Interview with Roy Pollock. New Book Helps both Learners and Their Managers Make Training Work

It has been my pleasure and privilege to co-teach several learning measurement workshops with Dr. Roy Pollock, and to follow the important work that he and his colleagues have done at The Fort Hill Company over the years. I acknowledged their work by awarding Cal Wick, Fort Hill's Founding Father, the Neon Elephant Award back in 2006. I've also reviewed their ground-breaking book, The Six Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning, and have recently reviewed their new book, Getting Your Money's Worth from Training and Development.

Now, I have captured Roy in a video interview, that I think you'll enjoy and learn from.

You can purchase the book by clicking on the Amazon.com link below:

Again, I highly recommend the book. Read my book review to see how much.

Assessment Guru Hints at Trends Relevant to Learning Professionals

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Learning professionals (like me) can often gain insights about our industry from people in the field who have different vantage points than our own. I recently talked with Eric Shepherd, CEO of Questionmark, to get a sense of our industry and how it has been affected by the bad economy. Eric has been a good friend and long-time supporter of my research over the years and I’ve come to value his counsel.

Questionmark is the leading provider of assessment software according to a recent eLearning Guild study. I thought from his perch overseeing all-things-assessment, Eric might be able to give us some unique insight into the learning-and-performance field in general.

Check out my interview with him at the recent Guild conference. I divided it into two parts to make viewing easier.

Part 1: What trends do you see that we may be missing? 

Part 2: How is the bad economy affecting the learning assessment marketplace? 

Will’s Video: Job Aids — Not Just Child’s Play

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Video Overview:

The following video provides an entertaining and, I hope, enlightening look at the humble job aid.

Featuring:

  • This is only the second video that I shot and edited. See how I did.
      
  • Allison Rossett, co-author of the book, Job Aids and Performance Support (with Lisa Schafer) is interviewed.
      
  • Worldwide public introduction to incredible new talent, the incomparable Alena.
      
  • Brewer the dog has cameo role.
      

Video Notes:

Because of YouTube size restrictions, it is divided into 2 parts.

Enjoy in HD (if your computer can handle it) by:

  1. Starting the Video
  2. Clicking on HD at Lower Right, AND
  3. Clicking on the full-screen display (the box in a box) at Lower Right
  4. IF the audio doesn't track, your computer can't handle HD.



Part 1



Part 2

Purchasing (or learning more about) Allison's Book:

Interview with Type A Learning Agency, Segment 1

Will Thalheimer interviews Anna Belyaev and Gretchen Hartke of Type A Learning Agency in January of 2006.

This Segment is on journalism and the name Type A.

Questions Asked:

Given the miserable state of journalism in our field, what can we do to get better info to our fellow instructional professionals?

The name of your company is Type A Learning Agency. Who are you and what are you trying to say with that name?


MP3 File

NOTE: The full interview is available for download below the individual segments.

Interview with Type A Learning Agency, Segment 2

Will Thalheimer interviews Anna Belyaev and Gretchen Hartke of Type A Learning Agency in January of 2006.

This Segment provides an introduction and ask the first question on getting "leadership energy" into e-learning design.

Questions Asked:

Leadership gets things done in organizations. Most e-learning is devoid of this leadership factor. How can we design leadership into e-learning.

A Learning Agency. Who are you and what are you trying to say with that name?


MP3 File

NOTE: The full interview is available for download below the individual segments.

Interview with Type A Learning Agency, Segment 3

Will Thalheimer interviews Anna Belyaev and Gretchen Hartke of Type A Learning Agency in January of 2006.

This Segment asks about popular culture influences in e-learning design.

Question Asked:

Type A is always focusing on popular culture messages. How can we draw inspiration from popular culture messages and the concept of "stickiness" and design this into our e-learning?


MP3 File

NOTE: The full interview is available for download below the individual segments.

Interview with Type A Learning Agency, Segment 4

Will Thalheimer interviews Anna Belyaev and Gretchen Hartke of Type A Learning Agency in January of 2006.

This Segment asks questions on Innovation and Workshops.

Questions Asked:

Where do you draw inspiration to be innovative in e-learning?

Do people come to Type A to learn about e-learning design?


MP3 File

NOTE: The full interview is available for download below the individual segments.

Interview with Type A Learning Agency, Segment 5

Will Thalheimer interviews Anna Belyaev and Gretchen Hartke of Type A Learning Agency in Jan of 2006.

This segments ask questions on research, spending money, and hopes.

Questions asked:

What is your view of research-based instructional design?

If I gave you $2 million to spend in the e-learning field, how would you spend it?

What are your hopes for the learning and performance field?


MP3 File

NOTE: The full interview is available for download below the individual segments.

Interview with Type A Learning Agency, Belyaev and Hartke, Full Interview

In late January 2006 I had the pleasure of spending a few days with Type A Learning Agency in Chicago. While there I interviewed CEO Anna Belyaev and Director of Instructional Design Gretchen Hartke.

This is the full version of that interview. It is segmented above (into 5 segments) for easy access to particular questions of interest.


MP3 File