Cracking the Code: Understanding Empathy Interviews for Better Learner Experience

Cursory: Communication between learning and development professionals and learners can sometimes be challenging due to differing perspectives and terminology. This disconnect can hinder our ability to fully grasp and support the needs expressed by learners during empathy interviews. This useful phrasebook aims to assist you in converting learner preferences into actionable recommendations that align with the goals of the business.

L&D Partners' Handbook of Phrases:

Over the course of many years, design thinking has been instrumental in enabling product and service designers to engage users and collect their feedback through numerous iterations. Since learning is both a product and a service, design thinking proves to be a valuable tool for crafting meaningful and beneficial learning experiences.

We've named our unique approach CoDesign℠, an agile, entirely virtual process that expedites the solution-finding process by bringing together the appropriate stakeholders. Naturally, learners play a central role in our approach, as we actively engage a diverse sample of our audience at every stage of CoDesign.

Today, we'll delve into the initial stage: Connect, which is often referred to as Empathize in various design thinking models. During this fundamental phase, our primary objective is to grasp the needs of our learners, enabling us to create solutions that they will genuinely embrace and find enjoyable.

Exploring Empathy Interviews: Overcoming Language Barriers

We take great pleasure in meeting our learners and establishing genuine connections with them. It's heartening to recognize our shared humanity, with common desires for health, security, and the well-being of our loved ones. We all share the same frustration when faced with unnecessary procedures and dysfunctional systems.

However, there's an important consideration: Learning and Development (L&D) professionals constitute a specialized group, and sometimes, we may not communicate in the same language as our learners. While our learners are experts in their respective roles, tasks, priorities, and preferences, they might not be as familiar with the language of metacognition, which involves reflecting on how they think and learn.

Who bears the responsibility for bridging the language gap?

It falls upon us, the Learning and Development community.

We possess both the obligation and the expertise to comprehend the requirements of learners and convert them into suggestions, which can eventually become solutions for our stakeholders. To genuinely champion our learning community, we must strive for a proficiency in learner-friendly language that is nearly indistinguishable from that of native speakers.

Fluency in the Language of LX: Becoming Proficient in Learner speak

While learners may not have a deep understanding of the language commonly used in the field of Learning and Development, the information they provide is filled with valuable insights. This straightforward guide will assist you in converting their descriptions of their daily lives and learning experiences into potential recommendations for learning.

Applications of Learning Solutions

It's common to approach learner empathy interviews with preconceived solutions in mind and discover confirmation for them throughout the process. This is a natural human tendency.

However, the true value we bring as L&D professionals lies in genuinely listening to what learners reveal about their roles, job responsibilities, priorities, and preferences, and then aligning these learner needs with the needs of the business.

Let's take a deeper look at the business and learner requirements that form the basis for each potential learning solution's use case.

Audio Literature

Do you belong to an industry that's constantly changing? Audiobooks offer an excellent way to communicate the latest industry developments, discuss challenges, and introduce evolving strategies and perspectives.

For businesses aiming to disseminate general information to a widely dispersed or frequently traveling audience, audiobooks serve as an ideal mobile and hands-free learning solution. They can also serve as a valuable foundation for initiating social learning experiences, like book clubs or discussion forums.

Furthermore, this format offers a more accessible alternative for learners who find traditional reading exhausting or uncomfortable, both physically and mentally.

Audio shows

Similar to audiobooks, podcasts offer a versatile educational solution that can effortlessly reach a diverse and frequently mobile audience, whether they are on the move or behind the wheel. Their serialized format makes them ideal for providing quick, easily digestible information and regular updates.

For businesses seeking to highlight various internal thought leaders and projects, provide a summary of industry advancements, elucidate new methodologies and challenges, or demonstrate effective communication strategies, podcasts can serve as a valuable tool.

Additionally, if you already have guests eager to participate, it's an added advantage!

Podcasts present yet another user-friendly and portable medium for delivering fresh knowledge to individuals who may not be avid readers. Furthermore, they provide an authentic platform for demonstrating conversational skills, which can be particularly beneficial for professionals in roles centered around communication, such as salespeople, managers, and HR professionals.

Narration:

We have previously emphasized the value of storytelling, also known as scenario-based learning. This approach has a proven track record for nurturing empathy and cultivating advanced problem-solving abilities, a benefit even for learners primarily seeking factual information. Any business seeking to instruct its learners in the following areas would find a compelling reason to embrace storytelling:

• Comprehensive content delivery

• Adaptation to intricate situations

• Enhancement of emotional intelligence and interpersonal competencies

• Addressing intricate behaviors and attitudes

Scenario-based learning can be incorporated into any instructional format, effectively engaging learners and aiding in the retention of knowledge and skills. Furthermore, it's important to note that the storytelling element doesn't have to be limited to written narratives; scenario-based videos, games, and even virtual reality (VR) experiences can immerse learners directly into the learning process.

Microlearning

Also referred to as microlearning, nanolearning offers learners a swift and convenient way to acquire specific knowledge, but only when they require it. These bite-sized learning modules are voluntarily accessed by learners while they are engaged in their work tasks. In any business or department where time translates to money, such as sales, customer service, and manufacturing, nanolearning serves a valuable purpose. It proves particularly effective in reinforcing tasks that learners perform infrequently, such as mastering complex spreadsheet formulas. Nanolearning modules are designed to concentrate on a singular task or skill and are often delivered electronically, although they can also be provided through other means. Additionally, they are typically accessible as mobile learning solutions.

Below are two typical nanolearning approaches:

Work assistance tools

These typically come in the form of easily downloadable, printer-friendly documents enriched with numerous images, but there's ample room for creative variations. Job aids can also manifest as interactive pop-up guidance screens within software applications or brief audio demonstrations of tasks, calls, or conversations.

Visual recordings

When learners require guidance on performing repairs, executing physical tasks, or responding to complex situations, videos are an invaluable tool for helping them visualize these actions in both spatial and temporal dimensions. Videos provide more immediate and user-friendly assistance compared to text-based job aids, making them a preferred choice for many individuals. Additionally, the option to provide closed-captioning, transcripts, or both can enhance accessibility.

Conversational agents

Chatbots offer learners a sustained engagement with microlearning, establishing an enduring connection. This mobile learning solution adeptly manages multiple tasks, delivering bite-sized content as per learners' requests and periodically evaluating their knowledge retention over time. Chatbots display remarkable versatility, serving as a means to both administer knowledge assessments and facilitate learners in searching for topics and resources as needed. If you've ever interacted with a customer service chatbot, you're familiar with this functionality!

For businesses seeking to disseminate proprietary information to a widely dispersed learner audience, chatbots can emerge as a more streamlined alternative to traditional learning management systems (LMS). Additionally, they enable businesses to maintain an ongoing channel of communication with learners while ensuring concise messaging.

Game-based engagement

Games, whether they involve quick trivia challenges or extended journeys, have the potential to ignite a learner's passion for mastery. They provide a secure environment for individuals to observe the consequences of their decisions and actions. The integration of gamification with storytelling, especially in the context of mobile learning solutions, can be executed with varying degrees of technical sophistication, ranging from simple leaderboards to full-fledged apps.

For a business seeking to motivate learners while providing a risk-free space for skill testing, gamification can be a valuable tool. In-game nanolearning components can assist learners in honing their skills and revisiting concepts. It's crucial for learners to have access to these nanolearning resources outside the game environment, as we wouldn't want the game to become a barrier to their learning journey.

Learning through social interaction

Here's the bright side of social media: It can function as a platform for sharing knowledge within departments or job roles where procedures and processes are stored in the minds of various experts.

Many experts take pleasure in passing on the wisdom they've accumulated over the years to new hires, and these newcomers value the opportunity to receive expert guidance for their questions and challenges. Observing examples of success in their field also serves as a source of motivation for them! With effective moderation, a well-managed social learning platform can serve as a modern and mobile-friendly form of apprenticeship.

A company that has employees with varying levels of expertise in a particular job function might find social learning beneficial. This is especially true if the company needs to develop a succession plan for specific roles, wishes to internalize knowledge from external contractors, or has a combination of both needs.

VR

Virtual reality (VR) and scenario-based learning collaborate to fully engage learners in lifelike situations. Within this virtual realm, learners encounter challenges, interact with objects, and identify problems, all while closely mirroring their actual work environment. With each repetition and replay, they enhance their skills, strengthening their ability to retain and recall information.

When it comes to providing a true-to-life training experience, VR stands as the closest alternative to an actual day on the job, offering one distinct advantage: it eliminates distractions, preventing learners from checking their messages.

For businesses seeking to instruct learners in soft skills or prepare them to respond effectively in uncommon, hazardous, or complex situations—such as workplace threats or nuclear safety—VR presents a valuable tool. Similar to gamification, VR offers a secure environment for learners to hone their abilities without risking harm to individuals or property.

A key consideration to keep in mind is that VR necessitates a strong grasp of both technology and its integration into the broader learning strategy, typically leading to the need for a larger team and greater complexity. However, empirical evidence indicates that the return on investment (ROI) for VR is substantial, comparable to that of traditional classroom instruction, particularly for learner groups consisting of 375 or more individuals.

Fundamental Conclusion

Understanding the basics of learners' communication can enable us to better comprehend their true needs and whether these align with the business requirements. While some learners may have ambitious aspirations, you'll discover that many of their requests are quite reasonable, if not modest. Your capacity to bridge the communication divide between learners and stakeholders will enable you to advocate for the collective well-being of all involved.