Sean Gilligan is an EdTech Entrepreneur based in the UK. Sean is the Founder of Webanywhere. Sean's market-leading products include schooljotter.com, eventanywhere.com, soundbranch.com and watchandlearn.io
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about unprecedented changes in various aspects of our lives, and it’s important to understand the impact of change and how to handle it effectively. Dr. Britt Andreatta, an expert in leadership and learning, shares her insights on this topic.
One of the key issues with change is that not all change is created equal. Some changes are minor, and we can quickly adapt to them, while others are more significant and can take a lot of time to acclimate to. Dr. Andreatta suggests using a “Change Matrix” to assess the impact of change on individuals and teams. This matrix maps the amount of disruption to the time required for acclimation. By understanding how each change affects individuals, we can plan better and manage change effectively.
Leaders need to be thoughtful on how change can disrupt their teams over time
The brain’s resistance to change is also a critical factor to consider. The brain is wired for three things: survival, belonging, and becoming our best selves. Change can often trigger our survival instincts, causing us to resist it. The brain’s GPS system and habits also play a role in our response to change. It’s essential to understand how the brain works and why people react to change the way they do to manage change effectively.
Leaders play a crucial role in managing change, and they can fall into one of three categories: expedition designers, trailblazers, or guides. Each of these roles has a unique perspective on change, and they must work together to manage change effectively.
Change is the only constant in life, and it is evident that organisations are constantly undergoing changes. However, not all changes are equal, and the effectiveness of change initiatives is not always guaranteed. In fact, research shows that 50-70% of change initiatives fail. Therefore, assessing the impact of change and understanding the brain science of resistance are critical for successful change initiatives.
Assessing the impact of change is essential as not all changes are the same, and different types of changes require varying levels of acclimation. Factors that influence the level of acclimation required include the amount of disruption, the total number of changes, and the duration of the change. To effectively manage change, organisations can use a change matrix that maps individuals’ capacity for change against the amount of change happening.
Emotions also play a significant role in the success of change initiatives. When change is announced, people often experience shock, fear, and denial, which may progress to stress, anger, frustration, depression, and confusion. Therefore, change leaders must plan how people are going to react to change and focus on the potential gains and state of hope to shorten the duration and lessen the disruption.
The brain is wired to resist change, and it is predisposed to survival, belonging, and becoming the best selves. To successfully lead change initiatives, leaders must understand the brain’s resistance to change, which is influenced by the fear, GPS, habits, and failure parts of the brain.
Change fatigue is another critical issue to consider when leading change initiatives. Research shows that 47% of senior executives experience change fatigue, which leads to disengagement, exhaustion, absenteeism, confusion, conflict, and cynicism.
Change leaders can mitigate change fatigue by involving detractors and non-active participants, controlling the narrative, and managing resistance to change.
Effective change leadership involves three main types of leadership roles: expedition designers, trailblazers, and guides. Expedition designers have a long view of the organisation and are responsible for designing the change initiatives. Trailblazers enable change to happen by doing something before the change occurs, while guides, often managers and supervisors, lead people through the change.
Change is inevitable, and the success of change initiatives depends on the human side of change. Change leaders must understand the brain’s resistance to change, assess the impact of change, control the narrative, and manage resistance to change. Additionally, they should focus on involving all stakeholders in the change initiatives and ensuring effective handoffs between the leadership roles. Finally, to mitigate change fatigue, change leaders should focus on creating a culture of positivity, celebrating progress, and milestones, and holding people accountable for their goals.
Communication is also critical when it comes to change management. Leaders must control the narrative and involve detractors early to avoid resistance and address the concerns of non-active participants.
The pandemic has brought about significant changes, and people have been struggling to cope with the changes, leading to burnout. It’s essential to pay special attention to burnout and provide support to individuals and teams going through significant changes.
Change is a journey, and it’s important to understand the impact of change and how to handle it effectively. By understanding the science behind change and the role of leaders, we can manage change effectively, minimize resistance, and ensure a smooth transition to the new normal.
Learning professionals from different organisations and industries gathered at the Learning Summit in Katowice to discuss their experiences and insights on learning management systems (LMS). Companies and organisations included Croner-i, The British Safety Council, JetBlue, MCG Health and Babington.
Salesforce CRM and LMS Integration
The summit was a great platform to learn about how various organisations have integrated their LMS with Salesforce CRM and how they track continuing professional development (CPD) points. Here are some of the key insights shared by the participants:. One of the key topics discussed at the summit was how different organisations have integrated their LMS with Salesforce CRM. The speakers, including representatives from Croner-I, MCG Health, Babington, Medtronic, and The British Safety Council, shared their experiences and insights on how this integration has helped their organisations streamline their training programs and customer management. By integrating their LMS with Salesforce, organisations can easily track their learners’ progress, manage their customer database, and create personalised learning plans for their employees and customers.
LTI Content: Portable Learning
Another interesting topic discussed at the summit was the use of LTI (Learning Tools Interoperability) content. Babington shared their experience of discovering 200 publishers of LTI content, which is portable and can be easily integrated into any LMS. LTI content is designed to work across different learning platforms and can be used to enhance the learning experience for students by providing them with access to a wide range of learning resources.
JetBlue Scholars: Reimbursing College Degrees
JetBlue Scholars shared how they support their flight crew to complete their college degrees online with content from study.com and sofia.org. The program provides reimbursement for the cost of the degree and allows the crew to continue working while studying. This innovative program has helped JetBlue improve employee retention and satisfaction, while also providing their employees with the opportunity to enhance their skills and knowledge.
ProductBoard with Jira: Planning Future Product Roadmaps
Martin at Medtronic shared how they use ProductBoard with Jira to plan future product roadmaps for Medtronic Academy. This integration has helped them to streamline their product planning process, while also improving communication and collaboration between team members. By using this approach, they are able to deliver high-quality products that meet the needs of their customers.
Latest Version of Totara
Meredith Henson of Totara streamed in a talk with the latest version of Totara, version 17. She shared how Totara has rewritten their report building and consolidated their notifications into one place, improving the overall user experience. She also announced that Totara 18 will be released in November 2023. Participants were excited to learn about the new features and improvements that will be available in the latest version of Totara.
JetBlue at the Katowice Learning Summit
Role of AI in LMS Development
The summit concluded by exploring the role of AI in future LMS developments and how UX UI is important for improving the learning experiences on desktops, mobile, and even TVs. The participants discussed how AI can be used to personalise the learning experience for each individual, making it more engaging and effective. They also emphasised the importance of UX UI design in creating an intuitive and user-friendly interface for learners, which can help to improve engagement and retention.
Arthur Howie, Solutions Architect at Webanywhere demonstrated how Chat GPT can create a video script which can then be fed into a video AI application such as Synthesia to create a life like e-learning video for delivery via an LMS. On the one hand this make video creation very cost effective and perhaps enhances the user experience. However there are questions around ethics and perhaps the robots taking away jobs. It was thought that for internal use only AI generated video could be used but not in customer education portals with external users. The technology is improving all the time but it has a way to go until you can’t spot the different between a real human video narrator and a computer complied presenter.
In conclusion, the Learning Summit in Katowice provided a great platform for learning professionals to share their experiences and insights on LMS and CRM integration, LTI content, college reimbursement programs, future product roadmaps, and the role of AI in LMS development. It was a great opportunity for participants to learn from each other and exchange ideas on how to improve the learning experience for their employees and customers.
Social podcasting is a new approach to podcasting that shifts the focus from a traditional model of an interviewer and interviewee or an anchor host and panel of guests, to one where the listeners and fans are transformed into creators and contributors. It allows for a more inclusive and diverse experience, where multiple voices are heard and perspectives are shared.
With social podcasting, the focus is less on the host as the central figure, and more on allowing everyone to have a voice and participate in the conversation. This helps to keep the audience engaged, as the change in voices and outlook can bring fresh perspectives and keep the content interesting.
In this model, the listeners and fans are encouraged to contribute to the podcast by offering their opinions, experiences, and perspectives, by posting voice notes added to playlists to create podcast episodes. This creates a sense of community and collaboration, where the listeners feel more invested and connected to the podcast.
Social podcasting also has the potential to increase the exposure and reach of the podcast, as it allows for a more diverse and inclusive approach that can attract a wider audience. The multiple perspectives and voices can also provide a fresh outlook and keep the content interesting, which can help to retain listeners and keep them engaged.
Traditional Podcast
Social Podcast
Production/Direction
Top Down Podcast Producer
Bottom Up Audience are Creators
Duration
Limited
Unlimited
Host
Needed
Not Needed
Flow
Linear
Non Linear
Recording
Synchronous (LIVE)
Asynchronous (OnDemand)
Production Speed
At least 1 hour delay
Immediate
Interruptions
Spontaneous Interruptions
No interruptions
Hosting
Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts
Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts & Sound Branch
Sound Branch is a social podcasting platform that aims to revolutionize the traditional podcasting experience. It combines the best features of traditional podcasting and social media to create a unique, interactive experience for both listeners and podcasters. By offering the ability to post voice notes and record podcasts asynchronously rather than live, Sound Branch provides more flexibility and convenience for both the listeners and the hosts.
One of the key features of Sound Branch is the ability for listeners to interact with the podcast in real-time. This can be achieved through live Q&A sessions, comments, or other means, which allows for greater audience engagement and interaction. This opens up new opportunities for community building and networking, where listeners can connect with each other and with the podcast hosts. This can help to create a more invested and connected community, which can result in increased exposure and reach for the podcast.
Another advantage of Sound Branch is the way it provides podcasters with insights and analytics on their listeners and the podcast. This allows them to better understand their audience and make data-driven decisions about their podcasting strategy. For example, Sound Branch provides insights into the demographics of the listeners, their engagement levels, and the times when they are most active. This information can be extremely valuable for podcasters looking to grow their audience and reach, as it helps them to make informed decisions about the content they create and the way they interact with their listeners.
Traditional podcasting platforms provide a basic framework for podcast distribution, but they are limited in terms of audience engagement and interaction. These platforms typically allow podcasters to upload their content and provide listeners with a centralized place to access and subscribe to those podcasts. They may also include basic features such as episode downloads and show notes, but they do not offer many opportunities for interaction and engagement between listeners and podcasters.
One of the biggest limitations of traditional podcasting platforms is their lack of real-time interaction. For example, listeners cannot participate in live Q&A sessions with the podcast host or leave comments on individual episodes. This can result in a one-way communication experience, where the listener is simply consuming the content, but is not able to engage with the podcast host or other listeners.
Another limitation of traditional podcasting platforms is their lack of community building features. For example, there are no opportunities for listeners to connect with one another or with the podcast host, which can limit the potential for community building and networking. In addition, traditional podcasting platforms do not provide any social media integration, which can limit the podcast’s exposure and reach. As a result, traditional podcasting platforms can be limiting for podcasters who are looking to build a more engaged and interactive audience.
Sound Branch is a cutting-edge platform designed for voice note recording and podcast creation. With its versatile features, users can record, organize and publish their voice notes and podcasts with ease. Sound Branch provides a public timeline where users can curate their voice notes and add them to playlists. Additionally, they can create groups and invite others to participate in podcast creation. The platform makes it easy for users to publish their podcasts on popular platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.
Sound Branch is designed to make the podcast production process streamlined and efficient. All voice notes are transcribed and searchable, allowing for easy access to the content. This makes it possible for users to find what they’re looking for in a matter of seconds. The platform also provides a chat and messaging system, making it possible for groups to communicate and collaborate during the production process.
The safety of the Sound Branch community is a top priority. The platform has safeguards in place to ensure that inappropriate content is not published. If any such content is detected, there are options for reporting by the community or deletion by administrators. Additionally, Sound Branch offers insights into the number of plays and likes for voice notes, allowing users to track their success and see how their podcast is resonating with the audience.
Sound Branch provides free hosting for podcasts and offers recording from iOS and Android devices or from the Sound Branch website on desktop computers. With its user-friendly interface, Sound Branch is perfect for anyone looking to get started in podcasting. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced podcaster, Sound Branch has everything you need to bring your voice notes and podcasts to life.
Benefits of Using Sound Branch for Social Podcasting
One of the key benefits of Sound Branch is its ability to significantly reduce the time it takes to produce a podcast episode. With traditional podcasting, there is often a need for scheduling and post-recording editing, which can add a lot of time to the production process.
Scheduling and recording a traditional podcast can be challenging because it often involves coordinating the schedules of multiple individuals, who may have different availability and time zones. This can lead to difficulties finding mutually convenient times to record. Editing a traditional podcast can also be time-consuming and require specialized technical skills. The process often involves removing unwanted sounds, adjusting audio levels, and splicing together different segments of the recording. This can be a labor-intensive process and can take several hours to complete for just one episode.
Additionally, traditional podcasting may also require specialized equipment, such as microphones and audio recording software, which can be expensive and require regular maintenance. The editing process may also require the use of additional software and tools, further increasing the time and resources required to produce a single episode. These challenges can make the process of scheduling, recording, and editing a traditional podcast time-consuming, complex, and costly, potentially limiting its reach and impact.
However, with Sound Branch, the process is much simpler and faster. Instead of having to schedule interviews and then edit the audio, users can simply record voice notes and add them to a public timeline or group. If someone is not happy with their voice note recording, they can simply delete it and record it again, without having to waste time on editing.
Sound Branch also opens up podcasting to the masses, as it doesn’t require expensive equipment or technical skills. All that’s needed is a smartphone or a computer and an internet connection, making it accessible to anyone looking to get into podcasting. The platform’s user-friendly interface makes it easy to create and share voice notes, without the need for any technical expertise.
In addition to making podcasting accessible to everyone, Sound Branch provides a new way of curating and producing content. By allowing many voices to contribute, it creates a more democratic and inclusive form of content creation. This opens up new opportunities for people to share their ideas and perspectives on a wide range of topics, without having to worry about the technical or logistical barriers that often come with traditional podcasting.
Improved Audience Engagement and Interaction
Having a large number of people appear in a podcast can have a big impact on its success and reach. This is because the more people who are involved in a podcast, the more likely they are to tell their friends and family about it. When listeners become the stars of the show, they are more invested in the content and are more likely to share it with others. This creates a network effect, where each new person who joins the podcast helps to expand its reach and bring in even more listeners.
Turning your podcast into a social podcast is a great way to build a sustainable and long-term following. By involving a large number of voices, you can create a more diverse and engaging podcast that appeals to a wider audience. With traditional podcasts, the audience is limited to the listeners of the show, but with a social podcast, the audience can be expanded to include everyone in the network of contributors and listeners.
Moreover, social podcasts offer a more interactive and dynamic experience for listeners. With traditional podcasts, listeners are passively consuming content, but with social podcasts, listeners can participate and share their own perspectives, leading to a more engaging and immersive experience. This can help to foster a sense of community around the podcast and increase the likelihood of listeners becoming repeat listeners and advocates for the show.
Turning your podcast into a social podcast, you can tap into the power of network effects and expand your audience, building a more sustainable and long-term following. By involving a large number of voices, you can create a more diverse and engaging podcast that appeals to a wider audience and provides a more interactive experience for listeners.
Increased Exposure and Reach for Podcasters
Having a strong community around your podcast can be a powerful tool for growing your audience and recruiting new creators. By fostering a sense of community among your listeners, you can encourage them to become more involved with the podcast and share it with others. For example, you could encourage your listeners to share their own perspectives and experiences through social media, email, or other channels, which can help to spread the word about your podcast and bring in new listeners.
In addition, by involving your listeners in the creation process, you can also recruit new podcast creators from your existing audience. For instance, you could invite listeners to contribute voice notes or other content to your podcast, or even invite them to start an episode. This not only helps to create a more diverse and engaging podcast, but it also provides opportunities for your listeners to showcase their own skills and perspectives, which can help to build their confidence and increase their involvement with the podcast. By doing so, you can create a virtuous cycle of growth and engagement, where your listeners become active participants in the podcast, which in turn attracts even more listeners and new creators.
Audio Profiles and Testimonials
Sound Branch allows you to create audio profiles with testimonials. This is a useful tool for podcasters who are looking to invite guests to their show or better understand their audience. With Sound Branch, you can see and listen to the profiles of other podcasters or listeners, giving you an idea of their skills, expertise, and overall appeal.
By using Sound Branch to create an audio profile, you can showcase your skills and expertise to potential guests, collaborators, and listeners. This can help you attract more attention and opportunities in the podcasting industry. Your profile can include testimonials from other podcasters, listeners, and industry experts, which can help build your credibility and reputation.
Creating an audio profile on Sound Branch can also help you better understand your audience. By listening to the profiles of other listeners, you can gain insight into their interests, preferences, and what they value in a podcast. This information can help you tailor your content and marketing strategies to better engage and connect with your target audience.
Sound Branch provides a unique and valuable opportunity for podcasters and listeners to showcase their skills, connect with others in the industry, and better understand their audience. By creating an audio profile and taking advantage of the testimonials feature, you can build your credibility, attract more opportunities, and make meaningful connections with others in the podcasting world.
Sound Branch is a unique platform that combines the traditional podcasting format with the social engagement and community building aspects of social media. The key benefits of using Sound Branch for social podcasting include a more comprehensive and interactive experience for both listeners and podcasters, faster production times, and the ability to open up podcasting to a wider audience. Sound Branch also allows for a more diverse range of voices to be heard, as it invites listeners to become contributors to the podcast rather than relying on a panel of experts. Additionally, Sound Branch enables podcasters to build a community and network with other podcasters, maximizing audience interaction and engagement. This creates a bottom-up approach to podcast production that allows for a more organic and sustainable podcasting experience.
Our journey to DevLearn started early one Sunday morning. The flight departed from Manchester via Frankfurt before heading to Las Vegas. To my astonishment, my bags had been lost again. On my last trip to Minneapolis, my bag got lost in Rikyavik and now Frankfurt had misplaced my luggage. At least I wasn’t the only one with lost luggage. My collegues James and Steve had lost their bags alongside 40 other Lufthansa passengers.
Steve Ding, James Rowe, Nick White, Webanywhere
DevLearn 22 was held at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas and we stayed at the Plaza near the old town. We had last been at DevLearn back in 2017, and I was curious to find out how the world of learning had advanced over the last five years. DevLearn is the world’s largest developer learning event, bringing together over 26,000 developers, designers, educators and others who are passionate about learning new skills to build better software. It is a key event for Webanywhere as it allows us to connect with our customers and partners face-to-face.
Pre-conference there was a Learning Leaders Forum which Nick White our Head of Enterprise attended. One of the big learnings from the forum was to position Learning & Development as Learning & Performance to get greater buy-in from boards of directors. The leadership forum also discussed the need for metrics in learning & development to prove learning experiences are working.
A big theme of the show was virtual reality (VR) and augmented (AR). Of course, the Metaverse has driven a lot of interest in virtual reality headsets but is the technology good enough for mass consumption? Do people want to wear a virtual reality headset for hours on end? I remember the first time I tried on a virtual reality headset. It made me feel dizzy as I walked around the room full of Vincent Van Gogh paintings. I can see certain news cases in manufacturing, construction and in surgery settings where virtual reality makes total sense. In terms of mass-market adoption where everybody is wearing a virtual reality headset, I am more sceptical.
Betty Dannewitz, an immersive experience designer with over 18 years in corporate learning and development gave a talk on Bringing Casual Learning to your Organization. Betty focused on how to start a podcast. There are 4 main types of podcast formats Monologue, Conversational, Storytelling and Hybrid. Monologue podcasts are where you go solo with only you talking about your topic. Conversational podcasts usually include one or more guests. Storytelling is where you share past event experiences and finally Hybrid is your own cocktail of any of the above. Starting a podcast in our organization needs a vision, plan and buy-in. You must have drive and determination because starting a podcast is easy but keeping it going is more challenging. Your podcast will need a concept which needs you to decide on the format and concept. You also need to consider your audience so that you set the tone correctly. Gathering content is key starting with categories, then topics and threads in guests.
Getting started with podcasting can be costive all your need is a smartphone, some editing software and a hosting platform to push RSS feeds to Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts. Alternatively, you can get started with Sound Branch which lets you record, host and syndicate all from one platform. Sound Branch builds podcasts from voice notes meaning you don’t need to schedule or edit your podcast you simply invite people to your playlist to start a recording.
Nick White and James Rowe, Webanywhere, DevLearn 22
During the DevLearn exhibition, we showcase Totara TXP including Totara Learn, Totara Perform and Totara Engage. We also showcase Watch and Learn which can be used for learning in the flow of work and for live cohort-based learning events. Zoom fatigue is an issue in business and Zoom was not designed for learning. Zoom allows meeting recordings but does not support async video learning experiences such as employee-generated videos or screencasts needed for learners who want more flexibility in their work schedules.
DevLearn 22 hosted approximately 4,000 participants from the learning profession including instructional designers, heads of learning, CLOs and many other people. Our bags were recovered 2 days into our trip and apart from the occasional smokey hotel atmosphere, I would thoroughly recommend visiting DevLearn 23 as a community to get involved with.
Learning Summit Podcast – Nick White reflects on DevLearn 22
Learning 2022 in Orlando, Florida came quickly off the back of our attendance at DevLearn. My last 2 trips to America involved lost baggage and myself scrabbling for help from colleagues whilst visiting clothes shops for emergency provisions. Perhaps this time my travel experience would be smoother.
The last time I visited Learning 2022 approximately 10 years ago Captain “Sully” Sullenberger received a standing ovation for his heroic efforts in landing a distressed plane on the Hudson river in New York. The Learning Leaders Conference was set up by Elliott Massie who coined the phrase e-learning and is now owned and operated by Closer Still Media which host the Learning Technologies Show in London, Online Educa in Berlin, DevLearn in Las Vegas and Learning Solutions in Orlando.
Learning 2022 was back for the first time in 3 years in-person with approximately 1,000 attendees much smaller than DevLearn 2022 and indeed ATD 22 however the conference felt like going back to school with more focus on sessions and talks rather than the expo area.
Duncan Wardle, former VP Innovation and Creativity, Disney
One of the stand-out talks of the show was a keynote talk given by Duncan Wardle the former VP of Creativity and Innovation at Disney. In his talk he said when delivering a presentation you are much better off printing out the slides and putting them up on the walls around a room. You can then take the audience on a journey walking them through each slide. This gets people away from their tables which are guarded and lets people join in the conversation more freely. In another exercise, Duncan ran an experiment with participants. At first, Duncan got us to talk about an idea with one person saying “no” all the time similar to Eeyore out of Winney the Poo. Secondly, we talked through ideas again but this time using the phrase “yes and” to each idea. Not only did this make the ideas more diverse and wide-ranging but a sense of shared ownership was instilled. Sharing ideas ultimately means it’s more likely to happen and this technique is most certainly something I will try back in the office when we next have a brainstorming session.
One of the more bizarre talks was CEO of the Learning Guild David Kelly interviewing a robot called Sophia on stage. Sophia the robot was equipped with a camera and all sorts of high-tech widgets. It was particularly funny watching Sophia change her body language to mirror David’s as part of the demonstration. Sophia hardly had any technical hiccups and it is quite scary how fast robotics and artificial intelligence is now happening.
Donald H. Taylor who Chairs the Learning Technologies Conference in London gave a session on What Makes a Great Chief Learning Officer where people debated whether it’s better to come from an L&D background or from outside of the industry. Donald’s talk took us on a journey up a mountain where in the foothills the skills needed for learning and development management are quite different to the strategy skills required for a successful CLO. In the foothills of the mountain, you need your walking boots and a good walking stick. When you reach the ice cap at the top of a mountain a pick axe is needed and perhaps an oxygen cylinder instead of a rucksack. Most people concluded it was better to come from within the L&D industry. The question asked is whether the learning function should be called learning & development or learning & performance. Performance seems to resonate more with C-suite executives so but most learning professionals refer to the industry as L&D.
I myself gave a talk entitled Building Empathy into Learning Experiences which examined new ways of working and learning in this post-pandemic “Work from Anywhere’ era. People have become siloed and the distribution of people getting the work done means new approaches are needed. I explained how Sound Branch can open access to everyone for making podcasting quick and easy with no editing or scheduling needed. Sound Branch works by building podcasts from voice notes where traditional podcasts are scheduled for live recording Sound Branch playlists record podcasts with voice notes meaning no editing is needed. In addition hosts and guests have greater flexibility to their schedule as they can record the voice notes when and where they please. Instead of recording a podcast over 1-hour session, you can create the podcast over a few days giving time for reflection and preparation.
Async video is a big opportunity for remote communication and learning and we should default to screencasts not Zoom calls for certain types of learning engagements. I explain how Watch and Learn can be used for one-way communication where posting a video is more empathetic than text-based mediums. Finally, I discuss opportunities for social learning with virtual career fairs or internally in a business with virtual coffees to foster more informal conversations in the workplace.
Storm Nicole, Florida, November 2022
Shortly, after we arrived in Florida a weather warning was issued with Storm Nicole in the Bahamas and making its way inland towards the Sunshine State. Our networking event at Disney’s Epcot was made interesting by the wet and wild weather adding another dimension to the pub crawl as we kept looking for shelter whilst hopping over puddles.
Orlando airport closed for two days delaying our return to the UK. On the final day in Florida, the sun was shining and I wasn’t particularly looking forward to the cold weather back home. It was my 3rd time in Orlando this year so perhaps we will be back soon on business or pleasure. I think in-person events are more valuable now than ever with more people working from home the need for human connection is in demand. Bring on Learning 2023!
Do you want to work from anywhere? Do you want to work whenever and wherever you feel like it? Do you want to be free from the shackles of your office and be able to use your time more efficiently? Well, if you answered yes to any of these, then read on!
SoundBranch.com is a podcasting platform that can be used by companies to create social podcasts for internal employee engagement or external customer engagement. Podcasting is a great way to create and share knowledge in the workplace, and it’s easy to consume on any device.
It’s no secret that millennials are the future of business. If you’re looking for new ways to engage them, creating an audio-based social network could be just what you need.
Video-Based Learning Platforms
Video-based learning platforms are a great way to get the most out of your training time. They allow you to record, share and review videos with employees, ensuring that everyone is on the same page.
With videos for learning you can create:
Video handovers for new hires as they join the company
Videos that explain how different processes work
Recordings of key screens at crucial points in your workflow so that staff are able to reference them later if needed
Recordings of webcam views during meetings or demonstrations
Watch and Learn is a simple and powerful way to create video-based learning for your team, whether it’s staff handovers and transfer of knowledge, internal events or asynchronous communication.
Watch and Learn is a web application that allows users to record their screen, webcam and microphone in one click. You have full control over when videos are published, which makes it the perfect tool for both on-demand and live collaboration between teams around the world.
Event Anywhere Virtual Events Platform – Get people together for hybrid work
Virtual Event Platforms
Virtual Event Platforms are all-in-one software tools that let you connect your team and customers, anywhere, on any device.
Event creators can use the platform to:
Host virtual events with tools like video conferencing, online presentations or webinars
Create customer engagement experiences using interactive activities such as live polling or social media integration
Host internal employee engagement initiatives such as training sessions or town halls
Event Anywhere is a virtual event platform that helps event organizers and managers create and manage events online, create tickets and sell them online. Event Anywhere’s features include:
An event schedule builder
An easy-to-use ticketing system for selling tickets online
Customizable event pages for your attendees to find out about your event in detail
Live video streaming and event networking features
Work from Anywhere Software Bundle: Sound Branch + Watch and Learn + Event Anywhere
With this software bundle, you can bring distributed teams together both live and on-demand with internal events and async communication.
Real-time communication is the most important feature of the program. It uses a browser-based interface that’s easy to use, even for people who are not tech-savvy. You can also use it to hold conference calls, video conferences or interactive chats with your colleagues. And if an employee works remotely they’ll be able to access the system from anywhere in the world as long as they have an internet connection.
We hope you’ve found this article informative, and we want to make it easy for you to try out these tools. Our products are all paid, but they come with a free trial that lasts forever! You can use this time to test out each of our platforms in full before deciding which is right for your business.
Speak to Sean
Get in touch if you would like to discuss any of our innovative products.
Welcome! As MD of Webanywhere Ltd, I'm interested in everything to do with e-learning and the web.
Amongst my random thoughts and witterings, I'll keep this blog up to date with some of the best ideas and resources that I find online, plus snippets from our company news.
