"meet me in the hub" - the coming together of general sessions and training rotations
TRANSCRIPT
“Meet me in the Hub” The coming together of General Session and Training Rotations
Geoff McCall Vice President, Creative Director
Beth Tench Vice President, Training and Development
Where is it written that general session presentations and training breakouts need to be separate and distinct? With a media-savvy audience, ever-present technology and ever-shortening attention spans, the traditional approach is ill-equipped for supporting meaningful peer-to-peer engagement, device-driven instruction and the spontaneity inherent in our shared social networking experiences.
This presentation will… introduce a new concept characterized as the dynamic fusion of the general session and training experiences, and outline the benefits of adopting this innovative, energetic approach to experiential learning.
Advances in technology,
bolstered by a genuine
thirst for change on the
part of attendees and
facilitators alike,
have opened the door to
new ways of thinking…
• Vast, fully-branded space.
• Countless displays and hands-on interaction.
• One or more stages hosting presentations.
• As the meeting evolves so too does the Hub, facilitating new and different interactions that change with the progression of your message.
• Experiential Learning at its best.
A single, collaborative environment from which all meeting and training activities extend.
Welcome to the Hub.
• The Hub is a centerpiece, a meeting place, a memorable place where your team comes together to connect, to share experiences and to see things in new and exciting ways.
• Here, through self-discovery and spirited engagement, attendees readily absorb the critical messaging that underpins both the training breakouts and the broader general session themes.
A dynamic fusion of general session and training experiences.
Welcome to the Hub.
Our suggestion: Shorter sessions with more frequent movement.
A complementary timing component can enhance
the Hub concept.
• Just as a Hub is designed to break down traditional content divides, there needs similar rethinking around timing and scheduling.
• The resulting “mini-sessions” yield audience engagements of a much more personal nature – with facilitators speaking to smaller groups as they rotate between the various interactions.
• This timing approach is aimed at addressing the decreasing attention span of attendees.
• Over the years, customary presentations have suffered from ever-decreasing attention spans.
• One notable firm* charted a significant drop- off in audience attention after as little as 5 minutes and significant disengagement by 10 minutes (see chart).
• With such a narrow window, trainers, facilitators and speakers need to consider time allocations that embrace this new paradigm, turning a perceived disadvantage into a distinct advantage.
Benefits
The Decreasing Attention Span
*Source: Cynosure
• The Learning Pyramid illustrates the percentage of learner recall & retention that is associated with various learning approaches.
• What it reinforces is that the more active the level of participation in the learning process, the higher the retention of learning.
• Devices such as iPads, smart phones, etc. allow users to quickly embrace the workings of a given workshop and participate more fully.
Benefits
Engagement = Retention
• Through self-discovery using tablets and other smart devices, attendees become genuinely invested in the meeting experience.
• More sophisticated apps provide utilization and performance data critical to real time evaluation – allowing for immediate adjustments to courseware and presentations.
• Here again, the lines are blurred between general session and training breakouts – competition results are shared, employee contributions are recognized and feedback from breakouts is vetted for inclusion in the day’s closing session.
A complementary technology component can enhance
the Hub concept.
Through deploying the Hub concept, MC3 has seen a noticeable uptick in audience enthusiasm and participation.
In meetings where we have employed the Hub, the related sessions scored among the highest in the metrics of both engagementand retention.
Just a theory?
Not at all.
The Takeaway
• By lessening the distinctions between breakouts and big tent, the overall message becomes more integrated.
• Tactics are connected to
strategy in ways that the audience can both consume and comprehend – making for a more engaging and memorable experience for all.
We create innovative meeting and training experiences that leverage technology to engage the senses, educate your teams and elevate performance.
211 Carter Drive, Suite D West Chester, PA 19382 Email: [email protected] Phone: 610.430.1900 Fax: 610.430.0653 www.mc3.com
About The Authors: Beth Tench is an accomplished Learning & Development professional with 20+ years of Healthcare Industry experience supporting large and mid-size pharmaceutical companies, in addition to a start-up biotechnology organization. As VP, Training & Curriculum Development, Beth leads MC3’s Training and Delivery Team. Geoff McCall is VP of Production and Creative Director at MC3. As Creative Director, Geoff works closely with our customers to devise imaginative branding, messaging and theming strategies for new product launches, national meetings and other high-profile initiatives – all of which elevate the spirits of the attendees as well as the stature of their leadership. To capitalize on their extensive experience, you may reach them directly: [email protected] and [email protected]