Learning Experience Designer
Leading Engaging Meetings
Overview
-
Audience: New or mid-level managers who oversee teams of 8-12 people.
-
Responsibilities: Instructional Design, eLearning Development, Visual Design
-
Tools Used: Articulate Storyline 360, Canva, Google Suite, MindMeister, SnagIt, Microsoft Suite
The Problem
Approximately only 50% of time spent in meetings is productive. Meetings clog every manager and executive’s schedule, but how much do those meetings accomplish? An estimated $37 billion is wasted in the United States a year in unproductive meeting time. At the fictitious software development company Beelieve, HR has recognized the problem of wasteful meetings eating at managers’ time and contributing to low employee morale. During exit interviews and through anonymous employee surveys, several employees mentioned frustration at the number of meetings they must attend and the lack of movement based on the meetings’ discussions. Informal discussions with managers revealed that none had received any formal training or education on how to conduct productive meetings; they simply did what was done in meetings they have attended.
The Solution
The decision was made to offer some micro-learning opportunities for managers to improve their ability to have productive and engaging meetings. Research with subject matter experts revealed that 80% of what makes meetings successful occurs before the meeting begins, so the initial training will focus on how to prepare for meetings. Additional opportunities will be given based on feedback following the initial training.
The Process
I used the ADDIE method to develop a learning opportunity for the managers at Beelieve.
​
Analysis: The HR department analyzed the situation to determine that eLearning would be the most cost-effective and impactful solution to the problem of unproductive meetings. I built upon their analysis by researching how to have productive meetings. The “subject matter experts” I consulted were The Harvard Business Review, Science of People, and The Art of Gathering. I determined that the learning objective that addressed the identified learning gap was the learner will understand the importance of planning for meetings and the learner will apply techniques from the lesson to future meetings.
​
Design: In the design phase, I used MindMeister to create an Action Map of the lesson’s goals and content. I then created a text-based storyboard for the lesson. I made the decision to use mock-ups of a Microsoft calendar invitation and a basic meeting agenda to emphasize the immediate applicability of the material.
​
Development: I then created the lesson using Articulate Storyline 360. Since this was one of my first Articulate projects, my final project differed slightly from the storyboard, as I learned what worked better using the software and what design elements complimented the material. The overall idea of using calendar invitations and meeting agendas to emphasize the application of the material remained the same.
​
Implementation and Evaluation: Since this is a fictional company, I used friends and family as my “managers/students.” They went through the training program and gave feedback. I was able to use their feedback to make changes to the lesson for improved usability and learning.
What I Learned
This was my first storyline project that I managed independently, and it was a great way to learn! Working through this process, I recognize some strengths for me to capitalize on and some weaknesses for me to work on. For example, I need to spend a little more time in the storyboarding phase. I got excited by the idea and just wanted to jump right into production! I had a basic storyboard that was helpful and made aspects of the production quicker, but other elements I didn’t put enough forethought into and changed my mind after a couple of slides. I also learned that my experience as an educator and my training as a researcher are helpful for these projects. Understanding how people learn and adult learning theory allowed me to make an immediately applicable lesson– something adult learners appreciate.
Let’s Work Together
Get in touch so we can start working together.
