Getting Ahead of Demand

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Getting what you want can come with unexpected twists and turns. Imagine you’ve spent your first year getting your company to believe in learning, and now they do. They want your help, and the requests are flooding in.

Getting what you want can come with unexpected twists and turns. Imagine you’ve spent your first year getting your company to believe in learning, and now they do. They want your help, and the requests are flooding in.

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The problem is, they won’t stop coming.

The problem is, they won’t stop coming.

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I found myself in exactly this position a few years ago. I was the manager of a small learning team supporting a large organization, and it was impossible to keep up with the demand for learning. The feeling of being overwhelmed wasn’t the only problem. It was also the lack of any kind of challenge or fulfillment.

I found myself in exactly this position a few years ago. I was the manager of a small learning team supporting a large organization, and it was impossible to keep up with the demand for learning. The feeling of being overwhelmed wasn’t the only problem. It was also the lack of any kind of challenge or fulfillment.

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When you are in this position, most of the requests are isolated in scope and aren’t making a big impact on the business. A manager needs their team to know about a new process. HR needs to update the training for making leave requests. When you are stuck making mountains of content, you don’t have time to think about the larger learning strategy and how to connect it to the business strategy.

When you are in this position, most of the requests are isolated in scope and aren’t making a big impact on the business. A manager needs their team to know about a new process. HR needs to update the training for making leave requests. When you are stuck making mountains of content, you don’t have time to think about the larger learning strategy and how to connect it to the business strategy.

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Faced with this challenge, one option is to simply say “no.” Do less of the small stuff so you have time for the big stuff.

Faced with this challenge, one option is to simply say “no.” Do less of the small stuff so you have time for the big stuff.

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But there is another way.

But there is another way.

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My team didn’t have the option of saying “no” or of hiring someone new, so we had to find another way to expand our team. To do this, we created a robust system for building user-generated content that’s both high quality and easy for our team to support. Here’s how we did it:

My team didn’t have the option of saying “no” or of hiring someone new, so we had to find another way to expand our team. To do this, we created a robust system for building user-generated content that’s both high quality and easy for our team to support. Here’s how we did it:

Step 1: Pick Your Tools

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Creating a user-generated content machine starts by picking the right tools. Because you will be relying on people out in the business to use these tools, “right” often comes down to ease of use and cost. You aren’t going to get licenses for and train everyone on Storyline.

Creating a user-generated content machine starts by picking the right tools. Because you will be relying on people out in the business to use these tools, “right” often comes down to ease of use and cost. You aren’t going to get licenses for and train everyone on Storyline.

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However, there are many tools these days that are both easy to use and allow you to collaborate or share licenses. The key is to make using the tools as simple as possible.

However, there are many tools these days that are both easy to use and allow you to collaborate or share licenses. The key is to make using the tools as simple as possible.

Step 2: Build Templates and Training

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Once your tools are selected, you need to build templates. I’m not just talking about picking the right color and font, though that is important; you need to show people what good training looks like. How do you highlight learning objectives? How should a course be organized to tell a story? What makes good knowledge questions?

Once your tools are selected, you need to build templates. I’m not just talking about picking the right color and font, though that is important; you need to show people what good training looks like. How do you highlight learning objectives? How should a course be organized to tell a story? What makes good knowledge questions?

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Remember, not everyone using these tools will be a learning professional. You need to build the templates, then train people how to use them.

Remember, not everyone using these tools will be a learning professional. You need to build the templates, then train people how to use them.

Step 3: Create a Request System

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The final step is to create a system that will make sense of the flood of training requests—a simple form, distro, or ticket system that allows all the requests to land in one place for prioritization and tracking. This will make it easier for your team to coordinate with the people generating the content and review their work.

The final step is to create a system that will make sense of the flood of training requests—a simple form, distro, or ticket system that allows all the requests to land in one place for prioritization and tracking. This will make it easier for your team to coordinate with the people generating the content and review their work.

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We all want our organizations to understand the power learning can have. But that doesn’t always come with the resources you may need to fully support the organization. This means you need to find new resources: the people in your organization.

We all want our organizations to understand the power learning can have. But that doesn’t always come with the resources you may need to fully support the organization. This means you need to find new resources: the people in your organization.

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By building a system to maximize user-generated content, you will not only support more people, you will also let your team focus on the bigger projects that will help move the organization forward.

By building a system to maximize user-generated content, you will not only support more people, you will also let your team focus on the bigger projects that will help move the organization forward.

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Give youreslf and your team the chance to make a real impact by getting ahead of demand.

Give youreslf and your team the chance to make a real impact by getting ahead of demand.

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For more insights, join me at ATD TechKnowledge for my session: Getting More Out of User-Generated Content.

For more insights, join me at ATD TechKnowledge for my session: Getting More Out of User-Generated Content.