Module: Introduction to Single Sourcing

Single Sourcing

ADDIE

Smaller Modules Separating Content from Presentation Working as a Team

Newspapers Do It

Course Goal “teach you how to apply similar techniques when creating multiple courses in your environment.”

Develop Once, Use Many Tip: For a single topic (or learning object) you may want to write verbose text for inclusion in an instructor guide, and an equivalent, streamlined version for use on classroom visuals or in the eLearning. Basically it is the same content.

Learning Deliverables

Separation of Content from Delivery Course Source Material Difficulty Reusing eLearning (authoring file) Content is often on the same page as navigation controls, such as the next button, back button, course map, background, etc. Very difficult to capture the content for reuse. Instructor Guide (Word document) Content is often heavily formatted, using Word document styles, in tables, written in lengthier (verbose) format. Difficult to repurpose. PowerPoint Slides (native.ppt) Content is often simplified and enlarged for visual display. Insufficient source material. Working with Different Media Types

Business Benefits Separating content from delivery format provides many business benefits, including: Future Proofing Content Scalability Decrease Redundancy Shorten Time To Market Rapid Updates and Modifications

Course Objectives In this course, you will learn how to:  create learning content as small, easy-to-use modules  think outside the box and apply single sourcing to innovative, large-scale projects  define and communicate your single source vision to your team, business unit, and company/organization  deal with change management issues  structure your team for best results  deploy a successful single sourcing practice

Module: Learning Object Methodology

What is a Learning Object? Self-Contained Connectable to Other Learning Objects Reusable Individual Item or an Entire Activity Metadata Tagged for Searchability Building Block for a Topic or Lesson

Examples of Learning Objects Examples of Learning Objects: Screen TitleAnimation SentenceTest Question ParagraphQuiz CaptionInteractive Exercise Steps in a ProcedureSimulation TableInstructional Game GraphicList of Course Objectives Video

Topics, or Lessons

Module, or Units

Aggregated Course

Designing for Reuse Here are some simple tips to share with instructional designers and writers to make content as reusable as possible. 1. Don’t reference previous LO’s or topics within any reusable content. 2. Cover examples completely within the learning object (or at least the topic). 3. Write verbose and streamlined text if you want classroom visuals and eLearning to be less “text heavy”. 4. Consider adding interactivity exercises as equivalent to static graphics or text narratives describing classroom activities, for use in non-print-based learning. 5. For transitional items and contextual examples, create them as non-reusable objects or “glue”.

Glue

Non-Linear Development

Module: Large-Scale Project Examples

Thinking Outside the Box If you think that using single sourcing is just a different development methodology for creating eLearning or Instructor-Led Training, you are missing the big picture. Although single sourcing can help shorten overall development, the more significant benefits include: Setting up content for creative remixing Moving modular training closer to the point of performance Sharing and reusing content with other parts of the business Creating new derivative versions of courses for different target audiences

Demo Wiley Custom Select

Summary Wiley Custom Select is an excellent example of single sourcing in action because it: Uses the concept of Learning Objects – defined as “Chapters” in a book in this example Learning Objects are short and granular Chapters are self-contained Keeps content separate from delivery - you can add your own cover and the table of contents is automatically generated Content can ultimately be repurposed for multiple uses

Discussion Questions Which issue do you think was more difficult in this scenario: 1. applying learning content management technologies and techniques? 2. working with content owners and authors to see the vision of allowing users to consume their intellectual property at the chapter level? How could you apply this example to learning content that you develop?

Retail – Product Knowledge OnDemand

Discussion Questions Discussion Questions: How can you apply single sourcing to similarly disseminate learning in your organization? (Think outside the box). When would it be advantageous to move training closer to the point of performance as illustrated with this example?

Retail – Product Knowledge OnDemand Company XYZ owns a large chain of retail stores, located in three different countries with the following characteristics: They sell 56,000 different brand-name items Sales staff is assigned by department (electronics, medical supplies, gardening, sports, etc.) The company considers “product knowledge” as a key to successful selling Turnover of staff is high at 34% turnover per year There is a need to keep the sales staff up on all the latest information on products

Retail – Product Knowledge OnDemand

Summary and Discussion Discussion Questions: How can you apply single sourcing to similarly disseminate learning in your organization? (Think outside the box). When would it be advantageous to move training closer to the point of performance as illustrated with this example?

Computer Software Training

1Create a Common Outline 2Organize Repository Topics 3Compare and Consolidate Data Collection Worksheets 4Collect Data from SME(s) 5Create Derivative Versions (in same repository) 6Tag content for output to different formats

Computer Software Training In this example, many different outputs are supported including: Instructor Guides Student Guides PowerPoint (visuals for instructor-led training) eLearning Mobile Learning Job Aide Online Help Files Publishing Software (for manuals) Etc.

Summary and Group Discussion Does your organization provide limited access to Subject Matter Experts (SME’s)? What can be learned from this case study on how to more efficiently use SME time? Reusability doesn’t always mean using content created by someone else for another use. In fact, one of the most effective cost saving measures of single sourcing is repurposing content for different audience. How much content can be reused (or repurposed) in your department/organization when creating derivative versions of courses for different audiences?

Module: Creating a Long-Term Vision

North Star Fact: The North Star never changes its place in the sky. When you face it, you are always facing North.

North Star Begin by writing goals for your project. Here are some ideas to get you started: “Our vision of single sourcing is to create new learning products and develop additional streams of revenue.” “By introducing this program, our goal is to be able to offer our customers (both internal and external) customized learning experiences without starting each new project from scratch.” “To us, single sourcing holds the keys of creating consistent learning products and deliverables. Our learners don’t want every learning experience to be a new exercise in how to use the manual or navigate an eLearning course.”

Group Activity Divide into groups. Write and share a one-line, North Star vision with your group. Discuss.

3 Year Strategy

Play Strategy Discussion Video

Prototype ALL Outputs

Company XYZ inconsistencies When preparing to move to a content-managed approach, they collected samples of instructor guides from each department, and they noticed that elements of the template had changed over time, including: Variations in the document footer: changes in font, styles, and spacing. Instruction Notes: Some added them in italics directly under the content. Another group had decided to show them in the margins. Use of Icons: the original template used visual icons to represent discussions vs. activities vs. quizzes, etc. Over time some of these icons had been abandoned and new ones added. One group stopped using the icons altogether.

Activity: Assess output formats Assess output formats using the following steps: 1. Collect samples from different groups and divisions (instructor guides, student guides, PowerPoint used in ILT, eLearning, etc.) 2. Collect any feedback given by learners and instructors 3. With a group of key stakeholders, make a prioritized list of what works best across all the samples 4. Create a list of what common elements exist across all samples vs. what is unique 5. Create a specification showing what variability is needed to meet all needs 6. Finally, create a prototype that everyone can live with.

Mapping Out Content

Calculating Conversion Costs

Conversion Ratios Materials to ConvertDevelopment TimeRatio Instructor guides, Student guides and PowerPoint used in a classroom 20 hours of development per finished hour (“seat time”) of the course 20:1 eLearning (average, medium level of interactivity) 49 hours of development per finished hour 49:1

Creating a Strategy and Development Plan