Regardless of industry, learning organizations are constantly encouraging or experiencing some kind of transformation if the businesses they support are to thrive and prosper. The fast pace of global business, not to mention the even faster pace of evolving technology, means that the necessity of learning on the go and development program considerations related to an audience predominantly weaned on interactive gaming and simulation technology are critical to create and deliver effective learning. But how exactly does a savvy learning leader tempt the Generation X or Y palette? You could offer learning and development interventions using the latest podcasting technology.
Podcasting, the distribution of audio or video files over the Internet, is a new way to provide learning programs for mobile devices and personal computers so that the audience can listen to content complete with audio or video when they want, where they want and how they want.
Eric Frank, vice president of Business Publishing at Prentice Hall, uses podcasting to help train Prentice Hall’s sales organization in an entertaining, informative fashion on an ongoing basis. “Our reps are like any other consumer,” Frank said. “They’re more likely to learn from things that they find interesting and from things that they find somewhat entertaining. Before we were communicating in what I would call an information-heavy way. You know, here’s all the information. Just because you’re a sales rep doesn’t mean that you have to plod through all this stuff and learn from it. With podcasting we’re acknowledging that people learn best when they’re stimulated, when their minds are open to learning and when the information is informative but also entertaining.”
The selling season at Prentice Hall mirrors that of a university or college semester. As reps travel selling textbooks on campuses, newly released information about products was historically distributed via physical meetings or sent piecemeal over e-mail. These were unsatisfactory solutions, Frank said. “We decided to change the model, and we’re using a series of new learning tools including a blog with our sales force and some simulation-based training. The third piece is the podcasting strategy; we’ll be releasing a series of podcasts throughout the spring that reps can use to get updated training and use for learning while they’re on the go.”
The podcast format allows Prentice Hall to move much more quickly in its information distribution processes and conforms to the sales reps’ need for mobile learning versus the more static information usually presented over the Web or via e-mail. Frank said mobile learning options also allow for greater absorption of information. “It’s the notion of infotainment versus just pure information. Our sales reps spend a good amount of time in their cars or walking across college campuses going from the economics building over to the business building over to the social sciences building or sitting in the cafeteria eating their lunch. Those are good opportunities for us to take advantage what was formerly sort of dead time for them and for them to get some training while they’re on the go.”
Research conducted in August of 2005 by mobile market intelligence company CLX showed that 15 percent of U.S. respondents listen to podcasts. While the technology is fairly new and seemingly perfect for a younger audience, apparently podcasting also has great appeal for the mid-40s and older crowd. Research data indicated that the two groups most likely to listen to podcasts are 45- to 55-year-olds and 55-year-olds and over, which indicates that there might be some real value in using this new technology to create learning programs that appeal to all ages.
Prentice Hall has been using podcast training on its sales force since January of this year, but anecdotal feedback has been very positive. Frank said that if this experiment is successful, he sees no reason not to scale the project out more for the sales organization and potentially use the technology internally as well once they figure out if podcasting works best as a training device or an information-dissemination tool. “(The sales force) has come back and commented that they appreciate the recognition that they move around a lot, that we shouldn’t just inundate them with information,” Frank said. “(The podcasts) are optional—we’re not forcing them to do this. But almost every single one of the sales reps downloaded it and listened to the podcast. We can see that metric.”
