller: http://www.flickr.com/people/nickpiggott/Practising arm crawls: http://www.flickr.com/people/mrsmaxspix/Red port: http://www.flickr.com/people/vaionnoth/