1. Product knowledge e-learning: keeping pace with change
Stephen Walsh, Partner
Cammy Bean, VP Learning Design
www.kineo.com
twitter: @kineolearning

2. Working with leading clients...

3. Your hosts
Stephen Walsh
Cammy Bean
Stephen.walsh@kineo.com
Twitter: @stephentwalsh
Cammy.bean@kineo.com
Twitter: @cammybean

4. Today
•Product knowledge – the challenges
•3 steps to making product knowledge e-learning work
•Move fast
•Build it right
•Keep it agile
•Demos and examples
•Your questions

5. What is product knowledge e-learning?
• Short, focused e-learning
bits: 10-20 minutes
• The latest product offerings
and updates
• Required in 3 weeks or less
• Delivered to busy learners
(typically sales and retail)
• Frequent updates

6. So why are you here?

7. So why are you here?
• Are you doing any product knowledge training?
• What are the challenges?
• How does it need to be better?

8. Products Change!

9. How many Blackberry models
have there been since the 5810
launched in 2002?
Type your guess in the chat
window.

10. Over 60: that’s an average of a
new one every 5 weeks!

11. Key Challenges
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Keeping pace with change
Staff turnover
Fitting in training with their jobs
Keeping delivery costs low
Engaging the learner
Developing sales skills
Updating content

12. Product knowledge e-learning:
How should we do it?
Move
fast
Build
it right
Keep
it alive

13. Step 1: Move fast!

14. Pop quiz…
•How long should it take to develop 20 minutes of
product knowledge e-learning?
•What’s your experience?
•How could it go faster?

15. Rapid Prototypes
• Are fun!
• Shorten the process – includes art
direction, design
ideas, navigation, level of
interaction, etc.
• Helps people talk more
constructively
• Leads to more creative designs
• Everyone has a view on a
prototype, can test with learners
• Great way to work side-by-side –
often that’s how we do it

16. Product Knowledge
Example 2 Day Prototype

17. Step 2: Build it right.

18. Please, not just the facts!
Knowing about a product’s
features...

19. Please, not just the facts!
Knowing about a product’s
features ...is not the same as...
• Understanding key benefits
• Being able to deal with
customer queries
• Closing a sale

20. Put it into context.
• Recognize a problem and provide a
solution
• Focus on questioning, listening and
understanding
• Recall key product information and
explain
• Operate independent of job aids
• Keep focused in a busy, noisy
environment

21. Make it fun!

23. Challenge and reward.

25. Keep it short. No, really.

26. Show how it works.

29. Tell stories, share examples.

33. Put it into practice.

36. Let’s look at an example!

37. Describe the benefits.

38. Don’t forget the features!

39. But keep it simple.

40. Use scenarios to keep it real.

41. Use scenarios to keep it real.

42. Step 3: Keep it alive!

43. Because products change so often...you
need to update the e-learning often!

44. What About You?
• How long does it currently
take you to make text or
image changes in e-Learning?

45. What About You?
• How long does it currently
take you to make text or
image changes in e-Learning?
(Operators are standing by in our chat window. Aren’t they?)

46. Maintenance & Updating
• Should be quick and easy with no
technical skills
– Text
– Images
• Use old fashioned XML
• Allows fast updating
• No authoring tool required

47. Updating with XML

48. Updating with XML

49. Updating with XML

50. Updating with XML

51. Product Portals: Sustaining performance
• Moodle LMS gives you more for less
• Include a range of options
–
–
–
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Product Wikis
Pod/vodcasts
Polls and surveys
Discussion and live chat
RSS feeds to keep people informed
Quizzes and feedback

53. Let’s Review!

54. Resources – you are what you share
www.kineo.com
:

55. Resources – you are what you share
40 guides – including our product knowledge guide at
http://www.kineo.com/elearning-reports/product-knowledge-e-learning.html

56. Any questions?

57. Contact
Stephen Walsh
Cammy Bean
Stephen.walsh@kineo.com
Twitter: @stephentwalsh
Cammy.bean@kineo.com
Twitter: @cammybean
Let us know what you thought:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=dmYxmlZGq1cVhlPpd2pKag_3d_3d

58. Photo Credits (Thanks Flickr!)
Patriotic plume: http://www.flickr.com/people/jurvetson/
Wall Detail: http://www.flickr.com/people/glennwilliamspdx/
Kiddie Rollercoaster: http://www.flickr.com/people/brent_nashville/
*Time* ticking away: http://www.flickr.com/people/mike9alive/
Storyteller: http://www.flickr.com/people/nickpiggott/
Practising arm crawls: http://www.flickr.com/people/mrsmaxspix/
Red port: http://www.flickr.com/people/vaionnoth/