Think Mobile First and Fast
By now, the idea of mobile as a “trend” in learning should be nothing new. The story for 2013 and beyond is really “bigger, better, faster, simpler.” Consider some numbers: Smart phones are now in 55% of U.S. households, while tablets are already in 44% of U.S. homes. By 2016, we will bring 350 million smartphones to work globally. And while 80% of companies are reporting at least a moderate interest in mobile learning, fewer than 30% of them have an enterprise strategy to embrace and deploy it. Time to get serious.
“Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD)
“Work” and “leisure” time are colliding and intermingling more than ever, and workers are tired of managing separate devices for both sides of their lives. While the data show that flexible work schedules, the mobile office, and the “always connected” mindset are actually lengthening the average workers’ week and increasing productivity, in many cases we’re not making technology easy and elegant to use in support of our workers’ needs and preferences. This problem is largely driven by security concerns and protocols, but we have to think differently here – ultimately in support of an ecosystem that is device-agnostic and meets people where they are.
Embrace “Knowledge Nuggets”
In other words, give workers the information they need when they need it, in “bite-sized” and relevant chunks. With less time available for formalized, traditional, long-form corporate training, mobile technology provides the platform for feeding critical information to our teams precisely when they need it to maximize job performance. For example, think quick tutorials and/or job aids that can be consumed in a minute or less, and must be readable on a small screen.
