adobe nielsen rapid elearning

8/4/2019 Adobe Nielsen Rapid Elearning

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In a 2003 survey of Fortune 500 compa-nies more than 80 percent of respondentsindicated that rapid e-learning wouldsoon make a significant contribution totraining efforts in their organizations.

And while many of these early adoptersfound success in rapid e-learning initia-tives, overreaching aspirations of bothusers and technology providers led someto disappointment.

Since that time, two importantadjustments have occurred in the rapide-learning space:1. Organizations have better pinpointed

appropriate applications for rapide-learning

2. Rapid e-learning technologies havematured, broadening the scope ofpossible training applications

These adjustments from both sides

of the rapid e-learning equation havebrought the learning category intosharper focus and have aligned organiza-tional goals with very promising, low-cost, rapid e-learning opportunities.Learning professionals who have dis-counted the effectiveness of rapid e-learning in the past would do well totake a second lookits likely that theiremployers and clients already have.

Rapid vs. Traditional

According to The eLearning Guilds2006 Rapid e-Learning DevelopmentResearch Report, demand for rapid e-learning solutions has increased from 70percent in 2005 to a whopping 82 per-cent among the companies surveyed forthe report. And its easy to see why.Recent industry estimates put traditionale-learning development costs anywherefrom $5,000 to $50,000 per hour oflearning. Much of this cost is due to thenumber of job functions required todevelop customized programming forsuch courses.

In a traditional e-learning format, sub-ject matter experts submit content toinstructional designers who take theinformation and design a structuredlearning environment around it. The

instructional designer then passes thedesign to a programmer/developer whocreates customized coding to execute onthe design of the course. Finally, the pro-gram code is reviewed and tested by aquality assurance team, design and cod-ing problems are corrected, and thetraining is launched. The process, fromstart to finish, often requires months tocomplete (see Figure 1 on next page).

By Elizabeth WestEditorial Director, Custom Publishing,Nielsen Performance Group

Rapid E-Learning:Maturing Technology Brings

Balance and Possibilities

Whitepaper 2007

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Produced by The Nielsen Performance Group

Brought to you by

Rapid e-Learningat a Glance Can be developed

in 21 days or less

Doesn't require

specialist knowledge

and skills or third-

party support

Can use subject

matter experts to

author directly

Requires a low level

of investment to create

May have a short

shelf-life

May involve an ele-ment of virtual class-

room delivery or be

completely standalone


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The challenge of this type of e-learning development is clear to anybusiness in need of time- and cost-sensitivelearning materials. As speed-to-marketpressures increase and product life-cyclesactually decrease in the marketplace, theability to train sales staff, call centeremployees, customer service representatives,new hires, or any number of workersquickly and efficiently becomes paramountto a companys ability to compete. A surveyof training and HR managers conducted inSpring 2005 indicated that 72 percent oftheir training projects had to be completed

in fewer than 90 days in order to be timely(Bersin 2005). A 2004 study by thesame researcher showed that 89 percentof companies need to develop some por-tion of their e-learning solutions withinthree weeks.

Rapid e-learning addresses both timeand cost issues by using technology toolsto shift the dynamics of e-learning devel-opment. Rather than requiring monthsto develop learning materials, rapid e-learning typically takes weeks.

Empowered with turnkey tools, such

as Acrobat Connect Professional, AdobePresenter, and Adobe Captivate 2.0,subject matter experts (SME) are able toinput content, add audio tracks, andpublish e-learning courses by followingsimple steps and using common officesoftware, such as Microsoft PowerPoint,

Word, and Excel. In the rapid e-learningmodel, instructional designers functionin a review or directorial role, assistingSMEs with structuring content to meet

learning objectives. The programmingrequirement is virtually eliminated, buttesting the program is still a best prac-tice. The upside of the testing process isthat edits and corrections are far easier tomake since complicated coding is out ofthe picture.

Industry Perceptions

While the basic concept of faster andcheaper is unchallenged when compar-ing rapid e-learning to traditional e-learning, industry experts have been hardpressed to come to a consensus on a

more precise definition that aligns rapide-learning with specific training prob-lems. The challenge to define the role ofrapid e-learning stems, on the one hand,from the perceived functionality of rapide-learning technology and, on the other,its continuous evolution that creates newpossibilities in the rapid e-learning space.

See Figure 2 (above right) for a briefexplanation of Blooms Taxonomy andhow it translates to instructional strategies.Learning professionals agree that rapide-learning is an ideal application for Delta

learning activities that promote awarenessand recall of information.Awareness.Awareness activities caninclude prerequisite information for morein-depth courses, updates in policy, compli-ance information, product pricing changes,and other organization-specific informationthat must be broadcast to employees andstakeholders. To accomplish this objective,rapid e-learning tools enable SMEs to cre-ate standards-compliant presentations and

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Whitepaper 2007

Analyze

Design

Develop

Deliver

Track

11

22

3344

55

Training Managerongoing

Instructional Designer1 Week

Subject Matter Expert2 Weeks

IT1-2 Weeks

Developer4 Weeks

Artist Editor2 Weeks

Figure 1. Traditional e-Learning Development CycleSource: Bersin & Associates

As product life-cycles

decrease and speed-to-

market pressures

increase, the ability to

train workers quickly

and efficiently becomes

paramount to a compa-

nys ability to compete

in the marketplace.

Traditional e-learning development

typically requires 10 to 15 weeks and

the significant financial investment that

accompanies custom programming needs.


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e-learning material in PowerPoint, com-

plete with voice-overs, videos, and anima-tions. Leveraging their existing familiarity

with PowerPoint, SMEs can create person-alized, narrated, on-demand presentations,or they can take advantage of imbeddedtemplates and wizards within the e-learningtoolset to guide them through the process.Recall. For training problems thatrequire recall of information, rapid e-learning tools offer additional capabili-ties. Beyond providing self-paced materi-als, trainers can conduct live virtualclassrooms and meet instantly with col-

leagues or learners to share real-timeinformation from presentations, applica-tions, and multimedia content. Rapid e-learning tools also provide assessmenttools, such as quizzes and simple tests,that can be used in both self-paced andclassroom formats to ensure learnersabsorb the information.Application and Mastery. For moreadvanced learning activities for whichthe objective is successful application ofinformation and mastery of concepts,training professionals debate the efficacyof rapid e-learning. The challenge hasbeen twofold.1. Content developer. By design, the pri-

mary content creation for rapid e-learning is performed by SMEs. Ingeneral, SME-generated content con-centrates on the informational level oflearning, not on the application ormastery level.

2. Tools. The rapid e-learning tools them-

selves have not been robust enough to

achieve turnkey development of high-er-level learning objectives.

Technology Evolves

As rapid e-learning technologies evolve,however, both of these aspects of the cat-egory are changing. Rapid e-learningtools now incorporate much moreadvanced capabilities to engage learnersand develop skills, and the best tools

retain the production simplicity that

originally coined them as rapid. Manyof these improvements surround simula-tion and demonstration that are the call-ing card of traditional e-learning courses.Simulation tools. The rapid e-learningspace is garnering more simulation capa-bility in several areas, such as softwaresimulation, soft skills learning, and busi-ness skills development. Using advancedalgorithms, todays tools can calculate

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Whitepaper 2007

Figure 2: Blooms Taxonomy & Instructional StrategySource: Bersin & Associates

Category Example Instructional Strategies

Awareness There is a new pricing Read, listen

model being announced,

and here it is

Recall Learn to tell you customers Read, listen, discuss, and answer

about our new pricing model multiple-choice questions

Application Learn how to apply the Read, listen, discuss, case study

multifaceted pricing models or simulation-based practice

to you customers situations

Mastery Become a recognized pricing Application-level strategies, plus

expert in the regional sales office, practical experiences and testing

with authority to give discounts

Value traditional roles. Do not

expect rapid e-learning tools to

transform SMEs into instruc-

tional designers. Involve your

traditional course designers to

guide the process, review the

final product, and make neces-

sary changes.

Train the trainers. Take the

time to train individual userson the new technology. Not

only will this prevent mistakes,

it may also broaden the appli-

cation possibilities.

Create standards and tem-

plates. In addition to standard-

izing fonts, graphics, and slide

deck formats, instructional

designers should customize

templates that will guide SMEs

to build content in a controlled

and effective manner.

Know when to intervene. For

more complex training solutions,

some organizations gather con-

tent from SMEs through a ques-

tionnaire and provide that con-

tent to learning professionals

who can work with templates toconstruct courses with multime-

dia content, quizzes, and more

complicated branching.

Understand the limitations.

Rapid e-learning is not the ideal

solution for all training problems.

Analyze your objectives and

deploy the solution as part of an

overall training strategy.

Successful REL Development Now

Keep these best practices in mind as

you develop rapid e-learning content.


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consequences for errors and accuratelyreplicate real-world scenarios based onchoices made by individual learners.Gaming technologies. Game-based tem-plates are often incorporated into todays

rapid e-learning tools. By reducingdevelopment times, these templatesencourage instructional designers andSMEs to break from presentation- orinformation-based courses and makerapid e-learning more engaging andeffective.Intuitive applications. Importing,exporting, and editing video files andother Flash elements has greatly

improved in the most recent releases ofrapid e-learning tools.Improved branching. Mapping/storyboardviews make complex branching configura-tions easy to follow by allowing users to see

all the pathways and possible choices. Thisfeature has been borrowed from more tra-ditional e-learning tools, enhancing therapid e-learning tools but also blurring thelines between the two camps.Exporting content to mobile devices.Aslearners and workers become moremobile, learning technologiesincludingrapid e-learningare engaging these dis-persed groups and encouraging interaction

through content scaled to handhelddevices and gaming consoles. Rapid e-learningwith its low-cost, quick devel-opment, and, often, short formatis idealfor this type of application.

What the Future Holds

Rapid e-Learning becomes a more perva-sive and disciplined practice as it strug-gles with and solves problems commonto all e-learning design and deliveryefforts (eLearning Guild 2006). As rapide-learning tools become more robust,they will no longer be considered a sim-plified tool targeted at SMEs in order torelieve the training bottleneck that isoften created by slower, more cus-tomized, e-learning course development.

Instructional designers have alreadyjoined the community using rapid e-learning tools, and for good reason: Asthe tools are developed to make the jobof creating learning solutions more effi-cient, the entire learning communitybenefits from greater distribution ofknowledge. By the same token, as moreskilled learning professionals use thesetools, the more functionality they willdemand from technology suppliersandlearning professionals will expect to get

solutions that can keep pace with theirbusiness demands.

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Whitepaper 2007

Ease of use. Rapid e-learning

tools should be intuitive and

easy to learn. Non-technical

users should be able to achieve

competency with todays REL

tools in a single day with some

guided training.

Software savvy. At their most

basic, REL tools should lever-age common office software to

achieve rapid results. Microsoft

PowerPoint, Word, and Excel

are fundamental. Additional

programs can include Adobe

Dreamweaver, Photoshop,

Illustrator, and Flash Lite.

Flash delivery. Adobe Flash

Player is currently installed on

98 percent of internet-enabled

desktop computers. REL tools

should facilitate the creation of

Flash animation and automati-cally publish content in a Flash

format. This is the de facto

standard for creating and

deploying interactive learning.

Customizable templates. Utilizing

templates has become a best

practice among companies devel-

oping effective rapid e-learning.

REL tools should now incorporate

the capability to create and

customize these templates.

Collaboration environments. In

addition to self-paced learning,

virtual classrooms with live,

guided instruction can create a

richer learning experience. Look

for hand-raising, note-taking,

polling, and other learning fea-

tures that facilitate discussionand interaction.

Assessment. The ability to

incorporate quizzes and tests

into both self-paced and guided

learning courses is vital. Look for

a variety of response formats,

such as short answer, fill-in-

the-blank, true/false, matching

and Likert rating scale.

Leverage existing LMS system.

Rapid e-learning tools should

leverage your existing learning

management system and allowyou to track and control individual

access to rapid e-learning

courses. Tools should also be

SCORM & AICC compliant.

Security. Investigate the security

of hosted servers or choose a

product that can be licensed and

hosted behind a firewall on your

organizations own servers.

Choose the Right REL ToolsThe success of rapid e-learning is inextricable from the tools

used to create it. When shopping for a technology provider,

make sure to look for the following features and capabilities.

Sources:Josh Bersin, Chief Executive Officer, Bersin &AssociatesBryan Chapman, Chief Learning Strategist,Chapman Alliance (formerly with Brandon HallResearch)

Bibliography:Archibald, D. (2005). Rapid E-Learning: AGrowing Trend. Published by ASTD LearningCircuits.Alexandria, VA. p.1.ASTD Research (2006). State of the IndustryReport. Published by American Society of Training& Development, Alexandria, VA.Larstan Business Reports Staff (2003). Managing

Knowledge in Internet Time: Rapid e-LearningMaximizes the Time/Value of Mission OrientedTraining. Published by Larstan Business Reports,Washington, DC, p. 3.eLearning Guild Research Committee (2006).Rapid e-Learning Development Research Report.Published by the eLearning Guild, Santa Rosa, CA.

(C) 2007 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All rights reserved.

Adobe, the Adobe logo, Acrobat, Acrobat Connect, AdobeCaptivate, Adobe Presenter, Flash, Flash Lite, Flash Player,Illustrator and Photoshop are either registered trademarks ortrademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United Statesand/or other countries. All other trademarks are the propertyof their respective owners.

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