1. The Effects of Age, Media Packaging on Designing Training Systems W. Randall Koons Modeling and Simulation Information Analysis Center (MSIAC) Alexandria, VA USA Current Email: randy@irisstudios.com December 2006

2. Media Exposure, Expectations and Age Most everyone involved with training has been exposed to media Media affects conscious and subconscious expectations Media exposure and expectations are affected by age

3. Who is Typically Involved In Training* SPONSORS AGE: ~50-65 WWII BOOMER ~25% ~75% SR. DESIGNERS AGE: ~30-50 BOOMER GENERATION-X ~20% ~80% LEARNERS AGE: ~18-30 GENERATION-X MILLENNIAL ~30% ~70% *These are generalizations and assumes that while there are younger designers, the Sr. Designers often determine policies and approve designs

4. Generational Differences Multiple generations at work have different media exposures* Media exposure is a function of historical context They have different expectations and learning styles Understanding differences will yield better training systems *Beyond generalizations, media exposure may be domain specific and is not a rule

5. AGE IN 2005 1940 1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 65 60 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 BORN520 THE YEAR YOU WERE: Training Participants Formative Years: 5-20 19401950196019701980199020002010 5--20 Formative years: when information is typically absorbed, which becomes the basis for future decisions

6. 19401950196019701980199020002010 Available Media: 55-70 5--20 STAR TREK: TV & 2001 TV: COLOR TV: BLACK & WHITE RADIO PHOTOGRAPHY PHONOGRAPH MOTION PICTURES Limited available of media options during this Sponsors formative years. Color TV, Star Trek, and 2001 were added.

7. 19401950196019701980199020002010 Available Media: 70-85 5--20 NON-LINEAR EDITING MTV TV: SATELLITE VHS VCR TV: CABLE ATARI PONG STAR WARS SESAME STREET PLUS ALL PREVIOUS Major media additions became available to this Designer during her formative years. Sesame Street is a milestone.

8. 19401950196019701980199020002010 Available Media: 85-00 DVD HDTV DIAL-UP WEB JURASSIC PARK WINDOWS PC NINTENDO 5--20 PLUS ALL PREVIOUS During this Learners formative years major media additions were added with Nintendo and the PC as milestones.

9. 19401950196019701980199020002010 New Boundaries in an Accelerated World PRE-SESAME STREET SESAME STREET NINTENDO & PC MEDIA GENERATIONAL COHORTS 5--20 Pre-Sesame Street Sesame Street Nintendo & PC Accelerated Pace Rate of changing media is accelerating Far more and more powerful media options available to Learners during their formative years

10. 19401950196019701980199020002010 TV Media Keeps Pace With Change PRE-SESAME STREET SESAME STREET NINTENDO & PC MEDIA GENERATIONAL COHORTS 5 sec. 15 sec. 30 sec. 60 sec. 5--20 TV Commercial length has been shortening as media evolves Information compression Sponsors grew up with average of 60 sec. commercial (spot) length Designers experienced 30 sec. spots Learners conditioned with 15 sec. spots Average length of TV commercials

11. Pacing and Production Value Pacing is the rate at which information is presented Production value defines the quality of information packaging Pacing and production value have been increasing and improving

12. Media Pacing & Production Value: 1955 ~5 years old 1955 1970 1985 2000 2005 CONTINUE PRESENTATION

13. Media Pacing & Production Value: 1970 ~20 years old ~5 years old 1955 1970 1985 2000 2005 CONTINUE PRESENTATION

14. ~35 years old ~20 years old ~5 years old 1955 1970 1985 2000 2005 Media Pacing & Production Value: 1985 CONTINUE PRESENTATION

15. Media Pacing & Production Value: 2000 ~50 years old ~35 years old ~20 years old 1955 1970 1985 2000 2005 CONTINUE PRESENTATION

16. Media Pacing & Production Value: 2005 ~55 years old ~40 years old ~25 years old 1955 1970 1985 2000 2005 CONTINUE PRESENTATION

17. Television and Advertising Creativity Most TV is sponsored by advertising, which must successfully promote products and services Three elements of advertising creativity: Divergence Relevance Effectiveness

18. Creativity in Advertising Theory DIVERGENCE TO AUDIENCE Package & Present the Message 3.Designer packages the divergent message for a target audience - TV Ad RELEVANCE TO AUDIENCE WIDE AUDIENCE 4.Wide audience views Ad that is relevant to target audience Results EFFECTIVENESS FOR SPONSOR 5.Results measured in product sales: Financial Benefit DESIGNER Create Message 2.Designer creates message NEED SPONSOR 1.Sponsor needs to sell a product

19. Creativity in Training System Design NEED SPONSOR 1.Sponsor needs to train to use a tool Create Course of Instruction DESIGNER 2.Instructional Designer creates course of instruction RELEVANCE TO AUDIENCE TARGET AUDIENCE 4.Target audience only receives instruction Results EFFECTIVENESS FOR SPONSOR 5.Results measured by productivity and safety: Financial Benefit 3.Designer packages and delivers instruction to target audience Package & Present the Instruction DIVERGENCE TO AUDIENCE

20. Learning Styles Theory of multiple intelligences proposes different learning styles: Linguistic…..Traditional Education Logical-mathematical…..Traditional Education Visual-spatial…..Learner Bodily-kinesthetic…..Learner Musical Interpersonal Intrapersonal Naturalist

21. Passive vs. Active Learning PCs, videogames, and the internet encourage active learning Not limited to linear content Can navigate to what is relevant Effect the outcome of the experience Ignore active learning style and you may: Not engage the audience Reduce the trainings effectiveness

22. Traditional Improvements Increase production value by adding: Live-action video – expensive Animation – expensive Audio Increase interactivity Hyperlinks

23. The Modeling & Simulation Alternative M&S is more familiar and relevant Interactive M&S increase production value Model concepts and processes Real-time interactive visual simulation

24. Modeling & Simulation Advantages Cost effective visualization Inexpensive rendering engines Reuse models and dynamics Runtime visualization No practical limit to length of visualization Low data footprint of application and database compared to video clips Runtime modifications

25. Know Your Audience – Its for Them Advertisers know their audience Training designers should know theirs Training systems often lack relevance Annoying user interface designs Why should fun be part of training? Whats wrong with younger people? Different learning styles and expectations

26. Entertain, Engage, Educate – E 3 Entertain: Grab the Learners attention (divergence) Engage: Provide improved production value and interactivity (relevance) Educate: An engaged audience will improve results (effectiveness)

27. Conclusions Training serves the bottom line Use techniques from advertising Profile your target audience Design for the Learner Meet their expectations Use E 3 and training will improve Improved training will yield cost benefits

28. Proposed Rules for Training Design Design for the target audience Acknowledge that media exposure shapes expectations Match training to media awareness and learning styles Employ interactive M&S to improve production value Get past, It was good enough for me so its good enough for them.

29. QUESTIONS

30. Contact Information W. Randall (Randy) Koons Published while at: Modeling & Simulation Information Analysis Center (MSIAC) Alion Science & Technology Current Contact Information: Randy Koons Creative/Technical Director Iris Studios 4316 Silas Hutchinson Dr. Chantilly, VA 20151 703-961-9675 randy@irisstudios.com