What do you do if your training methods need to be adapted for remote delivery?

Do a pilot with a trusted friend or colleague and ask for candid feedback before launching your remote training program. Use a simple pilot framework of what succeess looks like and what failure looks like. The pilot should need exceed two weeks and should take one hour or so to plan-out.

Firstly, assess content suitability for remote learning, considering factors like interactivity and engagement. Utilize digital tools like video conferencing platforms, learning management systems (LMS), and virtual whiteboards to facilitate remote interactions. Break content into digestible segments to maintain learner engagement. Incorporate multimedia elements to enhance comprehension. Foster interaction through group discussions, breakout sessions, and collaborative projects. Provide clear instructions and tech support to mitigate technical issues. Regularly solicit feedback for continuous improvement. Flexibility and creativity are key when transitioning training to a remote format.

Détachez-vous de l'existant. Faites en sorte que l'interraction soit maximisée. Il existe de nombreux outils collaboratifs en ligne qui rendront les formations plus vivantes

Empathize deeply with the audience. If you would not want to sit for several hours staring at a screen, they wouldn't either. I call this the self-test. "Would I find this _____? <engaging, interesting, useful, etc.>" However, a self-test is not enough; we also need feedback. A focus group can be a powerful way to test your methods and delivery. Here are some tips: 1. Design with the end in mind—Consider the outcomes and work backward. Add tech tools and practices that enhance learning only after establishing your goals. 2. Build with chat in mind—interaction is fast and safe. Ensure you are leveraging the audience's voice throughout. 3. Simple is better—Stay focused on the goals. Too much in the remote space, and people will feel lost.

There are so many platforms to choose from. The most important thing is to keep it simple. Your class should run on a platform that's easy for learners to use and access. We use Google Meet which is easy to access, offers whiteboarding, chat function, polls, emoji reacts and other great functionality that helps to maximise engagement. The option to record sessions also allows you to give learners who need to dip out (for personal or professional commitments) the opportunity to catch up on aspects of the session, which they wouldn't be able to do in-person. This can be a great option when training business teams who are balancing day-to-day projects.

High engagement in remote training is possible when tools are deployed with the audience in mind. 1. Make engagement easy—Use chat and encourage reactions frequently. "Give me a thumbs up if you..." "Share one word in the chat that describes your reaction." 2. Utilize breakouts, but keep groups small—Too many participants in one room can encourage hiding. I aim for 3, never more than 5. Ask in advance to prepare 1-2 key learnings from the small group to share in the main room chat when done. Surface and discuss insightful comments. 3. Set expectations—Same as in-person, let them know in advance they will be encouraged to comment, unmute their microphones, and engage. 4. Give breaks—Otherwise, they will take them at inopportune times.

Small group discussions can be a challenge in remote training. Typically, only one person can talk at a time, so you can’t have multiple conversations going on at once. If you use breakout rooms, make sure you are clear on when to exit.

Consider whether asking all learners to have cameras on is appropriate. For some attendees, virtual training is much more accessible and less stimulating (e.g. for neurodiverse learners, individuals with physical disabilities, etc). It is definitely possible to deliver an engaging training session without insisting all cameras stay on. It is, however, important to do some 'housekeeping' early to ask learners to stay muted, raise hands for questions, utilise the chat function, etc. Setting the 'room' in the same way as you would for in-person allows everyone to feel comfortable and clear on the plan for learning.

Feedback, feedback, feedback. Take as much as you can. Objective measures like CSAT allow you to track performance for sessions whilst subjective written feedback is powerful in iterating future sessions' content, pacing, etc. Wherever possible give learners the opportunity to feedback anonymously and you'll see much more honest, candid responses that can be powerful.