Presented by David Dylan Thomas The domain of technical communication is being encroached upon by the democratization of learning, from YouTube videos describing how to set up a Salesforce instance, to MOOCs offering college level instruction on artificial intelligence. At the same time, the very nature of product knowledge is being altered by fundamental shifts in how a product is (or isn’t) defined upon release, with products often remaining in perpetual beta. Content Strategist David Dylan Thomas discusses how these changes are impacting knowledge transfer, and identifies gaps that people with technical and instructional know-how can fill in the future of learning.

1. The Future of Knowledge
Transfer
David Dylan Thomas
Content Strategist,
EPAM Empathy Lab

4. This Is Your Competition

8. The Democratization of Learning

9. The Democratization of Learning

10. The Democratization of Learning

11. The Democratization of Learning

12. Experts will be edged out by expert
systems.

13. The TV Guide Problem

14. The TV Guide Solution

15. Know Your Real Business
The TV Guide Solution

16. What Is Your Real Business?

17. Knowledge Transfer
What Is Your Real Business?

18. This is a washing machine.

19. This is a washing machine.
Guess what it does?

20. This is Twitter.

21. This is Twitter.
Guess what it does?

22. Knowledge Transfer as Conversation

23. Knowledge Transfer as Conversation
Learning happens here…

24. Knowledge Transfer as Conversation
Learning happens here…
…but it really
happens here.

25. Knowledge Transfer as Conversation

26. Nothing Is Ever Finished Anymore

27. New Product Evolution
• As the product evolves, so does the
conversation
• As the conversation evolves, so does the
product
• The better the conversation, the better the
product

28. Conversation Management Becomes
the Deliverable

29. Conversation Management Becomes
the Deliverable
A Good Course = A Good Conversation

30. Case Study: Reed Gustow

31. Case Study: Reed Gustow
• Teaches online courses about WordPress using
WebEx software.

32. Case Study: Reed Gustow
• Teaches online courses about WordPress using
WebEx software.
• Costs him $24/month for up to 8
people/session.

33. Case Study: Reed Gustow
• Teaches online courses about WordPress using
WebEx software.
• Costs him $24/month for up to 8
people/session.
• Charges $25/person for intro course.
$40/person for child theme course.

34. Case Study: Reed Gustow
• New Demographic
– Women
– Middle Class
– 20 – 30 years old

35. Community as Curriculum

36. Market Gaps: Search-Based Learning

37. Market Gaps: Search-Based Learning

38. Market Gaps: Change the Audience
• Diversify your audience.
• Lower rates, more people.
• Enable small business over large business.

39. Market Gaps: Change the Audience
“You see that app on your phone? I can teach
you how to build one of those and sell it…and
I can connect you to more people trying to do
the same thing.”

40. Market Gaps: Get a Head Start on New
Technology

41. Market Gaps: Get a Head Start on New
Technology

42. Market Gaps: Get a Head Start on New
Technology

43. The Order of Things
Tech
Design
Content

44. Market Gaps: Get a Head Start on New
Technology

45. Questions?

46. David Dylan Thomas
@movie_pundit
dave@daviddylanthomas.com
www.daviddylanthomas.com