976 - Texas Flood Readiness, Graying of Learners, 1,000th Participant

Elliott Masie’s Learning TRENDS - August 28, 2017.
#976 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology Since 1997.
57,698  Readers - www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host of Learning 2017 - Oct 22 to 25 - Orlando - 1,017 Registered Already 

1. Crisis Readiness Perspectives: Texas Floods.
2. Graying of our Learners?
3. 1,000th Participant: Shelley Moss. 

1. Crisis Readiness Perspectives - Texas Floods: As you may know, The MASIE Center has been focusing on the Readiness of our Workplaces and Workforces for Cyber, Terror & Emergency Disruptions.  It will be a major focus at Learning 2017 and the current tragic weather in Texas is a deep reminder of preparing for the “worst”.

This morning, I was communicating with several learning leaders in the Houston and nearby regions about the impact of the Hurricane/Flood on their workplaces and the nature of readiness planning that was already (or not) in place to prepare for this type of emergency. 

Clearly, organizations have Crisis Reaction plans in place to strategically deal with weather intense shutdowns.  However, the readiness does not always extend to the entire workforce and many are working hard to stay on top of the impact of the storms and rising waters. 

Readiness must extend and include: 

- Employee safety.
- Employee anxiety about family/neighbors and property.
- Clear communication systems and Code Red status when communication systems are down.
- Multiple ways of reaching and communicating with employees, colleagues and management.
- Access to limited corporate networks (eg. Sharepoint) from remote locations without a firewall.
- Ability to work from home or remotely.
- Systems to communicate status and readiness with external customers, including a Code Red website.
- Coaching and intervention for employees facing significant loss.
- Volunteering and service mechanisms for staff to support each other. 

These are just a few of the elements that we MUST put in place, practice and keep up to date, with the entire workforce PRIOR to a Weather, Cyber, Terror or other Emergency. 

I am traveling to Japan on October 6th, to visit their Emergency Readiness and Simulation centers, which provide realistic and VR sims of hurricanes, earthquakes, radiation and other disasters.  We will be videotaping myself and others going through these Centers in both Tokyo and Kobe, in anticipation of providing a Learning Award to the program at Learning 2017 in October. 

2. Graying of our Learners? While much of the “age” conversation about shifts in the workforce has focused on the youngest folks in our organizations, there is a larger story. 

We have a significant “Graying” of the Workforce and also a “Graying of our Learners!” 

Many organizations are experiencing delayed retirement from workers in their 60’s and 70’s - due to either economic issues or an employee totally not ready to be “done”.  

Other organizations are consciously hiring more senior employees, often in a flex schedule model, to expand and extend the workforce.  And, many of these employees bring deep and wide skills, experiences and capacities. 

So, what does a “Graying of our Learners” trend imply for Learning & Development?  How do our learners learn differently as they grow older?  How should our learning assumptions and designs shift or be personalized as our learners age? And, how can we leverage the best of the mature learner as a vehicle for innovation in the world of learning? 

If you have some perspectives, I would love to hear from you.  Send an email to emasie@masie.com   And, you don’t have to be “gray” to contribute your perspectives. 

3. 1,000th Participant - Shelley Moss: We are honored to recognize Shelley Moss as our 1,000th Registered Participant for Learning 2017.  Shelley is a learning leader at Boeing in Seattle.  And, it will be her first time at our event. 

Since regulations prohibit us awarding any gifts to Shelley, we will give her a big cheer and hello in Orlando in October.  Check out her smiles at: http://tinyurl.com/masie1000 

Yours in learning, 

Elliott Masie
Email: emasie@masie.com
Twitter: @emasie 

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:

- Learning 2017 - October 22 to 25  Orlando, Florida USA - Over 1,017 Colleagues Registered Already!
- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM 

Details and Online Registration: http://www.masie.com 

Learning TRENDS is produced by The MASIE Center.  95 Washington Street, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

975 - Level Zero Evaluation? Updates on Eclipse at Work.

Elliott Masie’s Learning TRENDS - August 21, 2017.
#975 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology Since 1997.
57,694  Readers - www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host of Learning 2017 - Oct 22 to 25 - Orlando - 904 Registered Already 

1. Level Zero: Learning Assessment Rethought!
2. Eclipse Experience: What is Happening at Your Workplace Now?

1. Level Zero: Learning Assessment Rethought! We all know about Learning Evaluation at Level 1, 2, 3 or 4.  And, it can be a tricky conversation about how each of those Kirkpatrick levels can impact learning. 

But, I would like to SPIN this conversation to introduce: 

Level Zero: User Experience, Evidence, Alignment, and Readiness 

Before we focus on “how did the learners like or benefit from the learning activity”, let’s look at Level Zero - what we MUST do before learning is released, published, or delivered.  

Level Zero will be a theme of our Learning CONSORTIUM and Learning 2017 - as our field adds the approaches of User Experience Design, Usability, Alignment, and Evidence to Develop Learning. 

For example: 

* What did our User Experience testing tell us about the readiness of the learning program to be launched?
* What did our Usability work tell us about the technical and learner understanding status of the program?
* Alignment: Is this learning activity STILL relevant for the needs of this business unit or function?
* Evidence: How will we gather evidence to test if it would be better to stick with the old program or even drop the learning activity all together - with the same or better outcomes?
* And More… 

If you would like to think with me and others on the role that Level Zero has on learning, please send an email with some thoughts to emasie@masie.com 

2. Eclipse Experience: What is Happening at Your Workplace Now? Right now, we are preparing to go to the porch of The MASIE Center in Saratoga and watch some of the Eclipse through official Eclipse glasses. The staff have been sharing stories from their past about solar and lunar eclipses. And, I have been playing “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler. Curious about what other folks or organizations are doing at this Eclipse Moment. 

** Registrations for Learning 2017 are Soaring: We have had our highest rate of registrations in over 27 years for Learning 2017, which will happen Oct 22 to Oct 25 in Orlando, Florida. If you are planning on sending one colleague or a team to Learning 2017, please register early. We just added groups coming from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Dubai. Registration and Early Discounts at http://www.learning2017.com 

Yours in learning, 

Elliott Masie
Email: emasie@masie.com
Twitter: @emasie 

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:

- Learning 2017 - October 22 to 25 in Orlando, Florida USA - Over 904 Colleagues Registered Already!
- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM 

Details and Online Registration: http://www.masie.com 

Learning TRENDS is produced by The MASIE Center.  95 Washington Street, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

974 - Escape Room Learning, Leaders as Learners, Kinky Sox Races

Elliott Masie’s Learning TRENDS - August 11, 2017.
#974 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology Since 1997.
57,685  Readers - www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host of Learning 2017 - Oct 22 to 25 - Orlando - 819 Registered Already 

1. Gamification & Escape Room Learning Experiences!
2. Leaders as Overt Learners.
3. Watch Learning TRENDS Video & Curated Answers.
4. MASIE Stable:  Kinky Sox and Matzo Toga Horses Running! 

1. Gamification & Escape Room Learning Experiences! This year, we are adding a Gamification LAB and an Escape Room LAB as Experiences at Learning 2017. In both situations, our participants will have opportunities to create and experiment with “extreme” experiences as learning activity options: 

* Gamification LAB: In Orlando, a group of participants will discuss, design and sketch out a Learning App with gamification elements at the core.  Working with expert Karl Kapp and some of our 30 Under 30 Alumni, participants will imagine and frame out an engaging and cool app. Then, overnight a group of techie colleagues in Shanghai China will create a working prototype of the app that can be shared with the several thousand Learning 2017 participants. Based on the feedback, the app will be improved and then refined again overnight for review at the last session. And, the app will be placed in Open Source to be used by folks back at work. My fantasy is that we can locate the China colleagues at the new Disney in Shanghai and have a 24x7 video link between our two Magic Learning Castles. 

* Escape Room LAB: Last year, one of our highest impact activities was the Learning Escape Room, which was designed by participants to create a 30 minute intense engagement around a learning outcome. We are “scaling” this for Learning 2017, once again led by our 30 Under 30 Alumni. Participants will have an opportunity to be Producers of the Escape Room content and help assemble the challenges. And, more folks will have a one hour experience in the Escape Room, processing how it might be applied to the world of learning. In fact, several organizations leveraged the experience last year and have implemented Escape Rooms for leadership and other programs. 

Details at http://www.learning2017.com 

2. Leaders as Overt Learners: Consider a small and powerful intervention to better brand the leaders of your organization as Learners.  Here are a few suggestions: 

* Leaders’ Library: Books and small reactions to the titles that leaders (including your CEO) are currently reading.  Set them up in the lobby or an area in the dining room or a site online.  Watch these titles pop up on many folks’ desks.  And, they don’t have to be non-fiction or business books. 

* Leader as Online Student: Ask several leaders to enroll in an online learning program (offered internally or externally) and provide some photo shots and interviews with the leaders. 

* Curiosity Tags: Post small phrases that reflect the current “Curiosities” of leaders on any topic. 

* Trip Report: When leaders take business trips to other regions or countries, occasionally post a video that documents what they discovered or learned during the journey. 

3. Watch Learning TRENDS Video & Curated Answers: The 58 minute video Briefing on Learning TRENDS & Challenges in 2017 and a curated video of answers to emailed-in questions is now posted for viewing. We had over 2,500 watch these segments. Check it out at: http://www.learning2017.com/2017trends 

4. MASIE Stable: Kinky Sox and Matzo Toga Horses Running! It is Summer in Saratoga and the horses in The MASIE Stable have the honor of racing at the leading track in the world. Today, Kinky Sox (named after “Kinky Boots” that we produce) will run in the 9th race.  And, next week, we are hoping that Citizen Matzo will have her first race ever on Thursday. Don’t bet any money - but root for the horses. They are in “stretch assignments” and it is a powerful experience to race with 30,000 people watching and cheering. FYI: Kinky Sox has white ankles and gets a secret glazed doughnut every few days. “And they are off…..” 

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie
Email: emasie@masie.com
Twitter: @emasie 

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:

- Learning 2017 - October 22 to 25  Orlando, Florida USA - Over 819 Colleagues Registered Already!
- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM 

Details and Online Registration: http://www.masie.com 

Learning TRENDS is produced by The MASIE Center.  95 Washington Street, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

973 - Check Now - Act Later? Time Shifting Shift; Ask John Lithgow Questions on Storytelling

Elliott Masie’s Learning TRENDS - August 7, 2017.
#973 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology Since 1997.
57,678  Readers - www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host of Learning 2017 - Oct 22 to 25 - Orlando - 819 Registered Already 

1. Check Now - Act Later? Time Shifting!
2. Questions for John Lithgow on Storytelling???
3. Join Free Video Briefing on August 9th on Learning TRENDS 

1. Check Now - Act Later? Time Shifting!: One of the “trends” that I have been tracking is the way in which people are Time Shifting their decision making process. 

Let’s call it: “Check Now — Act Later?” 

In a nutshell, I watch many people (including myself) do a two-step, time-spread process for making a decision. 

* Check Now!  We have become awesome at using mobile devices and the internet to CHECK something out right now.  For example, are their tickets for a flight in six weeks.  We quickly check and validate that it is an OPTION.
* BUT!  Since we live in a time of continuous change and choices, rarely do we act right now.
* Act Later! A few days before the actual event or activity, we check again and ACT at the very last minute. 

Why? Things may change.  Prices may change.  Better options may appear.  “Check Now — Act Later!” is a process that is surfacing in the learning field, as many of our fellow employees are checking to see if the class or lab is still open.  But, they wait until the very last minute to confirm. 

This creates agility for the learner.  And, it could create ulcers for the learning producer/planner. 

Many learners are wanting to have an Uber or Lyft or AirBnB around learning.  I will be broadening this perception into a fun essay in the coming weeks.  What do you see is happening with the “Check Now — Act Later” shift? Send me an email to emasie@masie.com 

2. Questions for John Lithgow on Storytelling???  John Arthur Lithgow is an American actor, musician, singer, comedian, voice actor, and author. He will be one of our Keynoters at Learning 2017 and I would love to have some questions about “Storytelling” to ask him. 

John has received two Tony Awards, five Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, an American Comedy Award, four Drama Desk Awards and has also been nominated for two Academy Awards and four Grammy Awards.  He is well known for his television roles as Dick Solomon in 3rd Rock from the Sun, Arthur Mitchell in Dexter and Sir Winston Churchill in The Crown as well as for his roles in films Blow Out, Twilight Zone: The Movie, Footloose, Harry and the Hendersons, Raising Cain, Shrek, Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Interstellar. His performances in The World According to Garp and Terms of Endearment each earned him Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor.

At Learning 2017, we will have two experiences of and with John Lithgow.  He will be performing a one-man, one-act drama that is 55 minutes long - that will have you on the edge of your seats.  And, I will be interviewing John Lithgow about the art, skill and process of “Storytelling”. 

Send me a few questions that I could ask John Lithgow to emasie@masie.com   Thanks! 

e) Join Free Video Briefing on August 9th on Learning Trends: I will be doing a Live and Free one hour video briefing on Learning Trends and Challenges in 2017 on August 9th.  There are already over 1,500 earning colleagues signed up for this briefing.  Check out the content and hope you can join me: http://tinyurl.com/vidbriefing 

Yours in learning, 

Elliott Masie
Email: emasie@masie.com
Twitter: @emasie 

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:

- Learning 2017 - October 22 to 25  Orlando, Florida USA - Over 819 Colleagues Registered Already!
- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM 

Details and Online Registration: http://www.masie.com 

Learning TRENDS is produced by The MASIE Center.  95 Washington Street, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

972 - Augmented Performance Support, British Invasion of Learning Resources

Elliott Masie’s Learning TRENDS - August 1, 2017.
#972 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology Since 1997.
57,673  Readers - www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host of Learning 2017 - Oct 22 to 25 - Orlando - 713 Registered Already 

1. Augmented Performance Support for the Workplace: iPhone and Mobile
2. Join Free Video Briefing on August 9th on Learning Trends.
3. Julian Stodd and Nigel Paine “British Invasion” :) 

1. Augmented Performance Support for the Workplace - Phone and Mobile: While Virtual Reality is fascinating and engaging, the challenge of having to wear a surround set of goggles and be hooked to a high end computer has reduced the widespread adoption of VR for workplace learning and readiness.  There are exceptions in the aviation and medical space, but it is not scalable in 2017. 

However, watch the technologies that you will see coming from mobile phones, including some early indicators that the next iPhone MAY have dual cameras that allow for what we are calling “Augmented Reality”. (Don’t love the term but am intrigued by the emerging capacities.) 

Imagine a worker can take out their phone and point to something in the workplace or even on their screen, add a video chat with another resource, and have “performance support” content appear over the picture.  This ability for the user to mix and call forth content that is overlaid on a visual in the camera is where we see performance support moving. 

In the coming months, we will see the merger of Augmented Reality, Phones, Machine Learning, and more.  It has huge implications for the world of marketing, apps, and I believe Workplace Augmented content.  The technology has to blend into the learner’s daily reality vs. donning a heavy headset.  Here is one of the articles to check out: http://tinyurl.com/augrealwork 

2. Join Free Video Briefing on August 9th on Learning Trends: I will be doing a Live and Free one hour video briefing on Learning Trends and Challenges in 2017 on August 9th.  There are already over 1,300 learning colleagues signed up for this briefing.  Check out the content and hope you can join me: http://tinyurl.com/vidbriefing 

3. Julian Stodd and Nigel Paine “British Invasion” :)  Two of the most interesting learning authors and analysts from the United Kingdom are coming to our Learning 2017 Main Stage in October. 

Julian Stodd is the author of “The Social Leadership Handbook”.  He looks at the design of Scaffolded Social Learning and the impact of Social Collaborative Leadership.  I am honored to be interviewing Julian as a Keynoter and he will be facilitating conversations on this topic at Learning 2017. 

Nigel Paine is the author of  “The Learning Challenge: Dealing with Technology, Innovation and Change in Learning and Development”.  Nigel is a MASIE Learning Fellow and will be keynoting and leading a range of sessions. 

Complete details on our British colleagues at: http://www.learning2017.com 

Yours in learning, 

Elliott Masie
Email: emasie@masie.com
Twitter: @emasie 

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:

- Learning 2017 - October 22 to 25, Orlando, Florida USA - Over 713 Colleagues Registered Already!
- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM 

Details and Online Registration: http://www.masie.com 

Learning TRENDS is produced by The MASIE Center.  95 Washington Street, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866