My overriding sense of the learning industry at present, after attending the World of Learning conference in Birmingham, is that it’s briming with excitement and enthusiasm. This could be felt from the audience attending many of the wonderful talks, the exhibitors eagerly explaining their product or service and the attendees eager for the tool or approach that could lift their learning content and delivery to the next level.
The enthusiasm was particularly apparent for GenAI and LLMs (large language models) and the role they are starting to play in tailoring and enhancing the learner experience as well as simplifying the content creator’s job. From the state of the art, interactive avatars on display with exhibitors, to the speakers extolling the virtues of AI video generation to the use of AI coaches, it is clear that the learning industry is eagerly embracing new technologies and the enhanced learner experience they provide.
From my perspective as an instruction designer here are the top five insights I gained from the attending the conference:
The industry is embracing microlearning, particularly in video:
One of the recurring themes throughout the conference was the importance of microlearning. It was clear from the enthusiasm attendees had for microlearning development tools on show, that this type of content was in high demand with the learners they support. The demonstrations and discussions at exhibitors, such as GetAbstract and IAMlearning.
Some speakers, presenting at the conference, alluded to the ever-shrinking attention spans and busy schedules of adult learners and that the need to break down content into bite-sized, easily digestible chunks is crucial to achieving learning results. Some talks at the conference expanded on the benefits of microlearning, in that it not only caters to the learners’ preferences but also enhances knowledge retention and application as well.
L&D professionals are eager to leverage technology for better engagement:
Technology has revolutionized the way we learn and changed the expectation of learners on the types and variety of content they can choose to consume. This conference highlighted for me various tools and platforms that can really enhance adult learning experiences. From interactive AI generated avatars on display from companies such as, Techsmith, Powtoons and Synthesia to gamification and VR embracing technology demonstrated by Cornerstone on Demand, Virti, and Stornoway.io at their respective booths. It’s clear that the new technology that can make learning more engaging, immersive, and effective is here and is in high demand from today’s L&D professional.
LMSs (Learning Management Systems) are still key tools in achieving the goals of L&D teams:
The sheers number of LMSs on display at various stands throughout the conference made it clear that this technology is still an integral part of learning delivery for most attendees. It makes particular sense given the increase in remote and hybrid work models, created to reach a more widely dispersed audience. Once again a lot of the LMSs present were eager to show how they leverage AI to tailor the learners experience and curate the content they accessed, these included 360 Learning, Calibrae and LearningBox.
A larger emphasis visible on management coaching and soft skills training:
From going around the stands at the conference and seeing the numbers of attendees at the coaching and leadership stands it was clear that there is a huge demand for this type of training and support in many corporations. After getting into discussions on the topic it was clear that managers are seeing a change in workforce dynamics, caused by hybrid work models and generational changes in motivations for working. This issue, combined with the increased difficulty of employee retention has placed a larger pressure on managers to upskills in employee engagement and improve their team members experience, thus avoiding the cost of turnover or drop in productivity due to dissatisfaction. Some interesting stands I visited on this topic were the ones by Mindset Practice, who were focused on emotional intelligence development and psychometrics and Loopin, who were another provider utilising AI, but this time to support the development and deployment of personalised coaching for managers.
User Adoption beyond training for go-live wasn’t high on the agenda:
The final insight I took away from this conference was that the focus for training delivery and employee empowerment, even in software implementation scenarios, still seems to revolve around preparation for go-live and most attendees weren’t really considering the needs of learners beyond that point. As a case in point, there was an excellent presentation by the team from Whatfix, outlining the many benefits to business for considering a User Adoption approach, but it wasn’t very well attended.
Overall my impressions of the L&D industry at present, from having attended this conference are:
- There is a drive towards micro, consumable, engaging and gamified content
- There is a huge desire to leverage AI to enhance the user experience, by curating and enhancing their journey, while at the same time reducing the repetitive build and maintenance time for the L&D team.
- That the LMS is a key part of any learning delivery programme, particularly for hybrid workers
- Finally, that companies and training budgets are still considering the project delivery needs of go-live and not yet the long term implications of user adoption in software implementation scenarios.
