The Future of Training is Blended

work
The Future of
Training
JEFF ROBSON

The Future of Training
Edition 1
First Published 2016
Revised 2017
Published by Prezentt
This book is available free by download from www.futureof.training
If you received this book by email, sign up for our newsletter full of training hints
and tips, at www.futureof.training
Copyright © 2017, Jeff Robson/Prezentt
All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted, in any form or in any means – by electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise – without prior written permission

Table of Contents
About the Author 1
About Prezentt 1
The Future of Training isn’t Online 3
The Future of Training isn't Mobile Either 4
Online adds to offline 5
The Future is Blended 7
Trainers are Evolving 11
Case Study: Woodside 14
Training Delivery Platforms 15
Learning Management Systems 17
Training Management Software 19
Where does online fit in? 21
What does “Blended Learning” look like in the real world? 22
Where do I start? 25
Conclusions 26
6 Things to Consider when Choosing Software for your next Training
Course 28

1The Future of Training © 2017 www.futureof.training
About the Author
Jeff Robson
Masters (Applied Finance), BCom (Accounting &
Information Systems), FAIM, F Fin, MAICD, CISA, MS
Excel Expert
Jeff is the co-founder of Prezentt, and a serial
entrepreneur. He has over 20 years’ experience in
founding companies, management and consulting.
He is highly regarded and recognized around the world as an expert in the field of
financial modelling and training.
He is a regular conference-speaker, and has trained CFOs and executives around
the world including Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, South
Africa, Vietnam, Fiji, Kiribati, Kuwait, Iran, Mauritius, Papua New Guinea, and the
UAE.
About Prezentt
Prezentt is a training delivery platform that makes
instructor-led courses cheaper & easier to run,
more engaging & more interactive.
Prezentt’s goal is to improve learning and development throughout the world.
As digital disruption continues to accelerate, huge numbers of people will require
re-training, re-skilling, and up-skilling to cope with the changes that occur.
Learning and development is already a large part of the economy and is constantly
increasing.

The future of training
ISN’T ONLINE
(yes, really)

The Future of Training isn’t
Online
Reading the current press about learning, you could easily be mistaken for thinking
that face-to-face learning is rapidly going the way of the dinosaur.
Phrases such as “digital”, “online” and “e-learning” dominate countless articles and
blogs.
Certainly, online learning has many advantages over face-to-face:
• Convenience: learn whenever you want, wherever you want. Fit it in around
your schedule and learn via your mobile device.
• Price: it’s so much cheaper as it can be leveraged over a much greater
number of people.
• Learning styles: choose the learning style that suits you best plus it can
adapt to suit you.
• Gamification: makes learning more fun.
• Analytics: greater detail on who has done what.
It’s clear that online learning is transforming learning and development … and it still
has a long way to go yet.
However, it's already clear that while online learning is particularly attractive to
corporates looking to cut their training costs, it's simply not feasible to move
everything online.
Already, LMS revenues are declining and there is rising dissatisfaction with online
learning due to its low rates of effectiveness. In addition, there are many types of
skills that simply cannot be learned by watching a video then doing a multiple-
choice test. Some things must be learned by experience.
These reasons are why 70% of all training is still delivered via instructor-led training.

The Future of Training isn't
Mobile Either
Mobile devices are the predominate way many younger people discover and
consume information.
Mobile devices are fantastic to fit in your pocket and so they provide an incredibly
useful aid to learning by allowing 24x7 access to content from anywhere to facilitate
on-demand learning. They're also a great way to add fun to learning through
gamification and simple online tests.
However, their tiny screen size is also a severe limitation when it comes to the
amount of content that can be provided and the length of a learner's attention
span.
For these reasons, although mobile devices will continue to become an increasingly
useful learning aid, they're unlikely to replace 100% of face-to-face, instructor-led
training either.
One area that receives a lot less press is how face-to-face, instructor-led training is
evolving to work alongside both online and mobile learning.
“The future of training and education is headed
towards a blended learning format.
As more training is designed to cater to the five
learning modes of VARK: visual, aural/audio,
read/write and kinaesthetic, it shows there will
always be a demand for in-person/instructor-led
training that caters to the kinaesthetic learners,
and online learning that caters to the visual,
audio and read/write learners.”
Vincent Po
Director of Ethan Hathaway
Hong Kong

Online adds to offline
In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, Internet supporters predicted that all shopping
would occur online and that physical shops would die, unless there was a physical
reason to visit.
Today, shopping malls have evolved, but they’re now larger and stronger than ever.
Shopping is often a blend of online and offline, with many shops making use of
innovative technologies to provide interesting, new experiences for shoppers.
Similar predictions were made with remote working: “Office towers will be
redundant and everyone will work remotely”. Working environments have evolved:
they now make use of innovative technologies, yet while remote working obviously
occurs, most of the time, most people still work in offices.
Around the same time, many people predicted that conferences would die a slow
and painful death. Why would anyone go to the time, trouble and cost of attending
a conference in another city or country, when they could just watch it online?

Conferences have also evolved with far greater use of technology to expand their
audience, reach more people, and provide new, innovative experiences for those
that do attend, however, they’re still going stronger than ever.
In all these cases, technology hasn’t destroyed the offline experience. The offline
experience has been enhanced, augmented, and improved through new, blended
approaches.
It’s the same with learning. There are a lot of great things about online and mobile
learning but this cannot replace 100% of people’s learning experiences.

“We are witnessing the rise of a new wave of
instructor-led training: one that utilizes
technology to enhance both in-class effectiveness
and back-office efficiency, fully leverages social
and informal elements, and integrates into
blended programs.
The new classroom cannot be managed in the
old ways.
As instructor-led training increasingly integrates
technology and becomes more resource-
intensive, organizations will need a solid
dedicated platform to manage the new
Stephane Pineau
CEO, Training Orchestra
Paris, France

The Future is Blended
John Hennessy, President of Stanford University for over 16 years, recently stated
that “face-to-face learning will always be the gold standard.” Like shopping,
conferences, and office work, he sees the future of training as being a blend of face-
to-face and online learning.
McKinsey & Co states,
“for all the notable advances that digitization
promises, comprehensive learning cannot be
based on the cloud alone.”
“Organizations looking at the future of learning are
constantly seeking new ways to accelerate the
experience curve, especially with the increasing
trend towards flexible work, distributed teams, and
global connectivity.
Blended learning is a powerful way for them to
neatly bridge the gap between the familiar
experience of in-person learning and the new
frontier of online learning.”
Gihan Perera
Futurist, Speaker, Author,
GihanPerera.com, Perth,
Australia

Why?
Because there are certain things you can only get through experiential, in-person
learning.
In much the same manner as conferences, face-to-face learning provides so many
additional benefits, many of which can’t be replaced (or can’t fully be replaced) with
online learning:
• Experiences: certain things you can’t learn from watching a video – you need
to learn by doing
• Networking with peers: despite all the great video conferencing solutions
available, you develop a far richer and more authentic relationship when you
meet someone in person.
• Attention span: Stanford University found that the average attention given
to an online learning video was 6 minutes. After this, the student got
distracted with other things. This is still an issue with face-to-face learning,
however it’s much easier to pay attention to a physical person, who may ask
you a question directly and may notice if you’re falling asleep!
• Dedication: in most workplaces, it’s acceptable to interrupt someone who is
sitting at their desk, even if they’re doing online learning … far less so, if
they’re off-site. Similarly, working or studying at home exposes the
participant to a much wider variety of distractions than a training room.

Blending online tools with face-to-face training allows for a variety of new and
interesting applications such as:
• Pre-course preparation: participants can come to their face-to-face meetings
having watched a key video or completed some basic online training. In
doing so, their face-to-face interactions can be more productive and/or
focused on more complex or experiential aspects.
• Post-course resources: a long-standing criticism of face-to-face training is
that the participants can’t absorb all the new material. Placing key elements
of this online allows the user to easily revisit this as and when required.
• Share the learning: online resources allow a participant to use these as a
reference for sharing the knowledge and skills they’ve learned with their
colleagues who couldn’t attend. Often this involves further online and offline
collaboration.
• Competency Assessment: increasingly, companies are demanding a more
measurable return from their training investment. Part of this is often an
assessment of competency to ensure the participants understand the training
and can make use of this. Online tools can provide a good assessment
system.
The characteristics of online tools make them perfectly suited for these applications.
Fortunately, corporate and even individual Internet connections have also increased
in capacity to allow reasonable-quality video streaming. This will continue to
improve in future.

Old ways won’t
open new doors

Trainers are Evolving
Like shopping, office work and conferences, trainers providing face-to-face learning
are evolving so they remain relevant.
Their role in the training room is evolving
to become more of a facilitator and
coach, rather than the all-knowing
instructor giving a long-winded
discourse.
They’re adapting their training courses
and methods to improve their courses,
make them more efficient and effective,
and provide increased value to the participants.
In doing so, many also realize greater efficiencies themselves by reducing the
administration time and effort.
Don’t fight it, don’t worry, embrace & learn
It’s natural to resist change because it’s so much easier to just do things the way
you’ve always done them. Change takes effort and thinking, plus it’s uncertai
However, trainers should be leaders in their field, early adopters of new ways of
thinking and new technologies.
Technology-augmented and enhanced training courses are the way of the future.
Handing out large chunks of paper and printed materials isn't.
So rather than fighting against the inevitable, it’d be so much more productive to
embrace new technology, learn from it, and position yourself as a leader in your
field.

CONCERN REALITY
Online distractions
If participants have Internet access
during the course, they’ll just be on
Facebook and their e-mail all day.
We should keep technology out of the
training room.
Participants already use their devices
now e.g. when there are gaps, when
parts of the course aren’t relevant for
them, or when an urgent request pops
up.
Don’t take it as an insult if someone
checks their e-mail… re-engage your
participants and move on.
In addition, participants are increasingly
using online tools to assist them in a
variety of tasks, including training. This
is how they learn!
They may be researching a topic,
connecting the learning with another
part of their work, or sharing their
knowledge with their networks.
You’ll be fighting a losing battle if you
try to keep technology out of the
training room.
Security of Intellectual Property
I’m worried that participants will take
my IP and splash it all over the Internet.
They could already do this now.
Scanning is available is virtually all
offices and is fast & simple to use.
But it’s very rare for participants to do
this – what motivation is there to share
the materials that they’ve paid a lot of
money to obtain anyway?
Furthermore, your materials should only
make sense if you’re there to explain
them. If that isn’t the case, why are you
there?

The risks and disadvantages are small. Rather than worrying about what might
happen, concentrate on the benefits, embrace the technology, and learn how to
use it to your advantage.
There are many fantastic software platforms and tools available that provide these
benefits.
If you’re still handing out big chunks of paper course materials, writing on butchers’
paper, or re-keying data from paper-based evaluation forms, you need to try some
of the tools below.
Paper isn’t the future. At some point, you’ll need to
change so you’d be best to start adopting these
sooner (and get ahead of the crowd) rather than
later (and be left behind).
“The future of learning is evolving due the
changing demographic of learners coming
into the workforce.
Younger learners are looking for more
engaging content that is accessible 24/7, and
companies are leveraging on new technology
to deliver this at the lowest cost.
The speed of innovation in learning is at rapid
pace now; and those who do not invest in
technology will be left behind.”
Easwaran Kanason
Director & Co-Founder,
NrgEdge and Petroedge,
Singapore

Case Study: Woodside
Australia’s largest oil & gas company utilizes online videos to provide initial training
in key Excel functions for its new financial analysts.
They then combine this with some face-to-face revision of the material, before
sending the analysts on an extended face-to-face course that provide intensive,
individual coaching in financial modelling.
The face-to-face financial modelling course utilizes a training delivery platform to
provide online access to course notes, exercises, templates, videos and other
resources.
Participants personalize the training materials by adding their own notes online as
the course progresses.
The trainers upload additional content, created during the course.
This creates a great image among new starters and shows the company is
committed to innovation.

Training Delivery Platforms
Online training delivery platforms (TDP’s) make face-to-face courses cheaper to run,
more effective and more valuable for participants.
They often work as follows: trainers put all their course materials online, then send
participants a link to these, which they use to gain access via a laptop or tablet
during the course.
This removes the huge cost of printing and handling large chunks of paper.
Participants take their notes electronically, ask questions, join in online discussions,
and access other supporting files and links the trainer has provided. They also help
in large or crowded rooms as they provide a second screen on which to view the
materials.
The trainer can even upload new content during the course e.g. brainstorming
results, photos, suggested solutions, or conduct polls and surveys.
The system automatically creates attendance records, collects online evaluation
forms (and prompts participants to share their rave reviews), and provides
participants with ongoing access to course materials.
TDP’s are typically used by training companies, individual trainers or universities, to
extend their existing LMS (refer below), or provide a more cost-effective alternative
e.g. if they don’t require a full LMS or have existing, custom systems for these
functions.
Example: Prezentt

What does a TDP do?
Instead of focusing on automating the administration tasks surrounding training and
the delivery/tracking of online content, TDP’s are focused on improving and
augmenting the face-to-face delivery of training.
While they provide some functionality that assists users before and after the course
(e.g. notifications, reporting etc), they are primarily focused on improving and
streamlining the interactions that occur between the trainer and learners during the
course.

Learning Management Systems
Learning management systems (LMS’s) vary in complexity and scope but they often
focus on delivering predominately content, via self-paced online training courses.
Core functionality includes:
• Automating course registrations
•
• Design and management of training paths,
• Assessment and recording of results,
• Providing access to course content,
• Monitoring of completion,
• Collaboration tools e.g. for online discussions
LMS’s typically focus on corporate training departments and universities.
Example: sumtotal

What does an LMS do?
The focus of an LMS is to manage the delivery/tracking of online content.
LMS systems does this very well, but provide little assistance for a trainer or learners
engaged in face-to-face training.
As such, it is common for learners to photograph the screen on their phone or
tablet then make their own notes separately.

Training Management Software
The focus of Training Management Software is to automate and streamline the
scheduling and financial processes that occur around instructor-led training courses,
both face-to-face and virtual.
Essentially, a Training Management Software system is an ERP specifically designed
to optimize training operations and help “train more with less”. Training
Management Software is focussed on the following main areas:
• Intuitive logistics management with drag and drop graphical agendas
• Secure business processes with collaborative checklists and monitoring
• Better budget utilization thanks to dynamic resource cost allocation
• Proactive profitability monitoring (for commercial training organizations)
• Improved administrative productivity via automated tasks and preconfigured
setups
Example: Training Orchestra
Marty Wilson
Former Australian Comic of
the Year, Founder of More
Funny, More Money,
Sydney Australia
“I was going to be all profound and quote-worthy, and
start with “In the future…” but it’s already here!
Anyone who puts all their eggs in the "online basket",
or the "live basket" is doomed to fail.
In my business, the two modalities reinforce,
complement, and even market for each other.
They’re a bundle that couldn’t exist on their own.
If you’re doing one, I’d say jump aboard the other and
watch your business soar. “

What does Training Management Software do?
While an LMS is focused primarily on facilitating e-learning delivery and improving
user experience, Training Management Software is used by Learning and
Development Departments, Corporate Universities, the Extended Enterprise and
Training Companies to manage instructor-led training activities more efficiently.
Training Management Software normally covers the whole organizational process:
budget forecasting, event scheduling, resource allocation, collaborative
administration, cost tracking, profitability monitoring and custom reporting.
By streamlining these activities and removing siloed processes, Training
Management Software helps improve productivity, save time, optimize session
occupancy rates, improve utilization of instructors and resources, and thereby
enable better business decisions.

Where does online fit in?
“The future of training and development is
blended. Online learning is an excellent mode of
delivery for many applications and for many
learners, however, face-to-face will always be the
superior option. Learning styles theory tells us
that people learn best in different ways.
Many would be familiar with the
Auditory/Visual/Kinaesthetic model.
Some educators believe we can add 'Digital'
learners to that list, which would explain why an
online experience works well for many people.
The fact is, online learning for many people is not
engaging - particularly for Kinaesthetic learners
who need to move and 'feel' the experience.
We also know that to build teams, change
behaviour and form new habits a 'visceral'
experience works best.
How do learners get a visceral experience?
Through the passion, energy and intention of an
engaging presenter whose energy field literally
touches his or her audience.
Online learning certainly has its place; however,
David Koutsoukis
Founder, Exceptional Teams
Academy
Perth, Australia

What does “Blended Learning”
look like in the real world?
Each trainer and training company works differently but here’s an example:
Before During After
Training
company/
department
• Assess training needs
• Design training paths
• Plan & budget
• Organize resources
• Market & record
registrations
• Automatic attendance
record
• Record results
• Analyze performance
• Follow up
opportunities & to-dos
• Connect with
participants on social
media
Instructor
• Tailor content
• Upload content
• Upload extra content
• Use online resources &
tools
• Online polls, surveys &
assessments
• Connect with
participants on social
media
• Ongoing interactions
• Update content
Participants
• Receive notifications
• Complete pre-course
surveys
• Access content
• Take notes
• Ask questions
• Any device
• Complete evaluation
forms
• Share reviews
• Access content
• Ongoing interactions
Training Delivery Platform (TDP)
Learning Management System (LMS)
Training Management Software (TMS)
Other systems e.g. CRM, social media, marketing software

Before the Course
Training company or Learning Development department
• Assess the need for training & develop the training plan
• Develop the training budget
• Organize resources (rooms, trainers, equipment etc)
• Undertake internal or external marketing of each course & record
registrations
Instructors
• Use the feedback received from pre-course surveys to tailor their content
where possible and ensure the course will meet participants’ objectives
• Upload course materials and content
Participants
• Complete pre-course surveys
• Receive e-mail confirmations, notifications & reminders
During the Course
• Capture attendance records automatically
Instructors
• Upload additional course materials and content as the course progresses e.g.
suggested solutions, brainstorming results, photos & videos, answers etc
• Use online resources to enhance the course e.g. interactive content, video,
online games, brainstorming software etc
• Assess learning success via online assessments, gather feedback via online
polls and surveys

Participants
• Use their device to access content, take notes, ask questions, complete polls
& surveys, interact with content
After the Course
• Record results & assess the performance of the participants, the instructor
and the overall course.
• Import attendance records to CRM and marketing systems for future sales
• Analyze survey responses for opportunities & record these in the CRM
• Allocate “ToDo” tasks for follow-up
• Connect on social media with participants
Instructors
• Connect on social media with participants
• Engage with participants as thought-leaders on e-mail and/or social media
• Upload updated content and/or additional exercises to be completed after
the course has finished
Participants
• Complete online course evaluation & share feedback on social media
• Access content at any time
• Interact and engage with the instructor

Where do I start?
If you don’t currently have any of these systems setup, you may wish to establish
your Training Delivery Platform first.
Out of the three systems, this is by far the easiest and fastest to setup.
If you’re a training company or a learning department that runs a lot of instructor-
led training, setup your Training Management Software next and remove all the
spreadsheets you’re currently using to manage your courses.
This will provide vastly improved visibility and transparency about the courses you’re
running, how they’re performing, and where you can optimize to improve.
If you’re providing courses online, you’ll want to setup your Learning Management
System (LMS) as this will help you deliver the courses to your participants, monitor
their progress and assess their success.
“Corporate training and attitudes towards it have
evolved greatly.
Organization/instructor relationships have shifted
away from the transactional to a more value-
added partnership – where corporate training is
no longer viewed as a simple compliance
requirement where their attendees “get the piece
of paper”, but a solution based one where real
issues and challenges faced by the organisation
are addressed, workshopped and in many cases
resolved.”
Andrew Worner
General Manager, Aventedge,
Sydney, Australia

Conclusions
“Ultimately, we believe, the future of corporate
academies lies in blended learning, which combines
classroom forums, in-field applications, personal and
results-oriented feedback, and online engagement.”
MCKINSEY & CO
Bring the Future into your Training Room
“I envisage the future of training to be blended
between online and face-to-face delivery.
Eventually, I also envisage the rise of the
Artificial Intelligence (AI) trainer – both online
and in the classroom.
With increasing job demands and the need to
be adaptive in the workplace, I can imagine that
training programs will need to be quickly
accessible yet delivered in engaging bite-sized
chunks.”
Linda Le LinkedIn Trainer,
Singapore

While online learning brings a lot of fantastic advantages, it’s clear that the future of
training is blended: using a range of online and mobile tools to supplement,
augment, and improve the training experience in a variety of ways that would
otherwise be impossible in a purely offline world.
Technology is transforming training in many ways:
• Delivery – mobile-friendly training delivered on-demand to any device.
• Management and planning – automating all the time-consuming
administrative tasks that occur in training, improving utilization of training
resources, and providing greater transparency in performance assessment.
• In the training room – providing an augmented experience that extends and
transforms face-to-face experiences.
These technologies are already here and in use.
Rather than waiting and getting left behind, get on-board now and transform the
training experience you provide to your participants.

6 Things to Consider when
Choosing Software for your next
Training Course
We’ve distilled the many options and features when choosing software into these
six points.
Cuts administrative time: you should focus on delivering the course, not
time-consuming administration. Technology should make our lives easier, not
harder.
Flexible: can it adapt to how you like to deliver training? Can it respond to
the dynamic environment of a live training course?
Interactive: technology should bring people together and allow new,
innovative interactions.
Web-based: you don’t want to install apps or maintain software systems.
Easy-to-use & intuitive: no one has time to learn difficult or complex systems.
You don’t want to waste half your course time, teaching participants how to
use the system!
Mobile: ability to interact with the software via any mobile device is critical so
that participants can access the content on their device.

“Are we all ready for the future? No.
Do we know what the future is going to hold? No.
From a personal perspective am I excited? Yes.
Am I nervous? Yes.
Have I got a lot to learn? A big yes!
We have all heard the saying that “Change is the new normal” we
have also heard that “gone are the days where we all sit in a training
room for days on end using a one size fits all approach” to grow
skills, competencies and knowledge.
If we want to be part of the future of training we now have to be
adaptable, flexible and embrace the new technologies. Going
mobile is no longer something that we can put off. E-Learning has
developed into a content rich, interactive, engaging and adaptable
platform that is here to stay.
The future student is going to be influenced and driven by the
education and life experiences that they receive from babyhood to
the workplace– this too is rapidly changing. In turn this is going to
impact on their approach to learning and therefore to training. Hence
the ongoing need to be adaptable.
Blended learning is the new hybrid model that is bridging the gap
between the old and the new which is important as we now have five
generations in the workforce - all with different needs. It is for this
reason that I see a necessity for a continuation of a mix of training
approaches i.e. small groups, large groups, lectures, tutorials,
eLearning along with tools and resources such as: brainstorming,
debates, problem solving, videos, blogs, articles, books,
presentations (written and oral); role plays (virtual and face to face),
simulations, augmented reality, gamification and group discussions
etc.
As we shift to bite-sized content chunks with a focus on learning
autonomy in a world that now has us in sensory overload we need to
be mindful of the changing needs and keep the student/learner at
the forefront of our minds – it’s all about their experience.”
Shirley Anne Fortina
Speaker & Facilitator,
Perth, Western Australia

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References
John Hennessy, “Great Leadership can be Learned” 3 Feb 2016, Stanford
Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders,
http://ecorner.stanford.edu/podcasts/3614/Great-Leadership-Can-Be-Learned
McKinsey & Co, “Learning at the speed of business”,
http://www.mckinsey.com/Business-Functions/Organization/Our-Insights/Learning-
at-the-speed-of-business?cid=orgfuture-eml-alt-mkq-mck-oth-1605
Chief Learning Officer, “The LMS Market is Quickly Losing Ground”,
http://www.clomedia.com/2017/02/23/lms-market-quickly-losing-ground/
HR.com, “Technology-Enabled Learning: More Than eLearning - Part 1”,
https://www.hr.com/en/magazines/training_development_excellence_essentials/ma
rch_2017_training_development/technology-enabled-learning-more-than-elearning-
--_izscecpc.html

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