Action
Mapping
Fast design for
powerful elearning



 Be an elearning
 action hero!
Most corporate elearning:

                    INFORMATION
                    DUMP



                            Why does this
                            happen?
Mistake #1:
“Our goal is to increase knowledge.”

  Our salespeople need
  to know all about
 the widgets they sell.




                          All about
                          widgets
Mistake #2:
“Knowledge = information.”

  We’d better cover
  everything they
 might need to know!


                       All about widgets
Mistake #3:
“Add a quiz, and we’re done!”

   Be sure to ask,
 “How much does
 a widget weigh?”


                     All about widgets
The results

Widget sales




               Our learner
What do we really want?


     We don’t want
     knowledge alone.

                  All about widgets
We want action!

            Increase widget sales
Action Mapping to the rescue!




                                4 steps...
1. Identify the business goal
What business change do we want to create?

                  Good: Increase
                  widget sales 8% by Q4

                  Avoid: Salespeople
                  should know all the
                  widget features
Why care about the goal?
A measurable business goal helps you:
 • Design relevant activities
 • Identify the crucial content
 • Evaluate the success of your project
 • Show how your work supports the business




         Widget sales
                                   “Our training
                                   did that!”
Put the goal in the middle of your map.




           Increase widget sales
                8% by Q4
Next step?
1.   Identify the business goal.
2.   ...?
                            Identify what people
                            need to know?
2. Identify what people need to do
List actions that people must
take to meet your business goal.

                              Identify what people
                              need to know?
Examples
To increase sales, our salespeople must:
  Ask questions that uncover a customer’s needs.
  Identify the best widget for the customer.
  Emphasize the benefits that will matter most
  to the customer.

                      These statements describe
                      actions, not knowledge.
Put the actions around your goal.
  action needed
  to reach goal




                  Increase widget sales
Identify why people aren’t taking the
necessary actions.
   For each action, decide what is preventing performance.




            Knowledge               Skills

           It’s time for...


            Motivation               Environment
Will training really solve the problem?
   Training

              Knowledge      Skills

          It’s time for...


              Motivation     Environment
Next step?
1.   Identify the business goal.
2.   Identify what people need to
     do to reach that goal.
3.   ...?
                             Identify what people
                             need to know?
3. Design practice activities
For each action that learners must take on the
job, design a practice activity.

Each activity should mirror
the real world as much as
possible.                     Identify what people
                              need to know?
Examples

  A fictional customer appears. The learner
  chooses questions that will reveal the
  customer’s needs.
  A customer wants to reduce their electricity
  use. The learner identifies the best widget
  and explains their choice.

                   Avoid fact checks and
                   trivia games. These don’t
                   happen in the real world.
Put your activities on the map
  activity that practices
  real-world behavior


                                                    Link each activity
                                                    to the real-world
                                                    action it supports

                            Increase widget sales
Next step?
1.   Identify the business goal.
2.   Identify what people need to do
     to reach that goal.
3.   Design activities that help
     people practice each behavior.
4.   ...?
                             Identify what people
                             need to know?
4. Identify what people need to know
                            V
                      really, really
Identify the information that the learners
must have to complete each practice
activity.
Put the information on the map.




             Increase widget sales
We should cover the
history of widgets!


                      We should describe
                      the supply chain for
                      widget parts.
If info doesn’t directly support an
activity...don’t add it!




                Increase widget sales




                                  X
                                        widget history
Course or job aid?
Course:
How to read a map




                        Job aid:
                        Roads in Utah
The Action Mapping process
1.    Identify the business goal.
2.    Identify what people need to do to
      reach that goal.
3.    Design activities that help people
      practice each behavior.
4. 1. Identify the minimum information
      people need to complete each activity.
Everything supports the
business goal.
                      Measurable goal




                      Increase widget sales


 Only the essential
 information for                    Job behavior
 that activity                      that will reach
                                    the goal
                              Realistic practice activity
                              for that behavior
Organization


             Blah Blah Blah Quiz!

Stream of
realistic
challenges

                                    Job aid or other
                                    NECESSARY info
Plunge learners directly into a realistic challenge
(no introductory do’s & don’ts)
       Magda has received a deep prick from a
       needle she removed from a patient’s artery.
       What should she do first?

           Let the wound bleed freely.
           Suck blood from the wound with a syringe.
           Pour Betadine on the wound.
           Report the injury to the Infection Control
           Team.



                        Real-world job aid


                     Need help?    Sharps
                                   poster
                                            Needlestick
                                               SOP
                                                             Ask
                                                          Compliance
The benefits
• Tightly focused materials
• Realistic, compelling activities
• No irrelevant information
• More likely to have a measurable business
 impact



          Widget sales
                                   “Our training
                                   did that!”
Want more?

         @CatMoore



                        blog.cathy-moore.com
                        More ideas like the ones in this presentation


             ElearningBlueprint.com
             Interactive job aid that helps everyone
             create lively elearning




      cathy@cathy-moore.com

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Design Lively Elearning with Action Mapping

  • 1. Action Mapping Fast design for powerful elearning Be an elearning action hero!
  • 2. Most corporate elearning: INFORMATION DUMP Why does this happen?
  • 3. Mistake #1: “Our goal is to increase knowledge.” Our salespeople need to know all about the widgets they sell. All about widgets
  • 4. Mistake #2: “Knowledge = information.” We’d better cover everything they might need to know! All about widgets
  • 5. Mistake #3: “Add a quiz, and we’re done!” Be sure to ask, “How much does a widget weigh?” All about widgets
  • 7. What do we really want? We don’t want knowledge alone. All about widgets
  • 8. We want action! Increase widget sales
  • 9. Action Mapping to the rescue! 4 steps...
  • 10. 1. Identify the business goal What business change do we want to create? Good: Increase widget sales 8% by Q4 Avoid: Salespeople should know all the widget features
  • 11. Why care about the goal? A measurable business goal helps you: • Design relevant activities • Identify the crucial content • Evaluate the success of your project • Show how your work supports the business Widget sales “Our training did that!”
  • 12. Put the goal in the middle of your map. Increase widget sales 8% by Q4
  • 13. Next step? 1. Identify the business goal. 2. ...? Identify what people need to know?
  • 14. 2. Identify what people need to do List actions that people must take to meet your business goal. Identify what people need to know?
  • 15. Examples To increase sales, our salespeople must: Ask questions that uncover a customer’s needs. Identify the best widget for the customer. Emphasize the benefits that will matter most to the customer. These statements describe actions, not knowledge.
  • 16. Put the actions around your goal. action needed to reach goal Increase widget sales
  • 17. Identify why people aren’t taking the necessary actions. For each action, decide what is preventing performance. Knowledge Skills It’s time for... Motivation Environment
  • 18. Will training really solve the problem? Training Knowledge Skills It’s time for... Motivation Environment
  • 19. Next step? 1. Identify the business goal. 2. Identify what people need to do to reach that goal. 3. ...? Identify what people need to know?
  • 20. 3. Design practice activities For each action that learners must take on the job, design a practice activity. Each activity should mirror the real world as much as possible. Identify what people need to know?
  • 21. Examples A fictional customer appears. The learner chooses questions that will reveal the customer’s needs. A customer wants to reduce their electricity use. The learner identifies the best widget and explains their choice. Avoid fact checks and trivia games. These don’t happen in the real world.
  • 22. Put your activities on the map activity that practices real-world behavior Link each activity to the real-world action it supports Increase widget sales
  • 23. Next step? 1. Identify the business goal. 2. Identify what people need to do to reach that goal. 3. Design activities that help people practice each behavior. 4. ...? Identify what people need to know?
  • 24. 4. Identify what people need to know V really, really Identify the information that the learners must have to complete each practice activity.
  • 25. Put the information on the map. Increase widget sales
  • 26. We should cover the history of widgets! We should describe the supply chain for widget parts.
  • 27. If info doesn’t directly support an activity...don’t add it! Increase widget sales X widget history
  • 28. Course or job aid? Course: How to read a map Job aid: Roads in Utah
  • 29. The Action Mapping process 1. Identify the business goal. 2. Identify what people need to do to reach that goal. 3. Design activities that help people practice each behavior. 4. 1. Identify the minimum information people need to complete each activity.
  • 30. Everything supports the business goal. Measurable goal Increase widget sales Only the essential information for Job behavior that activity that will reach the goal Realistic practice activity for that behavior
  • 31. Organization Blah Blah Blah Quiz! Stream of realistic challenges Job aid or other NECESSARY info
  • 32. Plunge learners directly into a realistic challenge (no introductory do’s & don’ts) Magda has received a deep prick from a needle she removed from a patient’s artery. What should she do first? Let the wound bleed freely. Suck blood from the wound with a syringe. Pour Betadine on the wound. Report the injury to the Infection Control Team. Real-world job aid Need help? Sharps poster Needlestick SOP Ask Compliance
  • 33. The benefits • Tightly focused materials • Realistic, compelling activities • No irrelevant information • More likely to have a measurable business impact Widget sales “Our training did that!”
  • 34. Want more? @CatMoore blog.cathy-moore.com More ideas like the ones in this presentation ElearningBlueprint.com Interactive job aid that helps everyone create lively elearning [email protected]