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

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

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

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

AGE IN BORN520 THE YEAR YOU WERE: Training Participants Formative Years: Formative years: when information is typically absorbed, which becomes the basis for future decisions

Available Media: 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.

Available Media: 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.

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

New Boundaries in an Accelerated World PRE-SESAME STREET SESAME STREET NINTENDO & PC MEDIA GENERATIONAL COHORTS 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

TV Media Keeps Pace With Change PRE-SESAME STREET SESAME STREET NINTENDO & PC MEDIA GENERATIONAL COHORTS 5 sec. 15 sec. 30 sec. 60 sec 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

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

Media Pacing & Production Value: 1955 ~5 years old CONTINUE PRESENTATION

Media Pacing & Production Value: 1970 ~20 years old ~5 years old CONTINUE PRESENTATION

~35 years old ~20 years old ~5 years old Media Pacing & Production Value: 1985 CONTINUE PRESENTATION

Media Pacing & Production Value: 2000 ~50 years old ~35 years old ~20 years old CONTINUE PRESENTATION

Media Pacing & Production Value: 2005 ~55 years old ~40 years old ~25 years old CONTINUE PRESENTATION

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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

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.

QUESTIONS

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