Thanks to those who attended.

Today we discussed:

Components of Informal Learning (e.g. eGuides):

1. Short and Targeted
2. Procedural/Step Action-oriented
3. Easy-to-Access

The Venza Sherpa® tool for the development of eGuides:

1. Small file size
2. Rapid development
3. Flexible deployment (i.e. LMS, Sharepoint, ThinClient)

How eGuides and other informal learning materials can supplement formal training materials such as eLearning modules.

I look forward to next week’s discussion on Referencing Reference Material.

Mark G. Richardson, author of How Fit is Your Business, facilitated a workshop entitled "Translating Optimism Into Action" at the Georgia Aquarium yesterday morning. Members of the Venza Group leadership team were in attendance.

During the workshop, Richardson outlined five keys necessary to position one's business for the future. They are:

1. Your Products
2. Your Team
3. Your Client
4. Technology
5. Strategic Partnerships

The workshop included business leaders representing the entire spectrum of industries. Interestingly, however, the morning concentrated on training initiatives for both internal and client consumption. The focus on learning and communications was to such an extent that one could easily imagine that Richardson was a member of the Venza Group, rather than a nationally recognized leader in the home renovation industry.

For example, considerable attention was given to the importance, in today's business climate, of making sure your team consists entirely of "A" players. And, if they are not performing as “A” players, providing them with the training they need to achieve peak performance.

In addition, the workshop included a discussion on the importance of educational programs as a means for enriching relationships with clients as well as bolstering the real value of goods and services.

Richardson wrapped up the workshop by offering attendees three options:

• Watch It Happen
• Wonder What Happened
• Make It Happen

It was abundantly clear how leveraging training and communications are essential elements to business leaders who want to Make it Happen. This is regardless of whether they are Rebuilding, Enhancing, or Growing their possibilities for the future.

I’d like subject you, for only a moment, to an analogy. An analogy linking a similarity between sports and business.

If you’re thinking that a sports analogy is uncreative, you may be right, but here goes ...

See, I volunteered to coach my son’s team a few years back and am now somewhat stuck in the system. They sort of list you as a coach, the players sign up for your team again, and before you know it, you’re the coach. So, every season, I try to improve myself by providing nuggets of coaching gold. I stumbled across the following contribution about maneuvering around a defender. It comes from a YouTube soccer coach guru by the name of Mike Hefron:

“In any beat the man move, in order for it to work effectively you’ve got to sell the move … There are three components to a beat the man move:

1. Change of Speed
2. Change of Direction
3. Element of Surprise"

So, there’s the analogy. Consider the execution of a “next generation” software product launch to be comparable to maneuvering a ball past an opponent. Whether the opponent is a competitor, time itself, or some other condition of concern, each new launch presents challenges.

Our hypothesis is as follows:
If you include a learning strategy in your “Next Generation” initiative, you will turn the corner with beneficial gains.

The Venza Group’s proposition is simple, when organizations strategically position training and customer-service as the business opportunity that it is, company goals will be achieved with efficiency, efficacy, and advancement.

Let's look at how ...

Strategically incorporating technology-based training and communications solutions can streamline your organization.

Well-architected web-based training modules, for example, can supplant on-site training calls, reducing the days and nights members of your team need to be at customer locations.

Electronic job-aids and learning management portals can provide just-in-time information for users. That way, your customer-service call center staff aren’t spending their hours giving tutorials, but rather, they are spending their time having revenue generating, up-sell conversations.

Also, the implementation of communications mechanisms can enhance the effectiveness of your organization. For example, measuring learning performance in a training simulation of an application provides valuable insight into the usability of that very system.

Also, offering multi-language versions of the training initiatives assures the success of your system use internationally.

I’d like for us to stop here for a moment and take note. Optimization efforts, such as we’ve discussed in the previous slides, are worthwhile. I mean, who doesn’t like the idea of cutting cost?

But can cost-cutting promise growth?

There is a Systems Theory term that addresses that question: sub-optimization. Sub-optimization occurs when different sub-units each attempt to reach a solution that is optimal for that unit, but that may not be optimum for the organization as a whole.

For example, the quality control department of a light bulb factory may want to introduce a program that will guarantee the perfection of every light bulb produced. However, the higher cost and the resulting high price would lead to disaster for the overall company in the form of lower sales. Another example might be the reduction of on-site installations at client locations to save on travel costs only to be overloaded with customer service calls and, heaven forbid, disenchanted users.

Thinking of training services as initiatives that are designed to cut costs, alone, may help your organization optimize. However, I’d like you to consider training and communications initiatives to be the innovative enhancements that help your company win.

This is where the kiddie-soccer analogy comes in handy. If you recall, there are three components to selling your move:

1. Change of Speed
2. Change of Direction
3. Element of Surprise

Training and Communications initiatives provide an opportunity for advancement, for that element of surprise. Managing organizational change, whether within your company or with your customers, brings your users up-to-speed in a systematic fashion. Secondly, adopting a variety of training deployment methods accounts for your variety of system users, spanning generations, communicating with them on a variety of devices. And thirdly, by recognizing the value that your customers place on the training of their people, you can create new streams of revenue.

In the past few months, the Venza Group has experienced explosive growth, becoming a market leader within the technology-based training space.  Much of this growth has come by way of referrals from satisfied clients and industry contacts.  In recognition, the 5-for-5 Program has been established to acknowledge and reward such referrals going forward.

Simply stated, for every $5,000 of incremental Venza Group business that results from a referral, the referring party will receive 5 minutes of Just-in-Time Training (a.k.a. eGuides) from the Venza Group - developed to their custom specifications - at no cost.

To refer a colleague, just complete the form available at http://www.venzagroup.com/5-for-5 .  Should the colleague subsequently take advantage of any of the products or services offered by the Venza Group, a member of our team will contact you.  Program terms and conditions are specified on the website.

Gap Training:

A training gap exists when there is a difference between present job skills and the skills needed, now and/or in the future. The execution of gap training is necessary for companies to remain competitive in the marketplace, today more than ever.

Extraordinary training gap materials are an astute blend of attractiveness, sound instructional design, developmental ease, and operational agility. Effective production of instructional materials that bridge training gaps requires an ingenious methodology, such as that which is revealed in the Venza Group’s “Let Your Reference Be Your eGuide” workshop.

Training professionals tasked with designing, developing, and/or deploying gap training materials will experience the following from the “Let Your Reference Be Your eGuide” workshop.

• Clear Instructional Approach for eGuide Design
• Simple Technology for eGuide Development
• Varied Operational Formats for eGuide Deployment