As a freelance instructional designer, I work with clients to create training that is meaningful and engaging for their employees and customers. One of the tools I use to achieve this is Action Mapping, a concept introduced by Cathy Moore in her book "Map It: The hands-on guide to strategic training design." In this article, I will describe how I use action mapping and provide examples from my work with a client.

What is Action Mapping?

Action mapping is a process of designing training that focuses on the actions learners need to take to perform their jobs effectively. According to Moore, "action mapping starts with the real-world tasks and goals that the training supports, and then maps backwards to the knowledge and skills that the learners need to accomplish those tasks and goals." By starting with the end goal in mind, action mapping ensures that the training is directly relevant to the learners' needs and avoids providing them with unnecessary information.

Avoiding Info-Dumps

One of the key benefits of using action mapping is that it helps to avoid the problem of "info-dumps" in training. An info dump is a situation in which a trainer or instructor simply provides learners with a large amount of information without any context or relevance. This type of training is often ineffective because learners have a hard time understanding how the information they are receiving relates to their work.

Another major benefit of using action mapping is that it leads to more engaging and effective training. When learners can see how the training relates to the work they will be doing, they are more likely to be motivated and engaged in the learning process.

In her book, Moore emphasises the importance of creating training that is meaningful and engaging: "When learners see the relevance of the training to their work, they're more motivated to participate, absorb the information, and put it into practice."

The Action Mapping model

Step 1: Define the Business Goal(s)

The first step in action mapping is to define the business goal. This involves working with the client to clearly define the specific outcomes they hope to achieve through the learning experience. This could be anything from increasing sales to improving customer service, but it is important that the goal is specific, measurable, and aligned with the overall business strategy. As an example, we defined the following business goal for one of my clients:

"Create a recurring annual revenue of 30k within the next 90 days."

Step 2: Identify the Actions

Once the business goal is identified, the next step is to identify what people need to do in order to achieve that goal. This involves working with the client to identify the specific actions and behaviours that will lead to the desired outcome. This could include things like making a sales pitch, handling a customer complaint, or using a new software system. Here are some of the actions we identified for the client I mentioned above:

"Create a mission statement, create a personal story, define customer personas, connect with 5 strategic partners, meet with 3 potential clients, use the selling framework, etc."

Step 3: Design Practice Activities

Once we know what people need to do, the next step is to design practice activities that will help them develop the skills and knowledge they need to perform those actions. This could include things like role-playing exercises, simulations, or case studies. The practice activities should be designed to be as realistic and authentic as possible so that learners can apply what they have learned in a real-world context. Our practice activity for my client’s students included:

Practising with peers through case study analysis, peer reviews, recording presentation videos, receiving feedback from peers, etc.

Step 4: Identify What People Really Need to Know (and nothing more!)

The final step in action mapping is to identify what people really need to know in order to perform the actions and behaviours identified in step 2. This should be only information that directly supports an activity or behaviour. In the case study I shared earlier, we created educational videos, infographics, templates (job aids), reading content, and live Q&A coaching sessions.

Conclusion

Action mapping is a powerful method for designing effective learning experiences that are focused on achieving specific business goals. By following the four steps of defining the business goal, identifying what people need to do, designing practice activities, and identifying what people really need to know, instructional designers can create learning experiences that are tailored to the specific needs of their learners.

Visit my portfolio to read a detailed description of the case study I used in this article and learn more about my work.

References

Moore, C. (2017). Map it: The hands-on guide to strategic training design. Montesa Press.

Photo credit: Cathy Moore 2018

As more and more organisations move their training online, instructional designers are faced with a challenge: closing the virtual gap that separates learners.

How can we foster a sense of connection and collaboration among learners, despite the physical distance and lack of face-to-face interaction?

Social learning is a powerful tool to tackle this challenge.

In this article, I will share six activities I incorporate into my learning design to turn online training into an interactive and social experience. 

1. Start with a Profile Completion Activity

Kick off the course by encouraging learners to upload a profile picture, write a brief bio, and share their professional experiences and interests. This helps to build connections and foster a sense of community among learners.

2. Break the Ice with an Introduction Activity

Establish a collaborative and comfortable learning environment with an introduction activity. Learners can introduce themselves, share their goals, and connect with other learners, paving the way for future interactions. 

3. Engage Learners with Polls

Use polls to gauge knowledge levels, gather feedback, or spark conversations. Share the results in real time and invite participants to discuss their thoughts, promoting active engagement and communication.

4. Foster Collaboration through Discussion Activities

Create opportunities for learners to exchange ideas, perspectives, and experiences related to the training content. These activities foster critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration, enhancing the overall learning experience.

5. Add Expert Insight for Real-World Context

Enrich the training content by recording a video interview with an industry expert discussing challenges and best practices related to the training topic. Embed the video in the course and create a discussion thread where learners can ask questions or share their thoughts on the expert's insights.

6. Encourage Active Learning through Peer Feedback

Promote collaboration and active learning by having learners review, analyse, and provide constructive feedback on each other's work. Provide clear guidelines on how to give and receive feedback, and require participants to revise and resubmit their work based on the feedback received. 

Conclusion

Embracing social learning is crucial for bridging the virtual gap in online training. By incorporating these six activities into your course design, you can foster a sense of connection, collaboration, and active learning among participants. Give them a try and share your experience in the comments.

Resources

• The New Social Learning: Connect. Collaborate. Work.

• Learning Experience Design: From Ideas to Impact

One thing I’ve been noticing in the learning and development community is the terms "interactivity" and "engagement" being used interchangeably. This confusion could be partly attributed to the growth of ed-tech and the emergence of innovative authoring tools that simplify the creation of interactions. In this article, I will share a few ideas on distinguishing between interactivity and engagement and how we can create engaging learning experiences.

Interactivity vs Engagement

Interactivity allows learners to influence or respond to their learning environment. It fosters intellectual engagement, stimulating thought and provoking reflection. 

On the other hand, engagement is about the emotional investment and active interest that learners demonstrate toward the learning process. It transcends the notion of mere interaction—it's about the learner's connection with the content and how effectively it motivates and inspires them to learn.

Clicks Don’t Equal Interactivity

There's a common perception in some L&D circles that more clicks automatically mean more interactivity. This idea can sometimes lead us to mistake simple mechanical actions for genuine interactivity. But the real value of interactivity doesn't lie in the number of physical interactions. It's about the depth of cognitive engagement these interactions can ignite. Sivasailam Thiagarajan sums it up nicely:

"Interactivity is in the mind, not the mouse."

A Means to an End

Ultimately, it all comes down to this: interactions should be viewed as a means to an end, not the end goal. They're the tools in our instructional design toolbox that we can skillfully wield to create engagement. But we must keep in mind that not all interactions add cognitive value. 

Including excessive clicks and navigational steps may seem interactive on the surface, but they might contribute little to learner engagement or comprehension. Our challenge, then, is to craft a learning environment where each interaction serves a purpose and truly stimulates the mind. This approach ensures that we're not merely keeping our learners busy with clicks, but genuinely engaging them in a meaningful learning journey.

Interactions that Create Cognitive Engagement

It's not just about learners' interaction with the content, but about sparking intellectual curiosity and cognitive engagement. Here are a few strategies to make learning more engaging:

1. Scenario-Based Learning and Storytelling:

Utilising relatable narratives or realistic scenarios could significantly enhance engagement levels. By allowing learners to apply their knowledge in meaningful contexts, we can encourage cognitive engagement. Moreover, well-crafted stories tend to leave a lasting impression.

2. Simulations and Role-Playing Exercises:

Providing learners with a simulated environment to apply their newly acquired skills can prove quite impactful. Simulations offer a safe space for learners to make mistakes, learn, and ultimately, improve. 

3. Discussion Forums:

Facilitating a sense of community among learners can stimulate engagement. One way to foster this community is by providing learners with a platform to exchange ideas, ask questions, and interact with each other. This approach encourages learners to delve deeper into the subject matter and gain diverse perspectives.

4. Learner Feedback and Social Interaction:

Incorporating a social component into your interactive activities, such as peer-review tasks or collaborative projects, can make learning more engaging. These tasks encourage critical thinking and promote a richer understanding of the content through the lens of multiple viewpoints.

Conclusion

Our role as instructional designers is to create engaging learning experiences that captivate the learner's minds, guiding them on a profound and meaningful learning journey. By avoiding excessive clicks and prioritising true engagement strategies, we can effectively achieve this goal.