My presentation for the Austin chapter of ASTD on the ways in which social media tools can be leveraged to support training classes and programs.

1. Before, During, and After:
How Social Media Ties Training
Together
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2. Sean Carey –
Lead Facilitator, Social Media
and Community University
Program at Dell
(SMaC U)

3. “Duct tape is like The Force. It has
a light side and a dark side, and it
holds the universe together.”
– Carl Zwanzig
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4. The case for internal social media use…
Harvard Business Review weighs in
• The most expensive employees spend:
– 28% of their time reading/replying to emails
– 19% of their time tracking down information
– 14% of their time collaborating with co-workers
– Social media could represent a 20-25% increase
in efficiency in these activities
• “Dig out the dark matter”
– High-value knowledge is hidden in oral traditions
or buried on hard drives
• Source
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5. Ways social media can impact training
Before During After
• Needs Analysis • Multimedia • Assessment and
• Promotion presentation feedback
• Pre-work • Interactivity • Asset management
• VILT • Bridging learners
and doers
• On-going learning
Community building & driving the learning culture
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6. Before Training: Needs Analysis
• Ask the right questions up front
– Reach internal groups to uncover needs
– Reach out to professional groups to determine best in class specs and
mine best practices
• Tools to use:
– Groups (Facebook, LinkedIn)
– Polls (Facebook, LinkedIn)
– Enterprise platform (Chatter)
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7. Before Training: Promotion
• Trumpet upcoming opportunities
– Tie training opportunities to business objectives
and metrics
› Dell examples: IDPs, Review cycles, CSAT, etc.
– Demonstrate personality
• Tools to use:
– Groups (Facebook, LinkedIn)
– Enterprise platform (Chatter)
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8. Before Training: Pre-Work
• Offer interesting content to prime
the pump
– Articles/blogs on the topic from
authoritative sources
– Videos/podcasts on the topic
– Infographics
• Tools to use:
– Blog aggregators (Alltop.com, Google
Blogs)
– YouTube
– Visual.ly (infographics)
– Groups (Facebook, LinkedIn)
– Enterprise platform (Chatter)
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9. During Training: Multimedia
• Variety keeps the mind engaged
– Videos/podcast clips on the topic
– Infographics
– Social conversation
– Great for those who aren’t naturally
funny or upbeat
• Tools to use:
– YouTube
– Visual.ly (infographics)
– search.twitter.com
– socialmention.com
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10. During Training: Interactivity
• Social in the classroom
– Twitter (with or without live feed)
› Comments, parking lot for questions, etc.
› Use a hashtag
› Caveat: Anything can show up
– Writing exercises
– Don’t force it if it doesn’t fit naturally
• Tools to use:
– Twitter
– Groups (Facebook, LinkedIn)
– Enterprise platform (Chatter)
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11. During Training: VILT
• Social media can act as ad hoc VILT in a pinch
– Google+ Hangouts can support small scale remote
interactions (maximum of 10 participants)
– Warning: Guard the URL
• The more social your VILT is, the better
– Seeing the instructor’s face is key
– Have a real time chat window active
– Real-time polling/interactivity
• Tools to use:
– Google+ Hangouts
– YouTube
– Adobe Connect
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12. After Training: Assessment and Feedback
• Solicit a mix of online feedback
– Candid discussion
– Polls
– Links to external surveys
– Offer at least one anonymous option
• Tools to use:
– Groups (Facebook, LinkedIn)
– Polls (Facebook, LinkedIn)
– SurveyMonkey.com
– Enterprise platform (Chatter)
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13. After Training: Asset Management
• Use social groups to house pre/post assets
– PowerPoint decks
– Tip sheets
– Videos
– A clear naming convention for files is key
• Tools to use:
– Groups (Facebook, LinkedIn)
– Dropbox
– Enterprise platform (Chatter)
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14. After Training: Bridging Learners and Doers
• Getting experts to participate skyrockets your credibility
– Get subject matter experts to post best practices
– Get subject matter experts to post relevant news articles and other
valuable content
– Get subject matter experts to respond to questions and join conversations
– Make your community a knowledge resource, not just a training resource
• Tools to use:
– Groups (Facebook, LinkedIn)
– Enterprise platform (Chatter)
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15. After Training: Ongoing Learning
• Keep the conversation going
– Content is king: keep it flowing
– Balance your content (80/20 rule)
– Have fun! (*GASP*)
• Become the destination resource
– Training information, Q&A
– Discussion and on-going enrichment
– High-value assets and content
– Access to experts
– Live office hours
• Tools to use:
– All of them!
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16. Some final thoughts…
• It won’t happen overnight
– A true learning community and culture takes time to build, enjoy
yourself along the way
– Finding out what types of media/content/style your audience
responds to is a process of trial and error: iterate, iterate, iterate.
– By the time you figure everything out and get it running properly,
there will be something newer, hotter, and better; be prepared to
constantly reinvent
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17. Some final thoughts…
• It won’t happen overnight
– It’s about two-way dialogue; if you aren’t listening, you’re losing
– Building real relationships with your learners turns them into your
advocates and allies
– Be involved in other social communities related to your company,
industry, area of expertise, etc. It will drive your credibility.
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18. Resources
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19. Follow-up Reading and How To Resources
Some links/books to help you
on the way:
• The LinkedIn Learning Center
• How To Run A Successful LinkedIn
Group
• Facebook Groups FAQs
• Social Media for Trainers, by Jane
Bozarth
• The New Social Learning by Tony
Bingham and Marcia Conner
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20. Questions or
Feedback?
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