Hooray for HTML5 in e-Learning!
This short article, in the TrainingZone, highlights the use of HTML5 as a critical technology in modern e-learning. Certainly, vendors of e-learning products have moved en masse to get on trend with this - quite simply, HTML5 is a requirement in e-learning production today given the forced golden years of Flash-based technologies. This article makes what I believe is a strange case for the use of web content management tools as the foundation for building e-learning programs in HTML5 - for whatever reason, that just seems like a mismatch, and that we need something more screen-based for e-learning (vs the traditional CMS). I personally am fascinated by projects such as H5P and Adapt, and was really impressed with the DZSlides project... and I think we will see even more evolution along those lines, outside of CMS offerings. We need powerful yet easy-to-use interfaces to replicate the slide/screen experience usually associated with e-learning, and we need good tools to make e-books that can leverage themselves into digital job aids. Stay tuned as the technology emerges - we're in for an interesting ride.
Customer Journey Mapping - A Primer on the Basics
Guiding Star's first forays into customer journey mapping quickly led to interesting dilemmas about things like sample size for validation of maps and map visualization (i.e., what will a map look like). There certainly aren't many standards yet out there for those interesting questions. But it likely should be argued that what's truly important is to do it - to map customer journeys across an organization, to map business processes, etc. The goal is to understand touchpoints with customers and stakeholders and improve what happens across the journey in a conscious fashion. This article does a nice, although top-level, job at introducing the concept of a customer journey map, and tackles some of the big questions about why, what, and how. I'm hoping readers from the learning realm can also see the wisdom in creating learning or learner journey maps, a derivation from the customer journey map for which Guiding Star has been an instigator and pioneer. On journey mapping - stay tuned, Guiding Star plans a big announcement about relevant technologies this spring!
Practical Ways to Enhance Customer Experience
Sometimes, things just aren't obvious. In this article in the Guardian, the author highlights some "Captain Obvious" moments of truth in the customer experience - as in, make it easy for your customers to find you. There are a few gems in here, mind you - like personalizing appreciation post-purchase, and skipping the faux-reward for something more compelling. At the end of the day, a thoughtful team, provided with resources to make a difference, will give you a substantial competitive advantage.