Bite sized learning design
Think small to go big – Grow your business through super targeted, bite sized learning
You have so much to teach. You want your people to grow, blossom and thrive. The challenge can be knowing where to start. You might feel overwhelmed with the task of knowing how it all fits together or chunks up.
What if that isn’t the way to go? What if it makes loads more sense (for your energy, for your people and for the sustainability of your business) to actually create super targeted, tiny bite sized useful, powerful, action inducing modules.
Think about that. One problem or desire at a time for one person (your ideal customer). What if you just had to do that? Would that feel more achievable? Deep breath.
Yvette’s Tip – Create a bite sized learning list
Let’s dig in….
Activity time
What is the problem/desire that is right at the front of your ideal customer’s mind? Or maybe it’s actually a little deeper… they may recognise a symptom and you may need to tease out the problem/desire.
The focus is the client’s need. Not what you know. What she/he needs in order to address each problem/desire. FOCUS. Drill down. What is the problem and what are the symptoms. What words do they use about that? What do they want more of, what do they want less of?
No really… do it. Write it down. What is the first problem/desire that comes to mind?
For example, let’s say my business is helping my ideal customer (women who are re-entering the workforce after an extended break) to write amazing resumes to get their dream job. First problem ‘I don’t know how to look for a job’. If I drill down more, the first problem is much more likely to be around ‘I’ve lost my confidence to apply for a job’ or ‘I have no idea what job I want’.
Can you see how this starts to grow a list of problems you can help them address? Each one is a teachable issue, but make sure you stay focused on their needs and what will be useful for them to solve that issue. Action is your focus … knowledge is just a part of taking action.
Can you brainstorm out a list of problems/desires?
Now you’re starting to build a suit of bite sized products. You build small products to address each problem/desire.
Learning design – consistency
Make sure you remember the design issues and create consistency in your template (colour, font, headings, use of images and icons etc) This will save you time later.
Boring housekeeping stuff that will cost you hours if you get it wrong (promise)
What will you name the files? Bite sized learning creates many products so you want to be really clear about retrieving the product and version you need.
Some products may have multiple parts for example a page of notes, a worksheet, a video, a MP3 etc. Make sure you keep all of the parts together and named in a way that shows their association. Create cross-referencing to make the connections clear. For example, I tend to do this in the PowerPoint notes if I use PowerPoint. Or just create a small word document that has something like a lesson plan to show how things fit together. You will be amazed what you can forget in a busy mind.
How will you keep track of different versions? I’m a big believer in deleting old versions but if that doesn’t work for you, how will you know which version is the most current or for a particular purpose?
Where will you store the files? Will you have them in folders? What will they be called? Do you save them to another piece of software?
This is all about reuse. How will you retrieve these easily and be confident about what is in each folder…. even after one or two years?
Packaging the bite sized into targeted amazing offerings
You want to design a learning product (ebook, opt-in, webinar, pod cast, workshop, online course, etc).
Let’s use the analogy of a house. If your product is your house, the bite sized products are the bricks. The bricks you choose and how you lay them out will determine the structure and ultimately the useability of the house.
You construct your course using the bite sized parts. You may use some parts in almost all of your courses because it clearly lays out your principal message. Your foundation. Other parts may only get used occasionally.
The point is, if you start by addressing one need/problem/desire per product, you can create a remarkable number of offerings for different purposes. AND you don’t have to start from scratch each time.
Don’t forget the mortar
Keeping with the brick analogy, you will need to create mortar to hold your bricks together.
I’m not suggesting for a minute that you just bung the separate bite sized products together and call it a course. You will need to create a cohesive course using the bite sized products. Make sure the language is consistent, the ideas flow clearly, the activities work well together, and that together the whole course addresses the purpose/intent. That is, that it delivers on your promise and addresses your client’s need rather than tells what you know.
Polish and Reuse – don’t recreate
HUGE Yvette’ism – make it once, use it multiple times in multiple ways. REALLY.
You are creating a toolbox of products that can be used and reused. Bite sized learning allows you to create small self-contained parts to create amazing targeted new courses, sessions, workshops, or you name it.
Do a webinar. Keep the recording. Next time you sell a related product, you have a cool bonus to give. Create an eBook. Do the same. Bonus already done.
You’re asked to create a product for a colleague in a complementary field, use one you prepared earlier and adjust if necessary.
Bite sized learning – Your turn
What do you think of the idea of creating a toolkit of bite sized learning products? Have you done this already? What have you learned? I’d love to hear your ideas or answer your questions.
