1. 1 MnISPI Performer – February 2016 l www.mnispi.org l @mnispi l LinkedIn Group: ISPI of Minnesota
What’s new at MnISPI?
New look! New meeting place! New website! Still a
friendly place for great professional development!
February 2016
In this Issue:
 2/16 Meeting
 Membership
Updates
 3/10 Happy
Hour Meet-up!
 4/21 Workshop:
Julie Dirksen
 Jobs: Hiring?
Seeking?
 Plan Ahead:
Upcoming
Meetings &
SIGs
 Join the
Conversation!
 Community
Professional
Events
February MnISPI Member Meeting:
Bridging the Gap Between Business
and Software
Al Strauss, Author of The Newman Adjustment and Training &
Development Specialist
February 16, 2016, 5:30-8 PM
Metropolitan State University at Energy Park Place,
1380 Energy Lane, St. Paul (Click for directions before coming.)
Dinner provided. Members free, non-members $15.
This program will be webcast live—email
minnesota.ispi@gmail.com to register.
Program description:
While software impacts everyone in today’s business world, it
rarely maximizes its full potential, and if not handled correctly,
it can become an expensive burden. This interactive
presentation covers how software became that burden and
how to turn a software cost into a software investment
through changes on both sides of the IT-business continuum.
There will be no coding during this presentation!
At this program, participants will:
 Learn how software became an expensive to some
companies and the full impact to the company and its
employees.
 Learn how the business side can take ownership and
shared accountability for maximizing IT’s potential.
 Learn how IT can better understand its role in the company.
 Learn how to improve the hiring of IT personnel.
About the Presenter:
Varied roles in both software
and business along with a
proven ability to improve
processes and implement
change has given Al Strauss a
multi-layered view of how
business and software can
successfully connect.
For his coding, testing, business
analysis, change management
and communication work, Al has
companies such as General
Motors, Target, Cargill,
Medtronic, General Dynamics
C4 Systems and others.
Al holds a Bachelor of Science
in Business Administration from
Minnesota State University,
Mankato and a Master of Arts in
Human Resource Development
with a concentration in
Organization Development from
the University of St. Thomas. He
is the author of The Newman
Adjustment: A Fable About
Bridging The Gap Between
Business And Software.
___________________________________________
MnISPI Networking Happy Hour – All are Welcome!
Spring into networking! Join us for happy hour; whether you are new to the
industry or looking to catch up with old friends/colleagues, we welcome your
presence to make the evening even more fun!
WHEN: March 10, 2016 – 5:30 to 8pm (Happy Hour specials until 6:30)
WHERE: Chianti Grill, 2050 E Snelling Dr, Roseville, MN 55113

2. 2 MnISPI Performer – February 2016 l www.mnispi.org l @mnispi l LinkedIn Group: ISPI of Minnesota
Julie’s book
Design For How
People Learn
is #1 on Tom
Kuhlmann’s list
of books to read
in 2016.
Gain effective techniques for learning & change!
Julie Dirksen Workshop April 21:
Design for Behavior Change
Julie is one of the leading voices in our field in recommending
research-based learning design.”
—Dr. Will Thalheimer of Work-Learning Research
Thursday, April 21, 2016, 9 AM – 4 PM
Metropolitan State University at Energy Park Place, St. Paul
Julie says, “Learning design is often seen as merely showing people how to do the right
things, but actually getting people to change ingrained behaviors is a far
greater challenge.
In this workshop you will:
 Learn effective change behavior techniques based on neuroscience, behavioral
economics, behavioral psychology, persuasive technology, and habit formation.
 Learn to use technology as effective behavior change tools.
Register now, space is limited!
• Early-bird pricing through MARCH 15.
• Corporate discount available for 5 or more from same company.
More info & registration at: bit.ly/MnISPI-Dirksen
Membership: Home Sweet Home!
Sherry Stern, Membership Chair
MnISPI feels like Home Sweet Home. We
now have a new home meeting location at
Metropolitan State University at Energy
Park Place, near the State fair in St. Paul.*
This allows us to restore our regular
meeting date on the third Tuesday of the month.
Let me know if you want to carpool with others to an
event. There is likely to be interest from the North &
West Metro & surrounding areas.
Online meeting participation is also gaining
momentum. Our Metro State location is fabulously
well equipped and has a great a connection, so if you
cannot attend a meeting in-person, why not give it a
try? But please be sure to register in advance by
emailing minnesota.ispi@gmail.com.
But beyond these improvements, MnISPI feels most
like home because of the people: A network of
dedicated professionals to count on, share ideas with,
ask questions, and lend support when needed. Home
is where the heart is and my heart desires to be
around those who share my passion for creating
excellent learning experiences!
I hope you feel the same way and will come to our
next meeting and/or attend one of our outstanding
SIG groups in February.
Members seeking employment can check out our Job
Postings in the ISPI of Minnesota LinkedIn Group.
If your MNISPI membership has lapsed, renew online
today for only $70 (which includes supper) or $35 for
students.
There is no substitute to having a professional home
and we are glad you are part of ours at MNISPI or
joining us soon as a new member. As always, please
contact me with any questions about membership at
SLStern99@aol.com or 612 201-9835.

3. 3 MnISPI Performer – February 2016 l www.mnispi.org l @mnispi l LinkedIn Group: ISPI of Minnesota
Job Leads & Needs on LinkedIn!
More great benefits for MnISPI members!
Have a job or contract lead to pass on?
Forward it to mnispi.jobs@gmail.com. It will be
posted to our MnISPI LinkedIn group. Or, MnISPI
group members can post leads themselves!
Looking for a new position or contract?
Look for job and contract leads on our LinkedIn group,
“ISPI of Minnesota.” Be sure to check the “Job
Discussions” tab as many are posted there.
Plan Ahead: Upcoming Meetings & SIGs
Upcoming MnISPI chapter meetings: See the exciting upcoming so you can plan ahead!
View the full list of meetings at www.mnispi.org.
All meetings at: Metropolitan State University at Energy Park Place, 1380 Energy Lane, St. Paul
Date Title Facilitator(s)
February 16,
2016
Bridging the Gap Between
Business and Software
Al Strauss, Author of The Newman
Adjustment and Training &
Development Specialist
March 15,
2016
Social Learning: Principles You
Can Use at Your Company
Joab Meyer, CSM, PMP - Global
Program Manager, Business
Operations I Talent Development I
Agile Collaboration
April 19,
2016
Gamification: The good, the bad,
and the ugly
Julie Dirksen, Author, Consultant-
Learning Strategy and Design
Special Interest Groups (SIGs) are free to members and non-members
Book Banter
SIG
What This is MnISPI's reading group. Each month we read part of a
new book, an article, or a classic related to our profession, then
come together to discuss what we've learned and relate it to our
own experiences.
Next Meeting Monday, February 1, 2016, from 5:30 – 7:30 pm (new start time)
Place Rockford Road Library
6401 42nd Avenue N
Crystal, MN
NOTE: Meets 1st Monday evening of every month.
For more information contact Rob Janacek: JanacekRobert@aol.com
Consutant’s
SIG
What Consultants — from seasoned to novice — meet over breakfast
to compare notes on all aspects of consulting in learning and
performance improvement. The CSIG also offers one-on-one
mentoring sessions for newer or mid-level consultants.
Next Meeting Monday, February 8, 2016, from 8:30 to 10:30am
Place Highland Cafe and Bakery
2012 Ford Parkway
St. Paul, MN
NOTE: Meets 2
nd
Monday morning of every month.
For more information contact Susan Taylor, sstenterprises@comcast.net.

4. 4 MnISPI Performer – February 2016 l www.mnispi.org l @mnispi l LinkedIn Group: ISPI of Minnesota
Digital
Learning
Forum SIG
What DLF is a forum for the exchange of cutting edge information
related to the development and implementation of interactive
media for learning and communication.
Next Meeting Monday, February 8, 2016, from 6:00 to 8 pm
Place McNeely Hall — Room 117
University of St. Thomas
2115 Summit Avenue, St. Paul
NOTE: meets on the 2nd Monday of each month.
For more information see http://digitallearningforum.com.
eLearning SIG What Beginning to advanced members meet together to enhance their
skills in instructional design and eLearning development in
Articulate Storyline by creating online instruction for pro-bono
clients.
Next Meeting Thursday, February 4, 2016, from 6:30 – 8pm
Place Brookdale Library
6125 Shingle Creek Pkwy (room “i” like ice cream)
Brooklyn Center, MN
NOTE: Meets 1
st
Thursday evening of every month.
For more information contact Anne Groetsch, argroetsch@charter.net.
Join the Conversation!
We want your engagement! Join MnISPI conversations online via LinkedIn and Twitter!
LinkedIn: ISPI of Minnesota – A Benefit for Members Only!
 Chat with upcoming speakers!
 Job Leads
 Ask questions, post articles for your colleagues
Twitter: @mnispi
 Follow trending articles in the field
 Learn from colleagues tweets
Community Professional Events
ATD-GTC: 2/19 - Ken Phillips: Capture Elusive Level 3 Data: The Secrets of Survey Design. www.atd-gtc.org.
PACT: 2/12 - Jay Kasdan : Why Level 3 Measurement is Essential to Instructional Design and How it Should
Work with Level 4 Measurement. http://www.pact-web.org