Hello there Fearless one,
What to expect in this Eureka!:
💠Multiple bots are now a thing!
💠5 Ai tools for image generation & team collaboration
💠Demystifying gamification & choice architecture in gamification
💠What can we learn from IKEA to build better learning experiences
Poe can now let you use multiple chatbots in the same convo!
So, GPT-4 strutted onto the scene in March 2023, making us AI users feel ancient in dog years. Seriously, ask my barber about the gray hairs in my beard! Since then, it’s been an all-out brawl of AI models trying to one-up each other.
Enter Poe, the cool kid on the block, shaking things up with Multi-Bot Chat. Picture this: a chat where ChatGPT starts the convo, Claude joins in with some spicy remarks, DALL-E 3 adds visual flair, and hey, let’s throw in some other ranked bots just for kicks. It’s like a chatbot party and everyone’s invited!
And hey, even if you're not into the mix-and-match game, Poe’s got your back for just $20/month. That’s right, access to ChatGPT 4, Claude 3 Opus, Gemini 1.5 Pro, and more – all for the price of a fancy coffee.
But wait, there’s more! Multi-Bot Chat isn’t just about flexing your AI muscle; it’s about having a blast while you do it. Notice one bot’s slipping up? Swap it out like a pro. Want to see how GPT-4 and Claude handle the same joke? Poe’s got you covered.
So, say goodbye to juggling subscriptions and hello to the AI extravaganza of your dreams. With Multi-Bot Chat, the conversation never gets stale.
The L&D Rollercoaster: Navigating Performance Peaks and Data Potholes with a Smile
Welcome aboard the wild ride of Learning and Development (L&D)!
Our journey begins with a not-so-surprising revelation: traditional L&D practices might need a bit of a makeover. Cue the 2019 Harvard Business Review (HBR) article, a classic reminder that, hey, maybe we're not hitting the mark as well as we thought.
So, what did the HBR article unveil? Well, imagine this: 75% of managers feeling about as satisfied with their L&D function as someone stuck in traffic on a Monday morning. Meanwhile, 70% of employees are wandering around the office feeling like they're fresh out of Hogwarts, still waiting for their magic wand of expertise. And oh, let's not forget the grand finale: a measly 12% of employees actually bothering to apply what they learned in those oh-so-inspiring training sessions. Bravo!
But (Brace yourselves), dear learning professionals! Brandon Burtner, the hero we need but don't deserve, swoops in at the Learning Conference 2021 to remind us that training isn't just about checking off boxes – it's about making a real, tangible difference. And who could forget Conrad Gottfredson's sage advice? If our learning solutions aren't tying back to the big, shiny business goals, we might as well be teaching penguins to fly.
Nevertheless, there's light at the end of this data tunnel! While we've been busy measuring CPE credits like they're going out of style, it turns out there's a whole world of metrics waiting to be hugged like a long-lost friend. Knowledge retention, participant satisfaction, training performance versus organizational success – oh my! With these shiny new KPIs in hand, we can finally wave goodbye to the days of wondering if anyone's actually benefiting from those marathon PowerPoint sessions.
Fast forward to 2024, and we're riding the wave of technology like pros. Artificial intelligence? Check. Virtual and augmented reality? Double check. With these tools in our arsenal, we're personalizing learning experiences like never before, all while keeping employees engaged and, dare we say, having fun!
References & resources:
Harvard Business Review (2019): https://hbr.org/2019/10/where-companies-go-wrong-with-learning-and-development
Linkedin workplace learning report 2024: https://learning.linkedin.com/resources/workplace-learning-report
In this episode, Dr. Dave Eng unravels the intricacies of how choices are presented and structured, and the profound impact they have on individuals, whether in consumerism, gaming, or education.
Choice architecture, rooted in behavioral economics, offers insights into how decision-making processes can be influenced, guiding users towards optimal choices while respecting their autonomy. From the subtle nudges that steer us towards certain options to the power of defaults in shaping our decisions, every aspect of choice architecture plays a crucial role in shaping user experiences.
Explore the philosophy, strategies, and applications of choice architecture, from reducing decision fatigue to fostering engagement in learning environments and games. Discover how learning professionals can leverage choice architecture to create meaningful learning experiences that empower learners, foster engagement, and drive positive outcomes.
Get ready to unlock the secrets of choice architecture and harness its potential to transform learning experiences. Let's dive in and explore the art and science of shaping decisions in learning and games! 🎮📚
Retain: The Customer Retention Podcast
This is a gamification special! So, who better to join host Lauren DeSouza than gamification expert Moe Ash. Moe is the Founder and Gamification Designer at The Catalyst, an innovative learning and development company that focuses on empowering individuals and organizations through transformative learning experiences. He is a trusted voice in the field having spoken about gamification at events, webinars and on podcasts.
During their conversation, Lauren and Moe tackle the psychology behind gamification, whether Duolingo is a bad example of gamification, the best ways to implement gamification into your business, and why not every company needs a game.
Crafting Compelling Learning Experiences: Leveraging the IKEA Effect
Today, we're delving into the fascinating realm of the IKEA effect – a phenomenon named after the purveyor of everything from meatballs to modular furniture.
So, what exactly is this IKEA effect? Well, it's the marvelous tendency we humans have to assign greater value to things we've sweated and cursed over while assembling. Yes, that's right. That bookshelf you put together with instructions seemingly written in hieroglyphics? Pure gold, my friend.
But hold onto your Allen keys, because there's more to this than just a love affair with flat-pack furniture. The IKEA effect isn't just about building bookshelves; it's about building up our own egos. You see, when we wrestle with those perplexing diagrams and incomprehensible instructions (so many memories are rushing back now), we're not just creating furniture – we're crafting a monument to our own perceived competence.
According to the experts (because, of course, we are referencing experts), this boost in self-esteem is crucial for our mental well-being. Apparently, believing in our own abilities makes us more resilient, less stressed, and just generally better at adulting. Who knew?
But wait, there's more! The IKEA effect isn't just about feeling like a DIY deity; it's also about justifying all that effort we put in. You see, we humans have this pesky little thing called cognitive dissonance, which basically means we can't handle it when our actions and beliefs don't align. So, when we spend hours wrestling with an Allen key, we need to convince ourselves that it was all worth it. Enter: the inflated value of our DIY creations.
So, what's the deal with the IKEA effect in learning, you ask? Well, picture this: your learners are slumped in their seats, eyes glazed over as they stare at yet another PowerPoint slide. But fear not, for salvation lies in the humble act of DIY. Yes, by getting learners to roll up their sleeves and build their own knowledge, we can tap into that sweet, sweet IKEA effect and transform mundane lessons into memorable experiences.
But how do we wield this power for good? Let me break it down for you:
Hands-On Activities: Forget about passive learning – it's time to get hands-on. Encourage learners to actively participate in the learning process by solving problems, completing tasks, or even creating their own content. Whether it's assembling a metaphorical bookshelf of knowledge or designing their own learning materials, the act of creation breeds attachment and boosts engagement.
Gamification Galore: Who says learning can't be fun? Inject a healthy dose of gamification into your courses to harness the irresistible allure of storytelling and achievement, fueled by the intoxicating cocktail of challenge and reward.
Personalization Paradise: One size fits all? Not in our world. Tailor your learning experiences to cater to a unique learning experience catered to their preferences . Whether it's allowing them to choose their own learning paths, customize their learning environment, or contribute their own ideas and insights, personalized learning experiences make learners feel like valued collaborators rather than passive recipients.
Social Learning Shenanigans: Humans are social creatures, and learning is no exception. Foster a sense of community and collaboration among your learners by incorporating social learning elements into your courses. Whether it's discussion forums, group projects, or peer feedback sessions, the opportunity to connect and collaborate with others adds an extra layer of value and meaning to the learning experience.
By embracing the IKEA effect in our instructional design endeavors, we can transform learners from passive spectators into active participants, eager to roll up their sleeves and dive headfirst into the delightful chaos of learning.
Tune in to what we are jamming to this week as we work and design.
Some Albanian music
New tools to try out!
AI Assistant for Acrobat is Adobe’s new “chat with your PDF” assistant.
Muddy is an AI-powered web browser that’s built for team collaboration.
Cassidy is an internal AI assistant that’s trained on all of your company knowledge bases.
Canyon is a job search platform that includes AI mock interviews.
Reka AI released Core, a new multimodal AI model proficient in processing images, audio, and VIDEOS.
EverArt lets companies generate AI images that align with their branding, products, and styles.
Here is our weekly comics & games reference, because even the most serious topics deserve a little humor (and maybe a poorly-drawn stick figure or two).
Carcassonne is a tile-placement game in which the players draw and place a tile with a piece of southern French landscape on it. The tile might feature a city, a road, a cloister, grassland or some combination thereof, and it must be placed adjacent to tiles that have already been played, in such a way that cities are connected to cities, roads to roads, etcetera. Having placed a tile, the player can then decide to place one of their meeples on one of the areas on it: on the city as a knight, on the road as a robber, on a cloister as a monk, or on the grass as a farmer. When that area is complete, that meeple scores points for its owner.
During a game of Carcassonne, players are faced with decisions like: "Is it really worth putting my last meeple there?" or "Should I use this tile to expand my city, or should I place it near my opponent instead, giving him a hard time to complete their project and score points?" Since players place only one tile and have the option to place one meeple on it, turns proceed quickly even if it is a game full of options and possibilities.
Using Carcassonne or a game inspired by its mechanics in corporate and employee training can be an innovative approach to engage employees and reinforce key skills. Here's how we can adapt it for corporate training or build a new game based on its mechanics:
Collaboration: Divide employees into teams and task them with collectively building a corporate landscape or solving business challenges represented by the game board. Encourage communication, teamwork, and collaboration as they strategize and work towards common goals.
Project Management: Simulate project management scenarios by assigning different tasks or milestones represented by tiles. Employees must strategically allocate resources and plan their moves to complete projects efficiently and within deadlines. This fosters skills in resource management, prioritization, and time management.
Problem-Solving and Decision Making: Create scenarios that mimic real-world business challenges, such as market competition, resource allocation, or strategic planning. Employees must analyze situations, make informed decisions, and adapt their strategies based on changing circumstances.
Compliance and Risk Management: Create scenarios that emphasize compliance with regulations, risk assessment, and mitigation strategies. Employees must navigate legal and ethical considerations while making strategic decisions to protect the organization's interests.
Performance Evaluation and Feedback: Use the game to facilitate performance evaluations and feedback sessions. Observers can assess employees' strategic thinking, communication, and teamwork skills during gameplay and provide constructive feedback afterward.
Our first sponsor for this newsletter is IDOL courses. Not only is it a licensed virtual career school for instructional design it’s also where I’m PROUDLY a faculty member.
IDOL Academy and IDOL courses On Demand are two programs that are proven to teach you what universities won’t through hands on application and feedback from experts in the field. Find out more here
You can also contact me on LinkedIn for further details if you wish 😉
Finally, I’d love to invite you all to participate in one of the most exciting events of 2024 🔥
At the L&D Partnership Forum, you build the agenda, critically think through L&D challenges with your peers & collectively bring practical, actionable solutions to the group.
Last year I've participated and came out with a rich tapestry of thoughts, discussions, raw ideas and loads of insights.
Now this year, I'm joining in as a facilitator with the esteemed Robyn A. Defelice, PhD, Laurel Schulert & the amazing Rance Greene, and our goal as facilitators is to make sure you leave the experience feeling refreshed and hopeful🌞
The purpose is to equip you to elevate your department as a trusted advisor to the business.
Share your final thoughts with us: